Nathan John "Nate" Schierholtz (born February 15, 1984) is an American former professional
baseball
Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each, taking turns batting and fielding. The game occurs over the course of several plays, with each play generally beginning when a player on the fielding ...
right fielder
A right fielder, abbreviated RF, is the outfielder in baseball or softball who plays defense in right field. Right field is the area of the outfield to the right of a person standing at home plate and facing towards the pitcher's mound. In t ...
. He played in
Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball (MLB) is a professional baseball organization and the oldest major professional sports league in the world. MLB is composed of 30 total teams, divided equally between the National League (NL) and the American League (AL ...
(MLB) for the
San Francisco Giants
The San Francisco Giants are an American professional baseball team based in San Francisco, California. The Giants compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) West division. Founded in 1883 as the New Yo ...
(2007–2012),
Philadelphia Phillies
The Philadelphia Phillies are an American professional baseball team based in Philadelphia. They compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member of the National League (NL) East division. Since 2004, the team's home stadium has been Cit ...
(2012),
Chicago Cubs
The Chicago Cubs are an American professional baseball team based in Chicago. The Cubs compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as part of the National League (NL) Central division. The club plays its home games at Wrigley Field, which is loca ...
(2013–2014), and
Washington Nationals
The Washington Nationals are an American professional baseball team based in Washington, D.C.. They compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member of the National League (NL) East division. From 2005 to 2007, the team played in RFK Stadiu ...
(2014). He also played in
Nippon Professional Baseball
or NPB is the highest level of baseball in Japan. Locally, it is often called , meaning ''Professional Baseball''.
Outside Japan, it is often just referred to as "Japanese baseball". The roots of the league can be traced back to the formatio ...
(NPB) for
Hiroshima Toyo Carp
The is a professional baseball team based in Hiroshima, Japan. They compete in the Central League of Nippon Professional Baseball. The team is primarily owned by the Matsuda family, led by , who is a descendant of Mazda founder Jujiro Matsuda ...
(2015).
Schierholtz was a second-round
draft pick by the Giants out of
Chabot College in 2003. He reached the
major leagues in 2007,
batting Batting may refer to:
* Batting (baseball), the act of attempting to hit a ball thrown by the pitcher with a baseball bat, in order to score runs
*Batting (cricket)
In cricket, batting is the act or skill of hitting the ball with a bat to s ...
over .300 in limited playing time. He spent most of 2008 in the minor leagues but again hit over .300 when he was called up in September. Schierholtz also represented the United States of America at the
Summer Olympics
The Summer Olympic Games (french: link=no, Jeux olympiques d'été), also known as the Games of the Olympiad, and often referred to as the Summer Olympics, is a major international multi-sport event normally held once every four years. The ina ...
that year. In 2009, he spent the whole season with the Giants, appearing in over 100 games and getting starts in
right field
A right fielder, abbreviated RF, is the outfielder in baseball or softball who plays defense in right field. Right field is the area of the outfield to the right of a person standing at home plate and facing towards the pitcher's mound. In t ...
. Schierholtz was the Giants' starting right fielder for portions of 2010 but ended the year as a
defensive substitution for
Pat Burrell
Patrick Brian Burrell (born October 10, 1976), nicknamed "Pat the Bat", is an American former professional baseball outfielder. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Philadelphia Phillies, Tampa Bay Rays, and San Francisco Giants ...
. He won his first
World Series
The World Series is the annual championship series of Major League Baseball (MLB) in the United States and Canada, contested since 1903 between the champion teams of the American League (AL) and the National League (NL). The winner of the Wor ...
as the Giants defeated the
Texas Rangers for their first World Series title in 56 years. In 2011, he was the Giants' starting right fielder for most of the year, until a broken foot sidelined him at the end of August. Though used as the starting right fielder some in 2012, Schierholtz said in an interview in July that Giants' manager
Bruce Bochy did not think of him as an everyday player. Shortly afterwards, he was traded to the Phillies, with whom he finished the year. The Giants won the World Series again and gave him a
World Series ring
A World Series ring is an award given to Major League Baseball players who win the World Series. Since only one Commissioner's Trophy is awarded to the team, a World Series ring is an individual award that players and staff of each World Series ...
for his earlier contributions.
In 2013, Schierholtz signed with the Cubs and received the most playing time of his career, hitting a career-high 21
home run
In baseball, a home run (abbreviated HR) is scored when the ball is hit in such a way that the batter is able to circle the bases and reach home plate safely in one play without any errors being committed by the defensive team. A home run i ...
s. He batted .192 with the Cubs the next season and was released mid-season. The Nationals picked him up soon after, and he reached the playoffs with them. In 2015, Schierholtz attempted to make the Rangers' roster out of spring training. Faced with a demotion to the minor leagues, he opted instead to spend a season in
Japan
Japan ( ja, 日本, or , and formally , ''Nihonkoku'') is an island country in East Asia. It is situated in the northwest Pacific Ocean, and is bordered on the west by the Sea of Japan, while extending from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north ...
with the Toyo Carp. He signed with the
Detroit Tigers
The Detroit Tigers are an American professional baseball team based in Detroit. The Tigers compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member of the American League (AL) Central division. One of the AL's eight charter franchises, the club was ...
organization in 2016 and played some games in the minor leagues before getting released in May. Later in the season, Schierholtz failed a test for
performance-enhancing drugs
Performance-enhancing substances, also known as performance-enhancing drugs (PEDs), are substances that are used to improve any form of activity performance in humans. A well-known example of cheating in sports involves doping in sport, where ban ...
