By By Austin Bishop/The Meridian Star
Dec. 13, 2001
MADISON For a short time, former West Lauderdale baseball standout Jay Powell thought he was going to be a Chicago Cub. But when the deal turned out to be a three-year, $9 million pact with the Texas Rangers, that suited him just fine as well.
Powell, who played his college baseball at Mississippi State University and maintains a home in the Jackson area, said he really wanted to play for a Southern team.
While Chicago is obviously not in the South, Powell said what the Cubs had going intrigued him.
But in the end Powell landed with an American League team for the first time.
Powell, who pitched for both Houston and Colorado last season, completed his sixth full season in the Major Leagues.
While he has been a closer at time, Powell has made his reputation as a big strong pitcher, who thrives in the role as a set-up man clearing the way for the closer to come in and save the game.
Powell appeared in 74 games combined for the Astros and the Rockies last year, tying the career high he set in 1997, the year he pitched the deciding game seven as the Marlins won the World Series.
He was 5-3 in 2001 with a 3.24 ERA and 54 strikeouts in 75 innings pitched. He also had seven saves, tying the career best he set in 1998 with Florida and Houston.
Powell has a 29-20 career mark with a 3.81 ERA and has pitched 406.2 innings in a whopping 382 games. He has recorded 330 strikeouts and just 199 walks.