Bob Miller (1953–1962 pitcher)
Encyclopedia
Robert Gerald Miller was a pitcher
in Major League Baseball
. He played for three different teams during his major league career. During the season, he was the youngest player in the major leagues that season, one of only three players that year who were 17-years old.
Miller had a 33-6 record in three seasons at Morton High School in Berwyn, including three no-hitters. In his final season in high school, Miller pitched two no-hitters and had 106 strikeouts in the nine games he pitched.
" amateur free agent by the hometown Detroit Tigers
on June 20, 1953, receiving a $60,000 signing bonus from the team who outbid the Philadelphia Phillies
and Chicago White Sox
to sign Miller. The other Tigers bonus baby signed that day was future-Hall of Famer
Al Kaline
, who received a bonus of $35,000 and had been pursued by every major league team other than the St. Louis Browns
. As required by the Bonus Rule as it existed when he was signed, the Tigers had to immediately place Miller on their 40-man roster and keep him there for two years.
Miller made his major league debut on June 25, less than a week after being signed to the team. Taking the mound at age 17, he is the youngest Tiger hurler to start a game. Miller finished the season with a 1-2 record in 13 appearances (all but one in relief), and an ERA
of 5.94 in 36⅓ innings of work.
In the season he had a 1-1 record and the only save of his career, appearing in 22 games (all but one in relief) and ending with a 2.45 ERA in 69⅔ innings. In the season he pitched to a 2-1 record in seven appearances (three of them starts, including his only complete game
) and ending with an ERA of 2.49 in 25⅓ innings. Miller finished with an 0-2 record in the in 11 appearances (all but three in relief), and his ERA ballooned to 5.68 in 35⅔ innings of work.
from the Tigers on November 30, 1959 in the 1959 minor league draft. The Reds brought him up in the season, and he appeared in 6 games, all in relief, and had an ERA of 21.94 in 5⅓ innings of work with the club.
to the New York Mets
on May 7, 1962 in exchange for Don Zimmer
. One of two pitchers on the Mets inaugural squad sharing the name Bob Miller, Mets manager Casey Stengel
would call Bob L. Miller by the name "Nelson", perhaps to distinguish him from this Bob Miller, or just general confusion on Stengel's part.
With the Mets, Miller finished the season with a 2-2 record in 17 appearances, all in relief, and had an ERA of 7.08 in 20⅓ innings. Miller's final major league appearance was on September 18, 1962, in the second game of a doubleheader against the Houston Colt .45s
, with Miller retiring the last three batters in the ninth inning of a game the Mets lost 8-6 at the Polo Grounds
.
Pitcher
In baseball, the pitcher is the player who throwsthe baseball from the pitcher's mound toward the catcher to begin each play, with the goal of retiring a batter, who attempts to either make contact with the pitched ball or draw a walk. In the numbering system used to record defensive plays, the...
in Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League...
. He played for three different teams during his major league career. During the season, he was the youngest player in the major leagues that season, one of only three players that year who were 17-years old.
Miller had a 33-6 record in three seasons at Morton High School in Berwyn, including three no-hitters. In his final season in high school, Miller pitched two no-hitters and had 106 strikeouts in the nine games he pitched.
Detroit Tigers (1953–56)
Miller was signed as a "bonus babyBonus Rule
The Bonus Rule was a rule instituted by Major League Baseball in 1947 that prevented teams from assigning certain players to farm clubs. The rule stipulated that when a Major league team signed a player to a contract in excess of $4,000 , the Major League team was required to keep that player on...
" amateur free agent by the hometown Detroit Tigers
Detroit Tigers
The Detroit Tigers are a Major League Baseball team located in Detroit, Michigan. One of the American League's eight charter franchises, the club was founded in Detroit in as part of the Western League. The Tigers have won four World Series championships and have won the American League pennant...
on June 20, 1953, receiving a $60,000 signing bonus from the team who outbid the Philadelphia Phillies
Philadelphia Phillies
The Philadelphia Phillies are a Major League Baseball team. They are the oldest continuous, one-name, one-city franchise in all of professional American sports, dating to 1883. The Phillies are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League...
and Chicago White Sox
Chicago White Sox
The Chicago White Sox are a Major League Baseball team located in Chicago, Illinois.The White Sox play in the American League's Central Division. Since , the White Sox have played in U.S. Cellular Field, which was originally called New Comiskey Park and nicknamed The Cell by local fans...
to sign Miller. The other Tigers bonus baby signed that day was future-Hall of Famer
National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum
The National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum is an American history museum and hall of fame, located at 25 Main Street in Cooperstown, New York, operated by private interests serving as the central point for the study of the history of baseball in the United States and beyond, the display of...
