Ivan Nova
From BR Bullpen
Iván Manuel Nova Guance
(Super Nova)
- Bats Right, Throws Right
- Height 6' 4", Weight 210 lb.
- Born January 12, 1987 in San Cristobal, D.R.
[edit] Biographical Information
Ivan Nova came to the majors in 2010 and won 16 games a year later.
Signed by scout Victor Mata and Latin American scouting coordinator Carlos Rios for the New York Yankees in 2004, Nova made his pro debut with the 2005 DSL Yankees 1, going 0-1 with a 2.29 ERA and 38 strikeouts in 39 1/3 innings, allowing 29 hits. With the 2006 GCL Yankees, the right-hander had a 3-0, 2.72 record for the GCL Yankees with one save; he fanned 36 while walking only 7 in 43 innings.
In 2007, the Dominican went 6-8 with a 4.98 ERA for the Charleston RiverDogs, allowing a .306 average. That winter, he had one win in 1 2/3 shutout innings for the Leones del Escogido. Moving up to the 2008 Tampa Yankees, Nava had a 8-13, 4.36 record and .294 opponent average. He led the Florida State League in losses as well as losing more than any other Yankee farmhand.
That winter, the San Diego Padres chose Nova in the Rule V Draft, but they returned him at the end of the following spring training after he allowed 11 runs in 8 2/3 innings. Nova split 2009 between the Trenton Thunder (5-4, 2.36) and Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Yankees (1-4, 5.10). He was sharp in the postseason for the AAA Yankees with a 1-0, 1.93 record. He was 1-0 with a 1.05 ERA thta winter for Escogido.
Nova began 2010 with the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre club, going 2-0 with a 3.73 ERA. He was then called up to the majors to replace Romulo Sanchez in the bullpen. After three shutout innings in his first two games in the majors, Nova was returned to the minors when Chan-ho Park came off the Disabled List. He later came back to the big club and made seven starts and three relief appearances overall, with a 1-2 record and a 4.50 ERA.
Nova made the Yankees' starting rotation out of spring training in 2011 and pitched very well over the first half, going 8-4 with a 4.12 ERA in 16 starts. In spite of a few hiccups, he was generally solid, and was in fact the first Yankee rookie to make 15 starts in the first half of a season since Doc Medich in 1973. However, on July 3rd, with Phil Hughes about to come back from the disabled list, he was sent down to AAA to make room. He was called back on July 30th and benefitted from a huge offensive outburst in his first start, as the Yankees scored 12 runs in the 1st inning in the second game of a doubleheader against the Baltimore Orioles; he cruised to an easy 17 - 3 victory. He finished the season with a 16-4 record and a 3.70 ERA in 165 1/3 innings, although he struck out only 98 batters. He tied for 4th in the 2011 AL in wins behind Justin Verlander, CC Sabathia and Jeff Weaver. He was second to Verlander in winning percentage. Otherwise, he only made the top 10 in wild pitches and lowest home run rate. He took over for CC Sabathia in the second inning of Game 1 of the ALDS against the Detroit Tigers after the game, begun the previous day, had been suspended by weather. He pitched well over 7 1/3 innings of relief and earned the win. He was then picked to start the decisive Game 5, but left after one inning during which he had given up two runs, victim of a pulled groin muscle. He was charged with the loss that time.
In 2012, Nova ran his streak of consecutive wins to 15, one shy of the Yankees franchise record, by winning his first three decisions of the year. The streak ended on May 2nd when the Yankees were shut out by the Baltimore Orioles' Jake Arrieta, 5-0.
[edit] Notable Achievements
- 15 Wins Seasons: 1 (2011)
