Juan Nieves had a promising profession reduce quick by a shoulder harm. A 21-year-old when he debuted with the Milwaukee Brewers in April 1986, the southpaw from Santurce, Puerto Rico pitched simply three massive league seasons earlier than a tear in his rotator cuff was found. With 490.2 innings, 32 wins, and a no-hitter already underneath his belt, Nieves threw his final pitch at baseball’s highest degree previous to celebrating his twenty fourth birthday.
He joined the teaching ranks not lengthy thereafter. Nieves has been tutoring hurlers since 1992, most just lately because the assistant pitching coach for the Detroit Tigers, a place he’s held since November 2020. He seemed again at his enjoying days when the Tigers visited Fenway Park earlier this season.
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David Laurila: You confronted some nice hitters throughout your comparatively quick stint within the majors. How did you view these matchups on the time?
Juan Nieves: “It’s humorous. Coming from Puerto Rico, I grew up watching the Pirates due to Roberto Clemente, and due to Turner Broadcasting we noticed a whole lot of the Braves. It was extra Nationwide League, and I ended up within the American League [the Brewers joined the senior circuit in 1998].
“I used to be really simply speaking to the children within the bullpen and talked about how I got here to the massive leagues at a younger age, and the way it looks like there have been 5 or 6 Corridor of Famers on each crew. Thankfully, I by no means considered it that means, as a result of they have been nonetheless enjoying. However trying again at a few of the guys I had the glory of enjoying with — Rollie Fingers, Don Sutton, Robin Yount, Paul Molitor — I respect it extra now, after the very fact, than I did in the mean time. The identical goes for a few of the guys that I confronted.”
Laurila: What do you bear in mind about dealing with Kirby Puckett and Dave Winfield?
Nieves: “Puckett was a nightmare for me. He hit me very well.”
Laurila: Each Puckett [13-for-21 with one home run] and Winfield [7-for-11, two home runs] had good numbers in opposition to you. Not that they didn’t have good numbers in opposition to a whole lot of pitchers.
Nieves: “Proper, proper. Not solely me. And so they crushed lefties. I believe I used to be a bit of bit on the uneven aspect of it — it was a bit of little bit of a mismatch — as a result of they knew that I used to be throwing fastballs. It’s not like they’d different pitches to fret about. I used to be a fastball man, as a result of I used to be so younger. I by no means actually had an opportunity to change into a whole pitcher; I by no means had an opportunity to groom myself into having distinctive secondary pitches. I wouldn’t say that I used to be rushed, however I acquired to the massive leagues fast, and it was principally due to the fastball.
“Now that I can look again at what a whole pitcher is… Anyone who asks me, ‘What does it take to pitch within the massive leagues?’ — effectively, it takes good things. You might want to have velocity and a superb breaking ball. However being a whole pitcher, at any level in historical past, is the power to throw any pitch in any rely. Behind within the rely, forward within the rely, wherever it’s. The lack to try this was a drawback for me. And people guys actually hit the ball arduous in opposition to me.”
Laurila: For a very long time, folks believed that Fenway Park was an particularly tough venue for left-handers. You really pitched fairly effectively right here, particularly in your first couple of alternatives.
Nieves: “Very effectively. I liked pitching right here. I don’t know why. I do know that I by no means seemed on the Monster, as a result of my energy was pitching inside. However once more, I liked pitching right here at Fenway. It felt like I used to be at residence, I assume.”
Laurila: The Purple Sox had some nice hitters on the time. Wade Boggs, Jim Rice…
Nieves: “Oh, man. Dewey Evans, Don Baylor. Numerous guys. However I felt actually, actually good right here. There was additionally figuring out that you might at all times match up with Roger [Clemens].”
Laurila: There was one matchup, on September 16, 1986, the place Clemens gained his twenty third recreation of the season, with the Purple Sox beating you 2-1.
Nieves: “Sure. We additionally pitched effectively in opposition to one another in one other recreation. It was in Milwaukee [on July 30, 1988]. I believe Joey Meyer hit a house run in opposition to him within the ninth inning to win it for us.
“One of the crucial attention-grabbing video games I ever noticed was Teddy Higuera in opposition to Roger, in Boston [on April 24, 1988]. I believe they have been each ready for the opposite handy them the ball between innings. I couldn’t imagine it. It was a very quick recreation [2:10]. You understand how good Teddy was.”
Laurila: Higuera and Clemens have been very totally different pitchers.
Nieves: “They have been, however have you learnt what? Teddy didn’t throw as arduous as Roger, however he was 93-94 [mph] and commanding it, together with an incredible breaking ball. He was a formidable pitcher. When he got here right here as a rookie [in 1985], he was already seasoned, having pitched within the Mexican League. It’s a disgrace he by no means performed in California.”
Laurila: Like Fernando Valenzuela…
Nieves: “Oh yeah. He would have been unbelievable.”
Laurila: How arduous did you throw?
Nieves: “I’m undecided. Again then, folks weren’t actually speaking about how arduous you threw, however I’m going to say 92-94. Someplace round there. However it was a bit of totally different recreation. It was additionally a unique clock with how they measured. Now, as quickly because the ball is out of the hand, they measure it. Again then, it was a radar gun and I believe it was when the ball was attending to the plate.”
Laurila: Going again to hitters you confronted, what do you bear in mind about Alan Trammell and Lou Whitaker?
Nieves: “Oh, these Detroit groups have been a nightmare. They have been actually good. I did a bit of higher in opposition to Whitaker [3-for-18], however Tram was a troublesome out [5-for-17 with a home run and six walks]. I didn’t match up very effectively with him. He was a bit of extra of a high-ball hitter and I threw the ball excessive. I wasn’t actually good down within the zone. He additionally had Kirk Gibson behind him, so I didn’t thoughts navigating round Trammell to get to Kirk. Lefty-on-lefty was higher for me.”
Laurila: You solely acquired to face massive league hitters for 3 years.
Nieves: “Sure, and my first two years have been like a blur. It was nearly studying on the fly. It was an older league, and also you didn’t actually spend a whole lot of time speaking to the veterans. It was a unique period. It’s a youthful recreation now. My third 12 months was most likely probably the most enjoyable I had. Proper earlier than I acquired harm, I began actually with the ability to throw secondary pitches in any rely. One factor I bear in mind about that 12 months was a save, after which I began and threw a whole recreation [shutout]. I used to be like, ‘Oh my god.’ And it was simple. It was, ‘Pitching is definitely simple.’ Sadly, I went again residence to Puerto Rico, didn’t throw in winter ball, and once I got here again I broke down.”
Laurila: As quickly because it acquired enjoyable, it ended?
Nieves: “It ended, sure. However I’ve been blessed. I’m very grateful that I’m nonetheless within the recreation. I’ve been teaching lots longer than I performed, and I’m very honored and grateful for this recreation. I’ve been in a position to meet a whole lot of nice folks. I’ve additionally seen a whole lot of younger males change into not solely superb gamers, however do issues like change into mother and father. I’ve seen them change into good human beings.”
Laurila: There may be extra to life than baseball…
Nieves: “Completely. There may be extra to life than baseball.”
