A journeyman contributor who has scraped his way onto five Major League Baseball rosters throughout his 14-year professional career, Nelson Figueroa '98 returned to his alma mater for the first time in 10 years, where he was the man of the hour at last Saturday's Brandeis baseball alumni game. After reuniting with his old baseball family and interacting with current baseball team members, Figueroa was forever enshrined in Brandeis history as the team retired his number 2 jersey in a private ceremony.Second baseman Jon O'Brion '10 wore that number last season, but will likely wear number 4 in the spring since number 2 will no longer be available.

"It's just an exciting time right now," Figueroa told the Justice after the ceremony. "To be honored in this fashion, it's hard to put into words what it means. But for someone who's going to see that jersey number retired, and ask why, and hear the story behind it, it's going to be something that forever lives on at Brandeis and hopefully inspire[s] some future dreamers."

Figueroa was drafted by the New York Mets in the 30th round of the 1995 MLB Draft and became the first Brandeis alumnus to play Major League Baseball when he debuted with the Arizona Diamondbacks in 2000. Since then he has spent time in the Major and Minor Leagues with Philadelphia, Milwaukee and Pittsburgh and most recently has "come full circle," as he described, by playing with the Mets over the last two seasons.

Figueroa was called up to the Majors this season on Aug. 3 from Triple-A Buffalo and earned a permanent spot in the Mets' starting rotation on Aug. 25, when New York's top pitcher Johan Santana suffered a season-ending injury. Prior to being called up, Figueroa had a 2.25 ERA in 17 starts in Triple-A. He was named the Warren Spahn Most Valuable Pitcher for his team at the end of the Minor League season in early September, despite his time spent at the Major League level.

Since joining the rotation, Figueroa has made eight starts for the Mets and recorded 44 strikeouts with a 3.22 ERA.

Over the last month of the season, he led the team in innings pitched and strikeouts.

His best start, though, came on the last day of the season when he threw a complete-game shutout at home against Houston, becoming the first Mets pitcher to do so at the team's new stadium, Citi Field. Figueroa was proud that this accomplishment would always have the Brandeis name tagged to it, especially considering the long road he traveled to get to this point from such a small program.

In his remarks at the ceremony, Figueroa discussed the tremendous changes in his career over the past few years. "[I look] at my career where I was in 2005, missing a year of baseball and [when] people didn't know who I was and having to go to open tryouts and being asked, 'Where'd you go to college? Brandeis University? They don't have baseball there,'" he said. "But now they know after my last start of the season to be able to put my name down in history as . the first player to pitch a shutout at Citi Field. They'll know that Brandeis does have baseball and one of the best programs in the Northeast, hands down."

Coach Pete Varney, who has managed the program for 28 seasons, spoke highly of Figueroa.

"It's a great day," Varney told the Justice. "This doesn't mark the end of his career by any extent of the imagination. He was a great kid while he was playing and is even a better person now. We're obviously very proud of what he's accomplished being in the big leagues, but I think you don't have to remind anyone that it's great that he's a great person, so it's easy to be supportive of him."

Figueroa said in his remarks that he saw himself as an everyday player in college. Varney, a Major Leaguer himself, steered him on the right path and told Figueroa he had a future in pitching.

"[Varney] had a feeling I could do something special as a pitcher, and I'm glad that I took his advice, and here we are," Figueroa said. "Fifteen years after being drafted, and I feel like I'm pitching the best ball of my life."

For Figueroa, the ceremony honoring his accomplishments became more of a way for him to express his appreciation for all that Brandeis had given him during his time at the University.

He spoke of one conversation he had with Prof. Jerry Cohen (AMST) about his academic future during his first year on campus in 1992. Figueroa told Cohen that he wanted to be an engineer, but Cohen said the school did not have an engineering program and asked Figueroa what career he planned to pursue instead.

Figueroa said he wanted to be a professional baseball player, to which Cohen laughed and pulled out Varney's old baseball card from his days in the Major Leagues in the 1970s. He told Figueroa that the card was only worth 55 cents, but the college degree posted on his office wall was worth a whole lot more. Figueroa ultimately earned that degree in 1998 after leaving the University early in 1995 to start his baseball career, but at the time, he responded politely: "That's fine. But I still want to be a baseball player."

Figueroa understands what his career means to the Brandeis community and athletic program. He knows that his career alone gives great pride to students, athletes and alumni alike.

"After hearing his story, it shows that anything is possible and it pays to follow your dreams," current pitcher Pat Nicholson '11 said.

"I think it's really special because it's so unique. Every time he pitches, they mention Brandeis, and it's a great reflection on our program and our University," Director of Athletics Sheryl Sousa '90 told the Justice.

Figueroa said he is proud to be the lone representative of Brandeis in Major League Baseball and told the Justice that coming back to coach at Brandeis would be "hard to pass up" if the opportunity presented itself.

"I speak for everyone that I've ever played with, been coached by, in the Brandeis baseball family, when I say I think we're doing all right," Figueroa said of the baseball program in his remarks. "I see [the team and my supporters] now and I smile because I'm very fortunate to be living the dream, and they let me know that I'm living the dream and they're living the dream through me."



-Adam Rosen contributed reporting