TJ’s Schneider named Daily News baseball player of the year

By Keith Barnes

Published: Saturday, June 23, 2012, 1:13?a.m.
Updated 13 hours ago

Greg Schneider had more expectations thrust upon him than any baseball player in Thomas Jefferson history.

Not only was the Pitt recruit supposed to be virtually unhittable on the mound, it was a foregone conclusion that he would do a ton of damage at the plate and take the Jaguars to heights the program had never seen.

Needless to say, the 2012 Daily News baseball player of the year did that and more.

Schneider had a season for the ages as the Thomas Jefferson senior went 9-2 on the mound with one save in 13 appearances, 12 starts, and his only no-decision came after he threw nine shutout innings in a WPIAL Class AAA quarterfinals playoff game against Hampton.

?Over the last four years he matured into a great baseball player and a really awesome young man,? Thomas Jefferson coach Rich Krivanek said. ?Just watching how he handles himself through everything, because it just seemed like every day somebody else was calling about Greg, and he just didn?t get caught up in everything and just really focused on his teammates and what he can control.?

Schneider, who was expected to be chosen in the middle rounds of this year?s Major League Baseball Entry Draft but was never taken, lost twice in the postseason to Blackhawk; the first in a 1-0, nine-inning affair in the WPIAL Class AAA semifinals when the winning run scored on an error and the other, a 6-1 defeat in the PIAA quarterfinals in which Schneider was touched up for three earned runs in the top of the sixth inning.

Heading into that game he had surrendered only six runs ? two earned ? in 751?3 innings. He finished the season with 140 strikeouts in 812?3 innings, walked only 23, surrendered 39 hits and had a WHIP of 0.76.

Schneider also set a school record when he struck out 18 against West Mifflin in a 5-1 victory over West Mifflin on April 20.

If that weren?t enough, he also hit .514 with eight doubles, six triples, four homers and 30 RBI in only 87 plate appearances.

?It didn?t bother me not getting drafted, and overall the season was pretty good to start off with, but in the playoffs it got a little rough, and it could have gone a lot better,? Schneider said. ?Losing to Blackhawk (twice), that was really hard because we worked really hard to be where we were and to get that far and just lose was tough.?

Though what Schneider did on the mound and at the plate was impressive in leading Thomas Jefferson (17-6) into the state playoffs for the first time, it was how he did it that showed the presence he needs to be a top-flight collegiate pitcher. Every time he pitched, there were scouts in the stands, JUGS guns in hand, checking his velocity to see if he had what it took to be a Division I or professional prospect.

?It was hard. I liked it, but at the same time I?m not the only one out there doing things,? Schneider said. ?It was a whole team effort and there were a lot of guys that should have gotten credit for what we did this season. Other guys should have been recognized as well.?

Schneider can?t afford to slow down after a tremendous senior season. Even though he wasn?t taken in the draft this year, he could still impress the scouts during his collegiate years, especially now that Pitt will be competing in a tougher baseball conference once it officially begins play in the ACC.

?He?s never satisfied,? Krivanek said. ?A lot of kids would be happy with what he did, but I don?t see that in him. He?s a great player, he wants to get better and he sees himself playing in the majors someday.?

Keith Barnes is a staff writer for Trib Total Media. He can be reached at kbarnes@tribweb.com or
412-664-9161, Ext. 1977.

You must be signed in to add comments

To comment, click Sign in or sign up at the very top of this page.

There are currently no comments for this story.

vaclav havel vaclav havel kim jong ii dead snapdragon snapdragon kim jong ill dead wedding crashers