, resulting in an 80-game suspension by Major League Baseball.
High school and college
Schierholtz was born February 15, 1984, in
Reno, Nevada
Reno ( ) is a city in the northwest section of the U.S. state of Nevada, along the Nevada-California border, about north from Lake Tahoe, known as "The Biggest Little City in the World". Known for its casino and tourism industry, Reno is the ...
.
His parents were Vai Sr., and Karen Schierholtz, and he was the oldest of four children (Cainan; Vai Jr.; and Sophia).
He attended
San Ramon Valley High School in
Danville, California
The Town of Danville is located in the San Ramon Valley in Contra Costa County, California. It is one of the incorporated municipalities in California that use "town" in their names instead of "city". The population was 43,582 at the 2020 censu ...
, the same high school as future
San Francisco Giants
The San Francisco Giants are an American professional baseball team based in San Francisco, California. The Giants compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) West division. Founded in 1883 as the New Yo ...
teammate
Randy Winn. At San Ramon Valley, he served as the team captain. Following high school, Schierholtz played for
Chabot College, a
community college
A community college is a type of educational institution. The term can have different meanings in different countries: many community colleges have an "open enrollment" for students who have graduated from high school (also known as senior sec ...
located in
Hayward, California. He spent the 2003 season with Chabot, starting at
third base
A third baseman, abbreviated 3B, is the player in baseball or softball whose responsibility is to defend the area nearest to third base — the third of four bases a baserunner must touch in succession to score a run. In the scoring system u ...
.
In his lone season at Chabot, he was named an All-American.
Professional career
San Francisco Giants
Minor leagues
Schierholtz was drafted by the
San Francisco Giants
The San Francisco Giants are an American professional baseball team based in San Francisco, California. The Giants compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) West division. Founded in 1883 as the New Yo ...
in the second round (63rd overall) of the
2003 Major League Baseball (MLB) Draft. He began his minor league career that year as a
third baseman
A third baseman, abbreviated 3B, is the player in baseball or softball whose responsibility is to defend the area nearest to third base — the third of four bases a baserunner must touch in succession to score a run. In the scoring system u ...
with the rookie
Arizona League Giants
Arizona ( ; nv, Hoozdo Hahoodzo ; ood, Alĭ ṣonak ) is a state in the Southwestern United States. It is the 6th largest and the 14th most populous of the 50 states. Its capital and largest city is Phoenix. Arizona is part of the Four Co ...
,
batting Batting may refer to:
* Batting (baseball), the act of attempting to hit a ball thrown by the pitcher with a baseball bat, in order to score runs
*Batting (cricket)
In cricket, batting is the act or skill of hitting the ball with a bat to s ...
.400 in 11 games before getting promoted to the
Single-A
Class A, also known as Single-A and sometimes as Low-A, is the fourth-highest level of play in Minor League Baseball in the United States, below Triple-A, Double-A, and High-A. There are 30 teams classified at the Single-A level, one for eac ...
short season
Salem-Keizer Volcanoes
The Salem-Keizer Volcanoes are a baseball team located in Keizer, Oregon, who are charter members of the Mavericks Independent Baseball League, a four-team league entirely based in the Salem Metropolitan Statistical Area and playing all their hom ...
of the
Northwest League
The Northwest League is a Minor League Baseball league that operates in the Northwestern United States and Western Canada. A Class A Short Season league for most of its history, the league was promoted to High-A as part of Major League Baseb ...
.
In 35 games for Salem-Keizer, he hit .306 with 38
hits, three
home run
In baseball, a home run (abbreviated HR) is scored when the ball is hit in such a way that the batter is able to circle the bases and reach home plate safely in one play without any errors being committed by the defensive team. A home run i ...
s, and 29
runs batted in
A run batted in (RBI; plural RBIs ) is a statistic in baseball and softball that credits a batting (baseball), batter for making a play that allows a run (baseball), run to be scored (except in certain situations such as when an error (baseball), ...
(RBI).
He began the 2004 season with the Single-A
Hagerstown Suns
The Hagerstown Suns were a Minor League Baseball team based in Hagerstown, Maryland. They were a member of the South Atlantic League and, from 2007 through 2020, were the Class A affiliate of the Washington Nationals. They played their home ga ...
of the
South Atlantic League
The South Atlantic League, often informally called the Sally League, is a Minor League Baseball league with teams predominantly in states along the Atlantic coast of the United States from New York to Georgia. A Class A league for most of its ...
, earning
All-star game
An all-star game is an exhibition game that purports to showcase the best players (the "stars") of a sports league. The exhibition is between two teams organized solely for the event, usually representing the league's teams based on region or div ...
honors for that league. He batted .296 with 53 RBI in 58 games and was leading the league in home runs (15) and
extra-base hits
In baseball, an extra-base hit (EB, EBH or XBH), also known as a long hit, is any base hit on which the batter is able to advance past first base without the benefit of a fielder either committing an error or opting to make a throw to retire ano ...
(37) before getting promoted to the Single-A advanced
San Jose Giants
The San Jose Giants are a Minor League Baseball team of the California League and the Single-A affiliate of the San Francisco Giants. Located in San Jose, California, the Giants play their home games at Excite Ballpark.
Games
San Jose Giants gam ...
of the
California League
The California League is a Minor League Baseball league that operates in California. Having been classified at various levels throughout its existence, it operated at Class A-Advanced from 1990 until its demotion to Single-A following Major Le ...
