It’s Klein time

It is called “Klein Time.”

It’s the seconds on the mound where the ball is controlled by the pitcher and, in turn, controls the minutes an opposing team is at bat, and then shortens the hours of a game.

Called so in honor of 2015 Juneau-Douglas High School graduate Nathan Klein, the Crimson Bears hurler who went from the high school season to American Legion and then Fall league at Lewis & Clark College in Portland, Oregon, in a span of roughly four months.

“It is going really well,” Klein said. “I went down Aug. 26 and school started on the 31st.”

Lewis & Clark had 8 wins and 32 losses last season. This year the Pioneers graduated four pitchers and brought in eight freshman.

“Of those eight Nathan is at the top of the list to break into the starting rotation,” Lewis & Clark head coach Tom Flynn said. “We just had a meeting with him. I told him he had an exceptional Fall, that we were expecting really good things from him his freshman year and expecting incredible things for him in his career here. But just like you tell any player, you have to put in the work. It is all potential at this point but we think he has the potential to be great.

“Nathan is just a great kid, and when you are trying to build a strong program, you start with great kids. … He is doing exactly what we knew he would. He is a great teammate. Then when they have the talent to go with it, that is the whole package. For us, he checked all the boxes, the whole package. We have a very competitive Fall here and he did really well. He just needs to work on his strength, just like any other freshman. It is not unique to Nathan. Now he will transition from Fall ball into his offseason workouts.”

Klein just finished the three-team intersquad Fall season at Lewis & Clark, where his team won the title.

“That was pretty sweet,” Klein said. “My goal is to start but I will do anything, I am totally ready to come out of the bullpen and just pitch whenever they need me.”

Klein caught Lewis & Clark’s attention while playing in an October tournament in Arizona for the Alaska Baseball Academy his senior season. Klein contacted the school with the game times and they scouted him, emailing him afterward with their interest. The DIII school cannot offer athletic scholarships but Klein earned an Academic honor.

“I definitely wanted a liberal arts education, taking classes in everything,” Klein said. “I wasn’t sure what I wanted to major in at first. I am planning to be a biochemistry major.”

Klein’s mother graduated from the college’s law school and passed that love of Portland on to him.

“I like the people here,” Klein said. “And the sports programs are competitive. It is a great feeling being here.”

Klein noted that obvious difference when on the mound was the opposing ages.

“We have juniors and seniors who are 20-21 years old,” Klein said. “They have been playing college baseball for a while. They are used to seeing guys who throw harder and have better breaking balls. A lot of the hitters are just better. They take balls and only swing at strikes.”

Klein also said he has never thrown into the Fall and usually is rested after the summer. The grueling schedule of baseball and academics is made easier in that his freshman dorm roommate Bradley Bourdase is another pitcher.

“We have the same workouts so it goes well,” Klein said. “I really like the dorms. I brought an Alaskan state flag, I hung that up on my side of the room. And I wear my (Juneau-Douglas) hat to all the practices.”

That JDHS baseball cap will be missed. Klein had a 7-0 record his senior year for the Crimson Bears, with an ERA of 0.15 while averaging 14 strikeouts for every walk, and leaving opponents with an on-base average of .145.

For Juneau’s Midnight Suns Post 25 American Legion team he was 10-1 last summer with an 0.87 ERA and keeping opponents’ batting averages at .130.

“Nate is a special player who has a lot of potential,” JDHS athletic director Chad Bentz said. “He is eager to learn and is coach-able, which is vital when someone is trying to get better.”

Bentz, a former JDHS (1999) and professional major league pitcher (2001-08), joined the Crimson Bears and Post 25 coaching staffs last season.

“He works hard and is consistent,” Bentz said. “I tell our players and all the student-athletes in every sport we offer at JD, that it takes sweat and consistency to become good at something. Every start he had, he would come out attacking hitters and the strike zone. Nate has a plus arm for sure, and can locate fastballs extremely well along with his off-speed pitches. Every outing last year, his change-up and curve ball could be thrown for strikes, which is an unbelievable advantage for a pitcher, especially at the high school level. He made it extremely easy to call a game. I’m just bummed I missed the previous three years with him.”

Flynn said Juneau should know that Klein is “Alive and well in Portland and we couldn’t be happier to have him.”

The Pioneers begin their Spring season in early February and the season plays into May.