Northwestern University Athletics
Photo by: H. Darr Beiser-USA TODAY
Alumni Feature: George Kontos’ Journey to the Fall Classic and Beyond
10/29/2024 3:00:00 PM | Baseball
Baseball has always been a big part of George Kontos' life. Whether it was playing with his friends as a kid, to pitching professionally for fourteen years, to now broadcasting baseball, Kontos has always found a way to follow his passions, finding a multitude of success at the game's largest stages.
Before the World Series games and the sold-out crowds, Kontos made his start in the game of baseball like most young kids do, on his local tee-ball team. From there, Kontos would work his way up through the junior ranks before joining his freshman team at Niles West High School.
For Kontos, he never really considered a future in baseball until a conversation he had with his coach Chris Schwarz after the final game of his freshman season. While walking to the bus, Kontos mentioned to Schwarz that his elbow was feeling sore after a long season of fatigue. How Schwarz would respond would change his life forever.
"You just take some rest, we need you to come back healthy," Schwarz told him. "With that arm of yours, you're definitely going to be pitching into college."
All of a sudden, the door to college ball was opened for the young right-hander. With his target established, Kontos would go on to have a stellar career at Niles West, closing his high school career as the Illinois Baseball Gatorade Player of the Year in his senior season while also being named to the All-State First Team.
When it came time to choose a college, the choice was an easy one for Kontos. Northwestern had been his dream school for years, a sentiment kindled by Chicago coaching legend Steve Sakas. Sakas, who worked with Kontos as a pitching coach, had told him for many years that he just knew Kontos would end up at Northwestern.
For Kontos, Northwestern was always his top choice, both for the stellar academics and the fact that it allowed him to remain close to home, with his parents just down the road in Lincolnwood. To this day, Kontos still reflects very fondly on his time in Evanston, looking back at the countless memories he shared with his former teammates.
"The friendships were fantastic," Kontos recalled. "We have a group text that we still all go back and forth. We always communicate, we always stay in touch."
Across three seasons in Evanston, Kontos punched out 184 batters across 219.2 innings, leading the team in both wins (5) and strikeouts (55) in his sophomore season. He continued to see growth across his junior campaign, contributing for a career-high 84 strikeouts, a number that ranked second in the Big Ten, trailing only his Northwestern teammate Dan Brauer with 90.
Kontos' success in his sophomore year earned him a spot with the Harwich Mariners in the Cape Cod League, where he led his pitching staff with 69 strikeouts in 57.0 innings across the summer. For Kontos, that summer was a pivotal moment in his journey to the major leagues.
"That's kind of the year that I put myself on the national stage as somebody that might actually get looked at for the Major League Draft the next year," Kontos said.
The experience would prove to be beneficial, as Kontos was drafted in the fifth round of the 2006 MLB Draft by the New York Yankees. Kontos made his minor league debut that same year, quickly working to progress his way through the Yankees minor league affiliates. After briefly being sidelined by Tommy John surgery, the call finally came for Kontos to join the major league roster in 2011.
Kontos made his major league debut on September 10 in the seventh inning against the Los Angeles Angels at Angel Stadium. His first out? A flyout to shortstop caught by none other than Yankees legend and MLB Hall of Famer Derek Jeter.
Kontos would escape the seventh inning unscathed, heading back to the dugout to prepare to go out for another inning. As he watched his team bat, Jeter came up to him with the ball from his first out and gave it to Kontos, congratulated him, and offered him some words of wisdom.
"He knows how hard it is to get to the major leagues and how this is a dream come true for me," Kontos said. "He just told me to keep working hard and keep doing the same thing that I've done my whole life, because pitching in the big leagues is the same as pitching anywhere else, just with brighter lights and more people in the stands."
Kontos would never forget the exchange, taking that bit of wisdom with him for the rest of his career.
Kontos would make six more appearances in 2011, turning his focus towards making the major league bullpen the following season. His journey would take a twist, as on the last day of Spring Training, he was informed he was traded to the San Francisco Giants for the 2012 season.
In San Francisco, Kontos found himself on a team with serious World Series aspirations, quickly fighting to become a reliable piece of the bullpen. As he fought to establish himself as a major leaguer, Kontos recalled a key moment at the end of the season against the Los Angeles Dodgers, coming in to pitch in a one-run game against the eventual National League MVP runner up Matt Kemp.
