Ivy League Classes Aside, It's All Baseball Now For Speer

Finally, David Speer's true colors showed.

While explaining how he juggled baseball and classes over four years at Columbia University, Speer - after admitting it was difficult initially - said it became easier once he was able to "compartmentalize" (defined as the ability to divide into sections or categories) how to do so.

Spoken like a true Ivy-Leaguer.

"I had to realize when I had time for school and when I had time for baseball," Speer said. "It was just about keeping them separate and it worked out really well. I wasn't overwhelmed with it."

Apparently not, as the now-Mahoning Valley Scrappers pitcher excelled at both.

In addition to earning his degree in Economics and Political Science, Speer guided the Lions to two Ivy League titles in four years. He was also named first team all-conference twice and earned Ivy League Pitcher of the Year honors this past season as he went 7-2 with a 1.86 ERA in 12 starts.

"I feel like I really found my rhythm in the last year or two, just figuring out how to utilize what I have," Speer said. "I'm not going to be blowing guys away with a 95 mile-per-hour fastball, but I feel like I work as hard as anyone and I go out there and prepare well for a game."

So, anyways, why choose Columbia - which has had only three players-ever make it to the big leagues - coming out of Staples High in Westport, CT? 

"I always emphasized school - my parents drilled that into me," Speer said. "Plus, I wasn't hugely recruited out of high school. I threw low-to-mid 80's with my fastball, so there weren't too many big-time baseball schools calling for me."

However, the 6-foot-1, 185-pound lefty doesn't have any regrets.

"At Columbia, I loved the coaching situation there," he said. "I loved all the guys and it worked out perfect. We had a great four-year run and I couldn't be happier."

Now, Speer currently works out of the Scrappers bullpen. He's developed speed since his high school days, throwing in the upper-80's with excellent command. This past season with the Lions, he posted the second best strikeout-to-walk ratio in the nation at 75-to-7. 

And he's continued that success so far with Mahoning Valley. In seven innings, Speer's allowed three earned-runs (3.86 ERA), struck-out eight and walked two. He had his first rough outing in Thursday's 4-2 win at Auburn, as he allowed two runs in 1 1/3 innings.

The 21-year old pointed out that his transition from college to the pros has went well in part to a successful showing in the top amateur summer league last summer, the Cape Cod League.

"Obviously I was nervous the first time I got on the mound here, but it's still baseball and I feel like I've played enough of it at a pretty high level," Speer said. "I played in the Cape and I've faced some of the guys that I'm pitching against here now. So it's not like it's a completely foreign thing to me."

Still, having been a starter his entire career, Speer does have aspirations to crack the rotation with the Scrappers. 

However, he's definitely enjoying his early professional baseball life, which involves much less "compartmentalizing" and much more focusing solely on toeing the rubber.

"I'm happy to be coming out of the pen right now and we'll see what happens in the future," Speer said. "The bottom line for me is I feel like if I throw strikes, I'm going to do well. I'm going to stick with that because that's what got me here in the first place."