Roger Nelson

Born: 6/7/1944 in Altadena, CA, USA

MLB Debut: 1967-09-09 | Final Game: 1976-09-23

Bats: R | Throws: R | Height: 6'3" | Weight: 200 lbs

Full name: Roger Eugene Nelson

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Biography

Roger Nelson, born in 1944, was a professional baseball pitcher whose career spanned from 1967 until his retirement in 1976. Known for his effective pitching style, Nelson finished his career with a record of 29-32 and an impressive earned run average (ERA) of 3.06. Over the course of his tenure in Major League Baseball, he accumulated 371 strikeouts and recorded 4 saves, showcasing his ability to both start games and come in for critical relief appearances. Nelson played during a transformative period in baseball, which included the transition from the deadball era into a more offense-driven game. His ability to maintain a sub-3.10 ERA highlights his effectiveness on the mound, as he consistently challenged hitters with a solid repertoire of pitches. Although not among the most celebrated pitchers of his time, Nelson's contributions on the field were significant, and he remains a respected figure among fans and historians of the game.

Career Pitching Statistics

W	L	G	GS	CG	SHO	SV	IP	H	ER	HR	BB	SO	ERA	Pitcher PIV
29	32	135	77	20	7	4	636.3	516	216	44	190	371	3.06	0

Career ERA 3.06 vs. league average 3.50 across their career seasons — 12.8% 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
1967	CHW	AL	0	1	5	0	0	0	0	7.0	4	1	0	4	1.29	—	-
1968	BAL	AL	4	3	19	6	0	0	1	71.0	49	19	26	70	2.41	2.98 (+19%)	1582.3
1969	KCR	AL	7	13	29	29	8	1	0	193.3	170	71	65	82	3.31	3.61 (+9%)	-
1970	KCR	AL	0	2	4	2	0	0	0	9.0	18	10	0	3	10.00	3.89 (-157%)	-
1971	KCR	AL	0	1	13	1	0	0	0	34.0	35	20	5	29	5.29	3.47 (-53%)	-
1972	KCR	AL	11	6	34	19	10	6	2	173.3	120	40	31	120	2.08	3.26 (+36%)	-
1973	CIN	NL	3	2	14	8	1	0	0	54.7	49	21	24	17	3.46	3.75 (+8%)	-871.5
1974	CIN	NL	4	4	14	12	1	0	1	85.3	67	32	35	42	3.38	3.63 (+7%)	-648.1
1976	KCR	AL	0	0	3	0	0	0	0	8.7	4	2	4	4	2.08	—	-

Career Batting Statistics

G	AB	R	H	2B	3B	HR	RBI	SB	BB	SO	AVG	OBP	SLG	OPS	PIV
135	180	12	23	0	1	0	8	0	11	58	0.128	0.177	0.139	0.316	-1046.7

Career AVG .128 vs. league average .250 across their career seasons — 48.8% below league average.

Career OBP .177 vs. league average .317 across their career seasons — 44.2% below league average.

Career SLG .139 vs. league average .365 across their career seasons — 62.0% below league average.

Career OPS 0.316 vs. league average 0.682 across their career seasons — 53.7% below league average.

Season-by-Season Batting

Year	Team	Lg	G	AB	R	H	3B	RBI	BB	SO	AVG	Lg AVG	Lg OBP	Lg SLG	Lg OPS	PIV
1967	CHW	AL	5	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	.000	—	—	—	—	0.0
1968	BAL	AL	19	16	0	1	0	0	2	10	0.062	—	—	—	—	0.0
1969	KCR	AL	29	58	4	8	1	3	2	16	0.138	.248 (-44%)	.320 (-49%)	.369 (-53%)	.689 (-51%)	-499.6
1970	KCR	AL	4	0	0	0	0	0	1	0	.000	—	—	—	—	0.0
1971	KCR	AL	13	6	2	2	0	0	1	2	0.333	—	—	—	—	0.0
1972	KCR	AL	34	54	2	5	0	0	3	19	0.093	.243 (-62%)	.310 (-55%)	.353 (-74%)	.664 (-65%)	-547.0
1973	CIN	NL	14	18	1	2	0	1	0	4	0.111	—	—	—	—	0.0
1974	CIN	NL	14	28	3	5	0	4	2	7	0.179	—	—	—	—	0.0
1976	KCR	AL	3	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	.000	—	—	—	—	0.0