By Jonathan Lewis
Best summer ever.I was thinking of ways to put my summer into words and I felt that those three words sum it up perfectly. Last summer, I was just happy to be apart of the Cape Cod League with the Hyannis Mets while just throwing little innings out of the bullpen. I was still as much of a fan as I was a pitcher. I realized I was playing with and against kids from Stanford, Clemson, Rice and all of the other schools you saw on ESPN at the College World Series. Last year I found myself just settling for being a part of the scene, as opposed to an important piece to my team. I had never accepted mediocre personal statistics in my entire life – until last summer.This summer, I realized I'm not settling anymore and Northeast kids can compete with anyone in the country. I had a successful college season at Stony Brook. My numbers were good, top-five in the conference in most major statistical categories. I threw 100 innings with an earned run average under 3.00. My fastball velocity was up, curve worked better than ever, and there was a legitimate chance for me to go in the draft. The scouts ended up drafting four pitchers from my conference. After not getting drafted, I took that disappointment and frustration and worked out harder than ever. I began to believe, as I did in high school, that giving up one hit was one too many, and that if a team was going to score off of me, regardless of who they were, they would have to earn each and every base. When Bourne Braves' manager Harvey Shapiro offered me a contract on his cape team, I was less than an hour from accepting a deal to go to the less notable New England Collegiate Baseball League's Newport Gulls. All I wanted was one more chance in the Cape, and not a mop-up, spot start chance. A real chance, a chance to show that those guys from Rice, Stanford, Texas and Clemson are nothing better then the kids from New York. Coach Shapiro gave me that shot, and I did my best to take full advantage of it.I wound up being the Braves' opening night starter, and won my game handily 14-2, without allowing an earned run. Instantly the guys from the big name schools began asking me “Stony where” and “why don't I transfer” to their schools?My second outing came five nights later, another win, no earned runs. At this point I sat atop the Cape Cod leader board in wins, ERA and among the leaders in innings pitched and strikeouts. “If scouts think I'm not worth watching,” I thought. “I'll make them watch me.” Third outing, no decision, two earned runs, 0.95 ERA. All of a sudden “advisers” began calling me, asking to speak to me, or if it would be ok to phone my parents. I was interviewed by one of the local papers in their “Getting to Know Jon Lewis” column. I even mentioned I wrote for the TimesLedger back home. Fans waited in line for me to sign things for them, which I still feel undeserving of, but thankful for each and every person out there who supports all the Cape players.My pitching coach, Dick Schoonover, was very positive and encouraging. He also was the most knowledgeable baseball person I've ever met. He would sit in the bullpen and get calls from Curt Schilling, Dustin Hermanson and other major leaguers, asking for mechanical advice. He changed my arm slot, and I began to get more extension on my pitches. My velocity went from 87-91 to 88-94-mph. I developed a better curveball. Coach Schoonover told me I had a legitimate chance to make something of myself, on this staff along with guys like Jason Neiborgall from Georgia Tech who tops at a legitimate 101-mph.At this time my new friends are now back at their schools, scattered across the country. There's Bongio and Paco from Miami, and the Gregs from LSU, Stanford and North Carolina. I'll definitely keep in touch with John, Jay and Andy from G-Tech. This summer experience helped me make friends from all over the country and who most will play pro ball someday.I finished my summer with a 1.81 era in eight starts and missed making the all-star team by a wind-aided 305-foot home run. My teammate from Stony Brook, Andrew Larsen, came down halfway through the summer to replace an injured player on our team. As I knew he would, he made the most of his time and had many big hits and great plays in center for our team. He showed off his great arm and threw out lots of runners trying to score. He is one of my best friends and I am glad he came to play with me and help represent Stony Brook. My old Cardinals' coach Ian Millman told me that nothing in life that is really worthwhile comes easily, and if it's too easy, you don't want whatever it is. He also said that within every failure is a new way to find success, you just have to look hard enough. These are words i have lived by and will continue to live by
