Since the Pirates acquired Ivan Nova from the Yankees prior to the Aug. 1 non-waiver trade deadline, the right-hander has unexpectedly performed like a top-of-the-rotation starter. In seven starts and 46 1/3 innings with the Bucs, Nova has recorded a 2.54 ERA while tossing two complete games and amassing 32 strikeouts against a paltry two walks. Part of the reason for Nova’s success is the Pirates’ stadium, PNC Park, he told Travis Sawchik of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review. “It’s not like pitching in Baltimore or Boston, Toronto, where the ball flies, or New York. A fly ball, (and) it’s a homer,” said Nova, whose new venue has the largest left field in the majors, per Sawchik. Yankee Stadium, on the other hand, has the league’s shallowest right field and is among its most home run-friendly venues. The change in parks has been timely for Nova, a free agent-to-be who is likely pitching his way to an appreciable raise over his current salary of $4.1MM.
More from the National League:
- Rockies general manager Jeff Bridich will face several important decisions during the offseason, observes Patrick Saunders of the Denver Post. In addition to the fate of manager Walt Weiss, whose contract expires at season’s end, Bridich will have to address a few areas on the diamond – including the bullpen and outfield. While the Rockies have a glut of capable outfielders, which might open the door for a trade, they could use more quality relievers to complement the likes of Adam Ottavino and perhaps Boone Logan, who’s an impending free agent. Saunders wonders whether the Rockies will pursue Nationals closer Mark Melancon, a free agent-to-be who’s a Colorado native, but he concedes that the team is unlikely to spend big money on anyone. That should rule out Melancon as a possibility.
- The Phillies called up two of their top prospects, catcher Jorge Alfaro and outfielder Roman Quinn, before Sunday’s game against the Nationals. Alfaro, whom Baseball America rates as the game’s 67th-best prospect, earned his first promotion in late August, but the Phillies quickly returned him to Double-A Reading before he could debut on the field. The 23-year-old is in his first full season with the Phillies organization after the Rangers traded him in the Cole Hamels deal last summer. He hit .285/.325/.458 with 15 home runs in 435 plate appearances with Reading this year. Also 23, Quinn was in the lineup Sunday. He ranks as the Phillies’ eighth-best prospect, per MLBPipeline.com, and also hadn’t gotten past the Double-A level previously. Quinn batted .287/.361/.441 with six homers and 31 stolen bases in 322 PAs with Reading this season.
- Reds righty Alfredo Simon will undergo arthroscopic shoulder surgery Tuesday, tweets Mark Sheldon of MLB.com. That ends a miserable campaign for Simon, who posted a 9.36 ERA, 5.98 K/9 and 4.76 BB/9 in 58 2/3 innings. Simon was a highly productive member of the Reds’ pitching staff from 2012-14, when he combined for a 3.16 ERA, 6.16 K/9 and 2.71 BB/9 in 345 frames and even earned an All-Star appearance, but he began falling off last year with the Tigers. The Reds, who acquired infielder Eugenio Suarez from Detroit for Simon in December 2014, brought the 35-year-old back in March on a $2MM salary. He’ll once again hit free agency during the upcoming offseason.
The Rockies won’t have Logan next year. He will be a free agent.
You’re right. Thanks. Wording changed.
Nova’s ERA more than a full run better in the NL than when he was in the AL east….that’s the difference between the two leagues as far as pitching stats. NL pitchers know they only need to go 5 or 6 innings and they’re done…..
Has anyone demonstrated whether NL starters actually average fewer innings per start than starters in the AL?
I’m not sure length of outing is nearly as big a factor as the ballpark factors that Nova cited and the added challenge of facing a DH every time through the order in the AL instead of the somewhat less effective P and PH combinations utilized at the bottom of NL batting orders.
Playing in a little league stadium like NY is bad for pitchers, full stop.
Reds giving Simon $2 mil and shoulder surgery for what he’s done this year should be considered larceny
Or at the very least, charity.
Pirates should pursue Nova. He seems to be a good fit for our rotation.
Red flags and warning lights all around Nova. Has either pitched poorly, or been hurt (take ur choice) prior to his prior 3 months to walk to FA. This guy wouldn’t trust to continue putting forth the effort 1 bit once salary is obtained, unless is a series 1 1y team option contracts..
Too many teams get burned by players hitting it big at/near walk year and then hitting glide.. This guy has it written all over him in the numbers.
He could also be J.A Happ 2.0 though
I wonder if Nova acknowledging the difference in parks will play a factor in his free agency. He’s going to get a decent offer from somewhere, but I wonder if he decides to chase the money (potentially to a team with a hitter friendly park) or maybe takes a little less to pitch in a pitcher friendly park.
Alfredo Simon was a bargain. Too bad that injuries made his season a disaster. We had Suarez and got simon back to what amounts to peanuts in major league salary. Good try as Simon n is an inning eater when healthy. Wish him good luck