reprinted from MLB.com courtesy of Rich Draper

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. - How ya feelin? How's your shoulder? You OK?

Joseph Michael Nathan, aka the Giants' hottest pitching prospect -- once -- was sick of the endless, repetitive questions about his health the past two springs, but he understood he was under the medical microscope.

The toughest part was he had no answers. The right-hander could throw 97 mph at his best, but after things soured following arthroscopic surgery Oct. 2, 2000, Nathan wondered if he was a has-been without attaining "been" status.

Poor kid. He had a meteoric ride through the minors after being converted from shortstop to pitcher in 1997. In 1999 Nathan sported a remarkable 7-4 rookie mark with the parent club and 5-2 the next partial season before starting a downhill spiral ending in a supposedly routine shoulder procedure.

His shoulder took a long time to respond, and Nathan seemed a supernova, a dying baseball star.

But now one reborn.

In three relief appearances with the Giants last September after a call-up from Triple-A Fresno, Nathan worked 3 2/3 scoreless innings and retired 11 of 12 batters he faced.

Awash with relief -- in more ways than one -- the 28-year-old returns to Spring Training sans the nagging questions, healthy as ever and vying for the bullpen spot vacated by Jay Witasick.

"It's tremendous," said pitching coach Dave Righetti on Sunday. "To see him come back is not only great for Joe but for the organization. We're all proud of him no matter what happens. He looks great throwing. Now it's down to getting outs and competing. The rest of it's done; he's ready to go."

Nathan is on a roll. He got married last November, just bought a house in nearby Chandler and now sees his career is back on track.

"I'm coming into this year with more of a clear head, and I can worry about pitching and not the injury and stuff," said the reliever. "That stuff is behind me now."

Nathan admits he never felt like quitting after the surgery, despite toiling in the backwater burg of Shreveport, La. -- Double-A ball. But he was hard-pressed to remain optimistic.

"It got tough," said Nathan. "Don't get me wrong, it got really, really hard. It got bad, but I don't think there was ever a time when I was actually thinking about giving it up. It's a hard thing to come back from, an injury. You feel alone. But you got to have it in your head that it's going to come back.

"It's not an easy game when you're 100 percent, so it's probably times 10 when you're hurt. Basically I just told myself to keep plugging away and it'll get better."

Manager Felipe Alou recalled vividly when Nathan pitched five strong innings against Montreal in 1999 and said, "I liked his arm, big time. The pitching people say this guy's arm is back, the fastball's life is back. Look out. When he was healthy, he was a threat."

There is a theory that Nathan was rushed to the Majors, without the years of arm and shoulder conditioning necessary, without a pitcher's modus operandi to quell minor ailments and adjust to life in the fast lane.

It is probably true. But prospects rarely have time to be nurtured these days.

"Three years ago, he was still raw, a wild pony," said Righetti. "He didn't get a chance to grow as a pitcher, and when he struggled it happened at the big league level, so it was devastating for him to go back to Double-A. But he handled it like a pro and he has a great future."

Nathan is out of options this year and will get a long look during the spring. There is an opening, an opportunity. Righetti flat-out says the 6-foot-4, 205-pound pitcher will be in the Majors ... somewhere.

His arm is sound, so too his spirit.

"I feel strong now, I feel good," said Nathan, finally -- happily -- answering that "how's it going" query in the positive.

Rich Draper is a reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.