Joe Nelson
Encyclopedia
Joseph George Nelson is a Major League Baseball
relief pitcher
who is currently a free agent. He is known mainly for his "Vulcan" change up.
in Chico, California
, before transferring to St. Joseph Notre Dame in Alameda, California. At St. Joseph, Nelson played basketball
on the 1992 California State Division I Championship team with NBA star Jason Kidd
.
from –-, he transferred to the University of San Francisco
. In a switch to pitching at USF, he went undefeated, recording five saves.
in the and 1994 amateur drafts
, he was drafted by the Atlanta Braves
in the fourth round of the . Nelson made it to the majors in , seeing two stints of an inning apiece in mop-up duty, where his ERA was 36.00.
Released by the Braves the following summer, he was signed by the Boston Red Sox
and quickly released after four appearances for Double-A Trenton
.
Nelson re-signed with the Red Sox in the spring of , and was promoted to the majors in June as bullpen help. After recording a scoreless inning against Texas
, he gave up 5 runs over 12⁄3 innings in his next two appearances. He was optioned back to Triple-A when Mark Malaska
was activated off the disabled list
.
After spending spring training
with the New York Mets
in , he signed to play with the Devil Rays' Triple-A team. Despite good peripheral numbers of 61 strikeout
s in 46 innings and a .229 opponents' batting average
, he went 0-3 with a 4.11 ERA and was released in July. Nelson then had a short 13-inning stint with the Cardinals
' Double-A club, allowing just four hits over that span. He signed with the Kansas City Royals
organization in November.
Nelson bounced between Omaha
and the major-league club before being called up for good on July 19, . After Royals closer Ambiorix Burgos
was demoted on August 14, Nelson threw a perfect ninth inning the following day. Manager Buddy Bell
used the 31-year-old journeyman in the closer
's role for 2006. In , he was hurt. At the end of the 2007 season, he was designated for assignment to Triple-A Omaha
, which he refused and opted out becoming a free agent
. In December 2007, Nelson was signed by the Florida Marlins
to a minor league contract.
Joe Nelson earned a victory over the Mets in his final appearance with the Marlins on September 28, 2008, becoming the last recorded winning pitcher at Shea Stadium
.
Nelson was non-tendered by the Marlins following the season. On December 30, 2008, Nelson signed with the Tampa Bay Rays. In October 2009 Nelson was granted free agency.
On February 1, 2010, Nelson signed a minor league contract with the Boston Red Sox
.
When Josh Beckett
was placed on the disabled list on May 19, Nelson was called up to take his roster spot.
He elected to become a free agent after he was designated for assignment by the Red Sox last week after opening the season with a 9.72 ERA over his first eight appearances.
On June 24, 2010, Nelson signed a minor league contract with the Seattle Mariners
, but was released on July 28, 2010.
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...
relief pitcher
Relief pitcher
A relief pitcher or reliever is a baseball or softball pitcher who enters the game after the starting pitcher is removed due to injury, ineffectiveness, fatigue, ejection, or for other strategic reasons, such as being substituted by a pinch hitter...
who is currently a free agent. He is known mainly for his "Vulcan" change up.
High school
Nelson attended Chico High SchoolChico Senior High School
Chico High School is a four-year comprehensive public high school located in Chico, California. It currently has 2,083 students.Founded in 1902, it predominately serves as the senior school for graduates of Chico Junior High School. In 1996, Chico High School became a California Distinguished...
in Chico, California
Chico, California
Chico is the most populous city in Butte County, California, United States. The population was 86,187 at the 2010 census, up from 59,954 at the time of the 2000 census...
, before transferring to St. Joseph Notre Dame in Alameda, California. At St. Joseph, Nelson played basketball
Basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
on the 1992 California State Division I Championship team with NBA star Jason Kidd
Jason Kidd
Jason Frederick Kidd is an American professional basketball point guard who plays for the Dallas Mavericks of the National Basketball Association. Raised in Oakland, California, Kidd played college basketball at the University of California, Berkeley and was drafted second overall by the Dallas...
.
