by John Vittas
Originally Published for Terp Report (April 10, 2014)
It was only his fourth career start, but Maryland freshman Mike
Shawaryn was already at the top of the college baseball world. Just minutes
removed from stifling and defeating the nation’s number two team, Shawaryn
looked through the Florida sunshine into the left field bleachers to find his
parents, who had made the trip down to Tallahassee to witness their son’s
crowning achievement. As you would expect, the Shawaryn contingent was all
smiles, as was their budding superstar.
But as is the case in baseball, there are up and there are
downs. The last two weeks for Shawaryn fall into the down category. After
beginning his college career with five straight wins, including three against
ranked opponents, Shawaryn has hit the proverbial wall.
The lineups of Clemson and Wake Forest dispatched Shawaryn early
each of the past two weekends, roughing him up for nine runs in seven and
two-thirds innings. While the stout ACC batting orders may have gotten to
Shawaryn between the lines, his mental clarity remains in tact.
“The day after, you look back at it and realize it’s a real
learning experience,” Shawaryn said. “I didn’t know I was going to have this
much success this early and this is the first time I’ve really struggled at the
college level. You have to make adjustments now, so that later in the season
you don’t let those mistakes happen again.”
If the first five starts by the 19-year-old impressed you, it
might be his response to the two most adverse that amaze onlookers.
“You have to be the same guy every day. Whatever happens on the
field, leave it on the field. Especially as a pitcher, you’re the focal point
of the whole game. If you get down or have bad body language, everyone is going
to see that. Getting down on yourself is not going to help you get the next
pitch over.”
While Shawaryn’s ability to manage failure may appear refined,
he hasn’t had to do it very often. He won four Non-Public A state titles during
his time at Gloucester Catholic in New Jersey, while also adding multiple
All-American accolades and an American Legion World Series title to his resume.
Perfect Game USA ranked him the No. 4 prospect in the state.
“He’s strong mentally,” sophomore catcher Kevin Martir said.
“He’s the kind of kid who wants the ball. He’s the kind of kid who gets outs.”
“He has really good makeup, he doesn’t get messed up mentally,”
Maryland head coach John Szefc said. “He can reset himself and get back in the
zone quick. He’s pitched in big situations before he got here, he has a good
feel for pitching in pressure situations and he’s the kind of kid who welcomes
the pressure.”
Shawaryn’s drive to win has become infectious, as he, along with
a group of accomplished freshman and sophomores have changed the mindset of a
team that hasn’t had a winning record in the ACC since 1981.
The patriarch of that Shawaryn contingent, Michael Sr., played
football at Gettysburg College in Pennsylvania and always guided his son
towards sports. The younger Shawaryn credits his family’s sports background for
the winning mentality that has accompanied him to College Park.
“It helps you with determination and work ethic,” Shawaryn said.
“When I was younger, I would just play all the sports. I think the biggest
thing it really helped is my competitiveness and drive. And that is still
instilled in me today, just the drive to get it done and get the W.”
Shawaryn’s blasé gait may disguise that drive, as he strolls
around practice like any other pitcher, laid back and unassuming. But when it
comes time to work, Shawaryn's coolness is replaced with a palpable pinpoint
focus. He doesn’t mess around.
“As a person, you can just tell he was someone who takes care of
business, worked hard and was always on task,” Terps’ senior ace Jake Stinnett
said. “That was the first thing I noticed about him. He wanted to know exactly
what he was doing that day, exactly what the practice plan was. He was here to
work hard and really make an impact.”
That’s exactly what he’s done. While ripping off those five
wins, Shawaryn posted a streak of 18 consecutive scoreless innings. Spanning
almost three full starts, it was snapped in the eighth inning of that seminal
victory in Tallahassee.
However, Shawaryn limited No. 2 Florida State to just
that one run, thanks to a timely 5-2-3 double play that helped the freshman
escape a bases loaded, late-inning jam.
It was at that point that Shawaryn let loose, jumping, yelling,
fist pumping and glove-slapping his way to the dugout.
“I’m composed in between the lines, but after I step off the
mound on those big types of plays, you can let a little emotion go,” Shawaryn
said after the game. “It was a big play so I let loose a little bit there.”
It’s that same excitability and intensity that catches on with
Shawaryn’s teammates and make his attitude contagious.
“Shawaryn
is a funny kid,” Martir said. “He’s always having fun, he’s always smiling. He
always puts a smile on everyone’s face.”
The
mental balance that Shawaryn displays is what all baseball players yearn for. The
ability to maintain the obsession to win while remaining even-keeled and
positive sets him apart. The perfectionistic, competitive, never-satisfied mentality
overrides everything, while Shawaryn puts careful thought into every decision
he makes.
That includes the biggest
decision he’s ever had to make, turning down professional money and other
scholarships to come to Maryland.
“He
was a tough nut to crack for a while,” coach Szefc said about the recruiting
process. “He had a previous relationship with [pitching coach] Jim Belanger
when he was at Monmouth. That’s what got us in the door with him. I think he
was attracted to the business school here. He’s a really, really good student.”
Nothing seems more appropriate for Shawaryn than a degree in
business. He has two valuable assets in his right arm and advanced mind, and it
shouldn’t be hard to attract investors. Drafted in the 32nd round of
the 2013 Major League Draft, Shawaryn turned down a contract offer from the
Kansas City Royals.
“The reason I came back was
just because I wanted 3-4 years with Coach Bellanger,” Shawaryn said. “He does
a really good job with the pitching staff and really helping you develop. I
thought that would be really helpful taking my game to the next level. He does
a good job of editing footage and showing you what you did wrong.”
There will be plenty of
footage to dissect from Shawaryn’s Clemson and Wake Forest starts, but after
all, that’s why he is here.
“I think I’m just maturing
with the game,” Shawaryn said. “I’m still young and there’s a lot more I need
to know.”
Not eligible to be drafted
again until 2016, Shawaryn has plenty of time to watch film with Coach
Bellanger, and plenty of time to help turn the program around in the mean time.
“We want to come and play.
We come out here and give our all,” Shawaryn said. “We’re all here to do
something special and create a special program.”
Armed with that mantra, the
Terrapins are off to a historically good start in 2014, and have a very real
chance to break the school record in wins and snap a number of dubious losing
streaks.
Senior Jake Stinnett and
Shawaryn have proved to be a lethal 1-2 punch in the ACC. The senior Stinnett
has been through it all: from being benched as a position player, to now
earning first round grades as one of the best pro prospects in the country. They
say it takes one to know one, and Stinnett sees potential in Shawaryn.
“It’s going to be a great
year for him. I would not be surprised to see him be an All-ACC type of guy,”
Stinnett said about Shawaryn. “He can do whatever he wants to do.”
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