Jim Nelson

Born: 7/4/1947 in Birmingham, AL, USA

Died: 8/22/2004 in Sacramento, CA, USA

MLB Debut: 1970-05-30 | Final Game: 1971-07-15

Bats: R | Throws: R | Height: 6'0" | Weight: 180 lbs

Full name: James Lorin Nelson

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Biography

Jim Nelson was a professional baseball pitcher born in 1947, who played during a transitional period in the sport's history. His career spanned from 1970 to July 15, 1971. Nelson made a name for himself with a strong pitching presence, finishing his brief career with a record of 6-4 and an impressive earned run average (ERA) of 3.06. Over the course of his time in Major League Baseball, he struck out 53 batters, showcasing his ability to dominate hitters on the mound. Nelson's playing style was characterized by a blend of command and finesse, which allowed him to excel during his tenure. While he never recorded a save, his contributions were crucial to the teams he played for during this era, which was marked by significant changes in the game, including the end of the deadball era and the beginnings of more power-oriented play. Although his career was relatively short, Jim Nelson remains a notable figure in baseball history for his effectiveness as a pitcher during a time of evolving strategies and player dynamics.

Career Pitching Statistics

W	L	G	GS	CG	SHO	SV	IP	H	ER	HR	BB	SO	ERA	Pitcher PIV
6	4	32	12	1	1	0	103.0	91	35	5	64	53	3.06	0

Career ERA 3.06 vs. league average 3.68 across their career seasons — 16.8% better than league average.

Season-by-Season Pitching

Year	Team	Lg	W	L	G	GS	CG	SHO	SV	IP	H	ER	BB	SO	ERA	Lg ERA	Pitcher PIV
1970	PIT	NL	4	2	15	10	1	1	0	68.3	64	26	38	42	3.42	3.89 (+12%)	-475.5
1971	PIT	NL	2	2	17	2	0	0	0	34.7	27	9	26	11	2.34	3.47 (+33%)	-899.5

Career Batting Statistics

G	AB	R	H	2B	3B	HR	RBI	SB	BB	SO	AVG	OBP	SLG	OPS	PIV
32	26	2	7	0	0	0	3	0	3	7	0.269	0.333	0.269	0.603	0.0

Career AVG .269 vs. league average .252 across their career seasons — +7.0% above league average.

Career OBP .333 vs. league average .321 across their career seasons — near league average.

Career SLG .269 vs. league average .375 across their career seasons — 28.3% below league average.

Career OPS 0.603 vs. league average 0.697 across their career seasons — 13.5% below league average.

Season-by-Season Batting

Year	Team	Lg	G	AB	R	H	2B	3B	HR	RBI	SB	BB	SO	AVG	Lg AVG	Lg OBP	Lg SLG	Lg OPS	PIV
1970	PIT	NL	15	20	1	4	0	0	0	3	0	1	6	0.200	—	—	—	—	0.0
1971	PIT	NL	17	6	1	3	0	0	0	0	0	2	1	0.500	—	—	—	—	0.0

Fielding Statistics

Career Fielding Totals by Position

Position	G	GS	PO	A	E	DP
P	32	12	11	7	2	1

Season-by-Season Fielding

Year	Team	Pos	G	GS	PO	A	E	DP
1970	PIT	P	15	10	7	4	2	1
1971	PIT	P	17	2	4	3	0	0

Career Games by Position

Position	Games
Pitcher	32