College
After two seasons at Seminole State CollegeSeminole State College
Seminole State College is a state supported community college located in Seminole, Oklahoma that was founded as Seminole Junior College in 1931.-External links:*...
from –-, he transferred to the University of San Francisco
University of San Francisco
The University of San Francisco , is a private, Jesuit/Catholic university located in San Francisco, California. Founded in 1855, USF was established as the first university in San Francisco. It is the second oldest institution for higher learning in California and the tenth-oldest university of...
. In a switch to pitching at USF, he went undefeated, recording five saves.
Professional career
After being selected twice by the Toronto Blue JaysToronto Blue Jays
The Toronto Blue Jays are a professional baseball team located in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The Blue Jays are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball 's American League ....
in the and 1994 amateur drafts
MLB Draft
The First-Year Player Draft, also known as the Rule 4 Draft, is Major League Baseball's primary mechanism for assigning amateur baseball players, from high schools, colleges, and other amateur baseball clubs, to its teams. The draft order is determined based on the previous season's standings, with...
, he was drafted by the Atlanta Braves
Atlanta Braves
The Atlanta Braves are a professional baseball club based in Atlanta, Georgia. The Braves are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League. The Braves have played in Turner Field since 1997....
in the fourth round of the . Nelson made it to the majors in , seeing two stints of an inning apiece in mop-up duty, where his ERA was 36.00.
Released by the Braves the following summer, he was signed by the Boston Red Sox
Boston Red Sox
The Boston Red Sox are a professional baseball team based in Boston, Massachusetts, and a member of Major League Baseball’s American League Eastern Division. Founded in as one of the American League's eight charter franchises, the Red Sox's home ballpark has been Fenway Park since . The "Red Sox"...
and quickly released after four appearances for Double-A Trenton
Trenton Thunder
The Trenton Thunder are an American Minor League Baseball team and are the Double-A affiliate of the New York Yankees. The Thunder play in the Eastern Division of the Eastern League, and are the two-time defending league champions...
.
Nelson re-signed with the Red Sox in the spring of , and was promoted to the majors in June as bullpen help. After recording a scoreless inning against Texas
Texas Rangers (baseball)
The Texas Rangers are a professional baseball team in the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex, based in Arlington, Texas. The Rangers are a member of the Western Division of Major League Baseball's American League, and are the reigning A.L. Western Division and A.L. Champions. Since , the Rangers have...
, he gave up 5 runs over 12⁄3 innings in his next two appearances. He was optioned back to Triple-A when Mark Malaska
Mark Malaska
Dennis Mark Malaska to Darlene and Dennis Malaska is an American former professional baseball pitcher who played for the Tampa Bay Devil Rays in and the Boston Red Sox in in Major League Baseball...
was activated off the disabled list
Disabled list
In Major League Baseball, the disabled list is a method for teams to remove their injured players from the roster in order to summon healthy players.-General guidelines:...
.
After spending spring training
Spring training
In Major League Baseball, spring training is a series of practices and exhibition games preceding the start of the regular season. Spring training allows new players to try out for roster and position spots, and gives existing team players practice time prior to competitive play...
with the New York Mets
New York Mets
The New York Mets are a professional baseball team based in the borough of Queens in New York City, New York. They belong to Major League Baseball's National League East Division. One of baseball's first expansion teams, the Mets were founded in 1962 to replace New York's departed National League...
in , he signed to play with the Devil Rays' Triple-A team. Despite good peripheral numbers of 61 strikeout
Strikeout
In baseball or softball, a strikeout or strike-out occurs when a batter receives three strikes during his time at bat. A strikeout is a statistic recorded for both pitchers and batters....
s in 46 innings and a .229 opponents' batting average
Batting average
Batting average is a statistic in both cricket and baseball that measures the performance of cricket batsmen and baseball hitters. The two statistics are related in that baseball averages are directly descended from the concept of cricket averages.- Cricket :...
, he went 0-3 with a 4.11 ERA and was released in July. Nelson then had a short 13-inning stint with the Cardinals
St. Louis Cardinals
The St. Louis Cardinals are a professional baseball team based in St. Louis, Missouri. They are members of the Central Division in the National League of Major League Baseball. The Cardinals have won eleven World Series championships, the most of any National League team, and second overall only to...
