St. John's University Athletics
Stamler Promoted to Rangers? Triple-A Affiliate
7/22/2003 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
Stamler, an 18th round draft pick of the Rangers in 2000, began the season with the Rangers? Double-A affiliate, the Frisco RoughRiders. While there, he appeared in 39 games out of the bullpen, posting a 3.75 earned run average with a 3-6 record and one save. In 62 1/3 innings, Stamler walked only 14, while striking out 31.
Stamler left St. John?s after his junior season, completing his career with a 14-11 record and one save. Over his three years, mostly as a starter, he pitched 213 2/3 innings allowing 96 earned runs for a 4.05 ERA. He showed tremendous control, walking only 56 batters, while striking out 171. Stamler?s most successful season was as a freshman where he earned Freshman All-American honors by two publications, as he finished 15th nationally in earned run average (2.47) and had a 4-1 record. He continued his strong pitching as a sophomore, earning second team All-BIG EAST honors and tying for second on the Red Storm with a career-high six wins. As a junior, Stamler struggled early, but turned it around to finish with four wins and a 4.40 ERA.
Stamler joins another former St. John?s pitcher, C.J. Nitkowski, on the RedHawks roster. Nitkowski, a member of the 1993 and 1994 St. John?s baseball teams, originally was a first round pick, 9th overall, by the Cincinnati Reds in the 1994 draft. He has seen time in the major leagues with the Reds, Tigers, Astros and Mets over parts of six seasons. This season with the RedHawks, Nitkowski has appeared in 23 games, including five starts, having a record of 3-3 with two saves. In 58 1/3 innings, he has an ERA of 4.32 with 44 strikeouts.
In his two seasons at St. John?s, Nitkowski was dominant, posting a 2.17 earned run average and allowing only 127 hits in 153 1/3 innings pitched. In addition, he finished with an overall record of 11-7, including 11 complete games, while striking out 145 batters. In both seasons he led the Red Storm in ERA and tied for the team lead in wins. In 1994, he was named BIG EAST Pitcher of the Year, along with being a first team All-BIG EAST Selection, having led the conference with ERA (1.59), strikeouts (80) and opponents batting average (.185).