By Stephen Borgna
CORTLAND, N.Y.—In game two of a double header against the Oneonta Outlaws at Beaudry Park on June 19, the Cortland Crush were looking for redemption after going-down 4-2 in the game prior. Against Oneonta—who finished the regular season at second place in the East—the Crush knew they had to make a statement and show that despite being a young team in their inaugural season, they were not to be underestimated. Taking no chances, Cortland deployed Clarkson University’s Greg Jasek to the mound—arguably their best pitcher.
“He told me he was ready, and I just said ‘hey, don’t tell me; go on out there and show your teammates you’re ready. Put them on your back and lets see what we got’,” Cortland Pitching Coach Ted Stenberg said after the double header, describing a pre-game talk he had with Jasek before game two.
Jasek answered his team’s call; leading the Crush to a 5-0 win and shutting out the NYCBL defending champion Outlaws. In six innings pounding the zone, the 6-3 right-hander struck out four, allowed only four hits and walked none.
Getting his second win of the season, Jasek’s shutdown performance against a formidable team demonstrated his capability as a pitcher. Cortland Manager Bill McConnell called his performance, “very exceptional,” while Stenberg reiterated that Jasek’s dominant display in game two, “just shows what kind of a leader he is.”
Jasek led his team with three wins in six starts this season. He led the Crush in strikeouts as well—36 in the regular season and one in the NYCBL All Star Game—averaging three strikeouts a game in 12 appearances. He tossed three seven-strikeout games, along with a six-strikeout game in his most-recent showing against the Sherill Silversmiths on July 24—his third win of the season.
Considering those stats, it would be understandable to assume Jasek focuses-on and dedicates his game to pitching. In collegiate and professional baseball, being an effective pitcher is often a specialty position.
In light of this would it be hard to believe—on-top of being a go-to pitcher—that Jasek had 29 hits on the season and accumulated a .309 overall batting average? Jasek isn’t only an intimidating pitcher, he is an imposing presence at the plate. His 29 regular season hits include two doubles, two triples, and three home runs. Nine stolen bases and 12 RBI are the cherry-on-top of his offensive resume for the summer. If this seems impressive, would it also be hard to believe Jasek consistently started at first base this season?
Greg Jasek is an effective pitcher, hitter, and a first basemen for the Crush. One could argue he is also the most-versatile player on Cortland’s roster. As vast as his skillset is, Jasek even has relevant experience behind the plate.
“I came up through college as a catcher,” Jasek said. “Then I went to pitch, and now I play first base on the side.”
Jasek has experience in multiple roles of the game. If he were an advertising spokesman for Dos-Equis, he would likely possess the title of, “The Most Interesting Baseball Player in the NYCBL.”
Although it may be susceptible to change later on considering his proficiency around the field, the mound is where Jasek currently calls home.
“I’d have to say right now, I’m a pitcher first,” Jasek said.
As a pitcher by trade, one would think Jasek puts the most priority on his strike-heaving abilities, right? Not necessarily.
“Whichever one is the worst at that time,” Jasek stated when asked what element of his game he focuses on the most, illustrating his mentality for maintaining his multi-structural game.
However being a pitcher—a craftsman in the game of baseball—is Greg’s current identity as a player. And like any craftsman would do, Jasek is always working to hone his skill. Jasek utilized his summer with the Crush to incorporate more pitches into his game.
“I tried to work on different pitches,” Jasek said. “I’m developing a changeup and a two-seamer that I’ve really been working on.”
“I usually leave college on a pretty good note, and I try to carry it through the summer. So I just work on staying calm and I experiment with new pitches. A knuckleball is coming next.”
When asked of any adjustments he needed to make this summer, Jasek wasn’t sure at first—an indication of his in-depth focus and various amount of improvements and modifications he constantly works to hammer-out, of which some may be overshadowed by others.
“That’s a good question,” he pondered.
After a moment of reflection, Jasek recalled a specific kink he had to iron-out this summer—something you wouldn’t think he had an issue with considering his accumulation of strikeouts this season.
“I really needed to focus on throwing strikes again,” Jasek said. “I got away from that during the college season, but I really wanted to focus on throwing strikes and get ahead of batters.”
Jasek explained how effective this attribute has been for him on the mound—a testament of his efforts to get back in-sync on the hill.
“Getting ahead, really,” Jasek exclaimed on what he perceives is a key to shutting down batters.
On the other hand, he described how staying calm and keeping composure allows him to pitch at the top of his game.
“Sometimes I get really hyped up for big games and want to throw as hard as I can, and I miss the target all the time when I do that,” Jasek said. “I just need to stay focused and stay relaxed, and don’t put any pressure on myself that doesn’t need to be there, and that usually works out the best.”
From his in-depth description of the extensiveness of his pitching game, it’s easy to see how mindful and attentive Jasek is to that aspect of his play. However, he reiterated that he’s, “always loved hitting, and playing first base.”
Hitting above .300 this season, Greg certainly appears to be passionate about hitting. But despite his three home runs, multiple doubles, and triples, Jasek’s philosophy at the plate isn’t focused on power hitting.
“From a hitting perspective, I wanted to focus on gap-to-gap power,” Jasek clarified. “My nature isn’t really a home run hitter, I just go gap-to-gap. I just try to stay as consistent as possible, and staying back on the ball is a really big one too I’d say.”
Jasek suggested that consistency in the batter’s box is a matter of keeping things simple.
“At the plate, I really just try to relax, get back to basics of things, and rebuild my swing from there,” Jasek explained.
In their inaugural season, the Crush experienced polarizing highs-and-lows. Jasek stressed the need to keep a level head through the good times and bad.
“It doesn’t change your approach,” Jasek said regarding any setbacks that may occur. “Every game’s a new game. You take off your jersey and you forget about the last one. That’s the best part about baseball.”
Jasek clarified that it’s not the wins or losses that motivate him to play at his best, but rather his passion for baseball. In Jasek’s words, his, “love of the game.”
But it’s not only his love for the game that keeps him going at full-speed. It’s also the possibility a player’s career may be put on hold, or worse: end sooner than expected. Jasek recalled a close call he had in the batter’s box earlier in the year, when he was hit in the face by a pitch. He exemplified why occurrences such as this inspire him to push himself as hard as he can.
“Any game could be your last,” Jasek stated. “I got hit in the face with a baseball earlier this year; you never know if it’s two inches higher and takes your eye out or something. It’s good to play every game as if it’s your last and just remember that it’s a game. Everyone takes it really seriously, but it is a game.”
Although it is a game, baseball always instills great memories in those who play. For Jasek, his most memorable part of his summer with the Crush is of the players who played alongside him.
“I think meeting everybody (was the most memorable part of the season),” Jasek said. “Just a bunch of different guys, coming from random places around the country, and they’re all good people. It’s fun coming together and meeting new people and playing good baseball.”
Coming off his summer with Cortland, Jasek aspires to take his game to the pros next year.
“I’d really love to get drafted next year,” Jasek stated.
Jasek is multi-dimensional outside of baseball just as he is when playing. An upcoming senior at Clarkson, Jasek wishes to pursue engineering upon the conclusion of his baseball career, whenever that may be.
“I do have a backup plan; engineering,” Jasek said. “I’d love to play a few years in independent ball, but I really just want to take it one year at a time and see where everything takes me.”
Whatever the future may hold for Chittenango N.Y.’s Greg Jasek, his work ethic, passion, and versatility will suit him well both on the field, and off.
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