STATEN ISLAND, NY- George Kontos is already making the necessary adjustments. In just his second pro start, the 21 year-old Chicago native demonstrated why the Yankees selected him in the fifth round at this year's MLB Draft- tossing five strong innings of one-run ball and striking out eight in a 2-0 Staten Island loss to Aberdeen Wednesday night at St. George.
"I felt good warming up and had all my stuff working," he said after striking out seven of the last nine batters he faced. "I was locating my fastball, was throwing my breaking ball for strikes which is all you can ask for. Just felt good throwing all my stuff up there."
The former Northwestern product finished second in the Big Ten with 84 strikeouts and also tossed seven complete games in 16 starts this past year. Anxiously awaiting where he would get picked in the draft three weeks ago, he was very pleased and a little relieved when the Yankees finally came calling.
"It was a great feeling, especially to get picked by the Yankees," Kontos expressed.
"It was a little frustrating in the early rounds going by not seeing my name but then the Yankees drafted me and it was great. It was one of the best days of my life."
Kontos has noticed one major difference between college and the minor leagues.
"Northwestern, you just got to go out there and you got to win. It's college. But here, there's a little bit more structure and from the first start to the next start," he pointed out.
"I worked a little bit out of the stretch. I wasn't as balanced my first start as I was this one. I just worked on staying back and not leaning forward and letting my arm drag. So I just worked on getting my arm up with my body."
After going only two innings in his Baby Bomber debut last week against the Cyclones, the hard work paid off.
"I don't think they hit any sliders today," he noted after finishing well by fanning seven of the final nine before turning it over to the bullpen.
"My slider was breaking real sharp. I was throwing it well, starting on the outer half and then letting it break down in the dirt and just chases it. I think I struckout every guy on a breaking ball except for one guy....It was definitely easier establishing strikes getting ahead and then finishing off with the breaking balls."
Kontos is also an huge fan of Roger Clemens and even sees some similarities between himself and the 43 year-old seven-time Cy Young winner.
"I've felt that him and I have very similar mechanics and we're both very competitive, very dedicated," he pointed out.
"Obviously I have a ways to go before I can compare myself to him but he's definitely someone I try to be like."
In his free time, Kontos especially enjoys hunting.
"My Dad's a hunter and used to drag me with him just to have some company. But now I have picked it up as one of my hobbies also," he said.
"It's fun getting out there spending time and doing that kind of things."
In the mean time, he'll be doing all his hunting this summer for the Baby Bombers against opposing batters in the New York-Penn League.
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