Springfield's Own Michael Schwimer to Pitch for Philadelphia Phillies

Michael Schwimer has wanted to play Major League baseball since he was a little kid, and now he’s going to get his chance – pitching for the Philadelphia Phillies.

Schwimer, a righty reliever who grew up in the Franconia/Springfield area and played Central Springfield Little League, has been called up to the Phillies from the Triple-A Lehigh Valley IronPigs, after Phillies third baseman Placido Polanco was placed on the disabled list with a hernia.

“I’ve been on Cloud Nine ever since I heard [the news],” Schwimer, 25, said in an interview with Patch Wednesday morning. “I haven’t come down yet, to be honest with you.”

Schwimer graduated from St. Stephens & St. Agnes High School in Alexandria in 2004 and played baseball at the University of Virginia. He was a 14th round pick by the Phillies in the 2008 draft.

In his time with the IronPigs, Schwimer had a 9-1 record and 1.88 ERA with 86 strikeouts and 22 walks over 67 innings pitched. He also recorded 10 saves in 46 appearances.

In four seasons across all three levels of minor league baseball, Schwimer went 20-10 with a 2.51 ERA and 313 strikeouts to just 79 walks.

But making the majors isn’t the endgame, Schwimer said. “It’s pitching well for a long period of time and sustaining yourself as a good major league baseball player and helping your team win games. I’ve gotta focus on staying here and pitching well.

"It's really, really a dream come true," he said.

Schwimer will dress for tonight's game in Philadelphia against the Arizona Diamondbacks. But the real treat, he said, will be coming back to the D.C. metro area for the Phillies' series against the Washington Nationals this weekend. 

“I’ll be comin’ home," he said. "It’s awesome.”

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One in a continuing series on people persuing their American Dream in the Rose Hill area.