Jason Karnuth was a relief pitcher for the Cardinals in 2001
and the Tigers in 2005.
Jason Andre Karnuth was born May 15, 1976, in LaGrange,
Illinois, a suburb of Chicago. He grew up in another Chicago suburb, Glen
Ellyn, where he lettered in baseball and golf at Glenbard South High School. A
pitcher who also played in the outfield, he accepted a scholarship to Illinois
State University, and after his junior year he was selected by the Cardinals in
the free agent draft in June 1997. The Arlington Heights Daily Herald
reported on June 5:
Karnuth, Timm have right numbers in amateur draft
Numbers don’t always tell the story.
Two Glen Ellyn natives counted on that adage being reality; Tuesday and Wednesday it was.
Right-handed pitchers Jason Karnuth and Dan Timm each had less than stellar statistical three-year careers at Illinois State and the University of Denver, respectively, but major-league scouts saw through the figures.
Each was selected in this week’s amateur draft—Karnuth in the eighth round by the St. Louis Cardinals, and Timm in the 14th by Cincinnati.
“I expected to go in the top 10 (rounds), but with the career I had, I really didn’t know if it was possible,” Karnuth said.
The Glenbard South product was 5-8, with a 6.14 ERA, 79 strikeouts and 40 walks in 107 career innings at ISU. However, the 6-foot-3, 195-pound Karnuth consistently hits 92 mph with a fastball which has plenty of movement.
“His best years are ahead of him,” ISU coach Jeff Stewart said. “With hard work and quality instruction, Jason could easily end up being a big-leaguer some day.”
The news had to be especially gratifying to Karnuth’s dad Larry, who has had two open-heart bypass surgeries in the last two years.
Jason didn’t travel with the team his freshman year at ISU, and would come home most weekends and play catch with Larry.
“He helped me out a ton my freshman year, when I couldn’t throw a strike,” Jason said.
Jason, who could be with a rookie-league team in Florida as early as next week, is anxious to leave behind the frightening world of aluminum bats.
“I wanna get out there and throw to wood bats,” Jason said…
Jason signed a contract with St. Louis, and they sent him to
the New Jersey Cardinals of the New York-Pennsylvania League, classification
Short Season-A. After seven starts he had a 1.86 ERA in 38 2/3 innings, with 23
strikeouts and nine walks, and he was moved up a step to the Peoria Chiefs of
the Class A Midwest League. He didn’t do as well there, making four starts with
an ERA of 6.65.
Jason went to spring training in 1998, where he filled out a
questionnaire, giving his nicknames as Jay and Gumby, his size as 6-3, 215, his
college major as Elementary Education, and his off-season occupation as
sporting goods sales associate. Then he retired—as recounted in a Washington
Post article from August 1:
Jason Karnuth will forever wonder where his brain was for a few weeks in February, when he decided—at age 21—that he was through with professional baseball. Because, in retrospect, it seems like a truly lousy decision, especially now that he has returned from his brief retirement and become one of the best pitchers on the Prince William Cannons’ staff.
At that time, however, and in that particular mental state, quitting baseball seemed like the right thing to do.
But after one week, Karnuth began to think he had made a mistake. After a second week, he knew he had.
“It was a quick decision, and I really didn’t rethink it as much as I should have,” Karnuth said. “I loved just going out on the field, being out in the sun, being with the guys—just baseball. Then all of a sudden it was gone. No one had taken it away from me. I had taken myself away from it. And I really missed it.”
When Karnuth quit, he told the St. Louis Cardinals that he just didn’t have the desire to play anymore.
“I was down in Florida, and I was probably going out and having a little bit too much fun at night,” Karnuth said. “And then I’d get to the ballpark the next day, and I wouldn’t feel too good. And then I would just go through the motions with my workout. And it just made me wonder, do I really want to be here? My heart just wasn’t into it.”
So he “voluntarily retired”—baseball-speak for quitting—and went home to his parents’ house in Illinois with no real idea what he was going to do next. He was just a 21-year-old with three years of a college education and no marketable skills, outside of being able to throw a baseball 94 mph.