.
At San Jose, though still receiving significant playing time as a third baseman, he began to play the
outfield
The outfield, in cricket, baseball and softball is the area of the field of play further from the batsman or batter than the infield. In association football, the outfield players are positioned outside the goal area.
In cricket, baseball ...
as well.
In 62 games with San Jose, he batted .295 with three home runs and 31 RBI. He was second on the team with nine
triples after not hitting any with Hagerstown. He was third among Giants' prospects with 18 home runs and ranked second with 84 RBI in 2004.
In 2005, Schierholtz remained at San Jose, where he became an everyday
right fielder
A right fielder, abbreviated RF, is the outfielder in baseball or softball who plays defense in right field. Right field is the area of the outfield to the right of a person standing at home plate and facing towards the pitcher's mound. In t ...
. Over 128 games, he batted .319 (fifth in the California League) with 160 hits (tied with
Chris Lubanski,
Seth Smith, and
Clay Timpner
Clay W. Timpner (born May 13, 1983) is a former Major League Baseball outfielder with the San Francisco Giants.
Amateur career
A native of Lakeland, Florida, Timpner attended LaBelle High School, where he hit .448 with 75 stolen bases and al ...
for fifth), 37
doubles (tied with
Danny Putnam for eighth), eight
triples (tied with
Wladimir Balentien,
Danny Richar, and Joe Gaetti for third behind Timpner's 12 and Anthony Webster's 11), 15 home runs, and 86 RBI. He batted .333 in the playoffs, helping San Jose win the California League championship.
Schierholtz moved up to the
Double-A Connecticut Defenders
The Connecticut Defenders were a Minor League Baseball team based in Norwich, Connecticut. The team, which played in the Eastern League, was the Double-A affiliate of the San Francisco Giants major-league club from 2003 until following the 2009 ...
of the
Eastern League in 2006. In 125 games, he batted .270 with 127 hits, 14 home runs, and 54 RBI.
He led the Defenders in most major batting categories and finished sixth in the Eastern League with seven triples.
Entering the 2007 season, Schierholtz was ranked the eighth-best prospect in the Giants' organization by ''
Baseball America
''Baseball America'' is a sports enterprise that covers baseball at every level, including MLB, with a particular focus on up-and-coming players in the MiLB, college, high school, and international leagues. It is currently published in the form ...
''. That year, he was assigned to the
Triple-A Fresno Grizzlies
The Fresno Grizzlies are a Minor League Baseball team of the California League and the Single-A affiliate of the Colorado Rockies. They are located in Fresno, California, and play their home games at Chukchansi Park, which was opened in 2002 in do ...
of the
Pacific Coast League
The Pacific Coast League (PCL) is a Minor League Baseball league that operates in the Western United States. Along with the International League, it is one of two leagues playing at the Triple-A level, which is one grade below Major League Ba ...
. He spent most of the season with them. In 109 games, he had 137 hits, 31 doubles, 16 home runs, and 68 RBI. He finished third in the league in batting average (.333, behind
Geovany Soto
Geovany Soto (born January 20, 1983) is a Puerto Rican former professional baseball player. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a catcher from 2005 to 2017, most prominently as a member of the Chicago Cubs where he appeared in the MLB ...
's .353 and
Delwyn Young's .337) and triples (seven, tied with
Scott Seabol
Scott Anthony Seabol (born May 17, 1975 in McKeesport, Pennsylvania, United States) is a former Major League Baseball player.
He made his major league debut on April 8, , with the New York Yankees, but only for a single game. After a short tim ...
behind
Reggie Abercrombie's and
Jeff Salazar's nine).
2007
Giants' manager
Bruce Bochy considered calling up Schierholtz in May 2007 when
Dave Roberts started suffering elbow problems, but an injury to Schierholtz prevented that. On June 11, Schierholtz was called up to replace
Dan Ortmeier
Daniel David Ortmeier (born May 11, 1981) is a former Major League Baseball outfielder and first baseman. He made his major league debut on September 5, , with the San Francisco Giants.
High school
Ortmeier was born in Chattanooga, Tennessee, and ...
and try to give the Giants some offensive help. He made his major league debut that day, against the
Toronto Blue Jays
The Toronto Blue Jays are a Canadian professional baseball team based in Toronto. The Blue Jays compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) East division. Since 1989, the team has played its home gam ...
as a defensive replacement. He got his first hit the next night, against
A. J. Burnett
Allan James Burnett (born January 3, 1977), is an American former professional baseball starting pitcher, who played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Florida Marlins, Toronto Blue Jays, New York Yankees, Pittsburgh Pirates, and Philadel ...
in his first career
at bat
In baseball, an at bat (AB) or time at bat is a batter's turn batting against a pitcher. An at bat is different from a plate appearance. A batter is credited with a plate appearance regardless of what happens during their turn at bat, but a batt ...
in a 3–2 victory over Toronto. During this stint, Schierholtz received most of the starts in right field.
On June 23, at
AT&T Park against the
New York Yankees
The New York Yankees are an American professional baseball team based in the New York City borough of the Bronx. The Yankees compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) East division. They are one ...
, he
blooped an RBI
single into
center field against
Scott Proctor
Scott Christopher Proctor (born January 2, 1977) is an American former professional baseball pitcher. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) between 2004 and 2011 for the New York Yankees, Los Angeles Dodgers, and Atlanta Braves. In 2012, he p ...
in the bottom of the 13th inning to win the game 6–5 for the Giants. Despite a .325 batting average in 40 at bats, Schierholtz was sent down at the start of July to make room for
Rich Aurilia
Richard Santo Aurilia (; born September 2, 1971) is a former Major League Baseball shortstop who played for several teams between 1995 and 2009.
