Scott Van Es was all set to get on with the rest of his life. He was prepared to earn his degree in business administration from Felician College and start looking for a job, possibly as an accountant.
“I was busy putting a resume together,” said the former Secaucus High School baseball standout and 2004 Hudson Reporter Pitcher of the Year. “I was getting ready to go to work.”
Van Es figured that his baseball career was over, finished at the young age of 23. After finishing a brilliant career at Felician, re-writing the school’s record books, he had a taste of professional baseball last summer, playing for the Capitols of the New York State League and then the Texarkana Gunslingers of the Continental League.
It wasn’t exactly high-end minor league baseball.
“No, it was a little different,” Van Es said.
But after last summer’s baseball sojourn, Van Es came back to Secaucus and went back to Felician to finish his education. A life in accountancy waited in the wings.
However, Van Es wasn’t exactly ready to hang up the glove and spikes just yet. He knew that there were more innings left in his talented right arm. He worked out in the off-season, throwing every so often, just waiting for his big break.
About a month ago, Van Es went to an open tryout with the Somerset Patriots of the Atlantic League. It was one of about 10 different scheduled tryouts that Van Es was poised to attend – all over the country.
“I made a list of about 10 open tryouts and the Patriots’ tryout was the first one I went to,” Van Es said.
He trudged on to Bridgewater for the tryout, totally expecting nothing.
“I wasn’t expecting anything at all,” Van Es said. “I basically used the tryout as an opportunity to throw off a dirt mound. It actually turned out to be pretty cool.”
As it turned out, Van Es showed something that the Patriots’ brass – headed by manager Sparky Lyle, the former Yankee Cy Young Award winning reliever – liked.
“I got a call telling me that I was going to spring training with the Patriots,” Van Es said. “I couldn’t believe it.”
Van Es headed to Florida with the Patriots for three weeks, but as the season was about to begin, he received some bad news.
“I got cut,” Van Es said.
So just when he was on the cusp of a pro baseball career in his backyard, the rug was pulled from under him. Van Es headed back to Secaucus, headed back to class at Felician, headed toward a career as an accountant.
But last week, the dream was revived. The Patriots suffered injuries to two relief pitchers. They reached out to Van Es and signed him to a contract.
“I got called back after the home opener and I’ve been with the club ever since,” Van Es said.
Van Es was signed to a contract April 23. On the very next day, he took the mound against the Camden Riversharks in relief and struck out the first two batters he faced. Nearly 30 of his family and friends from Secaucus were in attendance, as Van Es fired two scoreless innings of relief.
“My birthday was the next day,” said Van Es, who turned 23 on April 25. “It was a nice birthday present. I ended up in Somerset, pitching for the Patriots, with all those people there. It was great. Nothing could compare with that.”
Two days later, it was more of the same, two more scoreless innings against Camden. So far for the Patriots, Van Es has pitched four innings, allowed three hits and no runs, striking out three.
Van Es is clearly the youngest guy on a team that features more veteran players, guys like former major leaguer Bret Prinz and Jeff Nettles, the son of Yankee great Graig Nettles.
He’s also getting daily tutoring from Lyle, who really likes Van Es’ arm and potential.
“I’ve been working out every day with Sparky,” Van Es said Tuesday night, before the Patriots were set to face the Newark Bears at Bears & Eagles Riverfront Stadium. “He’s been teaching me his slider. It’s been great. He’s been trying to teach me for a week. It’s an opportunity that comes once in a lifetime. How many guys get a chance to learn a slider from Sparky Lyle? I have to embrace it for what it’s worth.”
Van Es said that he’s been soaking up the entire experience as much as possible.
“I’m just trying to learn as much as I can,” Van Es said. “In the bullpen, I’m picking everyone’s brains, just to make sure that I don’t make any rookie mistakes.”
And he’s living out a dream, playing professional baseball less than an hour from his home. He’s commuting every day for home games. Tuesday, he drove straight from Secaucus to Newark. Unlike most of his teammates, who have to live out of a suitcase, Van Es has the comforts of his own home, his own bed, home cooked food.
“I can’t ask for a better situation than this,” Van Es said. “There are a lot of guys who have been up and down the ranks. Right now, I’m already here. I’m close to home. A lot of guys have to travel all over the country to play. I’m right here. It’s definitely an advantage to stay close to home.”
Van Es is the second Secaucus native to ever pitch for the Patriots, joining former Secaucus standout and former Anaheim Angels reliever Mark Lukasiewicz, who pitched for Somerset four years ago.
Van Es was unaware that he was not the first Secaucus Patriot to become a Somerset Patriot.
“That’s awesome to know,” Van Es said. “I heard he was a great pitcher in his day.”
Van Es knows there are no guarantees. He hasn’t pitched in over a week. He knows that it might be a short stay.
“I think that as long as I continue to perform, I’ll have some security here,” Van Es said. “I’m just trying to help the team win. I can’t worry about whether I’m going to lose my job if I give up runs. That’s not the mentality to have. It’s not going to help the team at all. I just have to do whatever I can to help the team and if I do my job, I’ll be here.”
So far, so good. Van Es has yet to be scored upon. He had a fastball that was clocked in the low 90s against Camden. If he picks up Lyle’s famed slider, he might be around for a while — or perhaps even go higher.
“It’s all been a little surreal,” Van Es said. “Like it’s a dream and I’m going to wake up one day.”
In a week or so, Van Es will attend commencement exercises at Felician College and collect his degree. Then he will sprint back to the ballpark and don the uniform of the Somerset Patriots, much like he wore the colors of the Secaucus Patriots. There’s only one difference now. He gets paid.
“Yeah, it’s pretty amazing,” Van Es said. “I’m going to give it a go and see where it takes me. I just want to give it all I can.”
As for that accountant’s position?
“Well, that can wait,” Van Es said. “The job market isn’t too good right now.”
It is for a baseball player from Secaucus.
Jim Hague can be reached at OGSMAR@aol.com.