Two weeks later, he called the Cardinals and asked them if he could come back. They said yes. He was on the next plane to Florida.
Actually, it was a little harder than that. In baseball, any minor-league player who retired during spring training has to sit out 60 days of the regular season before being allowed to return.
So even though Karnuth was healthy and able to get back in shape quickly, he stayed in Florida. The Cardinals put him in extended spring training, which is usually reserved for players who are rehabilitating from injuries, needing extra instruction or simply not good enough to play on a minor league team.
“When I got stuck in extended spring training, at first I was skeptical that it would do anything for me,” Karnuth said. “It’s kind of monotonous…It’s not like you’re playing for a pennant or to get into the playoffs or anything. It’s kind of tough.”
But it ended up being the best thing that could have happened to Karnuth. Instructors persuaded Karnuth to scrap his curveball and start throwing a slider. That pitch was a perfect complement to his two-seam fastball—a nasty pitch that acts like a sinker with the way Karnuth throws it. It’s a combination that Carolina League hitters have yet to solve with any regularity…
As the article mentions, once Jason’s 60 days were up he
joined the Prince Willliam (Virginia) Cannons of the Carolina League, Class
Advanced A. He got off to a great start, with an ERA of 1.02 in his first 44
innings. In late July he got sick; the Washington Post, which provided
in-depth coverage of the Cannons, reported:
In the last 10 days, Jason Karnuth has lost 20 pounds because cheek ulcers have hindered his ability to eat or swallow. Because of a bout with strep throat, he also has been dizzy for the past week.
It sounds horrible, but the only effect it seems to have had
on his pitching was to push a start back a day. Getting back to the August 1
article quoted from earlier:
“When he keeps the ball down, he’s very tough to hit,” Cannons pitching coach Mark Grater said. “That sinking fastball just has a lot of natural movement on it. There’s no way to explain why it sinks so much. It’s just God-given talent.”
…Since joining the Cannons on June 8, Karnuth is 4-0 with a team-best 1.39 earned run average. He has yet to allow an earned run at home in 35 innings. Batters are hitting .199 against him.
He also has put together the two most efficient pitching performances by a Cannons player this season—a two-hit, no-walk, 79-pitch shutout of Kinston on June 19; and a four-hit, no-walk, 83-pitch shutout against Danville on Monday [the start delayed a day by the illness].
It has made the Cardinals take notice.
“I’ve been really impressed with his stick-to-itiveness,” said Mike Jorgensen, the Cardinals’ director of player development. “He had to stay down in extended spring, and that’s tough—especially since he didn’t really belong there. And then to come up here and perform as well as he has—we like him a lot. We think he has a lot of talent.”
He always has had the talent. Karnuth never lost that. What was missing—and what since has been found—is his passion for the game.
“I’ve just made a total turnaround with my attitude toward things. I love coming to the baseball field now,” Karnuth said. “Had I not (retired), I don’t know how much I’d appreciate where I am now. I think I might still just be going through the motions. Now I take pride in everything I do and going out there and throwing well.”
Jorgensen said Karnuth is a likely candidate for a promotion to Class AA Arkansas next season, which would put Karnuth one step closer to the major leagues. For the time being, it seems retirement will have to wait.
Jason finished the season with an 8-1 record and a 1.67 ERA
in 108 innings. He did move up to the AA Arkansas Travelers of the Texas League
for 1999, and in an April 4 article in the St. Louis Post-Dispatch he
was listed as number nine of the Cardinals’ top ten minor league prospects:
Jason Karnuth P Ht 6-2 Wt 190 Bats R Throws R Age 22
Comment: He was one of the wonderful surprises in the farm system last year, when he went from extended spring training to the Carolina League and won eight of nine decisions. Although his fastball has good movement and decent zip, Karnuth thrives because of his control. He walked only 14 batters in 108 innings. Plan: Rounding out the rotation in Arkansas, Karnuth will face the challenge of trying to translate his success to the Class AA level. He should plan on being in Little Rock all summer.
On July 25, the paper printed the same list, with updated
comments. For Jason they said:
Comment: Another example of a pitcher who is finding the transition from Class A to Class AA difficult. For Karnuth, his 4-8 record and 5.15 ERA at Arkansas have come more from inconsistent control than anything else.
