Bobby McEwen had moved on.
His career as a baseball player included far more achievements than most hopeful youngsters ever attain. McEwen, a right-handed pitcher, earned all-state honors at Jackson High School in Mill Creek and competed for four seasons at Gonzaga University.
But last summer, after playing with a semipro team in California, the 5-foot-11 McEwen – considered short by pro standards – let go of his dreams of making it to the pros.
He took a job as a mortgage consultant in Marysville. That was that. No more baseball.
“When I played in California that was my last go at it, to give it a shot,” said the 23-year-old.
McEwen said he pitched well there but didn’t get an offer from a major-league team. McEwen didn’t throw a baseball for four months. He didn’t know it at the time, but his baseball career was far from over.
Back in the game
These days, McEwen has his ideal occupation.
Last month he quit his job in Marysville. The reason: He signed a baseball contract with the Milwaukee Brewers.
Through July 30, McEwen had made three pitching appearances for the AZL Brewers of the Arizona Rookie League, compiling a 1.69 earned-run average.
“This is what I want to do, is be able to put all my efforts toward baseball with no distractions,” he said from Arizona last week in a phone interview. “Getting paid to play, this is now my job. I want to go for it and see where it will take me.”
Wait. How did McEwen go from former athlete to pro pitcher? It was an unexpected, remarkably swift journey that seemingly no one – especially McEwen – would have predicted.
After graduating from Gonzaga in spring 2007 and playing his third and final summer season with the Santa Barbara Foresters, McEwen decided to coach, in addition to working his day job in Marysville.
He guided the U13 Seattle Bombers select team and also was an assistant coach at Archbishop Murphy High this past spring. Besides throwing batting practice to Murphy hitters once a week, he wasn’t pitching or working out.
But McEwen got a call from Barry Aden, manager of the Seattle Studs. The Studs play in the semi-pro Pacific International League, which mainly features college players. Aden, who knew McEwen’s dad, wondered if McEwen would like to pitch a handful of mid-week games for the Studs.
McEwen agreed to give it a try, expecting no more than a chance to help the team and hopefully have a good time.
In his first start, McEwen threw five innings of no-hit ball – pretty good for a guy who had not started a game since April 2007, for Gonzaga.
“It all just kind of clicked for me,” said McEwen.
Using a fastball that topped out in the 92-mph range and a new knuckle curveball that he tinkered with during spring practices with Archbishop Murphy, McEwen impressed Aden. After McEwen’s successful debut, the Studs manager asked McEwen’s dad a question: “Are you sure that he wants to be done playing baseball? There might be something out there for him.”
McEwen’s second start, on June 11, was even more impressive. He notched six shutout innings while allowing only one hit against the Bellingham Bells, coached by Brandon Newell, who is also an area scout for the Brewers.
Newell immediately asked Aden about McEwen. It turned out Aden was right: There was still something out there for McEwen.
By the time McEwen traveled with the Seattle Studs to Kamloops, B.C., for a tournament in early July, he knew some pro scouts, including Newell, were interested in him.
Pitching on Saturday during the weekend tourney, McEwen continued to dominate. He earned a complete-game, shutout victory as Seattle decisively defeated the Red Deer Riggers.
When the game ended, Aden asked his players to stick around for team pictures. Members of the grounds crew set up a table and a few chairs on the field.
McEwen was confused. He noticed a large video camera, but that didn’t give away the surprise. He finally realized what was about to happen when he saw Newell, the Milwaukee scout, walk towards him with a Brewers cap.
Said McEwen, “It was the most surreal moment in my life.”
Newell asked McEwen, just a few months removed from thinking his playing days were over, if he would like to be a professional baseball player. McEwen sat down and quickly signed the contract Newell brought.
“My face, I don’t think I could have smiled any bigger. I was shaking,” McEwen said.
“I don’t even know what my signature looked like. I signed it so fast,” he added.
The surprise signing ceremony, witnessed by teammates and fans, totally stunned McEwen. Aden and McEwen’s parents, who attended the game, were in on it the whole time.
McEwen never suspected a thing.
“I couldn’t have written a better script,” said Aden.
It was an emotional moment for many, including Pacific International League secretary Steve Potter.
“It was pretty cool. It brought tears to my eyes,” Potter said. “It’s special to watch a kid fulfill his dreams.”
Aden estimated that in his 19 seasons coaching the Studs he’s had at least a dozen former players reach the major leagues, including Willie Bloomquist of the Mariners and Giants pitcher Tim Lincecum. But McEwen, Aden said, is just the third player he’s had sign a pro contract after leaving the game.
Said Aden, “That’s kind of unique.”
After coming to the Studs with no expectations, McEwen finished with a 5-0 record, a 1.03 earned-run average and 36 strikeouts in 35 innings pitched.
In the rookie-level Arizona League, McEwen is an oddity.
Most of his teammates and opponents are four or five years younger– players who signed right out of high school. Though he’s new to the team and the pro-ball atmosphere, McEwen’s confidence and experience stand out.
“He’s a quality right-hander who brings maturity, especially to a young staff,” said Tony Diggs, first-year manager of the AZL Brewers.
Previously a starter, McEwen has been used in a relief role with the Brewers. He fit right in and is already known as a hard worker, Diggs said.
In his pro debut July 21 McEwen allowed one hit and one run in two innings.
“He didn’t seem nervous at all. He’s been chewing at the bit to get the ball,” said Diggs.
Although McEwen did add a more devastating breaking ball to his repertoire this year, it’s not like the pitcher came out of nowhere. He always had talent, but his lack of height probably limited his opportunities.
Mark Potoshnik is Archbishop Murphy High’s head baseball coach. He has known McEwen since the 2002 Jackson High graduate was 10 years old.
“Going back to his high school times, he’s always had a very, very strong arm. But as an under 6-foot right-handed pitcher it’s always tough early in your career for (scouts) to want to sign you or draft you,” Potoshnik said.
But with the success of hard-throwing, relatively short pitchers like Lincecum (5-foot-11), more doors could open for players such as McEwen.
How far will McEwen go? What other twists will his unusual story include?
McEwen said he’s determined to work as hard as possible and make the most of his opportunity. But even if he never gets to the major leagues, he’s content making it this far, especially after thinking his career was over.
“This is my goal,” McEwen said, “and I’ve made it. Anything else is great.”
Mike Cane writes for The Herald in Everett.
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