Kontos punched him out, stranding the tying run on third. It was that appearance that Kontos believes solidified his place on the postseason roster.
"That was when I really gained the confidence of, like, you know what, I'm a major leaguer. I could pitch in big spots."
Kontos made his postseason debut in the first round Division Series against the Cincinnati Reds, appearing in four games without allowing a single run. He would go on to make four more appearances throughout the postseason as the Giants claimed their second World Series title in three years.
After the 2012 season, Kontos found stability in the Giants' bullpen, maintaining a role for six seasons. He would go on to appear in an even 300 games for the Giants and quickly became a fan favorite. His durability in the bullpen earned him the nickname "Everyday George," as he eclipsed 50 appearances in four of his six seasons in San Francisco.
After brief tenures with the Pittsburgh Pirates, Cleveland Guardians, and another stint with the Yankees, Kontos officially retired from Major League Baseball in 2020. He finished his career as a two-time World Series champion, with 288 strikeouts across 357.0 innings, putting forward an ERA of 3.10.
Now, nearly six years removed from his last MLB appearance, Kontos believes that his mentality was critical for maintaining his place in the major leagues.
"Ultimately the game is played in the five inches in between your ears, and if somebody is not mentally tough enough to execute in big situations or bounce back from failure, which is inevitable, it's meant for a shorter career."
After announcing his retirement in 2020, Kontos joined NBC Sports Bay Area as a pre- and post-game analyst, pursuing another longtime goal of his. Through five years in the studio, Kontos is loving every minute of it.
"I love talking about the game. I love doing it for the Giants. That has a very near and dear place in my heart."
Kontos hopes to be around the game of baseball for years to come in the broadcast booth, eyeing an opportunity to call a game as color analyst in the future.
Now more than ever, Kontos believes that his family has been key in supporting him throughout his career. That support system expanded even further this year, as on March 20, 2024, Kontos and his wife Michelle welcomed their first child, Kennedy Eloise Kontos.
While his playing days may be over, Kontos utilizes the skills he learned at Northwestern both on and off the baseball field in all aspects of his life, showcasing his passion every day. Ever since he retired, Kontos spends a lot of time on the golf course, still competing and trying to push himself to be the best he can be. Off the course, he spends a lot of time with his family, relishing in the experience of fatherhood.
Before the World Series games and the sold-out crowds, Kontos made his start in the game of baseball like most young kids do, on his local tee-ball team. From there, Kontos would work his way up through the junior ranks before joining his freshman team at Niles West High School.
For Kontos, he never really considered a future in baseball until a conversation he had with his coach Chris Schwarz after the final game of his freshman season. While walking to the bus, Kontos mentioned to Schwarz that his elbow was feeling sore after a long season of fatigue. How Schwarz would respond would change his life forever.
"You just take some rest, we need you to come back healthy," Schwarz told him. "With that arm of yours, you're definitely going to be pitching into college."
All of a sudden, the door to college ball was opened for the young right-hander. With his target established, Kontos would go on to have a stellar career at Niles West, closing his high school career as the Illinois Baseball Gatorade Player of the Year in his senior season while also being named to the All-State First Team.
When it came time to choose a college, the choice was an easy one for Kontos. Northwestern had been his dream school for years, a sentiment kindled by Chicago coaching legend Steve Sakas. Sakas, who worked with Kontos as a pitching coach, had told him for many years that he just knew Kontos would end up at Northwestern.
For Kontos, Northwestern was always his top choice, both for the stellar academics and the fact that it allowed him to remain close to home, with his parents just down the road in Lincolnwood. To this day, Kontos still reflects very fondly on his time in Evanston, looking back at the countless memories he shared with his former teammates.
"The friendships were fantastic," Kontos recalled. "We have a group text that we still all go back and forth. We always communicate, we always stay in touch."
Across three seasons in Evanston, Kontos punched out 184 batters across 219.2 innings, leading the team in both wins (5) and strikeouts (55) in his sophomore season. He continued to see growth across his junior campaign, contributing for a career-high 84 strikeouts, a number that ranked second in the Big Ten, trailing only his Northwestern teammate Dan Brauer with 90.
