Kontos answers call from the Yankees

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George Kontos

Updated: November 9, 2011 4:04PM

Niles West alum George Kontos had his car all packed and was ready to drive home to Chicago after finishing the season with the Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Yankees.

The 26-year-old righty had compiled a 4-4 record with a 2.62 ERA in 40 appearances, 36 of them out of the bullpen, for the club this season.

But when he did not receive a call-up from the Big Club when major league rosters expanded Sept. 1, Kontos assumed the Sept. 5 contest against the Buffalo Bison at Scranton’s PNC Field would be his last of 2011.

Before Kontos hit the road, Scranton pitching coach Scott Aldred told him that manager Dave Miley needed to speak to Kontos.

Inside the manager’s office, Miley informed Kontos and four teammates that they were to report to Yankee Stadium the following day.

“It was crazy! I was on Cloud Nine and it was hard to get words out for five or 10 minutes,” said Kontos, a Lincolnwood native. “I texted my dad, brother, sister and mom. I got a little more info, and called my dad. That was the first phone call.”

Instead of heading home, Kontos made the two-hour drive to New York City. Text messages, approximately 150 of them from family, friends, former coaches and teammates, began rolling in.

“It was by far the best day of my life,” said Kontos, the first Niles West alum to play in the majors. “It was what I had worked for since I knew what the ultimate goal would be. Since I was watching baseball as a kid, I had wanted to be there one day. To have gotten drafted and gotten an opportunity to play in the Major Leagues, I could not have asked for more.”

But of course it got better. The next afternoon, Kontos pulled up at Yankee Stadium, unloaded his baseball gear in the parking garage and was escorted into the clubhouse. Yankees pitcher A.J. Burnett was the first to greet him. Other Yankees, many of whom Kontos had met during spring training in Tampa, Fla., offered congratulations.

Kontos was brought to his locker, where his No. 70 jersey was hanging.

“You know, they just put (that number) in my locker. But I was just elated to have a number and the NY on the front,” Kontos said.

It’s been just a little over two years that Kontos’ promising career almost derailed.

Drafted in the fifth round by the Yankees out of Northwestern in 2006, Kontos progressed steadily as a starting pitcher in the organization.

The 6-foot-3, 215-pounder was on the cusp of the majors in July of 2009, when he injured his elbow and underwent Tommy John reconstructive surgery. After missing the remainder of that season, and part of the 2010 campaign, Kontos returned to Class AA as a reliever last summer.

In December, he was selected by the San Diego Padres in the Rule 5 Draft, but returned to the Yankees organization after making three appearances in spring training.

As time passed, his stuff got better.

“I’m grateful that I went through rehab and it went well, not one setback.” Kontos said. “But even though I came back pitching quickly, you learn that it takes time. Initially, my stuff was not as crisp as it is now. But this season, I’ve had a three-mile-per-hour increase on my fastball and my command is better. My slider, my go-to pitch, is the best it’s been. Things are falling into place nicely. I’ve been patient and the hard work has paid off.”

Kontos’ first night at Yankee Stadium was an odd one. A rainstorm on the East Coast seemed destined to wash out that night’s game against the Baltimore Orioles. But with no open dates left on the schedule, the Yankees decided to wait out the rain, and finally threw the first pitch at 11:08 p.m.

During the eighth inning, at approximately 1:50 a.m., Kontos was told to warm up next to future Hall of Famer Mariano Rivera.

“That was pretty intense. One of the more memorable moments, if not the most memorable,” Kontos said.

Four days later, Kontos made his major league debut in front of 42,000 in Anaheim. He entered with two outs in the seventh inning and the Yankees trailing 5-0.

Kontos got Angels’ center field Peter Bourjos to pop out to Derek Jeter to end the inning.

In the eighth, Kontos had a “Welcome to the Majors” moment when Torii Hunter belted a slider over the center-field fence.

Kontos responded by striking out rookies Mark Trumbo and Mike Trout. His final line: 1.1 innings, 2 hits, 1 run, 0 walks, 2 strikeouts.

Though the Yankees lost 6-0, folks in the Lincolnwood area watching the game on MLB Network could do so with big smiles.

“I couldn’t be more proud,” said Garry Gustafson, who coached Kontos at Niles West and plans to visit him in New York later this month. “The determination he’s had through all the injuries ... Now, he’s up with the Yankees, the pinnacle. He’s a kid who doesn’t forget his roots. He’s a Lincolnwood kid, a great kid and a great player. I’m so happy he’s progressed.”