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C. J. Nitkowski

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Christopher John "C. J." Nitkowski(born March 9, 1973) is an American left-handed former professional baseball pitcher and current baseball broadcaster. A first-round draft choice of theCincinnati Redsin 1994, he played in the major leagues for the Reds,Detroit Tigers,Houston Astros,New York Mets,Texas Rangers,Atlanta Braves,New York Yankees,andWashington Nationals.He also played inNippon Professional Baseballfor theFukuoka SoftBank Hawks,and in theKBO Leaguefor theSK Wyverns,Doosan Bears,andNexen Heroes.Nitkowski currently works as a broadcaster for the Atlanta Braves andSiriusXM'sMLB Network Radio.

C. J. Nitkowski
Pitcher
Born:(1973-03-09)March 9, 1973(age 51)
Suffern, New York,U.S.
Batted:Left
Threw:Left
Professional debut
MLB:June 3, 1995, for the Cincinnati Reds
NPB:2007, for the Fukuoka Softbank Hawks
KBO:April 8, 2009, for the SK Wyverns
Last appearance
MLB:June 7, 2005, for the Washington Nationals
NPB:2008, for the Fukuoka Softbank Hawks
KBO:September 25, 2011, for the Nexen Heroes
MLB statistics
Win–loss record18–32
Earned run average5.37
Strikeouts347
NPB statistics
Win–loss record3–5
Earned run average3.99
Strikeouts55
KBO statistics
Win–loss record9–19
Earned run average4.40
Strikeouts127
Teams

Amateur career

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Nitkowski grew up inSuffern, New York,[1]and attendedDon Bosco Preparatory High SchoolinRamsey, New Jersey,graduating in 1991.[2]Not drafted out of high school, he attendedFlorida Atlantic Universityfor one year before transferring toSt. John's University.

Professional career

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Major League Baseball

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TheCincinnati Redsmade Nitkowski the ninth overall pick in the1994 Major League Baseball draft.[3]He made his major-league debut on June 3, 1995, with the Reds. The Reds traded Nitkowski, aplayer to be named later(later selected to beMark Lewis), and minor-leaguer Dave Tuttle to theDetroit TigersforDavid Wellson July 31, 1995.[3]

After the 1996 season, the Tigers traded Nitkowski withBrad Ausmus,José Lima,Trever Miller,andDaryle Wardto theHouston AstrosforDoug Brocail,Brian Hunter,Todd Jones,Orlando Miller,and cash.[4]After the 1998 season, the Astros traded Nitkowski with Ausmus back to the Tigers forPaul Bako,Dean Crow,Brian Powell,and minor-leaguers Carlos Villalobos and Mark Persails.[4]Late in the 2001 season, the Tigers traded Nitkowski to theNew York Metsfor a player to be named later, later identified as minor-leaguer Kyle Kessel.[4]

Nitkowski signed with theTexas Rangersand played for the team in 2002 and 2003. He split the 2004 season between theAtlanta Bravesand theNew York Yankees.He pitched for theWashington Nationalsin 2005. In the 2006 season, he played exclusively inTriple-Awith thePittsburgh Piratesorganization.

Later years

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After the 2006 season, Nitkowski accepted a one-year contract tender with Nippon Professional Baseball'sFukuoka SoftBank Hawks.[5]He played two seasons for the Hawks, but did not return to the team in 2009.[6]

Nitkowski began the2009season with theSK WyvernsinSouth Korea,[7]but was granted his release by the team on June 20.[8]On June 28, 2009, theDoosan Bearsin South Korea claimed him off waivers. He was released at the end of the season due to concerns over a shoulder injury he suffered in Game 1 of the first round of the playoffs. In July 2010, Nitkowski signed with theNexen Heroesbased inSeoul,South Korea.

Nitkowski signed a minor-league deal on July 13, 2012, with theNew York Mets.[9]He began using asidearmdelivery.[10]

Media career

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After retiring from baseball in April 2013, Nitkowski began a career in media as a writer, studio host, radio host, color analyst and play-by-play man. As a writer, he has had articles published forSports Illustrated,Associated Press,SB Nation,Baseball Prospectus,ESPN.comandMLB.com.[11]From 2013 to 2016, he wrote exclusively forFox Sports,including for the now defunct Just a Bit Outside, Fox's baseball microsite that attempted to follow the Monday Morning Quarterback model.

Radio

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From 2013 to 2016, Nitkowski co-hostedEye on Baseball,a national radio baseball show forCBS Sports Radio.His co-hosts on the show were Damon Bruce (2013), Brandon Tierney (2013) and Adam "The Bull" Gerstenhaber (2014–2016). Nitkowski is also a host and analyst forMLB Network RadioonSirius XM[11]He currently appears onLoud Outsweekdays 3-6PM ET withRyan SpilborghsandBrad Lidge.

In 2013, Nitkowski filled in forSuzyn Waldmanand worked alongsideJohn Sterlingon New York Yankees radio broadcasts for880 CBS Radio.[citation needed]In 2013, he was also a studio analyst for MLB.com.[11]In 2014, Nitkowski called a handful of New York Mets games on radio alongsideJosh LewinandHowie RoseforWOR 710.From 2017 to 2019, he had a weekly show with sports radio1310 AMand96.7 FMThe Ticket'sBaD Radio Showhosted by Bob Sturm and Dan McDowell in Dallas, Texas.

