# Joe Nelson > Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Joe_Nelson > Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Joe_Nelson.md > Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joe_Nelson > Source revision: 1353857147 > License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/) {{short description|American baseball player (born 1974)}} {{other people|Joseph Nelson}} {{Use mdy dates|date=July 2024}} {{Infobox baseball biography| name=Joe Nelson| image=Joe Nelson.jpg| caption=Nelson with the Florida Marlins in 2008| position=[Pitcher](/source/Pitcher)| team=| number=| bats=Right| throws=Right| birth_date={{Birth date and age|1974|10|25}}| birth_place=[Alameda, California](/source/Alameda%2C_California), U.S.|debutleague = MLB | debutdate=June 13| debutyear=2001| debutteam=Atlanta Braves|finalleague = MLB | finaldate=June 9| finalyear=2010| finalteam=Boston Red Sox| |statleague = MLB | stat1label=[Win–loss record](/source/Win%E2%80%93loss_record_(pitching))| stat1value=7–2| stat2label=[Earned run average](/source/Earned_run_average)| stat2value=4.38| stat3label=[Strikeout](/source/Strikeout)s| stat3value=154| teams= *[Atlanta Braves](/source/Atlanta_Braves) ({{Baseball year|2001}}) *[Boston Red Sox](/source/Boston_Red_Sox) ({{Baseball year|2004}}) *[Kansas City Royals](/source/Kansas_City_Royals) ({{Baseball year|2006}}) *[Florida Marlins](/source/Florida_Marlins) ({{Baseball year|2008}}) *[Tampa Bay Rays](/source/Tampa_Bay_Rays) ({{Baseball year|2009}}) *[Boston Red Sox](/source/Boston_Red_Sox) ({{Baseball year|2010}}) }} 220px|thumb|Nelson in {{Mlby|2009}}, with the Tampa Bay Rays. '''Joseph George Nelson''' (born October 25, 1974) is an American former [Major League Baseball](/source/Major_League_Baseball) [relief pitcher](/source/relief_pitcher). ==High school== Nelson attended St. Joseph's High School in Alameda, California.{{Cite web |last=admin |title=Joe Nelson – Society for American Baseball Research |url=https://sabr.org/bioproj/person/joe-nelson/ |access-date=2023-12-31 |language=en-US}} At St. Joseph, Nelson played basketball with NBA star [Jason Kidd](/source/Jason_Kidd). ==College== After two seasons at [Seminole State College](/source/Seminole_State_College_(Oklahoma)) from {{Baseball year|1994}}–-{{Baseball year|1995}}, he transferred to the [University of San Francisco](/source/University_of_San_Francisco). In a switch to pitching at USF, he went undefeated, recording five [saves](/source/Save_(baseball)). Nelson played [collegiate summer baseball](/source/collegiate_summer_baseball) for the [Kenosha Kroakers](/source/Kenosha_Kroakers) of the [Northwoods League](/source/Northwoods_League) in 1995.{{cite web |url=https://assets.northwoodsleague.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/NWL-Alumni-in-MLB-2025.pdf |title=Northwoods League Alumni in Major League Baseball |website=northwoodsleague.com}} ==Professional career== ===Atlanta Braves=== After being selected twice by the [Toronto Blue Jays](/source/Toronto_Blue_Jays) in the {{Baseball year|1993}} and 1994 [amateur drafts](/source/MLB_draft), he was drafted by the [Atlanta Braves](/source/Atlanta_Braves) in the fourth round of the {{Baseball year|1996}}. Nelson made it to the majors in {{Baseball year|2001}}, seeing two stints of an inning apiece in mop-up duty, where his [ERA](/source/Earned-run_average) was 36.00. ===Boston Red Sox=== Released by the Braves the following summer, he was signed by the [Boston Red Sox](/source/Boston_Red_Sox) and quickly released after four appearances for [Double-A](/source/Double-A_(baseball)) [Trenton](/source/Trenton_Thunder). Nelson re-signed with the Red Sox in the spring of {{Baseball year|2004}}, and was promoted to the majors in June as bullpen help. After recording a scoreless inning against [Texas](/source/Texas_Rangers_(baseball)), he gave up 5 runs over 12⁄3 innings in his next two appearances. He was optioned back to [Triple-A](/source/Triple-A_(baseball)) when [Mark Malaska](/source/Mark_Malaska) was activated off the [disabled list](/source/disabled_list). ===New York Mets/Tampa Bay Rays/St. Louis Cardinals=== After spending [spring training](/source/spring_training) with the [New York Mets](/source/New_York_Mets) in {{Baseball year|2005}}, he signed to play with the [Devil Rays](/source/Tampa_Bay_Devil_Rays)' Triple-A team. Despite good peripheral numbers of 61 [strikeout](/source/strikeout)s in 46 innings and a .229 opponents' [batting average](/source/batting_average_(baseball)), 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](/source/St._Louis_Cardinals)' [Double-A](/source/Double-A_(baseball)) club, allowing