Juan Nieves

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
In this Spanish name, the first or paternal surname is Nieves and the second or maternal family name is Cruz.
Juan Nieves
Juan Nieves 2011.jpg
Nieves with the Chicago White Sox
Detroit Tigers – No. 61
Pitcher
Born: (1965-01-05) January 5, 1965 (age 56)
Santurce, Puerto Rico
Batted: Left
Threw: Left
MLB debut
April 10, 1986, for the Milwaukee Brewers
Last MLB appearance
October 2, 1988, for the Milwaukee Brewers
MLB statistics
Win–loss record32–25
Earned run average4.71
Strikeouts352
Teams
As player

As coach

Career highlights and awards

Juan Manuel Nieves Cruz (born January 5, 1965)[1] is a Puerto Rican professional baseball pitcher and coach who is currently the assistant pitching coach for the Detroit Tigers of Major League Baseball (MLB). He played for the Milwaukee Brewers of Major League Baseball (MLB) from 1986 to 1988. He has coached in MLB for the Chicago White Sox, Boston Red Sox, and Miami Marlins.

Playing career[]

Nieves was signed by the Milwaukee Brewers, with a $115,000 signing bonus, after he had a 19–1 win–loss record with a 1.05 earned run average (ERA) during his senior season at the Avon Old Farms school in Connecticut.[2]

On April 15, 1987, Nieves threw a no-hitter against the Baltimore Orioles, becoming the second-youngest player in Major League history to do so. He threw the only no-hitter for the Brewers until 2021.[3][4] Nieves' no-hitter became the first ever thrown by a Puerto Rican in Major League Baseball. Nieves was mostly a starter, but on September 5, 1988, he did earn his only career save against the White Sox. He threw 1 perfect inning, closing out a 5–2 Brewers victory and saving the game for starter Don August.[5]

After playing for the Brewers from 1986 to 1988, he suffered a career-ending arm injury.[citation needed]

Coaching career[]

Nieves worked as a minor league pitching instructor for the New York Yankees (1992–1996) and the White Sox (1999–2007) before joining the Chicago White Sox Major League staff as the bullpen coach serving for the five seasons.[6] He was mentored by Don Cooper, first when Cooper was the White Sox' in their minor league hierarchy, and later when Cooper became the pitching coach of the Sox.[7] They became really close, adapting similar pitching styles and was named as "Cooper's right-hand man".[7] He was named Boston's 2013 pitching coach on November 7, 2012. He brought over Cooper's style of pitching to the Red Sox organization.[7] Nieves led the Red Sox to the second lowest earned run average in the American League as the team went on to win the World Series.[7] After the Red Sox earned the second highest team ERA (4.86) to start the 2015 season, Nieves was dismissed by the team on May 7, 2015.

Nieves spent the next three seasons as pitching coach for the Miami Marlins, being dismissed after the 2018 season.[8]

On November 6, 2020, the Detroit Tigers named Nieves as the team's assistant pitching coach for the 2021 season.[9] Nieves had spent the previous two seasons as the pitching coach for the Toledo Mud Hens, the Tigers Triple-A affiliate.[10]

See also[]

References[]

  1. ^ Costello, Rory, Juan Nieves. Society for American Baseball Research biography project
  2. ^ Juan Nieves' New England journey
  3. ^ Flaherty, Tom (17 April 1987). "Brewers' patience is rewarded". Milwaukee Journal. p. C1. Retrieved 20 July 2010.
  4. ^ Haudricourt, Tom (October 23, 2013). "Former Brewer Juan Nieves in the middle of Boston's turnaround". The Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel. Retrieved 26 January 2014.
  5. ^ https://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/MIL/MIL198809050.shtml
  6. ^ mlb.com
  7. ^ Jump up to: a b c d MacPherson, Brian (August 30, 2013). "Juan Nieves has brought White Sox pitching program to Red Sox". The Providence Journal. Retrieved 28 January 2014.
  8. ^ Frisaro, Joe (October 8, 2018). "Marlins part ways with Nieves, 3 other coaches". MLB.com. Retrieved November 10, 2020.
  9. ^ Beck, Jason (November 6, 2020). "Tigers name new pitching coach". MLB.com. Retrieved November 9, 2020.
  10. ^ "Former Mud Hens pitching coach Nieves named to Tigers' staff". ToledoBlade.com. November 6, 2020. Retrieved November 10, 2020.

External links[]

Awards and achievements
Preceded by
Mike Scott 		No-hitter pitcher
April 15, 1987 		Succeeded by
Tom Browning
Sporting positions
Preceded by
Randy Niemann 		Boston Red Sox pitching coach
2013–2015 		Succeeded by
Carl Willis
Preceded by
Chuck Hernandez 		Miami Marlins pitching coach
2016–2018 		Succeeded by
Mel Stottlemyre, Jr.
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