HOW I BREAK DOWN IVAN NOVA IN 2012

It’s hard to pick one thing about Ivan Nova that I like best. 2011 was a monster season for him. He was a dominant presence on the mound. Every time he pitched, it was almost a guaranteed win. So when this season started, I was more then excited to see Nova once again. Expect, something happened. Instead of a “Super Nova” I watch a pitcher that is struggling.

Let me be clear, I really like Nova. When it comes to his cheering section, I wave my pom-poms around gladly. And I still believe he should have won the Rookie of the Year award. True, he finished fourth, but he was robbed. So watching him this season concerns me a little.

His ERA for the month of May 2011 was 3.90. In 2012, his ERA for the month of May is 5.87. That is a huge difference. He is facing a lot more batters, loading up the bags, before he gets the third out. On May 30th, against the Angels, he gave up his 13th home run, matching the total number of homers he gave up in 2011. The change in him vaguely reminds me of Phil Hughes; incredible monster season one year, anomaly of a pitcher the next. Thankfully, Hughes seems to be getting back to form.

Like I said, I like Nova. And, thankfully he has been able to get himself out of jams pretty well. But it is the getting into trouble that worries me. There is only but so many times you can load up the bags before another team capitalizes on those mistakes. Nova is a great pitcher; he has a lot of talent and a very bright future. I’d like to say that this is just a slump. They all have them. But I really hope Nova pulls out of this one soon. I sure do miss him donning his Super Nova cape.

--Erica Morales, BYB Writer




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