Amateur career
Aurilia was born in Brooklyn, New York. Before being drafted by Texas, Aurilia was a ...
, who was returning from the
disabled list
In Major League Baseball (MLB), the injured list (IL) is a method for teams to remove their injured players from the roster in order to summon healthy players. Before the 2019 season, it was known as the disabled list (DL).
General guidelines ...
.
He was recalled in September, and he received most of the starts in right field that month.
In 39 games (112 at bats), he batted .304 with 34 hits, five doubles, three triples, 10 RBI, and two
walks.
In 2008, ''Baseball America'' ranked Schierholtz the fourth-best prospect in the Giants' system. He attended
spring training
Spring training is the preseason in Major League Baseball (MLB), a series of practices and exhibition games preceding the start of the regular season. Spring training allows new players to try out for roster and position spots, and gives estab ...
with the Giants but started the season in Fresno.
Schierholtz was batting .314 with fifteen home runs and 65 runs batted in for the Grizzlies when his
minor league
Minor leagues are professional sports leagues which are not regarded as the premier leagues in those sports. Minor league teams tend to play in smaller, less elaborate venues, often competing in smaller cities/markets. This term is used in No ...
season ended as a result of his being selected for the
2008 USA Olympic Baseball Team. In the sixth inning of a preliminary round game against
China
China, officially the People's Republic of China (PRC), is a country in East Asia. It is the world's List of countries and dependencies by population, most populous country, with a Population of China, population exceeding 1.4 billion, slig ...
, he collided with China backup
catcher
Catcher is a position in baseball and softball. When a batter takes their turn to hit, the catcher crouches behind home plate, in front of the ( home) umpire, and receives the ball from the pitcher. In addition to this primary duty, the ca ...
Yang Yang at the home plate on a sacrifice fly, a play that resulted in a near brawl between the teams and saw Chinese manager
Jim Lefebvre
James Kenneth Lefebvre ( ; born January 7, 1942) is a former major league baseball player, coach, and manager. An infielder, he was signed by the Los Angeles Dodgers as an amateur free agent in 1962.
Baseball career Playing career
Lefebvre was t ...
ejected from the game. Schierholtz played nine games with the Americans, batting .216 with four doubles, one home run, and six RBI as the United States earned a bronze medal.
Schierholtz was again called up in September 2008, as the Giants' roster expanded, and he was used as the Giants' starting right fielder for the remainder of the year. On September 3, he recorded four hits in a game for the first time in a 9–2 victory over the
Colorado Rockies
The Colorado Rockies are an American professional baseball team based in Denver. The Rockies compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) West division. The team plays its home baseball games at Coors ...
. Three days later, he hit his first career home run against
Jesse Chavez
Jesse David Chavez (born August 21, 1983) is an American professional baseball pitcher in the Atlanta Braves organization. He played college baseball at Riverside Community College, and was drafted by the Texas Rangers in the 42nd round of the ...
in a 7–6 victory over the
Pittsburgh Pirates
The Pittsburgh Pirates are an American professional baseball team based in Pittsburgh. The Pirates compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) Central division. Founded as part of the American Associ ...
. In 19 games (75 at bats) in 2008, Schierholtz hit .320 with 24 hits, eight doubles, one triple, one home run, and five RBI.
2009
Schierholtz started the 2009 season as a
pinch hitter
In baseball, a pinch hitter is a substitute batter. Batters can be substituted at any time while the ball is dead (not in active play); the manager may use any player who has not yet entered the game as a substitute. Unlike basketball, Americ ...
.
In June, he saw his playing time increase as
Randy Winn, the Giants' right fielder, began playing
left field
In baseball, a left fielder, abbreviated LF, is an outfielder who plays defense in left field. Left field is the area of the outfield to the left of a person standing at home plate and facing towards the pitcher's mound. In the numbering syste ...
frequently in place of
Fred Lewis
Frederick Deshaun Lewis (born December 9, 1980) is an American former professional baseball outfielder. He made his debut on September 1, , with the San Francisco Giants. He is the cousin of former Major League outfielder Matt Lawton. He lived i ...
.
On June 14, he had an
inside-the-park home run
In baseball, an inside-the-park home run is a play where a batter hits a home run without hitting the ball out of the field of play. It is also known as an "inside-the-parker", "in-the-park home run", or "in-the-park homer".
Discussion
To score ...
, only the fourth in AT&T Park history, in the third inning against
Brett Anderson
Brett Lewis Anderson (born 29 September 1967) is an English singer best known as the lead vocalist and primary lyricist of the band Suede. After Suede disbanded in 2003, he fronted The Tears with former Suede guitarist Bernard Butler in 2004 ...
of the
Oakland Athletics
The Oakland Athletics (often referred to as the A's) are an American professional baseball team based in Oakland, California. The Athletics compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) West division. The ...
in a 7–1 victory. He had four hits on June 28 in a 7–0 win over the
Milwaukee Brewers
The Milwaukee Brewers are an American professional baseball team based in Milwaukee. They compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) Central division. The Brewers are named for the city's association ...
. From July 28 through August 12, he was on the
disabled list
In Major League Baseball (MLB), the injured list (IL) is a method for teams to remove their injured players from the roster in order to summon healthy players. Before the 2019 season, it was known as the disabled list (DL).
