Cubs’ Matt Szczur nearly quit baseball over academic, athletic demands – Chicago Tribune
Cubs outfielder Matt Szczur watched Tim Tebow’s baseball workout last Tuesday on television and was curious to see how Tebow’s pursuit of baseball would fare after not playing competitively since his junior season at Nease High School in Florida in the spring of 2004 so he could pursue a football career.
After all, Szczur was a two-sport standout at Villanova University and played baseball only because of the enjoyment.
“Football was my scholarship,” Szczur said. “That’s why I played football.
“I was going to quit baseball my sophomore year because it was too much for me academically. I was doing well enough in football that I was going to pursue the NFL. I was fine with quitting baseball.”
Szczur said Villanova, a private Catholic university, was challenging enough for someone trying to balance playing one sport with classes.
“With two sports, it was so tiring I didn’t even want to go to class,” said Szczur, who passed up a chance to participate in the NFL Combine after making a full commitment to playing for the Cubs.
But Szczur was happy he played two sports and attended a small school like Villanova instead of playing at a major university where the athletic demands might have been greater.
Szczur persevered to the point where he kept pace with his academics while emerging as a baseball prospect. He earned his bachelor’s degree in communications at the end of the fall semester of 2010 after signing with the Cubs and completing his first professional season at short-season Boise.
Szczur, 27, meanwhile, is curious to see how Tebow develops at 29 after devoting his entire professional career to football until recently.
“He’s a good athlete,” said Szczur, a running back-wide receiver-kick returner at Villanova. “The biggest thing is hitting the baseball in the game. Anyone can hit 400-foot home runs in batting practice. That’s the most difficult part of playing baseball, the variable of the pitcher with (fastballs), sinkers, sliders, cut fastballs and change-ups. That’s what makes it hard.
“And being away from the game that long? What’s it take on average for a player to make it to the big leagues? Four years? Five years?
“And that’s if you ever make it to the big leagues. So if he makes it to the big leagues at 34, 35? Then what?”
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