Striz's wild week

In the last week, Nate Striz has driven his car halfway across the country, been told by two teams that they had no place for him on their roster, won two games (including one over a team that declined to sign him) and saved another game.

"Amazing week, huh?" said Striz, who went from unemployed to the Wild Things' closer in roughly four hours Sunday.

Striz, who played his college ball at North Carolina and spent two years in the Cleveland Indians system, was the final cut earlier this month for the Lincoln Saltdogs of the independent American Association (former Wild Things pitcher Justin Edwards plays for Lincoln).

Hoping to catch on with a Frontier League team, Striz called Nick Belmonte, a University of Florida broadcaster who is a consultant for many independent teams, and asked for advice. Belmonte told Striz to drive from Lincoln to Marion, Ill., because the London Rippers, who were playing in Marion against the Southern Illinois Miners, might be able to use another relief pitcher.

Last Saturday, Striz threw for the Rippers but they told him it was too early in the season to make a move with a pitcher who is classified as Experienced.

"They said they weren't going top jump ship on the guys they already have," Striz recalled.
Striz, however, is nothing if not determined. He put in a phone call to Brooks Carey, the pitching coach of the Evansville Otters. Striz knew Carey because the two worked at the same baseball academy in Lakeland, Fla., during the offseason.

Carey said he would watch Striz throw late Sunday afternoon at Bosse Field, if Striz could get to Evansville before the Otters' game against the Wild Things. Carey knew that Evansville didn't have a roster spot open, so he went to the Wild Things' clubhouse and invited Washington pitching coach Tim Ferguson to watch Striz's bullpen session.

Ferguson was actively looking for a power arm for the Wild Things' bullpen and liked what he saw from Striz. Carey said the Otters indeed couldn't sign Striz, so Ferguson and manager Chris Bando offered Striz a contract. There was just one catch: Carey had asked that the Wild Things not pitch Striz against the Otters that night.

"Tim had asked me if I could pitch tonight if I was needed," Striz said. "I said 'Sure' and they signed me to a contract and had it turned in to the league about 40 minutes before the game started. About the third inning, they told me that if there was a save situation, then they'd put me in."

Ferguson didn't plan to use Striz, but as the game approached extra innings, and with the Wild Things' bullpen becoming depleted, Striz was brought in to pitch with two outs in the ninth inning. He benefited from Trevor Pippin's solo home run in the top of the 10th inning, pitched a scoreless bottom of the 10th and earned his first win.

"That was the third time I had thrown in about 24 hours, but the one thing I learned from this is when you think your job is secure, it isn't," Striz said. "Every outing you have to take the approach that you have to prove something. You can't take anything for granted."

As the rest of his new teammates rode the bus back to Washington Sunday night/Monday morning, Striz drove his car back from Evansville.

"I drove three hours that night, stopped and then drove the other four Monday," Striz said.

Two nights after making his Wild Things debut, Striz pitched to one batter in the 10th inning and was credited with the win in a 1-0 victory over Gateway in Washington's home opener. Two days later, he earned his first save.

Striz comes to Washington with an impressive background. He was drafted in  the fifth round by the Minnesota Twins out of high school but did not sign.

"I just wasn't mature enough mentally to play pro baseball at that time," Striz said.

So he attended North Carolina and helped the Tar Heels advance to the College World Series in his freshman and sophomore seasons. A shoulder injury late in his sophomore year gave him a late start to the junior season, but he impressed enough that the Indians drafted him in the 22nd round in 2010.

"I've never been a closer, but it's a job I can like. You throw as hard as you can for one inning," said Striz, who has a fastball that has hit 92 mph. "I like it that a team can think enough of you to put the outcome of the game on your shoulders."