Joe Nelson Is Lights Out In Rays Victory

by Erik Hahmann on Jun 17, 2009 7:51 AM EDT

This is the Joe Nelson that we were hoping to see.

After a good start to the season Nelson experienced a rough month of May. Nelson's ERA rose from a 2.70 on May 1st to a 6.23 on May 31st. We all know ERAs for relievers can be flukey, especially early in the season, but that is still a huge jump. Nelson didn't look right and we even talked on this site about the possibility that Nelson was injured. Whatever problems Nelson was having in May seem to have been corrected in June.

In six June appearances totaling 7.1 IP Nelson has been fantastic, not allowing a single hit or run while giving up just one walk and striking out seven batters. In last night's victory Nelson pitched 1.1 innings and struck out 3 against a hot Colorado lineup. Aside from DRB favorite Iceman J.P. Howell, Nelson may be the Rays best reliever going. Keep it up, Joe.

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Despite the fact the mystery of the missing fastball velocity has yet to be solved...

…I am content to regard Joe as a JP Howell clone.

Maybe I’m just an old fashioned BJ suck-off-er. (Good call Sandy)

by Lurch's Lobbyists on Jun 17, 2009 8:01 AM EDT reply actions

Nelson still has me on edge

There have been 4 Nelsons. Spring training Nelson, followed by lights out Nelson, followed by ST Nelson again, and now lights out. I’m reserving my opinion for a larger sample still

Follow Me on Twitter @FreeZorilla

by FreeZorilla on Jun 17, 2009 8:09 AM EDT reply actions

Then Ball Four must have you

feeling waterboarded

by Raymondo on Jun 17, 2009 8:12 AM EDT up reply actions

Ball Four was a tired joke

When he was in Milwaukee.

"Where we all wait in earnest with pudding in hand for the Upton comet to sail through the roofed skies, so that we may meet Him."

by kericr on Jun 17, 2009 9:10 AM EDT up reply actions

Not exactly

Balfour keeps the ball in the park. Even with 2 stretches of lights out Joe, his HR/9 remains at 1.86, which is higher than Wheeler’s.

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by FreeZorilla on Jun 17, 2009 9:50 AM EDT up reply actions

I wonder how pitch selection has been under the different "Joes"

by matthan on Jun 17, 2009 8:29 AM EDT reply actions

I don't know where his velocity went

but I will try to find it, I saw a interview where he said he watched himself and was doing something different and will fix it, dunno but since then, he’s a stud

Rotation: 1. James Shields 2. Matt Garza 3. David Price 4. Jeff Niemann 5. Andy Sonnanstine...... Coming Soon: Wade Davis......Scott Kazmir?

by joeybw on Jun 17, 2009 10:10 AM EDT reply actions

As far as pitch type

Nelson FB% FBv SL% SLv CB% CBv CH% CHv
Season 68.7% 86.9 1.5% 83.0 0.8% 74.5 29.0% 76.9
Mar/Apr 65.4% 87.1 ……………0.6% 75.0 34.1% 77.2
May ……69.4% 87.0 2.2% 83.5 0.7% 75.0 27.7% 76.8
June 75.0% 86.3 2.9% 81.5 1.5% 73.0 20.6% 76.0

I tried to make the formatting work as best as I could. The biggest difference in June is more FB, less CH. I could see Nelly falling in love with his change and using it too much, and eventually it is going to get hit. Who knows if this is a scouting report adjustment, and if other teams will adjust back, or if he is genuinely better for it. He has thrown the bendy stuff more and that is promising.

Rays Win!

by Sandy Kazmir on Jun 17, 2009 10:47 AM EDT reply actions