Jason ended the season with a 5.22 ERA in 160 1/3 innings,
with 55 walks, which is actually pretty decent control, though nowhere near as
good as his 1998 ratio.
Jason started 2000 back with Arkansas, but after five starts
and a 3.03 ERA he was moved up to the Memphis Redbirds of the AAA Pacific Coast
League at the end of April. He got off to a hot start there; as of June 8 he
was 4-0 with a 2.64 ERA—and a .584 batting average. In his next start, on June
12, he injured his shoulder, and he was put on the disabled list. He returned
to action on July 17, but he wasn’t nearly as effective as he had been, and on
the 31st, with his ERA up to 4.07, he was demoted back to Arkansas. He
made three starts there before being called back up to Memphis on August 18.
For the year, between the two leagues, he had a 7-7 record and 3.93 ERA in 128
1/3 innings, with 41 walks (and he hit .375 with three doubles and a home run
in 24 at-bats). The Cardinals chose Jason as one of the six players they would
send to the Arizona Fall Instructional League (Albert Pujols was another), and
on November 20 he was moved to the major league 40-man protected roster.
Jason went to spring training 2001 with St. Louis, and there
the Cardinals decided to make him a relief pitcher, which he would be for the
rest of his career. On March 28 they optioned him to Memphis, where he began
the regular season, but on April 18 he was called up to the big club following
an injury to Chad Hutchinson. On the 20th he made his major league
debut, pitching the eighth inning in a 10-1 loss in Houston; he got the first
two outs, allowed a home run to Orlando Merced, walked Lance Berkman, gave up a
double to Brad Ausmus, then struck out Chris Truby to strand the runners.
Jason made his next appearance on the 26th, relieving Rick
Ankiel with one out in the fifth in a home game against Montreal. He induced
the first batter, Vladimir Guerrero, to ground into an inning-ending double
play, then got through the sixth on a single, another double play, and a ground
out before being pinch-hit for. He made two more appearances before being sent
back to Memphis on May 7, ending up with a 1.80 ERA in five innings in the four
games, with one strikeout and four walks. Back at Memphis, he finished his
first season as a reliever with a 4.28 ERA in 73 2/3 innings in 55 games, with
42 strikeouts and 24 walks.
His stock with the Cardinals seems to have dropped, as he
was left off the 40-man protected roster in the off-season, and in 2002 was
sent to the New Haven Ravens of the Eastern League, who had replaced Arkansas
as the St. Louis Class AA affiliate. He spent the whole season there, other
than one inning with Memphis, and wound up with a 3.60 ERA in 70 innings in 58
appearances, with 46 strikeouts and 23 walks. On September 24 he was sent along
with fellow minor league reliever Jared Blasdell, to the Chicago Cubs to
complete an August trade in which the Cardinals got Jeff Fassero.
Jason began 2003 with the Cubs’ AA team, the West Tenn
Diamond Jaxx of the Southern League, got off to a good start, and was promoted
to the Iowa Cubs of the Pacific Coast League on May 6. He made 13 appearances
there, with a 4.74 ERA and seven strikeouts and 12 walks in 19 innings, then
finished the season back with West Tenn. With the Diamond Jaxx he pitched 48
1/3 innings in 45 games, had a 3.35 ERA and finished in double figures in saves
for the first time, with 13.
On October 15 Jason was granted free agency, and on January
12, 2004, he signed a contract with the Detroit Tigers. He was sent to their AA
affiliate, the Erie SeaWolves of the Eastern League, to start the season, and
had a 2.70 ERA with six saves in nine games when he was called up to the Toledo
Mud Hens of the AAA International League. He finished the year there, with a
3.74 ERA in 55 1/3 innings in 46 games, with 34 strikeouts and 16 walks. On
October 15 he was granted free agency again, but on November 10 he re-signed
with the Tigers.
