Evan Meek
Encyclopedia
Evan David Meek is a right-handed Major League Baseball
relief pitcher
for the Pittsburgh Pirates
. He was named to the 2010 Major League Baseball All-Star Game
. His nicknames include Super Meek and Evan Almighty
in Kenmore, Washington
. Afterwards he played for Midland College
in Midland, Texas
. Then he transferred at semester to play at Bellevue Community College
also in Washington.
in the 2002 Major League Baseball Draft
Meek began playing for the Twins affiliate in the Appalachian League
. After three years in the Twins organization Meek spent the next two seasons playing for the minor league teams of the San Diego Padres
and the Tampa Bay Devil Rays. In the 2007 Rule 5 Draft
Meek was selected away from the Devil Rays by the Pittsburgh Pirates
. This required that Meek remain on the active roster
of the Pirates for the entire 2008 season
or else the Pirates would have had to offer him back to the Devil Rays for half the amount they paid to acquire him.
. He would record his first career loss in extra innings against the Chicago Cubs
on April 7, 2008. Meek made nine relief appearances, going 0–1 with a 6.92 ERA
, before being designated for assignment on May 4, 2008. He was offered back per Rule V guidelines on May 14. The Pirates paid cash to keep him and sent him down to their minor league teams.
After pitching 9 games with the Curve, Meek was promoted to the Indianapolis Indians
.
is Meek's first full season in the Majors. Meek has been a revelation for the Pirates, dominating the setup role behind Octavio Dotel
. Often asked by manager John Russell to pitch multiple innings in relief, Meek's performance has rivaled other excellent closers
like Joakim Soria
and Brian Wilson despite not being one himself. Early in the season when Dotel had given up runs in six straight games as the closer, Meek had an opportunity in the role and earned his first Major League save on April 29, 2010 to close out a 2–0 win over the Los Angeles Dodgers
. He showed his true potential on May 14, 2010 against the Chicago Cubs
at Wrigley Field
. Entering the game in the 6th inning with the score tied 6–6, he pitched two scoreless innings of relief, striking out four of the seven Cubs hitters he faced including Derrek Lee
, Xavier Nady
and Alfonso Soriano
in the bottom of the 7th. The Pirates rallied behind his strong pitching to win the game 10–6.
Meek delivered one of his finest performances of the season against the Washington Nationals
on June 10, 2010, coming in to relieve Pirates starter Zach Duke
with the bases loaded and no outs. He quickly forced Willie Harris
to line into a double play before retiring Cristian Guzmán
, needing only six pitches to get out of the inning with no runs in. Due to his excellent work, he was named to the 2010 MLB All Star Game
. At the time of his selection on July 4, 2010, Meek carried a 4–2 record with a 0.96 ERA
, a mark that lead all National League
relievers. "It's surprising," Meek said. "A lot of starters and closers go to the game. I've always said there are a lot of great middle relievers out there who deserve to go to the game. I think they're overlooked a little bit. It's amazing to be selected, an overwhelming feeling."
Meek is the first Pirate reliever selected who was not a closer
since Mace Brown
in 1938 – before the closer position emerged. The Pirates celebrated his nomination at PNC Park
with an 8–5 victory over the visiting Philadelphia Phillies
, a game where Meek was the winning pitcher.
On August 3, 2010, Meek recorded his first career base hit, off fellow reliever Jordan Smith
of the Cincinnati Reds
.
Meek finished the 2010 season with a 2.14 ERA, 70 strikeouts, 4 saves, 15 holds
, and a 5–4 record, all career-highs.
normally sits around 95 mph, although he is capable of reaching 97–98 mph on occasion. It is his primary pitch, throwing it slightly over half the time. Despite missing the final two months of the 2009 Major League Baseball season
, he added 8 pounds of muscle during the off-season and promised that he would be able to hit 100 mph in 2010. Since his command has improved throughout his career – 5.55 walks per 9 innings in 2009 to around 2.10 in 2010 – opposing batters have shown more willingness to chase the pitch, even out of the strike zone to due his ability throw his other pitches for strikes.