just four hits over that span. ===Kansas City Royals=== He signed with the [Kansas City Royals](/source/Kansas_City_Royals) organization in November. Nelson bounced between [Omaha](/source/Omaha_Royals) and the major-league club before being called up for good on July 19, {{Baseball year|2006}}. After Royals closer [Ambiorix Burgos](/source/Ambiorix_Burgos) was demoted on August 14, Nelson threw a perfect ninth inning the following day. Manager [Buddy Bell](/source/Buddy_Bell) used the 31-year-old journeyman in the [closer](/source/Closer_(baseball))'s role for 2006. In {{Baseball year|2007}}, he was hurt. At the end of the 2007 season, he was designated for assignment to [Triple-A](/source/Triple-A_(baseball)) [Omaha](/source/Omaha_Royals), which he refused and opted out becoming a [free agent](/source/free_agent). ===Florida Marlins=== In December 2007, Nelson was signed by the [Florida Marlins](/source/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](/source/Shea_Stadium).{{Cite web |url=http://www.miamiherald.com/sports/baseball/florida-marlins/story/811290.html |title=Miami Herald |website=[Miami Herald](/source/Miami_Herald) |access-date=January 1, 2009 |archive-date=April 16, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180416013009/http://www.miamiherald.com/sports/baseball/florida-marlins/story/811290.html |url-status=dead }} Nelson was non-tendered by the Marlins following the {{Baseball year|2008}} season.{{Cite web |url=http://florida.marlins.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20081213&content_id=3716254&vkey=news_fla&fext=.jsp&c_id=fla |title=Nelson lone Marlin not to be tendered |access-date=2008-12-13 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110927165039/http://florida.marlins.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20081213&content_id=3716254&vkey=news_fla&fext=.jsp&c_id=fla |archive-date=2011-09-27 |url-status=dead }} ===Second Stint with Rays=== On December 30, 2008, Nelson signed with the Tampa Bay Rays. In October 2009 Nelson was granted free agency.{{Cite web |url=http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20081230&content_id=3730169&vkey=hotstove2008&fext=.jsp, |title=Nelson's deal with Rays official |access-date=2008-12-30 |archive-date=2012-10-26 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121026044155/http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20081230&content_id=3730169&vkey=hotstove2008&fext=.jsp, |url-status=dead }} ===Second Stint with Red Sox=== On February 1, 2010, Nelson signed a minor league contract with the [Boston Red Sox](/source/Boston_Red_Sox). When [Josh Beckett](/source/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. ===Seattle Mariners=== On June 24, 2010, Nelson signed a minor league contract with the [Seattle Mariners](/source/Seattle_Mariners), but was released on July 28, 2010. ===Post-playing career=== After his active career, Nelson served as a professional [scout](/source/scout_(sport)) for the Red Sox, based in [West Palm Beach, Florida](/source/West_Palm_Beach%2C_Florida). As of {{baseball year|2014}}, he holds a similar position with the Seattle Mariners. In February 2017, the Chicago Cubs hired him as a scout. ==References== {{Reflist}} ==External links== {{Commons category}} {{Baseballstats|mlb=406874|espn=4769|br=n/nelsojo01|fangraphs=108|brm=nelson003jos}} {{DEFAULTSORT:Nelson, Joe}} Category:1974 births Category:Living people Category:Albuquerque Isotopes players Category:21st-century American sportsmen Category:Atlanta Braves players Category:Baseball players from Alameda, California Category:Boston Red Sox players Category:Boston Red Sox scouts Category:Chicago Cubs scouts Category:Durham Bulls players Category:Eugene Emeralds players Category:Florida Marlins players Category:Greenville Braves players Category:Gulf Coast Braves players Category:Jamestown Jammers players Category:Kansas City Royals players Category:Kenosha Kroakers players Category:Major League Baseball pitchers Category:Omaha Royals players Category:Pawtucket Red Sox players Category:Portland Sea Dogs players Category:Richmond Braves players Category:San Francisco Dons baseball players Category:Seattle Mariners scouts Category:Springfield Cardinals (Missouri) players Category:Tacoma Rainiers players Category:Tampa Bay Rays players Category:Trenton Thunder players --- Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Joe Nelson](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joe_Nelson) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joe_Nelson?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.