in relief this season Fernando Nieve's pitched 3.1 innings, 3 hits, 2r 2er 1HR 1bb 3k 5.40era 1.20whip .250BAA ---he got the final two outs Thurs at SF in relief for Oswalt (4 pitches, 2k, got fly ball and ground out)
......
from Houston Chronicle:
April 16, 2006, 1:29AM
Nieve gets the nod
Rookie will make his first start today against D-Backs
By BRIAN MCTAGGART
PHOENIX - The path to the major leagues had been a methodical one for Astros righthander Fernando Nieve, who prior to last season had pitched in only three games above Class A.
Nieve split time last year between Class AA Corpus Christi and Class AAA Round Rock before coming to spring training this season with hopes of landing a spot in the starting rotation for the Astros.
Although it took an injury to starter Brandon Backe for him to get his opportunity, Nieve will make his first major-league start in today's series finale against the Arizona Diamondbacks at Chase Field.
"I feel confident in myself and feel loose," Nieve said. "It's my first time starting here and I have a chance, so I'm going to do the best I can do."
Nieve, 23, made the club out of spring training as a reliever and has appeared in just three games.
Top prospect
He was moved into the rotation when Backe went on the disabled list on Friday with a sprained ligament in his right elbow.
The Astros are confident Nieve, rated the franchise's No. 3 prospect entering this year by Baseball America, can be a successful pitcher in the major leagues.
"If he throws low strikes with his fastball, he'll get guys swinging at this slider, slurve or whatever you call it, and he'll have a lot of success," Astros pitching coach Jim Hickey said. "If he's not throwing low strikes with his fastball, it's much easier to read that pitch as an off-speed pitch and it's much easier to lay off of it.
"He doesn't have a great amount of movement, so his command is pretty important. He does throw hard enough where he doesn't have to be impeccable with it, but he does have to keep the ball down."
Need the kids
Nieve, a product of the Astros' Venezuelan Academy, started last year at Corpus Christi and went 4-3 with a 2.65 ERA, earning Texas League All-Star honors.
He spent the second half of this past season at Round Rock, where he had a 4-4 record with a 4.83 ERA. He likely would have earned a September call-up to the Astros had he not had an emergency appendectomy late last season.
Righthander Taylor Buchholz will make his debut as a starter on Monday against the Milwaukee Brewers at Minute Maid Park.
And with Backe on the shelf for at least six weeks, Nieve, Buchholz and second-year pitchers Wandy Rodriguez and Ezequiel Astacio will be counted on more than ever.
"We won't win without them; there's no way," Hickey said."If they have the kind of typical young guy-type of years where they're feeling their way around and not being super productive and trying to see if they belong, we probably won't have a very good year."
...........
from Astro's official site today:
Nieve set for first start
By Jason Grey / Special to MLB.com
After splitting the first two games of this three-game weekend set with the Diamondbacks, the Astros look to finish their first road trip of the season with a 3-2 mark on Sunday afternoon at Chase Field.
All eyes will be on rookie Fernando Nieve, as he makes his first Major League start. Astros manager Phil Garner expects Nieve to be able to pitch somewhere between three and five innings because he's been working in relief and is not stretched out yet, but the bullpen is rested and ready to step in.
"You've got your foot in the door [of the rotation], now it's time to strut your stuff," said Garner.
Pitching matchup
HOU: RHP Fernando Nieve (0-0, 5.40 ERA)
Nieve will take the rotation spot of Brandon Backe, who will be out at least six weeks with a sprained elbow. Nieve has appeared in three games in relief, allowing two runs on three hits and a walk over 3 1/3 innings. Nieve made 27 starts last season between Double-A Corpus Christi and Triple-A Round Rock, including two shutouts for Round Rock.
ARI: RHP Orlando Hernandez (1-0, 1.80 ERA)
Hernandez's first two starts came against the Rockies. He was outstanding in the first game, changing speeds and varying his arm angles while baffling the Colorado hitters. The second time around, though, the Rockies had a better game plan against him. They laid off his high fastball and weren't fooled by his slower offerings. He has never faced the Astros before, which could work in his favor.
............
from official site 4/14:
First start: Fernando Nieve will start in the place of the injured Brandon Backe for Sunday's game in Arizona. Backe was placed on the 15-day disabled list on Friday.
"[Backe's injury] is an opportunity for somebody else," said Garner. "One man's misfortune is another man's opportunity. You don't know. This might be a great thing for Nieve or [Taylor] Buchholz or even Wandy [Rodriguez]. We've got guys just dying for an opportunity, and this is a chance."
The bullpen will need to be ready on Sunday as Nieve makes his transition.