Meek's curveball
is his primary off-speed pitch, with the velocity sitting around 79–82 mph.
Meek throws a cutter
that was rated in August 2009 as the 3rd most effective cutter in Major League Baseball because of its runs above the MLB average. The pitch has "unfair biting" movement, even against left-handed batters, according to Dejan Kovacevic of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
. Average velocity is 92–93 mph and he normally likes to use it when he gets ahead in a count as a strikeout pitch. It is normally a very difficult pitch to hit well, helping him limit the number of extra base hits he allows.
Meek also throws a fourth pitch, an off-speed slider
that is seldom used in pressure situations. The pitch normally sits around 80–82 mph, mainly incorporated to keep hitters out of a rhythm. His ability to throw four pitches well however, makes him rare as a relief pitcher as the normal reliever only possesses a two-pitch arsenal.
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...
relief pitcher
Relief pitcher
A relief pitcher or reliever is a baseball or softball pitcher who enters the game after the starting pitcher is removed due to injury, ineffectiveness, fatigue, ejection, or for other strategic reasons, such as being substituted by a pinch hitter...
for the Pittsburgh Pirates
Pittsburgh Pirates
The Pittsburgh Pirates are a Major League Baseball club based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. They play in the Central Division of the National League, and are five-time World Series Champions...
. He was named to the 2010 Major League Baseball All-Star Game
2010 Major League Baseball All-Star Game
The 2010 Major League Baseball All-Star Game was the 81st midseason exhibition between the All-Stars of the American League and the National League , the two leagues comprising Major League Baseball...
. His nicknames include Super Meek and Evan Almighty
Early career
Meek attended Inglemoor High SchoolInglemoor High School
Inglemoor High School is a public high school located in Kenmore, Washington. It is one of the largest high schools in the state of Washington and has an average of 23.4 students per teacher. Inglemoor's feeder schools are Kenmore and Northshore Junior Highs and Arrowhead, Kenmore, Lockwood,...
in Kenmore, Washington
Kenmore, Washington
Kenmore is a city in King County, Washington, United States, along the northernmost shores of Lake Washington...
. Afterwards he played for Midland College
Midland College
Midland College was established as an independent junior college in 1972 and held its first classes on campus in 1975. Since that time, the campus has expanded to a main campus on in Midland, Texas, United States - a county seat of over 100,000 people in the Permian Basin region of west Texas...
in Midland, Texas
Midland, Texas
Midland is a city in and the county seat of Midland County, Texas, United States, on the Southern Plains of the state's western area. A small portion of the city extends into Martin County. As of 2010, the population of Midland was 111,147. It is the principal city of the Midland, Texas...
. Then he transferred at semester to play at Bellevue Community College
Bellevue Community College
Bellevue College is a public institution of higher education located in Bellevue, Washington, a suburb of Seattle. It serves 35,000 students per year, making it the second largest institution of higher education overall in Washington state...
also in Washington.
Minor leagues
After being select by the Minnesota TwinsMinnesota Twins
The Minnesota Twins are a professional baseball team based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. They play in the Central Division of Major League Baseball's American League. The team is named after the Twin Cities area of Minneapolis and St. Paul. They played in Metropolitan Stadium from 1961 to 1981 and the...
in the 2002 Major League Baseball Draft
2002 Major League Baseball Draft
The 2002 First-Year Player Draft, Major League Baseball's annual amateur draft, was held on June 4 and 5.This year's draft is featured in Michael Lewis' 2003 book Moneyball.-First Round Selections:-Supplemental First Round Compensation Selections:...
Meek began playing for the Twins affiliate in the Appalachian League
Appalachian League
The Appalachian League is a Rookie-class minor league that began play in 1937 with one year of inactivity in 1956. From 1937 to 1962, it was a Class D League. Teams are located in the Appalachian regions of Virginia, North Carolina, West Virginia and Tennessee...
