Article:Weylie Off To Great Start

The last four years have been quite a roller coaster ride for senior right-handed pitcher Phil Weylie.

To say the least.

A First-Team Class 5-A FHSAA All-State selection at perennial national power Seminole High School, Weylie received many letters from several premier Division I college baseball programs, including the University of Notre Dame, during a standout prep career.

“I still have that letter,” he said, smiling. “Regardless of what happens, nothing can change that.”

Following such a dominant senior year—where he pushed Seminole back into state title contention— it appeared as if he was the next Warrior product on the way to college stardom. Weylie, though, only received one scholarship offer, from nearby Eckerd College.

“I was told I just was not good enough for the next level by many coaches. For a kid who received All-State honors in arguably the most competitive state in the country, I was downright shocked,” he said. “I was even more stunned when I received only one scholarship offer. Of course, I took it, because baseball has been my passion my entire life.”

Things only got worse for Weylie from there, however, as arm injury suffered before he stepped foot on campus led to reconstructive surgery, preventing him from pitching for 12 months, in addition to stripping away his entire freshman year.

He was also forced to face lingering doubts about whether or not he could remain the same effective pitcher who grabbed the headlines of the St. Petersburg Times while making a habit of moving down the top high school hitters in Pinellas County.

“Not only would I be sitting in the dugout my first year at a college varsity level, but doctors were certain that I would never perform to the level to how I once had. It was terrible, to put it bluntly.”

In his first year back from surgery, Weylie, perhaps due to the transition to the next level, was not the same pitcher. In a disappointing season overall in which the Tritons finished with an “embarrassing” 14-35 record, the Indian Shores native lost his way on the wound, posting a 1-3 record and 6.76 ERA (still third on the team for pitcher with more than 10 appearances) in 12 games pitched, including five relatively ineffective starts.

“That was a toughest year of my baseball career, especially personally,” he said. “The losing took a toll, but I was not satisfied with my personal performance, which only made it worse.”

Weylie’s junior campaign was nothing to write home about, either. He though he put his issues behind him when he secured a permanent spot in the Tritons’ rotation with a strong showing in fall workouts. But the struggles continued in ’07 for Weylie, who ended his junior campaign with a 1-7 record and 6.65 ERA in a career-best 11 starts.

All the while, many of his former teammates from high school, several of whom he was far superior to, talent-wise, during his days at Seminole, quickly emerged as stars at their respective colleges. Instead of becoming jealous or resentful, Weylie used the success of his peers as a motivational tool, which helped inspire him to realize his potential as a college pitcher.

Showcasing an impeccable work ethic, he made his fair share of sacrifices this past summer in order to cleanse the bad taste in his mouth resulting from struggles at Eckerd, often working out late into the night.

“Last year did not sit well with me—from a personal and team standpoint. This is it. Although I was granted red-shirt status, I am off to law school when I graduate in May. When a lot of my teammates were enjoying their summers, I was out running, doing whatever it takes to make an impact.”

This spring is arguably the final exam of his baseball career. If that is true, Weylie, then, looks like he will pass with flying colors, as all that hard work finally seems to be paying off. While it has certainly been longer than many who saw him pitch in high school expected it to take, for the first time, he is well on his way to establishing himself as a legitimate starting pitcher in the Sunshine State Conference.

Through the season’s first month, he has consistently provided longtime head coach Bill Matthews with a chance to win in each of his three outings. Perhaps the shining light on the Tritons' pitching staff to this point, he is currently leading the team with two wins a 3.15 ERA and 19 strikeouts in 20.0 innings pitched.

On Saturday, February, 16, it all came full circle for Weylie, when he turned in perhaps his strongest outing in an Eckerd uniform. In a dominant complete-game performance in the Tritons’ 4-3 win over Nova Southeastern, he kept a talented Sharks lineup in line, scattering three hits on three earned runs while setting an individual game career high with 10 strikeouts in the first. Nearly as impressive, though, Weylie did not issue a single walk the entire afternoon—a rarity at Eckerd games over the years—without allowing a baserunner until the fourth inning.

Just a week before that, Weylie provided Matthews with another excellent outing, throwing seven stellar innings in the Tritons’ 3-2, extra-innings loss to Warner Southern. The veteran righty, who allowed two earned runs on eight hits, was dealt with a tough-luck no decision. Still, he was positive about the start, labeling it as “encouraging.”

Weylie, who is easily sitting as the best statistical pitcher in the program at press time, is definitely off to his best start for the Tritons. He is still not satisfied, however, and says he has a lot left to prove.

“It’s been a good start. I just want to keep it going. But more concerning to me, we need to start winning, and I think we have the talent to do so.”