1. Overview
Michael Alan Schultz is an American former baseball pitcher born on November 28, 1979. His professional career spanned both Major League Baseball (MLB) in the United States and Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB) in Japan. After making a single appearance for the Arizona Diamondbacks in MLB in 2007, Schultz spent four seasons with the Hiroshima Toyo Carp (2008-2011) and a brief period with the Orix Buffaloes (2013) in Japan, establishing himself as a prominent relief pitcher, particularly as a setup man. He also had a brief stint in the Washington Nationals minor league system in 2012.
2. Amateur Career
Michael Alan Schultz's baseball journey began in his formative years, leading him through high school and collegiate summer leagues before his professional debut.
2.1. High School and College
A native of Van Nuys, California, Schultz attended Cleveland High School in Los Angeles. He later played college baseball at Loyola Marymount University.
2.2. Collegiate Summer Baseball
In 1999, Schultz participated in collegiate summer baseball as a member of the Cotuit Kettleers in the Cape Cod Baseball League. His performance during the season earned him recognition as a league all-star.
3. Professional Career
Schultz's professional baseball career encompassed various leagues and organizations, including a brief appearance in Major League Baseball, an extended tenure in Japanese professional baseball, and stints in the minor leagues.
3.1. United States Career
Schultz's professional career in the United States began with his draft into Major League Baseball and continued through several seasons in the minor leagues, culminating in a single Major League appearance.
3.1.1. Draft and Minor League
Schultz was selected by the Arizona Diamondbacks in the second round of the 2000 MLB Draft, as the 69th overall pick. Early in his minor league career, he faced setbacks due to injuries, undergoing right shoulder surgeries in both 2001 and 2002, though he later recovered.
While playing for the Single-A Lancaster JetHawks on July 16, 2004, Schultz achieved a rare feat by recording five strikeouts in a single inning. In the seventh inning of a game against the Rancho Cucamonga Quakes, he struck out the leadoff batter, David Gates, for the first out. The next batter also struck out, but reached base on a wild pitch and a dropped third strike. Following a hit and a fielder's choice that allowed three runners to reach base, Schultz struck out the subsequent batter for the second out. After another hit, he then struck out Gates for the second time in the inning, securing the third out. This unusual occurrence had been recorded at least three times previously in minor league history. The game ultimately ended in a 4-19 loss for his team.
In 2005, Schultz appeared in 63 games in Double-A. He then pitched in 48 games for the Triple-A Tucson Sidewinders in 2006. In 2007, he played in 55 Triple-A games, where he recorded a 4-5 win-loss record, 4 saves, and an earned run average (ERA) of 3.92.
3.1.2. Major League Debut
Schultz made his Major League Baseball debut on April 20, 2007, for the Arizona Diamondbacks. He pitched one scoreless inning in his lone Major League appearance. His career Major League statistics include 0 wins, 0 losses, a 0.00 ERA, and 1 strikeout.
3.2. Japanese Career
Following his time in the United States, Schultz transitioned to Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB), where he played for two different teams.
3.2.1. Hiroshima Toyo Carp
In the offseason between 2007 and 2008, Schultz signed with the Hiroshima Toyo Carp of Japan's Central League. He wore uniform number 70 during his tenure with the team from 2008 to 2011. His debut with the Carp was delayed due to right shoulder pain during spring training in 2008, but he was promoted to the first team during the interleague play season. Utilizing a powerful fastball that consistently exceeded 93 mph (150 km/h) and reached a top speed of 97 mph (156 km/h), he became a key setup man for closer Katsuhiro Nagakawa. In his first season with the Carp, he appeared in 55 games, recording 18 holds and an ERA of 3.23.
In 2009, Schultz achieved a notable club record of 22 consecutive scoreless appearances, falling just one game short of the team record. On June 5, he recorded a rare one-pitch save in a rain-shortened game against the Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks. Despite a slight dip in performance mid-season, he maintained consistent pitching throughout the year, becoming an integral part of Hiroshima's "victory formula." He led the Central League with 35 holds and appeared in 73 games, ranking second in the league. For the season, he posted a 5-3 win-loss record and an ERA of 2.28.
His 2010 season began with him serving as the team's closer. However, he was forced to return to the United States in May due to lower back pain. He was subsequently diagnosed with a lumbar disc herniation and underwent surgery in June, which ended his season. He finished the year with 0 wins, 1 loss, and 7 saves. In 2011, his appearances were limited to 19 games. He was officially released by the Carp on December 2, 2011.
