After Overcoming Injury, Timko's Dream of Playing College Ball Rewarded

The low point came when Barry Timko was lying on the field, not knowing what to expect.

Timko, a promising left-handed Serra High pitcher, was playing football on the junior varsity when he was hit from behind by a defender while reaching for a pass that sailed over his head. When he hit the ground, Timko heard a “snap.”

“That was probably the most depressing thing I've ever been through,” Timko said. “It was just like after everything I’ve worked for, I've pretty much got to start all over now…”

Timko learned he had a torn ACL and torn meniscus. He missed his entire sophomore sports season, and couldn’t even start rehab for nine months.

Timko made up for lost time in short order, and after a breakout junior year on the school's baseball team, he signed a letter of intent to play at Division I University of Nevada-Reno.

“I knew that as long as I put in the work that I needed to I'd be back,” Timko said in a recent interview after he made his big announcement in January.

'I just wanted to play varsity baseball'

And he was determined to put in that work. Timko had dreamed of playing for Serra since watching the Padres play while he was a seventh-grade standout at in San Bruno, where he lives. And that dream pushed him to work even harder.

“It was just wanting to play varsity (baseball) at Serra. That's about as good as it gets, and that was just my goal in high school,” Timko said. “Obviously, I wanted to play college, but really my fist goal was just to play varsity baseball.”

Timko made an immediate impact in his varsity debut last season, going 8-2 with a 2.94 ERA as the team’s No. 2 starter. He pitched a no-hitter against Carlmont in his third start.

He’s projected to be Serra’s No. 1 starter this year, although his short-term playing status is questionable for now after suffering a broken collarbone playing a pickup football game in November.

“My first games on the varsity I was beyond nervous,” Timko said. “I'm not going to lie, I was shaking before the games, but then after my first couple of starts I kind of settled in and just kind of realized that as long as I just pitch like I always have I'll be fine.”

Serra coach Craig Gianinno said he was intrigued with Timko’s potential heading into his junior year and that he really didn’t know what to expect.

Timko exceeded expectations, Gianinno said, showing remarkable consistency and durability, especially for a player returning from an injury.

Pitching ability, confidence help develop potential

Timko did not miss a start. He allowed 51 hits in 62 innings, pitched at least five innings in eight of his 11 starts, and held opposing hitters to a .260 average in the West Catholic Athletic League, arguably one of the nation’s most competitive leagues.

Timko’s intangibles impressed too, with coaches taking note of his aptitude, competitiveness and unflappable demeanor.

“Last year he really opened up a lot of eyes just based on his performance,” Gianinno said. “Every start he seemed to develop and learn just a little bit more, and with that came a little more confidence.”

Timko commands three pitches: a fastball, curveball and changeup. His fastball sits at 84 mph and tops out at 86. His velocity figures to increase once he fills out his wiry 6-foot-3, 175-pound frame.

UNR coach Gary Powers said Timko’s ability and his intangibles attracted his program’s interest.

“He has the ability to command the strike zone with more than one pitch, and I think that at our level that’s really important,” Powers said. “You have to feel that if he grows into his potential, he’s going to be bigtime pitcher.”

Powers said his staff also liked the way he handled his rehab work, and clubhouse presence.

“I know he’s a battler,” Powers said. “He’s going to do whatever he can to be on the field, and that’s something that’s important to us.”

Walter Cuddy, who coached Timko at St. Robert’s, described his former middle school star as “the best player to come out of San Bruno in 10 to 12 years.”

“You could tell there was something special about him,” Cuddy said.

“Just the way the ball came off his bat, it was different. He was hitting the ball much harder than anybody.”

Timko’s projectable body, and the fact that he is a signed left-hander, figures to attract significant interest from major league scouts this spring.

“I’m sure there are going to be guys out there watching him,” Gianinno said. “There’s no question about it.”

Timko said that right now he’s focused on the Serra season, and he intends to honor his Reno commitment.

But he does have professional aspirations, he admitted. And he said that if selected in the June amateur draft, accepting an offer from a major league team would be a “family decision.”

Timko said one of the things that attracted him to the Serra program as he watched the Padres play as a seventh grader was the camaraderie.

He said that camaraderie turned out to be crucial to his development, with his teammates’ support a key part of his recovery.

“If I ever had any doubts they'd be erased by all my (teammates),” Timko said. “They just let me know that everything was going to be good. That was so huge.”