From Collecting Hitters’ Gear to Striking Out the Side, There’s Not Much Michael Klein Can’t do
Michael Klein pitching for the Drifters against the Bellingham Bells on June 7. (Photo by Alyssa Garcia)
By: Dillon Zamperin
SPRINGFIELD — Despite the score or whatever is happening in the game, left-handed reliever Michael Klein can be seen joking around in the dugout or running to first base to collect gear from the batters. However, when it is his time to shine, he becomes a completely new person and player, and shine he does.
Even with a disappointing 2-4 homestand, there were a lot of positives shown against the Yakima Valley Pippins and Bellingham Bells. Starting pitching proved to be electric, headlined by WCL Pitcher of the Week, Tristan Ledbetter. Hits and runs scored reached new levels this season with the return of longtime Drifters’ Cooper Mullens and Nolan Miller.
But perhaps the most impressive sighting of it all was Klein and his performance against the Bells on Friday night.
“It’s unreal. It’s unexplainable, really. He’s got a switch,” Head Coach Jeff Lyle said after Friday’s extra-innings loss. “He literally went from joking around in the dugout and sprinted down to the bullpen and was loosening a couple of pitches and then came out and was electric.”
The lefty, who is now in the transfer portal, had a night to remember, throwing three innings, two of which were in extra innings with runners automatically placed on first and second. Klein refused to let it bother or even affect him and got out of each inning, allowing just one unearned run on 47 pitches.
Additionally, seven of the nine outs came via strikeouts, a skill Klein has had since he was in high school, when he struck out 41 batters his senior year.
“I just tried to attack their hitters early, get them behind in the count,” Klein said. “When I get ahead in the counts, it’s usually when I was able to get to strike two, and then I could make them chase and do what I wanted to do.”
Klein did that and more, giving the Drifters a chance to defeat the Bells, which they were ultimately unable to do.
Still, the two-time Drifter understands what is needed out of him when he is on the mound, and he knows the goal in mind for him and his teammates.
“At this point, it doesn’t matter what role I have. As long as we can put some more wins up and keep the team in a fight to get a win,” Klein said.
Klein came out of the bullpen once more in the series during the rubber match on Sunday. With Springfield down one run in the eighth inning, Lyle once again chose Klein for the moment, and Klein delivered like he has all his life.
In two innings, Klein allowed just one baserunner on a walk, while striking out two Bells for a total of nine on the weekend.
With this outing, Klein has yet to give up an earned run since Opening Day, over one week ago. His reliability and usability are also unmatched, as he has appeared in over half the team’s games so far this season.
“I’m just trying to help my team get the win and then also get better for my next school. I’m hopefully looking forward to, or even the next level, just showing I can do those things and come in those tough situations and get those outs that I need to, whether it’s getting a strikeout or getting a ground ball to get a double play,” Klein said.
Klein has done that and so much more this season, and will look to continue to be the pitcher he has been, not only last season with the Drifters when he had a 3.53 ERA, but in his entire baseball career.
“He’s the guy we want on the bump in situations,” Lyle said.