By Dylan Butler
“I know I'm not going to get the save, that's (Mariano Rivera's) job, but I'd just like to finish a game one time, get the last out – preferably a strikeout – and hear Sinatra sing (“New York, New York”), and I got to do that my first night here,” said Nitkowski, who was drafted ninth overall by the Reds in the 1994 draft. “I got to finish out a game with a double play … and that was cool. It was one of those little things as a kid sitting in the stands you always want to do.”While Nitkowski, who has pitched for Cincinnati, Detroit (twice), Houston, the Mets, Texas and Atlanta, is enjoying a resurgence in his professional career, it was a near tragic accident two years ago that was the life-altering experience that really changed things for the 6-foot-3, 200-pound hurler.After Nitkowski started the 2001 season with Detroit and ended it with the Mets, he entered Spring Training in 2002 with the Atlanta Braves. He thought everything was going well. He felt strong, was pitching well, but then – on March 25 – he was cut. Nitkowski then returned to the Kissimmee, Fla. house he was renting, frustrated, angry and contemplating his next move, when he heard what he thought was running water.At first he dismissed it as his 2-year-old son, Matthew, playing in the sink. He always loved to wash his hands, Nitkowski thought. But then he heard the noise again, looked up and saw that the sliding glass door to the pool was open and realized the sound was the filter running. He rushed outside where he found Matthew face-down in the pool, completely submerged in the water. Nitkowski jumped in, desperately trying to save his son's life. After a few disturbingly quiet seconds, Matthew was fine.”I just felt that God was trying to get my attention and I couldn't figure out why because I thought we were pretty straight,” Nitkowski said. “I thought our relationship was pretty good and then my heart was open to listening a little bit more. He surrounded me with some great people and (I) started getting into the word a little bit more, going to a different church and then it all started coming together and making sense to me and completely changed my life.”Later that season Nitkowski was back in the minors and back with 'AAA' New Orleans, a team he was a starter for in 1997. There he had a conversation with Little Neck native Pete Munro in the bullpen one night that further reaffirmed his faith.”Yo, bro, where you at with your faith?” Munro asked.Munro, the former Cardozo standout, is a born-again Christian and helped Nitkowski with many questions he had about his religion. He said he was also helped by Baseball Chapel, an organization that ensures a minister is available on Sundays at all levels of professional baseball.”It's funny because people think Christian athletes – and I thought the same thing – (that) these guys are soft, they're not really into it, they're distracted,” Nitkowski said. “But for me it's the complete opposite. I found myself more competitive. I realize it's not about me anymore. God has given me a good left-handed arm which is capable of getting Major League hitters out. He obviously wants me to use it; he didn't give it to me to squander it.”While he admits to getting frustrated at a bad outing or when he gets released, as he was by the Braves on June 29, Nitkowski doesn't let it get to him the way it did in the past.”My job is to come to the park and be ready, to do everything I have to do to be ready to pitch, to be aggressive, to fear no hitter and get after every guy the best way I know how, and when the ball's out of my hands it's over,” he said. “Now if I let up a big home run or walk a guy in a big situation, I don't walk off the mound smiling by any means. I'm just as frustrated, if not more than I ever have been, but at the end of the day I understand God allowed that to happen.”On the same day he was released by Atlanta, Nitkowski was signed by the Yankees to a Minor League contract and assigned to 'AAA' Columbus, where he was 0-0 with a 1.42 earned run average in 16 appearances. After not allowing an earned run in his last 10 appearances, Nitkowski was called up by the Yankees on Aug. 4 to replace struggling Felix Heredia, who was sent down to Class-A Tampa.”I have plenty of ability. I don't doubt it and I don't think anyone doubts it,” Nitkowski said. “What I have to do now is show consistency with the talent that I have and get the lefties out like I've been able to do in the past. If I show it at a level they're comfortable with, I'm confident I can help this team in the postseason. There's no doubt in my mind. The ability's there, it's just a matter of making sure I'm consistent.”Two days later Nitkowski made his first appearance in pinstripes, allowing two hits and one earned run in 1.1 innings of relief in an 11-4 win over the Blue Jays. He's pitched in eight games for the Yankees, usually just facing one batter at a time. He is 0-1 with a 5.06 earned run average, allowing seven hits and three earned runs in 5.1 innings.”I like the fact that he's very aggressive and he has good stuff,” said Yankees manager Joe Torre. “On this ballclub there's a situation in the sixth inning, maybe the seventh inning, he may be called upon and we certainly need for him to be ready to do that. He doesn't get called on a lot even though he's pretty durable and I'm happy about that, because it means we get to the seventh, eighth inning without looking to get out of a jam. So far, so good. We're impressed with what he's thrown.”Karsay on the way back: College Point native Steve Karsay, who had surgery to repair a partially torn rotator cuff in his right shoulder, may join the Yankees for the first time since 2003 after a lengthy rehab stint. Karsay, who pitched for Single-A Staten Island, 'AA' Trenton and 'AAA' Columbus, was scheduled to make three more appearances for the Clippers before joining the Yankees in Toronto this weekend.”We have good reports on him,” Torre said. “The only thing he'll work on now is to refine what he has. It seems like his arm strength is back, his breaking ball is good and just to be able to go out there and repeat it is what we're looking for.”A healthy Karsay would greatly strengthen a Yankees bullpen that has struggled at times this season. Along with Tom Gordon and Rivera, the former Christ the King star could be a major contributor into the playoffs.Said Torre: “His experience and the fact that he has closer mentality should make it that much stronger down the end.”Reach Sports Editor Dylan Butler by e-mail at TimesLedger@aol.com or call 718-229-0300, Ext. 143.