General guidelines ...
with a bruised left hip, which he suffered after running into a chain-link fence at
Turner Field
Turner Field was a baseball stadium located in Atlanta, Georgia. From 1997 to 2016, it served as the home ballpark to the Atlanta Braves of Major League Baseball (MLB). Originally built as Centennial Olympic Stadium in 1996 to serve as the c ...
.
He saw his playing time reduced in September as Winn moved back to right field to give
Eugenio Vélez and
John Bowker opportunities in left.
In a career-high 116 games (285 at bats) in 2009, Schierholtz batted .267 with 76 hits, five home runs, and 29 RBI. He had the third-highest batting average for a pinch hitter in the majors (.371, behind Seth Smith's .472 and
Hideki Matsui
, nicknamed "Godzilla", is a Japanese former professional baseball outfielder and designated hitter who played baseball in Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB) and Major League Baseball (MLB). He batted left-handed and threw right-handed.
Matsui pl ...
's .381).
2010
Schierholtz was expected to be the Giants'
Opening Day
Opening Day is the day on which professional baseball leagues begin their regular season. For Major League Baseball (MLB) and most of the American minor leagues, this day typically falls during the first week of April, although in recent year ...
right fielder in 2010, but Bowker won the position after hitting six home runs in spring training. Bowker, however, only held the job for 10 games before Schierholtz replaced him on April 17.
In his first 16 games in the role, he batted .393, but over his next 19, he batted .154.
When
Buster Posey
Gerald Dempsey "Buster" Posey III (born March 27, 1987) is an American former professional baseball catcher. Posey spent his entire twelve-year Major League Baseball (MLB) career with the San Francisco Giants, from 2009 until his retirement at ...
was called up in late May,
Aubrey Huff
Aubrey Lewis Huff III (born December 20, 1976) is an American former professional baseball player who played 13 seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB). Huff played for the Tampa Bay Devil Rays, Houston Astros, Baltimore Orioles, Detroit Tigers, ...
moved from
first base
A first baseman, abbreviated 1B, is the player on a baseball or softball team who fields the area nearest first base, the first of four bases a baserunner must touch in succession to score a run. The first baseman is responsible for the major ...
to right field, leaving Schierholtz on the bench.
After
Bengie Molina
Benjamin José Molina (born July 20, 1974), nicknamed "Big Money", is a former Major League Baseball (MLB) catcher. He played for the Anaheim Angels / Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim (1998–2005), Toronto Blue Jays (2006), San Francisco Giants ...
was traded, Posey switched from first base to
catcher
Catcher is a position in baseball and softball. When a batter takes their turn to hit, the catcher crouches behind home plate, in front of the ( home) umpire, and receives the ball from the pitcher. In addition to this primary duty, the ca ...
, but
Travis Ishikawa began getting some starts at first base, creating a platoon between Schierholtz and Ishikawa, with Huff covering first base or right field depending on who was playing.
When
José Guillén
José Manuel Guillén (pronounced ; born May 17, 1976) is a Dominican former professional baseball outfielder. Guillén played for ten Major League Baseball (MLB) teams in his career.
Professional career
Pittsburgh Pirates
Guillén was signed b ...
was acquired on August 13, Schierholtz was relegated to the role of pinch-hitter and late-inning
defensive substitution for the rest of the year.
In 137 games (227 at bats), Schierholtz batted .242 with 55 hits, 13 doubles, three triples, three home runs, and 17 RBI.
Schierholtz received regular playing time throughout the postseason as a defensive replacement for starting outfielder
Pat Burrell
Patrick Brian Burrell (born October 10, 1976), nicknamed "Pat the Bat", is an American former professional baseball outfielder. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Philadelphia Phillies, Tampa Bay Rays, and San Francisco Giants ...
. Whenever the Giants held a lead in the sixth inning or later, Bochy would remove Burrell from the game, shift
Cody Ross from right field to left field, and place Schierholtz in right field. This strategy was meant to provide the Giants with the best possible defensive outfield and, thus, the best chance of holding the lead and winning the game.
Schierholtz ultimately appeared in 11 of San Francisco's 15 playoff games, accumulating 13 plate appearances and recording an RBI in Game 1 of the
2010 World Series
The 2010 World Series was the championship series of Major League Baseball's (MLB) 2010 season. The 106th edition of the World Series, it was a best-of-seven playoff played between the American League (AL) champion Texas Rangers and the Nat ...
against the
Texas Rangers.
In Game 4, a night when Bochy chose to start several of his backups, he got his first start of the postseason, playing right field in the Giants' 4–0 victory. The Giants won the World Series in five games, their first World Series victory since 1954.
2011
Schierholtz hit a 467-foot home run at
Coors Field
Coors Field is a baseball stadium in downtown Denver, Colorado. It is the home field of Major League Baseball's Colorado Rockies. Opened in 1995 Major League Baseball season, 1995, the park is located in Denver's LoDo, Lower Downtown neighborhood ...
on April 18, 2011, against
Esmil Rogers in an 8–1 victory over the Rockies.
At the start of May, Schierholtz took over the Giants' right field job, due to a slump by Burrell.
He hit a game-tying, two-run pinch-hit home run against
Grant Balfour on May 22 in an 11-inning, 5–4 victory over Oakland. Ten days later, he had a game-tying RBI single in the ninth inning against
Fernando Salas and a game-winning RBI single in the 11th inning against
Ryan Franklin in a 7–5 victory over the
St. Louis Cardinals
The St. Louis Cardinals are an American professional baseball team based in St. Louis. The Cardinals compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) Central division. Since the 2006 season, the Cardinals ...
