J.P. Howell
Encyclopedia
James Phillip Howell is a Major League Baseball
left-handed
pitcher
for the Tampa Bay Rays
. J.P. attended Saint Mary's School in Sacramento, California. He is an alumnus of Jesuit High School in Carmichael, California
where he had a 0.09 ERA his senior year and the University of Texas at Austin
, where he led the Longhorns to an appearance in the 2004 College World Series championship series. Howell had the best ERA in the CWS that year at 0.77.
Howell is a soft tosser. He throws his sinker
in the mid 80's, topping out at 90 MPH. He also throws a knuckle-curve that has been described by scout
s as "heavy" because of its extremely sharp downward break. He throws a change-up that breaks away from right-handed hitters. Howell's arsenal also includes a cutter
. Howell has solid command of all four pitches.
Howell made his Major League Baseball
debut with the Kansas City Royals
on June 11, 2005. On June 20, 2006 Howell was traded to the Tampa Bay Devil Rays for infielder
Fernando Cortez
and outfielder
Joey Gathright
,and made his Devil Rays debut on August 1, 2006.
He pitched out of the bullpen
for the Rays in 2008
and became one of the team's primary closers. He went 6-1 with a 2.22 ERA in 64 games, striking out 92 batters while earning three saves. He also pitched in the 2008 World Series
, a series in which he took the loss in the deciding game 5, giving the Philadelphia Phillies their first world championship in over 25 years.
On July 19, 2009, Howell became only the second Rays pitcher to record three saves in a row in a series (Troy Percival
being the first). It came against his former team, the Royals.
In 2010
, Howell suffered from what was reported as "weakness" in his left shoulder during spring training. He was not active for the start the season with the Rays, but was expected to return in late May. He threw in a simulated game on May 17, but stopped after only twelve pitches, still experiencing discomfort in his shoulder. A few days later he underwent surgery on the shoulder, causing him to miss the entire 2010 season.
On December 13, 2010, Howell signed a one-year deal with the Tampa Bay Rays.
Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League...
left-handed
Left-handed
Left-handedness is the preference for the left hand over the right for everyday activities such as writing. In ancient times it was seen as a sign of the devil, and was abhorred in many cultures...
pitcher
Pitcher
In baseball, the pitcher is the player who throwsthe baseball from the pitcher's mound toward the catcher to begin each play, with the goal of retiring a batter, who attempts to either make contact with the pitched ball or draw a walk. In the numbering system used to record defensive plays, the...
for the Tampa Bay Rays
Tampa Bay Rays
The Tampa Bay Rays are a Major League Baseball team based in St. Petersburg, Florida. The Rays are a member of the Eastern Division of MLB's American League. Since their inception in , the club has played at Tropicana Field...
. J.P. attended Saint Mary's School in Sacramento, California. He is an alumnus of Jesuit High School in Carmichael, California
Carmichael, California
Carmichael is a census-designated place in Sacramento County, California, United States. It is part of the Sacramento–Arden-Arcade–Roseville Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 61,762 at the 2010 census, up from 49,742 at the 2000 census.-Geography and geology:Carmichael...
where he had a 0.09 ERA his senior year and the University of Texas at Austin
University of Texas at Austin
The University of Texas at Austin is a state research university located in Austin, Texas, USA, and is the flagship institution of the The University of Texas System. Founded in 1883, its campus is located approximately from the Texas State Capitol in Austin...
, where he led the Longhorns to an appearance in the 2004 College World Series championship series. Howell had the best ERA in the CWS that year at 0.77.