Television

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From 2014 to 2016, Nitkowski was a studio analyst forFox Sports 1,where he was a regular on their baseball highlight showMLB Whip Around,which debuted on March 31, 2013. He also made appearances on FS1's other studio shows as well as Fox's Saturday MLB pre- and post-game coverage. Other analysts he has worked with at FS1 include former MLB playersFrank Thomas,Gabe Kapler,Mark Sweeney,Raúl Ibañez,Pete Rose,Alex RodriguezandEric Karros.[12]Nitkowski has called nationally televised MLB games for FS1 and Fox from 2014 to 2019 and has worked with play-by-play menThom Brennaman,Kenny Albert,Brian Anderson,Len Kasper,Rich Waltz,Justin KutcherandTom McCarthy.He started in television onCBS Sports Network,where he served as a color analyst onNCAAbaseball games. He has also made appearances onMLB Networkand ESPN.

In 2017, Nitkowski was named a member of the Texas Rangers' television broadcast booth,[13]where served in both the color analyst and play-by-play roles through 2022. Nitkowski was nominated seven times and won five regionalSports Emmy Awardsfor his work on Rangers broadcasts.[14]He was also part of the 2016 broadcast group on Fox which won a national Sports Emmy for their postseason coverage.

In December 2023, Nitkowski joined the Atlanta Braves' television crew as the primary analyst onBally Sports SouthandBally Sports Southeastbeginning in the 2024 season.[15][16]

Personal life

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On January 30, 2009, it was revealed that Nitkowski was interviewed by theFBIas part of its investigation into the perjury case againstRoger Clemens.Nitkowski worked out sporadically in the off-seasons from 2001 to 2006, while also being trained byBrian McNamee,Clemens' principal accuser. Nitkowski, in a statement to theAssociated Press(an organization he also occasionally contributes to as a writer) said, "I have never seen Roger or Andy take any illegal performance-enhancing drugs. I have never talked to either of them about PEDs, nor do I have any firsthand knowledge of them taking any PEDs."

Nitkowski was the first major-leaguer to maintain his own website, www.CJBaseball.com, where he posted ongoing personal diaries about life in the big leagues, as early as 1997.[1]The site still exists but is sporadically updated.

Raised a Catholic, Nitkowski converted toEvangelical Christianityafter an incident in which his son nearly drowned in a swimming pool during spring training in 2002.[17]

Film and television

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In May 2012, Nitkowski was filmed playing the role of former MLB playerDutch Leonardfor a scene in the motion picture42,which chroniclesJackie Robinson's life story. Coincidentally, the footage was shot inEngel StadiuminChattanooga, Tennessee,the ballpark where Nitkowski broke into professional baseball as a first-round pick of the Reds in 1994.[1][18]

In 2016, Nitkowski served as a script and technical consultant for Dan Fogelman'sPitch,a television drama about the first woman to reach the Major Leagues.[19]

References

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  1. ^abcKepner, Tyler."EXTRA BASES Bound for Big Screen, and Maybe Majors".The New York Times.RetrievedJuly 29,2012.
  2. ^Lewis, Brian."Amazin's Add Lefty Nitkowski to Pen",Daily News (New York),September 3, 2001. Accessed February 22, 2011.
  3. ^ab"C.J. Nitkowski Stats".Baseball Reference.
  4. ^abc"C.J. Nitkowski Trades and Transactions".Baseball Almanac.
  5. ^Interview on Therion's Player Profile BlogArchivedJune 7, 2009, at theWayback Machine
  6. ^"CJ BASEBALL – Since 1997".cjbaseball.com.RetrievedOctober 15,2018.
  7. ^"Nitkowski back to Asia".Mlb.mlb.com.Associated Press. March 27, 2014.RetrievedJune 22,2014.
  8. ^"Be Perfect Or Be Gone".CJBaseball.com.Archived fromthe originalon February 19, 2012.RetrievedJune 22,2014.
  9. ^"Mets sign CJ Nitkowski, will report to AA".Metsblog.com.July 13, 2012. Archived fromthe originalon January 28, 2013.RetrievedJune 22,2014.
  10. ^"C. J. Nitkowski remaking himself as sidearming lefty | MLB.com: News".Mlb.mlb.com.RetrievedJune 22,2014.
  11. ^abcSteve Popper."Baseball: C. J. Nitkowski's time to head outside the lines – Sports".NorthJersey.com.RetrievedJune 22,2014.
  12. ^Fox Sports (March 3, 2014)."Reynolds & Verducci join Buck for MLB on FOX | FOX Sports on MSN".Msn.foxsports.com.RetrievedJune 22,2014.
  13. ^"Rangers Announce Broadcast Teams For 2017 Season".Dfw.cbslocal.com.January 6, 2017.RetrievedOctober 15,2018.
  14. ^"FOX Sports Southwest wins 11 Lone Star Regional Emmy Awards".August 21, 2019.
  15. ^Toscano, Justin (December 18, 2023)."Bally Sports South adds Alpharetta resident C.J. Nitkowski to replace Jeff Francoeur on Braves broadcasts".The Atlanta Journal-Constitution.RetrievedDecember 18,2023.
  16. ^Bowman, Mark (December 18, 2023)."Braves' TV booth adds C.J. Nitkowski as primary analyst".RetrievedDecember 19,2023.
  17. ^"Post on C. J. Nitkowski's blog," Jesus Christ Was In the Minor Leagues "".Cjbaseball.com.May 28, 2002. Archived fromthe originalon April 15, 2012.RetrievedJune 22,2014.
  18. ^Nitkowski, C.J."Getting the Part in" 42, "a Jackie Robinson Film Starring Harrison Ford".C. J. Nitkowski. Archived fromthe originalon April 17, 2012.RetrievedJuly 29,2012.
  19. ^Andreeva, Nellie (January 14, 2016)."Dan Fogelman Baseball Drama 'Pitch' Gets Fox Pilot Order, Kylie Bunbury To Star".Deadline Hollywood.RetrievedFebruary 27,2018.
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