' Double-A club, allowing just four hits over that span. He signed 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...
organization in November.
Nelson bounced between Omaha
Omaha Royals
The Omaha Storm Chasers are a United States minor league baseball team currently based in the Omaha suburb of Papillion, Nebraska. The team is the Triple-A affiliate of the Kansas City Royals major league club and has been a member of the expanded Pacific Coast League since 1998. From 1969 to 1997,...
and the major-league club before being called up for good on July 19, . After Royals closer Ambiorix Burgos
Ambiorix Burgos
Ambiorix Burgos is a former right-handed pitcher in Major League Baseball.-Career:In , Burgos made his major league debut with the Kansas City Royals and appeared in 59 games as a relief pitcher. Despite pitching only 60 innings, he managed to be 10th in the league in wild pitches...
was demoted on August 14, Nelson threw a perfect ninth inning the following day. Manager Buddy Bell
Buddy Bell
David Gus "Buddy" Bell is a former third baseman and manager in Major League Baseball. After an 18-year career with four teams, most notably the Cleveland Indians and Texas Rangers, he managed the Detroit Tigers, Colorado Rockies and Kansas City Royals for three seasons each...
used the 31-year-old journeyman in the closer
Closer (baseball)
In baseball, a closing pitcher, more frequently referred to as a closer , is a relief pitcher who specializes in closing out games, i.e., getting the final outs in a close game. Closers often appear when the score is close, and the role is often assigned to a team's best reliever. A small number of...
's role for 2006. In , he was hurt. At the end of the 2007 season, he was designated for assignment to Triple-A Omaha
Omaha Royals
The Omaha Storm Chasers are a United States minor league baseball team currently based in the Omaha suburb of Papillion, Nebraska. The team is the Triple-A affiliate of the Kansas City Royals major league club and has been a member of the expanded Pacific Coast League since 1998. From 1969 to 1997,...
, which he refused and opted out becoming a free agent
Free agent
In professional sports, a free agent is a player whose contract with a team has expired and who is thus eligible to sign with another club or franchise....
. In December 2007, Nelson was signed by the Florida Marlins
Florida Marlins
The Miami Marlins are a professional baseball team based in Miami, Florida, United States. Established in 1993 as an expansion franchise called the Florida Marlins, the Marlins are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League. The Marlins played their home games at...
to a minor league contract.
Joe Nelson earned a victory over the Mets in his final appearance with the Marlins on September 28, 2008, becoming the last recorded winning pitcher at Shea Stadium
Shea Stadium
William A. Shea Municipal Stadium, usually shortened to Shea Stadium or just Shea , was a stadium in the New York City borough of Queens, in Flushing Meadows–Corona Park. It was the home baseball park of Major League Baseball's New York Mets from 1964 to 2008...
.
Nelson was non-tendered by the Marlins following the season. On December 30, 2008, Nelson signed with the Tampa Bay Rays. In October 2009 Nelson was granted free agency.
On February 1, 2010, Nelson signed a minor league contract with the Boston Red Sox
Boston Red Sox
The Boston Red Sox are a professional baseball team based in Boston, Massachusetts, and a member of Major League Baseball’s American League Eastern Division. Founded in as one of the American League's eight charter franchises, the Red Sox's home ballpark has been Fenway Park since . The "Red Sox"...
.
When Josh Beckett
Josh Beckett
Joshua Patrick Beckett is an American professional baseball pitcher with the Boston Red Sox of Major League Baseball. During his career in the playoffs, he won the 2003 World Series MVP Award with the Florida Marlins, and received the 2007 ALCS MVP award with the Red Sox.-Florida Marlins :A...
was placed on the disabled list on May 19, Nelson was called up to take his roster spot.
He elected to become a free agent after he was designated for assignment by the Red Sox last week after opening the season with a 9.72 ERA over his first eight appearances.
On June 24, 2010, Nelson signed a minor league contract with the Seattle Mariners
Seattle Mariners
The Seattle Mariners are a professional baseball team based in Seattle, Washington. Enfranchised in , the Mariners are a member of the Western Division of Major League Baseball's American League. Safeco Field has been the Mariners' home ballpark since July...
, but was released on July 28, 2010.