Al Kaline
Al Kaline
Albert William "Al" Kaline is a former Major League Baseball right fielder. He is a member of the Baseball Hall of Fame. Kaline played his entire 22-year baseball career with the Detroit Tigers. Kaline still works for the Tigers as a front office official. Because of his lengthy career and...
, who received a bonus of $35,000 and had been pursued by every major league team other than the St. Louis Browns
Baltimore Orioles
The Baltimore Orioles are a professional baseball team based in Baltimore, Maryland in the United States. They are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's American League. One of the American League's eight charter franchises in 1901, it spent its first year as a major league...
. As required by the Bonus Rule as it existed when he was signed, the Tigers had to immediately place Miller on their 40-man roster and keep him there for two years.
Miller made his major league debut on June 25, less than a week after being signed to the team. Taking the mound at age 17, he is the youngest Tiger hurler to start a game. Miller finished the season with a 1-2 record in 13 appearances (all but one in relief), and an ERA
Earned run average
In baseball statistics, earned run average is the mean of earned runs given up by a pitcher per nine innings pitched. It is determined by dividing the number of earned runs allowed by the number of innings pitched and multiplying by nine...
of 5.94 in 36⅓ innings of work.
In the season he had a 1-1 record and the only save of his career, appearing in 22 games (all but one in relief) and ending with a 2.45 ERA in 69⅔ innings. In the season he pitched to a 2-1 record in seven appearances (three of them starts, including his only complete game
Complete game
In baseball, a complete game is the act of a pitcher pitching an entire game without the benefit of a relief pitcher.As demonstrated by the charts below, in the early 20th century, it was common for most good Major League Baseball pitchers to pitch a complete game almost every start. Pitchers were...
) and ending with an ERA of 2.49 in 25⅓ innings. Miller finished with an 0-2 record in the in 11 appearances (all but three in relief), and his ERA ballooned to 5.68 in 35⅔ innings of work.
Cincinnati Reds (1962)
Miller was drafted by the Cincinnati RedsCincinnati Reds
The Cincinnati Reds are a Major League Baseball team based in Cincinnati, Ohio. They are members of the National League Central Division. The club was established in 1882 as a charter member of the American Association and joined the National League in 1890....
from the Tigers on November 30, 1959 in the 1959 minor league draft. The Reds brought him up in the season, and he appeared in 6 games, all in relief, and had an ERA of 21.94 in 5⅓ innings of work with the club.
New York Mets (1962)
The Reds traded Miller along with Cliff CookCliff Cook
Raymond Clifford Cook is a former Major League Baseball player, who primarily played third base, though he played some games as an outfielder throughout his career. Cook stood tall, weighed , and threw and batted right-handed.-Career:Cook made his Major League debut in 1959 with the Cincinnati Reds...
to the New York Mets
New York Mets
The New York Mets are a professional baseball team based in the borough of Queens in New York City, New York. They belong to Major League Baseball's National League East Division. One of baseball's first expansion teams, the Mets were founded in 1962 to replace New York's departed National League...
on May 7, 1962 in exchange for Don Zimmer
Don Zimmer
Donald William "Popeye" Zimmer is a former infielder, manager, and coach in Major League Baseball, currently serving as a senior advisor to the Tampa Bay Rays baseball organization...
. One of two pitchers on the Mets inaugural squad sharing the name Bob Miller, Mets manager Casey Stengel
Casey Stengel
Charles Dillon "Casey" Stengel , nicknamed "The Old Perfessor", was an American Major League Baseball outfielder and manager. He was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in ....
would call Bob L. Miller by the name "Nelson", perhaps to distinguish him from this Bob Miller, or just general confusion on Stengel's part.
