With all the talk about Oliver Perez, Randy Wolf, and Pedro Martinez, let's not forget the projectd "sixth starter" for the upcoming season, Nelson Figueroa.
Here's a short piece from one of the International sites on line, from January 28:
Caracas is only one game away from being the final team to qualify for the Caribbean World Series, beating Argua 3-2. Alex Cabrera (Buffalos) slugged a 2-run homer in the top of the sixth to put Caracas up 3-0 and Nelson Figuroa (Mets) survived to pitch one out into the sixth inning to lead Caracas to the win. Nelson gave up only two runs, both scoring on the recently traded Ronny Cedeno’s (Mariners) 2-run homerun in the bottom of the sixth. Jose Azscanio (Cubs) struck out the side in the ninth to pick up his eleventh save.
Nelson was 3-3, 4.57 with the Mets in 2008, starting 6 games and relieving in another 10.
Yes, he gave away a bunch of runs in April, but September, he was basically unstoppable, pitching in 7 games that month, for a total of 6.2 IP, and giving up only one earned run... as a reliever.
Yes, he's a starter... but ya never know, right?
Mack
And on Sunday, January 18th, in the playoffs, Nelson Figueroa pitched a no-hitter through nine innings but gave up a single in the 10th. Figueroa, pitching for Lara in the Venezuelan winter league, struck out 10 and walked just one prior to giving up a single to open the bottom of the 10th; Lara had gone ahead in the top of the 10th 1-0. Figueroa was removed after the hit but got the win as Lara won the playoff game 1-0.
ReplyDeleteHD:
ReplyDeleteI didn't know that.
He's a good insurance policy.
Mack