Pete Schourek learned enough to see the majors over 11 seasons, take second in 1995 NL Cy Young

Originally published April 17, 2020

Young hurler Pete Schourek had a big league fastball and curve, his pitching coach at AA Jackson Bob Apodaca told The Washington Post in August 1990, but he needed consistency.

"That's what the minor leagues are all about," Apodaca told The Post as Schourek threatened to log 20 minor league wins on the season. "What sets him apart besides his stuff is his composure and his willingness to learn. He's the type of individual who can listen to something one second and do it the next."

Schourek didn't hit 20 wins that season, but he threatened that mark again later - in the majors. He went on to pitch in the majors over 11 seasons and in one, 1995, he won 18 and came in second in the National League Cy Young voting with the Reds.

Schourek's career began in 1987, taken by the Mets in the second round of the draft out of Marshall High in Virginia.

Schourek started with the Mets at rookie Kingsport. He missed 1988 then hit single-A Columbia for 1989 and made AA Jackson and AAA Tidewater for 1990.

In April 1991, he made Flushing. He saw 35 outings and started eight. He went 5-4 overall, with a 4.27 ERA. That September, he threw a one-hit shutout against the Expos for his first win as a starter.

"It's hard to describe my feelings," Schourek told The Post later. "I just wanted to go seven or eight innings, especially after my last start in Cincinnati was so bad. I put a lot of pressure on myself for this game. I was trying to make (the Mets) think about me for next year."

Schourek returned for 21 starts with the Mets in 1992. He went 6-8, with a 3.64 ERA. He then went 5-12 over a mix of starting and relief in 1993 before landing with the Reds for 1994, taken off waivers.

He went 7-2 with the Reds in 1994, then broke out with an 18-7 campaign in 1995, with a 3.22 ERA. He then beat the Dodgers in Game 1 of the NLDS. He went seven innings in the 7-2 victory.

"He's been doing that all year," teammate Reggie Sanders told The Los Angeles Times of Schourek. "I wasn't at all surprised with Pete."

Schourek's season garnered him enough support for a distant second to Greg Maddux for Cy Young.

Schoureck, however, couldn't repeat that success going forward. He went 4-5 over 12 starts in 1996, then 5-8 over 17 starts with the Reds in 1997.

He pitched for the Astros and Red Sox in 1998, Pirates in 1999 and the Red Sox again in 2000 and 2001. He finished out his major league career in 2001 as he went 1-5, with a 4.45 ERA over 33 relief outings.

• Washington Post, Aug. 7, 1990: For Pete Schourek, the vision is 20 wins
• Washington Post, Sept. 13, 1991: One-hitter by Falls Church's Schourek gives Mets something to think about
• Los Angeles Times, Oct. 4, 1995: Schourek's Success Hurting Dodgers Now

More: The 1990 St. Lucie Mets

1990 Minor League Tally 

Players/Coaches Featured:3,782
Made the Majors:1,276-33.7%
Never Made Majors:2,506-66.3%
5+ Seasons in the Majors:525
10+ Seasons in the Minors:313