With the Mets, Miller finished the season with a 2-2 record in 17 appearances, all in relief, and had an ERA of 7.08 in 20⅓ innings. Miller's final major league appearance was on September 18, 1962, in the second game of a doubleheader against the Houston Colt .45s
Houston Astros
The Houston Astros are a Major League Baseball team located in Houston, Texas. They are a member of the National League Central division. The Astros are expected to join the American League West division in 2013. Since , they have played their home games at Minute Maid Park, known as Enron Field...
, with Miller retiring the last three batters in the ninth inning of a game the Mets lost 8-6 at the Polo Grounds
Polo Grounds
The Polo Grounds was the name given to four different stadiums in Upper Manhattan, New York City, used by many professional teams in both baseball and American football from 1880 until 1963...
.
Career statistics
| W Win (baseball) In professional baseball, there are two types of decisions: a win and a loss . In each game, one pitcher on the winning team is awarded a win and one pitcher on the losing team is given a loss in their respective statistics. These pitchers are collectively known as the pitchers of record. Only... |
L | G Games played Games played is a statistic used in team sports to indicate the total number of games in which a player has participated ; the statistic is generally applied irrespective of whatever portion of the game is contested.-Baseball:In baseball, the statistic applies also to players who, prior to a game,... |
GS Games started In baseball statistics, games started indicates the number of games that a pitcher has started for his team. A pitcher is credited with starting the game if he faces the first opposing batter... |
CG Complete game In baseball, a complete game is the act of a pitcher pitching an entire game without the benefit of a relief pitcher.As demonstrated by the charts below, in the early 20th century, it was common for most good Major League Baseball pitchers to pitch a complete game almost every start. Pitchers were... |
SHO Shutout In team sports, a shutout refers to a game in which one team prevents the opposing team from scoring. While possible in most major sports, they are highly improbable in some sports, such as basketball.... |
GF Games finished In baseball statistics, a relief pitcher is credited with a game finished if he is the last pitcher to pitch for his team in a game. A starting pitcher is not credited with a GF for pitching a complete game... |
Sv | IP Innings pitched In baseball, innings pitched are the number of innings a pitcher has completed, measured by the number of batters and baserunners that are put out while the pitcher on the pitching mound in a game. Three outs made is equal to one inning pitched. One out counts as one-third of an inning, and two... |
H Hit (baseball) In baseball statistics, a hit , also called a base hit, is credited to a batter when the batter safely reaches first base after hitting the ball into fair territory, without the benefit of an error or a fielder's choice.... |
R | ER Earned run In baseball, an earned run is any run for which the pitcher is held accountable . Any runner who tags his base and reaches home plate is scored against the pitcher as an earned run... |
HR Home run In baseball, a home run is scored when the ball is hit in such a way that the batter is able to reach home safely in one play without any errors being committed by the defensive team in the process... |
BB Base on balls A base on balls is credited to a batter and against a pitcher in baseball statistics when a batter receives four pitches that the umpire calls balls. It is better known as a walk. The base on balls is defined in Section 2.00 of baseball's Official Rules, and further detail is given in 6.08... |
K Strikeout In baseball or softball, a strikeout or strike-out occurs when a batter receives three strikes during his time at bat. A strikeout is a statistic recorded for both pitchers and batters.... |
HBP Hit by pitch In baseball, hit by pitch , or hit batsman , is a batter or his equipment being hit in some part of his body by a pitch from the pitcher.-Official rule:... |
ERA Earned run average In baseball statistics, earned run average is the mean of earned runs given up by a pitcher per nine innings pitched. It is determined by dividing the number of earned runs allowed by the number of innings pitched and multiplying by nine... |
WHIP Walks plus hits per inning pitched In baseball statistics, walks plus hits per inning pitched is a sabermetric measurement of the number of baserunners a pitcher has allowed per inning pitched. It is a measure of a pitcher's ability to prevent batters from reaching base... |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6 | 8 | 86 | 8 | 1 | 0 | 48 | 2 | 188.7 | 206 | 114 | 99 | 15 | 92 | 75 | 4 | 4.72 | 1.580 |