Kontos' success in his sophomore year earned him a spot with the Harwich Mariners in the Cape Cod League, where he led his pitching staff with 69 strikeouts in 57.0 innings across the summer. For Kontos, that summer was a pivotal moment in his journey to the major leagues.
"That's kind of the year that I put myself on the national stage as somebody that might actually get looked at for the Major League Draft the next year," Kontos said.
The experience would prove to be beneficial, as Kontos was drafted in the fifth round of the 2006 MLB Draft by the New York Yankees. Kontos made his minor league debut that same year, quickly working to progress his way through the Yankees minor league affiliates. After briefly being sidelined by Tommy John surgery, the call finally came for Kontos to join the major league roster in 2011.
Kontos made his major league debut on September 10 in the seventh inning against the Los Angeles Angels at Angel Stadium. His first out? A flyout to shortstop caught by none other than Yankees legend and MLB Hall of Famer Derek Jeter.
Kontos would escape the seventh inning unscathed, heading back to the dugout to prepare to go out for another inning. As he watched his team bat, Jeter came up to him with the ball from his first out and gave it to Kontos, congratulated him, and offered him some words of wisdom.
"He knows how hard it is to get to the major leagues and how this is a dream come true for me," Kontos said. "He just told me to keep working hard and keep doing the same thing that I've done my whole life, because pitching in the big leagues is the same as pitching anywhere else, just with brighter lights and more people in the stands."
Kontos would never forget the exchange, taking that bit of wisdom with him for the rest of his career.
Kontos would make six more appearances in 2011, turning his focus towards making the major league bullpen the following season. His journey would take a twist, as on the last day of Spring Training, he was informed he was traded to the San Francisco Giants for the 2012 season.
In San Francisco, Kontos found himself on a team with serious World Series aspirations, quickly fighting to become a reliable piece of the bullpen. As he fought to establish himself as a major leaguer, Kontos recalled a key moment at the end of the season against the Los Angeles Dodgers, coming in to pitch in a one-run game against the eventual National League MVP runner up Matt Kemp.
Kontos punched him out, stranding the tying run on third. It was that appearance that Kontos believes solidified his place on the postseason roster.
"That was when I really gained the confidence of, like, you know what, I'm a major leaguer. I could pitch in big spots."
Kontos made his postseason debut in the first round Division Series against the Cincinnati Reds, appearing in four games without allowing a single run. He would go on to make four more appearances throughout the postseason as the Giants claimed their second World Series title in three years.
After the 2012 season, Kontos found stability in the Giants' bullpen, maintaining a role for six seasons. He would go on to appear in an even 300 games for the Giants and quickly became a fan favorite. His durability in the bullpen earned him the nickname "Everyday George," as he eclipsed 50 appearances in four of his six seasons in San Francisco.
After brief tenures with the Pittsburgh Pirates, Cleveland Guardians, and another stint with the Yankees, Kontos officially retired from Major League Baseball in 2020. He finished his career as a two-time World Series champion, with 288 strikeouts across 357.0 innings, putting forward an ERA of 3.10.
Now, nearly six years removed from his last MLB appearance, Kontos believes that his mentality was critical for maintaining his place in the major leagues.
"Ultimately the game is played in the five inches in between your ears, and if somebody is not mentally tough enough to execute in big situations or bounce back from failure, which is inevitable, it's meant for a shorter career."
After announcing his retirement in 2020, Kontos joined NBC Sports Bay Area as a pre- and post-game analyst, pursuing another longtime goal of his. Through five years in the studio, Kontos is loving every minute of it.
"I love talking about the game. I love doing it for the Giants. That has a very near and dear place in my heart."
Kontos hopes to be around the game of baseball for years to come in the broadcast booth, eyeing an opportunity to call a game as color analyst in the future.
Now more than ever, Kontos believes that his family has been key in supporting him throughout his career. That support system expanded even further this year, as on March 20, 2024, Kontos and his wife Michelle welcomed their first child, Kennedy Eloise Kontos.
While his playing days may be over, Kontos utilizes the skills he learned at Northwestern both on and off the baseball field in all aspects of his life, showcasing his passion every day. Ever since he retired, Kontos spends a lot of time on the golf course, still competing and trying to push himself to be the best he can be. Off the course, he spends a lot of time with his family, relishing in the experience of fatherhood.
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