. On July 6, against the
San Diego Padres
The San Diego Padres are an American professional baseball team based in San Diego. The Padres compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) West division. Founded in 1969, the club has won two NL penna ...
, Schierholtz recorded his first multi-home run game. In the bottom of the 14th inning of that game, he hit a walk-off home run against
Pat Neshek
Patrick John Neshek (pronounced NEE-shehk; born September 4, 1980), is an American former professional baseball pitcher. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Minnesota Twins, San Diego Padres, Oakland Athletics, St. Louis Cardinals, ...
that secured a 6–5 victory for the Giants. Two days later, he had a
splash hit home run against
R. A. Dickey in a 5–2 loss to the
New York Mets
The New York Mets are an American professional baseball team based in the New York City borough of Queens. The Mets compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member of the National League (NL) East division. They are one of two major leagu ...
. Following the acquisition of
Carlos Beltrán
Carlos Iván Beltrán (; born April 24, 1977) is a Puerto Rican former professional baseball player. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) as an outfielder from 1998 to 2017 for the Kansas City Royals, Houston Astros, New York Mets, San Fra ...
on July 28, Schierholtz began playing some left field for the first time in his career.
He broke his right foot after hitting a
foul ball
In baseball, a foul ball is a batted ball that:
* Settles on foul territory between home and first base or between home and third base, or
* Bounces and then goes past first or third base on or over foul territory, or
* Has its first bounce occu ...
off it against the
Atlanta Braves
The Atlanta Braves are an American professional baseball team based in the Atlanta metropolitan area. The Braves compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) East division. The Braves were founded in Bo ...
on August 15. Schierholtz appeared in five more games after the injury, but it became too severe to play through, and he was placed on the disabled list on August 27 (retroactive to August 22), and, though initially expected to return, he missed the rest of the season.
In 115 games (335 at bats), Schierholtz hit .278 with 93 hits, 22 doubles, nine home runs, and 41 RBI.
He said of his 2011 season, "I was able to contribute to the team this year. That was a positive thing I can take from the season."
2012
In 2012, Schierholtz started the season as a bench player but soon became the Giants' everyday right fielder.
On April 23 and 24, he had back-to-back three-hit games against the Mets.
He batted .372 over his first 14 games but hit just .048 over his next seven. When May started, Bochy benched him in favor of
Gregor Blanco.
On July 18, in an interview with Henry Schulman of the ''
San Francisco Chronicle
The ''San Francisco Chronicle'' is a newspaper serving primarily the San Francisco Bay Area of Northern California. It was founded in 1865 as ''The Daily Dramatic Chronicle'' by teenage brothers Charles de Young and Michael H. de Young. The p ...
'', he said that Bochy had told him in May that he did not view him as an everyday player. He said that, while he did not ask for a trade, "I think whatever the best fit for the team and me is would be ideal. I can't really make those decisions. It's all up to them. Whether I'm here or not I'm going to give my best effort every day and bust my tail." That weekend, he started three games against the
Philadelphia Phillies
The Philadelphia Phillies are an American professional baseball team based in Philadelphia. They compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member of the National League (NL) East division. Since 2004, the team's home stadium has been Cit ...
in right field, partly because Blanco and
Ángel Pagán had been struggling. On July 22, Schierholtz hit two home runs against
Joe Blanton
Joseph Matthew Blanton (born December 11, 1980) is an American former professional baseball pitcher, who played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Oakland Athletics, Philadelphia Phillies, Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim, Kansas City Royals, ...
, the second of which forced the game into extra innings. However, the Giants would lose 4–3 in 12 innings. In 77 games (175 at bats), Schierholtz hit .251 with 44 hits, four doubles, five triples, five home runs, and 16 RBI.
At the
trade deadline
In professional sports within the United States and Canada, a trade is a sports league transaction between sports clubs involving the exchange of player rights from one team to another. Though player rights are the primary trading assets, draf ...
on July 31, Schierholtz was traded to the
Philadelphia Phillies
The Philadelphia Phillies are an American professional baseball team based in Philadelphia. They compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member of the National League (NL) East division. Since 2004, the team's home stadium has been Cit ...
along with minor league catcher
Tommy Joseph and minor league pitcher
Seth Rosin for outfielder
Hunter Pence
Hunter Andrew Pence (born April 13, 1983), nicknamed "The Reverend", is an American former professional baseball right fielder and designated hitter. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Houston Astros, Philadelphia Phillies, San Fra ...
.
Philadelphia Phillies
Upon Schierholtz's arrival in Philadelphia, manager
Charlie Manuel
Charles Fuqua Manuel Jr. (born January 4, 1944), is an American former professional baseball player, coach, and manager. During his playing career, he appeared over parts of six Major League Baseball seasons for the Minnesota Twins and Los Angele ...
said he wanted to give Schierholtz everyday playing time for the rest of the year, in order to assess him.
In the transition, Schierholtz changed his number from 12 to 22.
In his debut, Schierholtz homered against
Edwin Jackson in a 3–2 victory against the
Washington Nationals
The Washington Nationals are an American professional baseball team based in Washington, D.C.. They compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member of the National League (NL) East division. From 2005 to 2007, the team played in RFK Stadiu ...
. However, Schierholtz was sent to the disabled list on August 13 after fouling a ball off his right big toe in a game against the Cardinals.
