Baseball: Lakewood’s Spud has a prospect for the Big Show

This article was originally on a blog post platform and may be missing photos, graphics or links. See About archive blog posts.

Two big leaguers Lakewood Coach Spud O’Neil has groomed -- the Mets’ Damion Easley and the Pirates’ Chris Gomez. One more may be on his way -- Jon Weber -- and his has been a long and winding road. ‘Jon has been around for a while but he’s never made the Big Show,’ said O’Neil, the veritable Lakewood institution, who coached Weber in the mid-’90s.

Weber has played nine years in pro baseball, all in the minors. Places like Billings, Mont., or Fargo, N.D. he has called home. Now, entering his 10th season, Weber, 30, has his best chance of making the majors as a spare outfielder for the Tampa Bay Rays. O’Neil believes -- and hopes -- Weber’s name will be on the Rays’ Opening Day roster.

‘A lot of major leaguers don’t learn the fundamentals, but Jon has them,’ O’Neil said. ‘He’s also very fast and can hit with power.’

And he’s also on the verge of making the Big Show. Finally.

-- Anthony Stitt

-- Image from www.hasbro.com