Nate Antone hasn’t played a lot of baseball since he finished college at West Virginia in 2013.
“I just had to get away from it,” he said.
Good thing for the Slammers Antone decided to play again.
After brief stints the previous two seasons with Lake Erie in the Frontier League and Gary in the American Association didn’t work out, Antone has become a valuable member of the Slammers’ bullpen.
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The 6-foot-4 right-hander had a 1.87 ERA over 33 2/3 innings in 26 games through Tuesday.
“The way I was training and working out, I allowed myself to get stronger as this season went on,” Antone said. “At this time of year, a lot of arms are starting to get tired and sore. I think maintaining a good diet and maintaining the strength and conditioning aspect is important. Just trust the process.”
Antone attributes some of his success to the offseason work he did in Florida with Josias Manzanillo, a former major league pitcher.
Manzanillo, who played for nine big league teams from 1991 to 2004, runs Manzy’s Pitching Farm in Davie, Fla.
“They were looking for help, so at first it wasn’t anything to do with my baseball,” Antone said. “He saw me throw a little and said, ‘We can work with this.’ We worked from the end of September to mid-April before I came up here. I was helping him, training with him.
“I’d work from 4 p.m. to 10 at night because they had lights. He helped me get my balance and my weight transfer, help me get to where I could throw all my pitches for strikes.”
Joliet manager Jeff Isom often turns to Antone when the opponent is threatening to have a big inning.
“A lot of the times I’ve come in it’s been second and third one out, second and third two outs, bases loaded two outs,’’ Antone said. “When Ice (Isom) tells me to get ready in those situations, I already know what I’m up against.
“I watch the way the hitters approach their BP (batting practice), how they swing. As a late-inning guy, I can see at least three at-bats before I go in. If I see they look aggressive in fastball counts, maybe I’ll throw a slider to kind of keep them off balance. It’s tough, but I kind of like those situations.”
Opponents are batting only .145 against the 27-year-old Antone, a Pennsylvania native.
“He’s been huge,” Isom said. “Bridging that gap between (Isaac) Sanchez and (Keegan) Long in the very back end of the bullpen, he’s been that guy.”
Antone has come a long way from the pitcher who made three appearances for the Slammers late last season.
“Truthfully, it was between him and a couple other guys to be the last man on the pitching staff this year,” Isom said. “We decided to go with him.
“The more innings he ended up getting, the more command of his fastball he had, the more command of his slider. As we continue on with this season, we’re seeing a pretty good pitcher right now.’’
Antone has helped Joliet put together a 3.74 team ERA, second-best in the league to Lake Erie (3.66).
“I’m hoping I’ve caught a few eyes along the way,” Antone said. “I’m hoping there’s a chance for affiliated by the end of the season. If that doesn’t work out, that I can get an American Association, Can-Am or Atlantic League contract for next spring.’’
Tim Tierney is a freelance reporter for the Daily Southtown.