Oyster stewed

It's amazing what oysters can do to the body.

Nick Schreiber, the newest Wild Things pitcher, found out firsthand in late February when he was in St. Petersburg, Fla., to participate in the Independent Prospect Tournament. A former pitcher in the PSAC with California University, Schreiber was on the London Rippers' roster at the time and playing for the Frontier League team at the tournament. Schreiber decided to take advantage of being in Florida to sample some oysters, which happens to be one of his favorites.

Schreiber didn't give his meal a second thought until the day, just before the Frontier League team was to take the field for its first game in the tournament.

That's when Wild Things pitching coach Tim Ferguson, who was coaching the Frontier League team, heard a frantic yell. One of Ferguson's players was unconscious in the locker room, Ferguson was told.

Ferguson raced back to the locker room to find Schreiber on the floor.

"We called the paramedics and they gave Nick some fluids. It was hot down there. I thought maybe the heat got to him," Ferguson recalled. "The paramedics wanted him to go to the hospital, but he said that he was OK and wanted to go to the game. He thought he could pitch, if needed."

So Schreiber joined his teammates in the dugout. By midgame, he was down for the count again.

This time, Schreiber received more extensive medical attention, and it was discovered that the former Vulcans standout was suffering a bout of food poisoning, the result of eating some bad oysters.

It wasn't the kind of first impression Schreiber wanted to make with Ferguson or his Frontier League teammates.

Schreiber, a member of Cal's 2010 PSAC championship team, was feeling much better the next day and eventually pitched in the tournament. They were was his outings since being acquired by London in an offseason trade. A native of Greencastle in south central Pennsylvania, Schreiber played his first season of professional baseball in 2011 with the Lincoln Saltdogs of the independent American Association. Former Wild Things pitcher Justin Edwards currently plays for the Saltdogs.

Schreiber had an interesting season with Lincoln. As a reliever, Schreiber won his first six decisions and finished the year with a 6-1 record. But had 6.35 ERA in 37 games, which was a heavy workload for a rookie.

"At the beginning of the year, I was pitching every other day, like most relief pitchers, then it became three out of every four," Schreiber explained. "By late in the year, it got to me. My arm wasn't fresh.

"The ERA, obviously it reflected poorly. I guess it was the perfect storm. I got tired at the wrong time. One night, my manager had contacted a scout to come see me pitch and I had a bad game. Everything spiraled downhill from there."

The downhill path led to a trade to London and a short stay with the Rippers. Schreiber went to spring training with the club in Waterford, Mich., earlier this month but was there for only five days.

"I arrived on a Thursday, didn't get to a pitch until Monday, and for only two innings in an intrasquad game," Schreiber said. "I was released at 9 a.m. the next day. I was there for five days, threw for 10 minutes and then released."

So Schreiber returned to Western Pennsylvania -- he was living in Pittsburgh's South Side -- and began sending emails, in an attempt to get a tryout with any professional team. One of about "15 or 20" emails went to the Wild Things.

"They told me to keep working out, stay in shape and they'll call if they need me," Schreiber said.

Schreiber was brought in for a workout the day before the Wild Things left for a season-opening series at Evansville. When the Washington bullpen struggled against the Otters, Ferguson recalled liking what he saw of Schreiber in Florida, at least when the pitcher wasn't lying on the locker room floor.

Schreiber was brought back to Washington to throw for Ferguson on Monday, an off day in the Wild Things' schedule. He was signed and activated Tuesday before the home opener against the Gateway Grzzilies.

At Cal, Schreiber had a 6-4 record and 6.89 ERA in 17 games (10 starts) in 2010, his last season with the Vulcans. That also was the last year before the NCAA switched to the less-lively aluminum bats.

In 2009, Schreiber was 4-4 with a team-best 4.17 ERA.