The bond with Schon

By DENNIS SILVA II
LAREDO MORNING TIMES

To get the most out of yourself, sacrifices often have to be made.

For Andy Schon, the 23-year-old right-handed pitcher for the Laredo Broncos, that sacrifice is plying his trade 1,600 miles away from his home of Akron, Ohio.

When Schon was traded from the Washington WildThings of the Frontier League in late spring, he didn’t know what to expect.

All he was certain of was that it would not sit well with his close-knit family.
He was right.

“I was sad,” said Andy’s mom, Elaine. “We’re very close as a family. We don’t have a big family, but we’re always very supportive of each other. We all were torn because we knew it was a great opportunity.”

After the initial idea of being traded came and went, Andy eventually felt the same way.

“First I was like, ‘Man … I’m going somewhere else,’ ” he said. “And then I knew my mom wouldn’t be happy. She was the first person I called, and she was like, ‘Oh, no!’ But I was fine.

“I’ll play baseball anywhere, and I was ready to go.”

FAST REWARDS

The move has paid off for Schon, who like all minor leaguers is hoping to get brought up by a major league club.

In nine appearances for the 24-24 Broncos this season, Schon has compiled a 5-2 record with a 4.19 ERA.

More importantly, he has struck out 56 and walked 18 in 58 innings pitched.
“He’s very effective,” said Broncos pitching coach Mickey Callaway, who played five seasons in Major League Baseball and won a World Series ring with Anaheim in 2002.

“He’s got great off-speed stuff and it’s tough to hit, especially when you set it up right like he does. He definitely knows how to pitch and what it takes to succeed on the mound.”

Schon has been particularly effective his last two outings, both of which were wins.
In the two games, one of which was a complete-game, nine-strikeout gem, he threw 15 innings and allowed one run while striking out 14.

“I’m a lot more confident,” he said. “Instead of throwing just to get someone out, I’m throwing to places where I want the ball to go.”

Schon’s “go-to” pitches are his slow curveball and changeup, though he’s also working hard on getting his fastball higher and faster.

“I throw a lot of off-speed pitches,” he said. “It keeps hitters off balance and I’ve had success with it, so I’ve kept with it. As long as you don’t throw too many, hitters are out in front of the ball a lot and you can get some ground balls and easy outs, maybe even some cheap pop-ups.

“Pitching slow or fast, it’s a matter of mixing it up and hitting your spots.”

Schon, who was expected to be a long reliever at best coming into Broncos camp in May, has surprised his peers with his efficiency and know-how.

“As a young pitcher, he’s right where he should be,” Callaway said. “He has three or four pitches he can throw as strikes, and that’s something a lot of pitchers have trouble with.”

Schon is one of three Bronco starters yet to miss a start, and he has drawn the respect of his team after playing on a severe stomach virus in his seventh start of the season two weeks ago.

“He’s done what we’ve asked him to do, which is keep us in games,” Broncos Manager Dan Shwam said. “He’s not a power pitcher by any means, and he provides a nice change of pace compared to the other guys we have.

“He competes, he makes good pitches, and he’s a smart guy. He’s done very well for us.”

MAJOR LEAGUE PERSONALITY

But Schon’s best attribute, according to teammates and coaches, is not his curveball or ability to keep his walks down.

It’s his attitude, an element of a player that can be damaged when going through the cyclical nature of minor league baseball.

“Everybody loves Andy,” Broncos General Manager Jose Melendez said. “The players and coaches just feed off his positive attitude. When we go on the road, players are always asking to room with him because he’s just a great guy to be around.

“He makes it enjoyable to come to the park and play baseball every day.”

Schon is always wearing a smile, and his attitude was put to the test a few weeks ago when he surrendered six runs on 11 hits in 5 2/3 innings in a 8-5 loss to San Angelo on June 19, the contest in which he was still feeling the ill effects of a stomach virus suffered the night before.

Still, he shrugged it off and held his head high, never once wavering in emotion.

“Being positive is how I was brought up,” he said. “My parents pretty much instilled (it) in me, and I look at everything as a blessing. I’m blessed to be here playing baseball and that’s why I don’t take anything for granted.

“There’s thousands of guys who would love to be in my position so I appreciate everything that comes my way.”

Added Andy’s father, John: “He’s just got a can-do attitude. Ask him to go through a brick wall and he’ll do it, no questions asked. He’s a very upbeat person, and he gets that from his mother. She’s exactly the same way, and I think he’s carried that on.”

Schon’s uplifting nature could also be because he’s still, in many ways, a wide-eyed fan.

He’s never alone and is almost always chattering away with somebody.

“I love watching our team,” he said with a grin. “I have favorite players, and it’s like I’m a fan. I love watching Dwayne (White) play the outfield. I like watching Luany (Sanchez) hit, and Santo (Hernandez) and Gregorio (Martinez) strike everybody out.

“They’re teammates, but it’s so much fun to watch. They’re so talented.”

Though as strong of a competitor as anyone, Schon’s attitude carries onto the mound as well.

Whether it is a complete game shutout or a bases-loaded jam with no outs, he approaches any situation with poise and control.

“He has a great attitude,” Callaway said. “You have to have a positive attitude at this level. You can’t be negative because it’ll start to wear on you.

“He’s a guy that can shrug off a bad start and come back stronger and even better in his next outing.”

FAMILY FIRST

Schon still is unsure of what the future may bring.

A double major in secondary education and mathematics at Walsh (Ohio) University, where he played four years of NAIA baseball and made the College World Series in his senior year, Schon has started teaching at area schools in Ohio.

He also was an assistant pitching coach at Walsh last season.

He has one more year of school left, and he has no doubts of where his priorities stand.

“The one thing we’ve always preached is to get a good education,” Elaine said.

“Whether he goes on to be a pro player, teaching will always be there. He loves kids, and kids love to be around him.”

After this season, Schon will be a free agent, meaning, unlike many other players in minor league baseball, he will not have an option year due to his two-year contract expiring.

In those two years, however, he has come a long way.

“The biggest adjustment for me has been how to pitch to different hitters,” said Schon, who has been able to attack the inside of the plate better than he used to. “I came from a small college, faced some decent teams, where you can get away with getting people out on 77, 78 miles per hour. Here, if you leave that over the plate, it’s almost always going to leave the yard.

“It’s a matter of adapting, making fewer mistakes, more quality pitches and keeping the ball down. Changing the eye level is a big part of the game here.”

Schon’s synopsis of his short career up to this point comes with an eagerness that often plagues the students he teaches in the offseason.

“It’s been a short career so far, a month last year and two months so far here, but I’m learning every day,” he said. “I’m always asking questions and make sure I soak in as much as I can. I’m sure some guys get annoyed, but I like to know.”

He’s also still as thoughtful as ever off the field, never letting baseball detract from his love for his family.

“We stay in touch every day,” said Elaine, who has one other child, 14-year-old Kristen. “With cell phones, he’ll send me pictures and we will as well. He sends cards to all of us. We follow him online and read the Broncos’ stories and listen to the games.”

Sacrifices.

“I’m extremely proud of him,” Elaine said. “He’s a hard worker, and he just loves baseball. I’m not much of a sports person, but I learned baseball because he loved it.

“It’s wonderful to watch your son do what he loves to do.”