"He might go three innings, or he might go five," said Garner. "It might be pushing it to ask him to go more than that. He hasn't been stretched out."
......
from Houston Chronicle:
April 16, 2006, 1:29AM
Nieve gets the nod
Rookie will make his first start today against D-Backs
By BRIAN MCTAGGART
PHOENIX - The path to the major leagues had been a methodical one for Astros righthander Fernando Nieve, who prior to last season had pitched in only three games above Class A.
Nieve split time last year between Class AA Corpus Christi and Class AAA Round Rock before coming to spring training this season with hopes of landing a spot in the starting rotation for the Astros.
Although it took an injury to starter Brandon Backe for him to get his opportunity, Nieve will make his first major-league start in today's series finale against the Arizona Diamondbacks at Chase Field.
"I feel confident in myself and feel loose," Nieve said. "It's my first time starting here and I have a chance, so I'm going to do the best I can do."
Nieve, 23, made the club out of spring training as a reliever and has appeared in just three games.
Top prospect
He was moved into the rotation when Backe went on the disabled list on Friday with a sprained ligament in his right elbow.
The Astros are confident Nieve, rated the franchise's No. 3 prospect entering this year by Baseball America, can be a successful pitcher in the major leagues.
"If he throws low strikes with his fastball, he'll get guys swinging at this slider, slurve or whatever you call it, and he'll have a lot of success," Astros pitching coach Jim Hickey said. "If he's not throwing low strikes with his fastball, it's much easier to read that pitch as an off-speed pitch and it's much easier to lay off of it.
"He doesn't have a great amount of movement, so his command is pretty important. He does throw hard enough where he doesn't have to be impeccable with it, but he does have to keep the ball down."
Need the kids
Nieve, a product of the Astros' Venezuelan Academy, started last year at Corpus Christi and went 4-3 with a 2.65 ERA, earning Texas League All-Star honors.
He spent the second half of this past season at Round Rock, where he had a 4-4 record with a 4.83 ERA. He likely would have earned a September call-up to the Astros had he not had an emergency appendectomy late last season.
Righthander Taylor Buchholz will make his debut as a starter on Monday against the Milwaukee Brewers at Minute Maid Park.
And with Backe on the shelf for at least six weeks, Nieve, Buchholz and second-year pitchers Wandy Rodriguez and Ezequiel Astacio will be counted on more than ever.
"We won't win without them; there's no way," Hickey said."If they have the kind of typical young guy-type of years where they're feeling their way around and not being super productive and trying to see if they belong, we probably won't have a very good year."
...........
from Astro's official site today:
Nieve set for first start
By Jason Grey / Special to MLB.com
After splitting the first two games of this three-game weekend set with the Diamondbacks, the Astros look to finish their first road trip of the season with a 3-2 mark on Sunday afternoon at Chase Field.
All eyes will be on rookie Fernando Nieve, as he makes his first Major League start. Astros manager Phil Garner expects Nieve to be able to pitch somewhere between three and five innings because he's been working in relief and is not stretched out yet, but the bullpen is rested and ready to step in.
"You've got your foot in the door [of the rotation], now it's time to strut your stuff," said Garner.
Pitching matchup
HOU: RHP Fernando Nieve (0-0, 5.40 ERA)
Nieve will take the rotation spot of Brandon Backe, who will be out at least six weeks with a sprained elbow. Nieve has appeared in three games in relief, allowing two runs on three hits and a walk over 3 1/3 innings. Nieve made 27 starts last season between Double-A Corpus Christi and Triple-A Round Rock, including two shutouts for Round Rock.
ARI: RHP Orlando Hernandez (1-0, 1.80 ERA)
Hernandez's first two starts came against the Rockies. He was outstanding in the first game, changing speeds and varying his arm angles while baffling the Colorado hitters. The second time around, though, the Rockies had a better game plan against him. They laid off his high fastball and weren't fooled by his slower offerings. He has never faced the Astros before, which could work in his favor.
............
from official site 4/14:
First start: Fernando Nieve will start in the place of the injured Brandon Backe for Sunday's game in Arizona. Backe was placed on the 15-day disabled list on Friday.
"[Backe's injury] is an opportunity for somebody else," said Garner. "One man's misfortune is another man's opportunity. You don't know. This might be a great thing for Nieve or [Taylor] Buchholz or even Wandy [Rodriguez]. We've got guys just dying for an opportunity, and this is a chance."
The bullpen will need to be ready on Sunday as Nieve makes his transition.
"He might go three innings, or he might go five," said Garner. "It might be pushing it to ask him to go more than that. He hasn't been stretched out."