In 2005 Jason returned to Toledo, and had the best season of
his relief pitching career. He finished with a 2.13 ERA in 67 2/3 innings in 63
games, striking out 36 and walking just 17, as the Mud Hens ran away with the
regular season, won three of five in the first round of the playoffs, and won
the championship series in three straight. Afterwards, Jason was called up to
Detroit; he got into three games between September 19 and the 28th,
allowing one run in a total of 1 2/3 innings. On October 10 he was returned to
the Toledo roster, which allowed him to opt instead to become a free agent,
which he did, and on December 9 he signed a minor league contract with Oakland.
Jason went to spring training 2006 with Oakland, and pitched
in some of their exhibition games before being reassigned to the minor league
camp on March 19. He wound up with the Sacramento River Cats, the Athletics’
AAA affiliate in the Pacific Coast League. He was leading the league in saves
and games pitched until, as reported by Scott Howard-Cooper in the July 1 Sacramento
Bee:
Karnuth leaves the Cats
He declares himself a free agent after he earns his 15th save
The long drive home, all the way to Memphis, Tenn., begins today.
But where is Jason Karnuth really going?
He does not know. All Karnuth can say for sure is that he has wasted any chance to become a part of the A’s future, so the veteran closer left the River Cats after pitching the ninth inning of Friday night’s 4-2 victory over Salt Lake before an announced crowd of 9,198 at Raley Field and declared himself a free agent.
Only select players have an opt-out clause in their contract, and even fewer use it, almost always because they seek to sign with an organization that gives them a clearer path from Triple-A to the majors.
But Karnuth’s season was unique long before his decision. Although the right-hander is tied for the Pacific Coast League lead with 15 saves in 16 opportunities, he is 0-7 with a 4.43 ERA.
Karnuth has accepted that such inconsistency dooms any chance of being promoted to the A’s bullpen, joined by the realization that he has remained in Sacramento while fellow relievers Ron Flores, Randy Keisler, Matt Roney and Santiago Casilla have been called up.
Recognizing that the distance to Oakland was a lot longer than a commute down Interstate 80, Karnuth instead chose Memphis and the chance to shop for a fresh start as a free agent.
“It was definitely a tough decision,” said Karnuth, whose resume includes 23 saves last season at Triple-A Toledo and short stays with the Detroit Tigers in 2005 and St. Louis Cardinals in 2001. “The uncertainty of a job being there, it’s kind of scary in a way. I am taking a risk. I hope someone out there has an interest.”
The Tigers did, and on July 7 they signed Jason to a minor
league contract, and that evening he was back pitching for Toledo. He pitched
28 2/3 innings in 24 games the rest of the way, with a 4.08 ERA, 16 strikeouts
and five walks, as the Mud Hens again won the International League
championship. On October 15 he was yet again granted free agency, and on
December 15 he signed another minor league contract with the Tigers.
In 2007 Jason was again with Toledo. He inherited the closer
job when Aquilino Lopez was called up to Detroit early in the season, then lost
it again when Lopez came back. He spent time on the disabled list from May 19
to June 5 with a sore triceps muscle; then, on June 12, he was seriously
injured in the clubhouse before a game. Much was written about the incident and
its aftermath, but this article by Joe Vardon and John Wagner from the June 30
Toledo Blade gives a good overview:
Colon indicted in assault of Hen’s pitcher
Conviction in Karnuth injuries could lead to 8 years in prison
A Detroit Tiger who is paid to throw pitches could be in trouble in Toledo for throwing a punch.
Roman Colon, a Tigers pitcher who was playing for the Mud Hens while rehabilitating from neck surgery, was indicted by a Lucas County grand jury in the assault of a Hens teammate on June 12 at Fifth Third Field.
Mr. Colon, 27, is accused of punching pitcher Jason Karnuth, who, according to a report filed by Mr. Karnuth’s wife with the Toledo Police Department, was trying to break up an argument between Mr. Colon and other Toledo players in the Mud Hens’ clubhouse.
The argument reportedly stemmed from a dispute over loud music on Mr. Colon’s iPod before that night’s game between the Hens and the Norfolk Tides.
According to the indictment, which was handed up Thursday afternoon, Mr. Colon, a right-handed pitcher, is charged with one count of felonious assault and faces up to eight years in prison if convicted.