He remained on the disabled list until September 1. On September 7, he delivered a game-ending RBI single against
Will Harris, giving the Phillies a 3–2 win over Colorado. Schierholtz appeared in 33 games with the Phillies, batting .273 with 18 hits, four doubles, one home run, and five RBI. In 114 games (241 at bats) with Philadelphia and San Francisco, he batted .257 with 62 hits, eight doubles, five triples, six home runs, and 21 RBI.
After the season, the Phillies
non-tendered Schierholtz, making him a
free agent
In professional sports, a free agent is a player who is eligible to sign with other clubs or franchises; i.e., not under contract to any specific team. The term is also used in reference to a player who is under contract at present but who is ...
. They chose to non-tender him because they were only projecting him as a fifth outfielder, and Schierholtz was due for a pay raise.
Despite being traded to the Phillies, Schierholtz received his second
World Series ring
A World Series ring is an award given to Major League Baseball players who win the World Series. Since only one Commissioner's Trophy is awarded to the team, a World Series ring is an individual award that players and staff of each World Series ...
from the Giants due to his contributions during the first half of the 2012 season with the team.
Chicago Cubs
On December 5, 2012, Schierholtz signed a $2.25 million, one-year deal with the
Chicago Cubs
The Chicago Cubs are an American professional baseball team based in Chicago. The Cubs compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as part of the National League (NL) Central division. The club plays its home games at Wrigley Field, which is loca ...
.
He was the Cubs' starting right fielder for most of the 2013 season. From June 4 through 18, he set a career-high with a 10-game hitting streak.
On June 14, he had two triples in a game for the first time in his career in a 14-inning, 6–5 victory over the
Cincinnati Reds
The Cincinnati Reds are an American professional baseball team based in Cincinnati. They compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) Central division and were a charter member of the American Associati ...
. On June 22, he set a career-high with his 10th home run of the season in a 4–3 loss to the
Houston Astros
The Houston Astros are an American professional baseball team based in Houston, Texas. The Astros compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) West division, having moved to the division in 2013 after s ...
. He batted .286 with 11 home runs through June 30 but saw his average sink to .218 for the rest of the season, although he would hit 10 home runs. On July 24, he had a career-high five RBI, including a game-winning RBI double against
David Hernandez in the 12th inning of a 7–6 victory over the
Arizona Diamondbacks
The Arizona Diamondbacks (colloquially known as the D-backs) are an American professional baseball team based in Phoenix. The Diamondbacks compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) West division. The ...
. Three days later, he hit a home run against
Sergio Romo
Sergio Francisco Romo (born March 4, 1983) is an American professional baseball pitcher for the Acereros de Monclova of the Mexican League. He has previously played in MLB for the San Francisco Giants, Los Angeles Dodgers, Tampa Bay Rays, M ...
in a 1–0 victory over the Giants. Schierholtz reset his career-high in RBI with six on August 19, including home runs against
Jordan Zimmermann and
Fernando Abad
Fernando Antonio Abad (; born December 17, 1985) is a Dominican professional baseball pitcher who is a free agent. He previously played in MLB for the Houston Astros, Washington Nationals, Oakland Athletics, Minnesota Twins, Boston Red Sox, S ...
in an 11–1 victory over the
Washington Nationals
The Washington Nationals are an American professional baseball team based in Washington, D.C.. They compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member of the National League (NL) East division. From 2005 to 2007, the team played in RFK Stadiu ...
. In 137 games (462 at bats), Schierholtz batted .251 with career-highs in hits (116), doubles (32), home runs (21),
runs scored
In baseball, a run is scored when a player advances around first, second and third base and returns safely to home plate, touching the bases in that order, before three outs are recorded and all obligations to reach base safely on batted ball ...
(56), and RBI (68). Defensively, he posted a .988
fielding percentage
In baseball statistics, fielding percentage, also known as fielding average, is a measure that reflects the percentage of times a defensive player properly handles a batted or thrown ball. It is calculated by the sum of putouts and assists, div ...
.
On January 17, 2014, Schierholtz signed a $5 million, one-year deal to remain with the Chicago Cubs.
On June 3, he had a game-ending RBI single against
Scott Rice, giving the Cubs a 2–1 victory over the Mets. He was designated for assignment by the Cubs on August 6, 2014. Chicago released the veteran on
waivers after he had a .192 batting average and six home runs over 99 games.
Washington Nationals
On August 18, 2014, Schierholtz signed a minor league deal with the
Washington Nationals
The Washington Nationals are an American professional baseball team based in Washington, D.C.. They compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member of the National League (NL) East division. From 2005 to 2007, the team played in RFK Stadiu ...
, and was assigned to the Triple-A
Syracuse Chiefs
Syracuse may refer to:
Places Italy
*Syracuse, Sicily, or spelled as ''Siracusa''
*Province of Syracuse
United States
*Syracuse, New York
**East Syracuse, New York
**North Syracuse, New York
* Syracuse, Indiana
* Syracuse, Kansas
*Syracuse, Mis ...
of the
International League
The International League (IL) is a Minor League Baseball league that operates in the United States. Along with the Pacific Coast League, it is one of two leagues playing at the Triple-A level, which is one grade below Major League Baseball ( ...
. The Nationals selected Schierholtz's contract on August 23 and used him as a reserve outfielder. On September 21, he tripled home a run against
Nate Eovaldi, then scored on a double by
Anthony Rendon
Anthony Michael Rendon (, ; born June 6, 1990) is an American baseball third baseman for the Los Angeles Angels of Major League Baseball (MLB). He has previously played for the Washington Nationals and was a member of the Nationals' 2019 World ...
in a 2–1 victory over the
Miami Marlins
The Miami Marlins are an American professional baseball team based in Miami. The Marlins compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) East division. The club's home ballpark is LoanDepot Park.