Howell is a soft tosser. He throws his sinker
Sinker (baseball)
In baseball, a sinker , is a type of fastball pitch which has significant downward and horizontal movement. The sinker is known for inducing a lot of ground balls...
in the mid 80's, topping out at 90 MPH. He also throws a knuckle-curve that has been described by scout
Scout (sport)
In professional sports, scouts are trained talent evaluators who travel extensively for the purposes of watching athletes play their chosen sports and determining whether their set of skills and talents represent what is needed by the scout's organization...
s as "heavy" because of its extremely sharp downward break. He throws a change-up that breaks away from right-handed hitters. Howell's arsenal also includes a cutter
Cutter (baseball)
In baseball, a cutter, or cut fastball, is a type of fastball which breaks slightly toward the pitcher's glove side as it reaches home plate. This pitch is somewhere between a slider and a fastball, as it is usually thrown faster than a slider but with more motion than a typical fastball. Some...
. Howell has solid command of all four pitches.
Howell made his Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League...
debut with the Kansas City Royals
Kansas City Royals
The Kansas City Royals are a Major League Baseball team based in Kansas City, Missouri. The Royals are a member of the Central Division of Major League Baseball's American League. From 1973 to the present, the Royals have played in Kauffman Stadium...
on June 11, 2005. On June 20, 2006 Howell was traded to the Tampa Bay Devil Rays for infielder
Infielder
An infielder is a baseball player stationed at one of four defensive "infield" positions on the baseball field.-Standard arrangement of positions:In a game of baseball, two teams of nine players take turns playing offensive and defensive roles...
Fernando Cortez
Fernando Cortez
Fernando Cortez is a Major League Baseball infielder who is currently with the Somerset Patriots in the Atlantic League of Professional Baseball. His most recent Major League Baseball team was the Kansas City Royals.Cortez was selected by the Tampa Bay Devil Rays in the 9th round of the 2001 Major...
and outfielder
Outfielder
Outfielder is a generic term applied to each of the people playing in the three defensive positions in baseball farthest from the batter. These defenders are the left fielder, the center fielder, and the right fielder...
Joey Gathright
Joey Gathright
Joey Renard Gathright is an American professional baseball outfielder who is a free agent. He was born in Hattiesburg, Mississippi.-Early life:...
,and made his Devil Rays debut on August 1, 2006.
He pitched out of the bullpen
Bullpen
In baseball, the bullpen is the area where relief pitchers warm-up before entering a game. Depending on the ballpark, it may be situated in foul territory along the baselines or just beyond the outfield fence. Also, a team's roster of relief pitchers is metonymically referred to as "the bullpen"...
for the Rays in 2008
2008 in baseball
-Major League Baseball:* Regular Season Champions* World Series Champions – Philadelphia Phillies** American League Champions – Tampa Bay Rays** National League Champions – Philadelphia Phillies* Postseason – October 1 to October 29...
and became one of the team's primary closers. He went 6-1 with a 2.22 ERA in 64 games, striking out 92 batters while earning three saves. He also pitched in the 2008 World Series
2008 World Series
The 2008 World Series was the 104th World Series between the American and National Leagues for the championship of Major League Baseball. The Philadelphia Phillies as champions of the National League and the Tampa Bay Rays, as American League champions, competed to win four games out of a possible...
, a series in which he took the loss in the deciding game 5, giving the Philadelphia Phillies their first world championship in over 25 years.
On July 19, 2009, Howell became only the second Rays pitcher to record three saves in a row in a series (Troy Percival
Troy Percival
Troy Eugene Percival is a retired Major League Baseball pitcher. He gained fame as a closer. During a 14-year baseball career, he pitched from 1995-2009 for four different teams, pitching primarily with the California/Anaheim Angels...
being the first). It came against his former team, the Royals.
In 2010
2010 in baseball
-Major League Baseball:*Regular Season Champions*World Series Champions - San Francisco Giants**American League Champions - Texas Rangers**National League Champions - San Francisco Giants*Postseason - October 7 to November 4...
, Howell suffered from what was reported as "weakness" in his left shoulder during spring training. He was not active for the start the season with the Rays, but was expected to return in late May. He threw in a simulated game on May 17, but stopped after only twelve pitches, still experiencing discomfort in his shoulder. A few days later he underwent surgery on the shoulder, causing him to miss the entire 2010 season.
On December 13, 2010, Howell signed a one-year deal with the Tampa Bay Rays.