J. P. Howell

Infobox MLB player
name=J. P. Howell


width=150
position=Pitcher
team=Tampa Bay Rays
number=39
bats=Left
throws=Left
birthdate=birth date and age|1983|4|25
debutdate=June 11
debutyear=2005
debutteam=Kansas City Royals
statyear=August 30, 2008
stat1label=Win-Loss
stat1value=11-14
stat2label=Earned Run Average| stat2value=5.23
stat3label=Strikeouts
stat3value=208
teams=
*Kansas City Royals (by|2005)
*Tampa Bay Devil Rays/Rays (by|2006-present)

James Phillip Howell (born April 25, 1983, in Modesto, California) is a Major League Baseball left-handed pitcher. He is an alumnus of Jesuit High School in Carmichael, California and the University of Texas at Austin.

Howell is a soft tosser. He throws his sinking fastball in the mid 80's, topping out at 90 MPH. He also throws a knuckle-curve that's been described by scouts as "heavy" because of its extremely sharp downward break. He throws a changeup that breaks away from right-handed hitters. Howell also throws a cutter to his arsenal.Howell has good command of all four pitches.

Howell made his Major League Baseball debut with the Kansas City Royals on June 11, 2005. On June 20, 2006 Howell was traded to the Tampa Bay Devil Rays for infielder Fernando Cortez and outfielder Joey Gathright,and made his Devil Rays debut on August 1, 2006. He is expected to be in the bullpen for the beginning of the 2008 season.

ee also

* Tampa Bay Rays all-time roster

External links

* [http://www.baseball-reference.com/h/howeljp01.shtml Page at "Baseball Reference"]
* http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/players/7572/news