The franc ...
. In 23 games (40 at bats) with the Nationals, Schierholtz batted .225 with one home run. His combined totals were a .195 average, 69 hits, seven home runs, and 37 RBI in 122 games with Chicago and Washington.
Schierholtz reached the playoffs with Washington as they won the
National League East
The National League East is one of Major League Baseball's six divisions. Along with the American League Central it is one of two divisions to have every member win at least one World Series title.
The division was created when the National Le ...
. He appeared in all four games of the
2014 National League Division Series, getting a hit and three walks in four plate appearances for a 1.000 on-base percentage as the Nationals were defeated by the Giants. After the season, he became a free agent.
Texas Rangers organization
On February 6, 2015, Schierholtz signed a minor league deal with the
Texas Rangers. He competed for an outfield spot but was released on March 28 before the season started.
Hiroshima Toyo Carp
After his release from Texas, Schierholtz went to Japan, signing a one-year deal with the
Hiroshima Toyo Carp
The is a professional baseball team based in Hiroshima, Japan. They compete in the Central League of Nippon Professional Baseball. The team is primarily owned by the Matsuda family, led by , who is a descendant of Mazda founder Jujiro Matsuda ...
of
Nippon Professional Baseball
or NPB is the highest level of baseball in Japan. Locally, it is often called , meaning ''Professional Baseball''.
Outside Japan, it is often just referred to as "Japanese baseball". The roots of the league can be traced back to the formatio ...
(NPB). During the
2015 season, he hit .250 (58-for-232), with 10 home runs and 30 RBIs in 65 games.
"It was definitely an interesting experience and I learned a lot. I enjoyed living with the Japanese culture and learning some of their ways and values. The fans are very kind to the American foreign players and it was a great experience," Schierholtz summarized his time in Japan.
Detroit Tigers organization
On December 23, 2015, Schierholtz signed a minor league contract with the
Detroit Tigers
The Detroit Tigers are an American professional baseball team based in Detroit. The Tigers compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member of the American League (AL) Central division. One of the AL's eight charter franchises, the club was ...
, and was invited to 2016
spring training
Spring training is the preseason in Major League Baseball (MLB), a series of practices and exhibition games preceding the start of the regular season. Spring training allows new players to try out for roster and position spots, and gives estab ...
. Failing to make the club, he played 31 games for the Triple-A
Toledo Mud Hens
The Toledo Mud Hens are a Minor League Baseball team of the International League and the Triple-A affiliate of the Detroit Tigers. They are located in Toledo, Ohio, and play their home games at Fifth Third Field. A Mud Hens team has played i ...
of the International League, batting .246 with 29 hits, three home runs, and 13 RBI before his release on May 22.
On August 5, 2016, Schierholtz received an 80-game suspension from Major League Baseball for testing positive for a
performance-enhancing drug
Performance-enhancing substances, also known as performance-enhancing drugs (PEDs), are substances that are used to improve any form of activity performance in humans. A well-known example of cheating in sports involves doping in sport, where ban ...
.
Personal life
Schierholtz married Kate Eveland, a former
guard
Guard or guards may refer to:
Professional occupations
* Bodyguard, who protects an individual from personal assault
* Crossing guard, who stops traffic so pedestrians can cross the street
* Lifeguard, who rescues people from drowning
* Prison g ...
on the
San Diego State
San Diego State University (SDSU) is a public research university in San Diego, California. Founded in 1897 as San Diego Normal School, it is the third-oldest university and southernmost in the 23-member California State University (CSU) system ...
basketball team on December 3, 2011. Cainan, his younger brother, was arrested on a DUI in 2004 and was charged with another DUI and felony hit-and-run on August 1, 2010. Nate said, "Obviously, it's very upsetting... It's just something very irresponsible and he's going to have to do some decent time for what he's done. I'll stick by him and support him to get the counseling he needs."
Vai Jr., his youngest brother, attended the Air Force Academy and played baseball for the Falcons.
His mother lives in
Alamo, California; her house burned down in 2009 but was rebuilt.
Schierholtz used to bat without
batting glove
Batting gloves are a component in bat-and-ball games sportswear. Typically consisting of a leather palm and back made of nylon or another synthetic fabric, the glove covers one or both hands of a batter, providing comfort, prevention of blisters ...
s, one of the few Major Leaguers to do so,
but since 2011 has used batting gloves.
References
External links
{{DEFAULTSORT:Schierholtz, Nate
1984 births
Living people
San Francisco Giants players
American expatriate baseball players in Japan
Arizona League Giants players
Baseball players at the 2008 Summer Olympics
Baseball players from California
Baseball players from Nevada
Chabot Gladiators baseball players
Chicago Cubs players
Connecticut Defenders players
Fresno Grizzlies players
Hagerstown Suns players
Hiroshima Toyo Carp players
Lehigh Valley IronPigs players
Major League Baseball right fielders
Medalists at the 2008 Summer Olympics
Olympic bronze medalists for the United States in baseball
People from Danville, California
Philadelphia Phillies players
Salem-Keizer Volcanoes players
San Jose Giants players
Sportspeople from Reno, Nevada
Syracuse Chiefs players
Toledo Mud Hens players
Washington Nationals players