Toy Cannon
01-27-2005, 06:05 PM
ST. PETERSBURG -- The Devil Rays added potential depth to their starting rotation on Thursday, signing veteran right-hander Hideo Nomo to a minor league deal with an invitation to Spring Training.
"I'm happy to have reached an agreement with Tampa Bay," Nomo said. "I will continue to work hard and try my best to be in the starting rotation when the season starts."
Nomo, 36, went 4-11 with an 8.25 ERA in 18 starts for the Dodgers in 2004. He pitched 84 innings, allowed 105 hits, 42 walks and struck out 54. Opponents hit .312 off Nomo last season.
The native of Osaka, Japan, started his career with the Dodgers in 1995, going 13-6 with a 2.54 ERA in 28 starts that season. He won 32 more games for the Dodgers during the next two and half seasons before being dealt to the Mets in 1998.
Nomo won 12 games for the Brewers in 1999, eight games for the Tigers in 2000 and 13 for the Red Sox in 2001. He returned to the Dodgers in 2002 and went 16-6 with a 3.39 ERA that season and 16-13 with a 3.09 ERA in 2003.
Nomo has compiled a Major League record of 118-101 with a 4.05 ERA in 301 games (299 starts) over his 10-year career. He has fanned 8.93 batters per nine innings in his Major League career, fourth best among active pitchers with at least 1,000 innings. Nomo also has allowed only 7.84 hits per nine innings, seventh best among active pitchers.
Nomo should have a shot at making the Rays this spring. Because of injuries or ineffectiveness, Tampa Bay used 14 different starters in 2004 and, other than getting right-hander Seth McClung back from surgery, has not added any starters to their mix.
At present, the Rays have six returning starters: Mark Hendrickson, Dewon Brazelton, Scott Kazmir, Doug Waechter, Rob Bell and McClung. Nomo will join non-roster starters Jimmy Haynes and Brian Sweeney in trying to earn a spot in the rotation.
"I'm happy to have reached an agreement with Tampa Bay," Nomo said. "I will continue to work hard and try my best to be in the starting rotation when the season starts."
Nomo, 36, went 4-11 with an 8.25 ERA in 18 starts for the Dodgers in 2004. He pitched 84 innings, allowed 105 hits, 42 walks and struck out 54. Opponents hit .312 off Nomo last season.
The native of Osaka, Japan, started his career with the Dodgers in 1995, going 13-6 with a 2.54 ERA in 28 starts that season. He won 32 more games for the Dodgers during the next two and half seasons before being dealt to the Mets in 1998.
Nomo won 12 games for the Brewers in 1999, eight games for the Tigers in 2000 and 13 for the Red Sox in 2001. He returned to the Dodgers in 2002 and went 16-6 with a 3.39 ERA that season and 16-13 with a 3.09 ERA in 2003.
Nomo has compiled a Major League record of 118-101 with a 4.05 ERA in 301 games (299 starts) over his 10-year career. He has fanned 8.93 batters per nine innings in his Major League career, fourth best among active pitchers with at least 1,000 innings. Nomo also has allowed only 7.84 hits per nine innings, seventh best among active pitchers.
Nomo should have a shot at making the Rays this spring. Because of injuries or ineffectiveness, Tampa Bay used 14 different starters in 2004 and, other than getting right-hander Seth McClung back from surgery, has not added any starters to their mix.
At present, the Rays have six returning starters: Mark Hendrickson, Dewon Brazelton, Scott Kazmir, Doug Waechter, Rob Bell and McClung. Nomo will join non-roster starters Jimmy Haynes and Brian Sweeney in trying to earn a spot in the rotation.