A arraignment date before Common Pleas Judge Gene Zmuda has not been set.
Mr. Karnuth, 31, who is recovering from surgery performed last week to repair the multiple facial fractures he suffered in the altercation, declined to comment directly about the incident or the indictment.
He said prior to last night’s home game against the Ottawa Lynx that his focus is not on what happened, but on what’s ahead.
“I can’t sit back and ponder the negative—that’s just not good for me,” Mr. Karnuth said. “Do negative thoughts cross my mind? Yes.
“But I’m taking the approach that I’m going to think positive. I’ll deal with setbacks if and when they come, and hope that everything will progress the way we’ve planned,” he said.
Mr. Karnuth’s agent, Mike Mosa, told the Detroit Free Press that a civil suit by Mr. Karnuth against Mr. Colon “is being seriously considered.”
The Tigers suspended Mr. Colon for seven days for his role in the incident. He returned to the Tigers’ training in Lakeland, Fla., to serve his suspension.
Tigers spokesman Brian Britten said Mr. Colon has since continued his rehab assignment with Erie, Pa., the Tigers’ Double-A affiliate. He pitched two scoreless innings last night in a victory at Bowie, Md.
“He’s going to continue to pitch with Erie, and we’re going to let the legal proceedings play out,” Mr. Britten said.
Mr. Colon could not be reached for comment last night. He was 0-1 with a 3.60 earned-run average in six relief appearances with the Hens, and was said by the organization to have suffered a left shoulder contusion from the clubhouse incident.
Mr. Karnuth wasn’t so lucky.
Dr. Frank Barone performed surgery on Mr. Karnuth’s face on June 19 at the Surgery Center at Regency Park in Toledo.
Mr. Karnuth said the four-hour procedure involved the insertion of three titanium plates, nine screws, and wires to keep the plates and bone fragments in place.
The pitcher’s wife, Rachel Karnuth, said she filed the June 15 police report on behalf of her husband because he was recovering from extensive facial injuries.
The report said Mr. Colon and Hens pitcher Virgil Vasquez were arguing in the clubhouse before the Mud Hens’ game against Norfolk. Jordan Tata, another Hens pitcher, then began to argue with Mr. Colon, and a punch Mr. Colon threw connected with Mr. Karnuth’s face while he was trying to break up the argument, the police report said.
Mr. Karnuth said his goal is to return to the mound by Aug. 1, about six weeks after the surgery. He said one of the obstacles on his road to recovery is blurriness in his right eye, which has yet to subside.
Mr. Karnuth had pitched in 22 games for the Hens before the incident, posting a 2-2 record with four saves and a 4.00 earned-run average.
“I’m happy and touched that people are concerned with my well-being,” Mr. Karnuth said before yesterday’s game. “But the focus needs to be on the way these guys are playing.
“I don’t need to be the central focus—the team has to be the focus,” he said.
The Tigers declined to comment further on the situation, but they have changed their policy when it comes to music in their minor league affiliates’ clubhouses.
All Tigers minor leaguers must wear headsets if they want to listen to music before or after the game, a rule that was only in effect for the major league team before the Mud Hens’ clubhouse incident.
On July 10 Colon pleaded not guilty and was released on
bond. Late in the month Jason began to throw in the bullpen, on August 12 he
was activated, and on the 15th he got into a game for the first
time. He pitched well over the last couple weeks of the season, getting his ERA
down to 3.41 over 37 innings in 30 games, with 27 strikeouts and seven walks.
On September 10 Colon’s trial was set for January 14. On
October 29 Jason was granted free agency, the fifth straight October for that,
and on December 3 he signed a contract with the Brewers. He played for the
Tigres de Aragua in the Venezuelan Winter League and had an ERA of 0.93 in 14
games; meanwhile Colon pleaded no contest at his court date and was sentenced
to 200 hours of community service, helping disabled or disadvantaged youngsters
play baseball.
Jason went to spring training 2008 with the Brewers, but on
February 29 he retired, and soon afterward the Karnuths moved to Texas. In August
2015 he was one of the members of the Mud Hens’ 2005 championship team who
returned to Toledo for a ten-year anniversary celebration.
