Szuminski Watch

This spring SI's Szuminskimeter has tracked Padres pitcher and
rocket scientist Jason Szuminski, 25, in his quest to become the
first MIT grad to make the majors.

In a meeting last Saturday that Szuminski described as "short and
sweet," Padres manager Bruce Bochy told the rocket scientist that
he had made the team. Szuminski finished the spring with a 3.95
ERA, which was inflated by a poor final outing. "This is not the
end of the road," Szuminski says. "I'd like to pitch well and
stay around for a while. As for the Szuminskimeter, he says,
"It's been amusing. And that little pressure from the media
helped."

COLOR PHOTO: RONALD C. MODRA (SZUMINSKI)

B/W PHOTO: MOVIE STILL ARCHIVES (LEWIS) BRAIN GAMES

COLOR PHOTO: DAVID WALBURG (BUS) BUSHES

COLOR PHOTO: COURTESY MLB PHOTOS (LOGOS) BIG LEAGUES

COLOR PHOTO: CORBIS (BALLOONS)

COLOR ILLUSTRATION LAST TIME THIS WEEK