3.2.2. Orix Buffaloes
In 2013, Schultz participated in the Orix Buffaloes' spring training as a tryout player, wearing uniform number 42. He performed well in two practice games, pitching two scoreless innings without allowing a hit. His successful tryout led to him officially signing with the Buffaloes on February 22. However, his time with the team was brief, as he appeared in only one game during the season. He was informed of his release on July 29, 2013, and officially became a free agent on August 5, alongside teammate Steve Hammond.
3.3. Other Professional Stints
After his release from the Hiroshima Toyo Carp, Schultz signed a minor league contract with the Washington Nationals on March 2, 2012. He remained with the organization for a few months before being released in July of the same year.
4. Playstyle
Michael Schultz was a right-handed pitcher known for his imposing height, standing over 6.6 ft (2 m). His pitching repertoire included a fastball that consistently exceeded 93 mph (150 km/h) and reached a maximum velocity of 97 mph (156 km/h), often exhibiting natural movement. He complemented his fastball with both vertical and horizontal sliders and a changeup, which contributed to his ability to rack up strikeouts. Schultz expressed confidence in his pitching when facing runners on base and believed his style was well-suited for a relief pitcher role.
Upon his arrival in Japan, Schultz initially faced challenges with his quickness to the plate. In 2008, he allowed easy stolen bases due to his high leg kick, even with runners on base. However, he made adjustments to his pitching form in 2009. While his motion remained relatively large, he adopted a "sliding foot" (摺り足suriashiJapanese) technique, which helped him prevent runners from getting easy jumps and improved his ability to hold baserunners.
5. Career Statistics
The following table details Michael Schultz's pitching statistics during his professional career in Major League Baseball (MLB) and Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB).
| Year | Team | G | GS | CG | SHO | BB/9 | W | L | SV | HLD | W-L% | BF | IP | H | HR | BB | IBB | HBP | SO | WP | BK | R | ER | ERA | WHIP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2007 | ARI | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | - | 3 | 1.0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.00 | 1.00 |
| 2008 | Hiroshima | 55 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 4 | 0 | 18 | .429 | 222 | 53.0 | 47 | 1 | 20 | 2 | 0 | 43 | 2 | 0 | 20 | 19 | 3.23 | 1.26 |
| 2009 | Hiroshima | 73 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 3 | 1 | 35 | .625 | 298 | 75.0 | 57 | 0 | 22 | 0 | 0 | 72 | 2 | 0 | 19 | 19 | 2.28 | 1.05 |
| 2010 | Hiroshima | 11 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 7 | 1 | .000 | 43 | 10.1 | 10 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 4 | 3.48 | 1.16 |
| 2011 | Hiroshima | 19 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 9 | - | 82 | 17.0 | 22 | 1 | 11 | 0 | 1 | 7 | 1 | 0 | 7 | 2 | 1.06 | 1.94 |
| 2013 | Orix | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | - | 3 | 1.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.00 | 0.00 |
| MLB Total: 1 year | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | - | 3 | 1.0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.00 | 1.00 | |
| NPB Total: 5 years | 159 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 63 | .500 | 648 | 156.1 | 136 | 2 | 55 | 2 | 1 | 131 | 6 | 0 | 51 | 44 | 2.53 | 1.22 | |
- Statistics as of the end of the 2013 season.
- Bold indicates league best.
6. Notable Achievements
Throughout his career in Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB), Michael Schultz achieved several significant milestones:
- First NPB appearance: May 21, 2008, against the Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks at Fukuoka Dome. He entered in the 7th inning as the third relief pitcher, pitching 2/3 of an inning scoreless.
- First NPB strikeout: May 23, 2008, against the Orix Buffaloes at Osaka Dome (Kyocera Dome Osaka). He struck out Haruaki Hamanaka swinging in the 7th inning.
- First NPB win: May 25, 2008, against the Chiba Lotte Marines at Hiroshima Municipal Stadium. He entered in the 8th inning as the sixth relief pitcher, pitching one scoreless inning.
- First NPB hold: May 29, 2008, against the Saitama Seibu Lions at Hiroshima Municipal Stadium. He entered in the 8th inning as the second relief pitcher, pitching one scoreless inning.
- First NPB save: June 5, 2009, against the Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks at Mazda Zoom-Zoom Stadium Hiroshima. He entered in the 7th inning with two outs as the fourth relief pitcher, completing 1/3 of an inning scoreless in a rain-shortened game.
- Recorded 22 consecutive scoreless appearances in 2009, a near-club record for the Hiroshima Toyo Carp.
- Led the Central League in holds with 35 in 2009.