. After three years in the Twins organization Meek spent the next two seasons playing for the minor league teams of the San Diego Padres
San Diego Padres
The San Diego Padres are a Major League Baseball team based in San Diego, California. They play in the National League Western Division. Founded in 1969, the Padres have won the National League Pennant twice, in 1984 and 1998, losing in the World Series both times...
and the Tampa Bay Devil Rays. In the 2007 Rule 5 Draft
Rule 5 draft
The Rule 5 draft is a Major League Baseball player draft that occurs each year in December, at the annual Winter Meeting of general managers. The Rule 5 draft aims to prevent teams from stockpiling too many young players on their minor league affiliate teams when other teams would be willing to...
Meek was selected away from the Devil Rays by the Pittsburgh Pirates
Pittsburgh Pirates
The Pittsburgh Pirates are a Major League Baseball club based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. They play in the Central Division of the National League, and are five-time World Series Champions...
. This required that Meek remain on the active roster
Major League Baseball rosters
A Major League Baseball roster is a roster of players able to play for their respective Major League team. There are two types of rosters, the 25-man roster and the 40-man roster.-25-man roster:...
of the Pirates for the entire 2008 season
2008 Major League Baseball season
The 2008 Major League Baseball season began on March 25, 2008 in Tokyo, Japan with the 2007 World Series champion Boston Red Sox defeating the Oakland Athletics at the Tokyo Dome 6–5 in the first game of a two-game series, and ended on September 30 with the host Chicago White Sox defeating the...
or else the Pirates would have had to offer him back to the Devil Rays for half the amount they paid to acquire him.
2008
Meek made his major league debut on April 2, 2008 with the Pittsburgh PiratesPittsburgh Pirates
The Pittsburgh Pirates are a Major League Baseball club based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. They play in the Central Division of the National League, and are five-time World Series Champions...
. He would record his first career loss in extra innings against the Chicago Cubs
Chicago Cubs
The Chicago Cubs are a professional baseball team located in Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the Central Division of Major League Baseball's National League. They are one of two Major League clubs based in Chicago . The Cubs are also one of the two remaining charter members of the National...
on April 7, 2008. Meek made nine relief appearances, going 0–1 with a 6.92 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...
, before being designated for assignment on May 4, 2008. He was offered back per Rule V guidelines on May 14. The Pirates paid cash to keep him and sent him down to their minor league teams.
After pitching 9 games with the Curve, Meek was promoted to the Indianapolis Indians
Indianapolis Indians
The Indianapolis Indians are a minor league baseball team based in Indianapolis, Indiana. The team, which plays in the International League, is the Triple-A affiliate of the Pittsburgh Pirates major-league club. The Indians play at Victory Field, located in downtown Indianapolis...
.
2009
Meek spent the 2009 season in the bullpen with the Pirates. He finished the season with a 1–1 record in 41 appearances, had a 3.45 ERA, gave up 2 home runs, 0 hit batsmen, 29 walks, 42 strikeouts, a .209 average against, and a 1.34 WHIP, in 47.0 innings pitched.2010
The 2010 season2010 Major League Baseball season
The 2010 Major League Baseball season began Sunday, April 4, when the Boston Red Sox defeated their long-time rivals, the 2009 World Series champion New York Yankees at Fenway Park, 9–7; the regular season ended on October 3. The 2010 All-Star Game was played on July 13 at Angel Stadium of Anaheim...
is Meek's first full season in the Majors. Meek has been a revelation for the Pirates, dominating the setup role behind Octavio Dotel
Octavio Dotel
Octavio Eduardo Dotel is a Domincan professional baseball pitcher who is currently a Free Agent....
. Often asked by manager John Russell to pitch multiple innings in relief, Meek's performance has rivaled other excellent closers
Closer (baseball)
In baseball, a closing pitcher, more frequently referred to as a closer , is a relief pitcher who specializes in closing out games, i.e., getting the final outs in a close game. Closers often appear when the score is close, and the role is often assigned to a team's best reliever. A small number of...
like Joakim Soria
Joakim Soria
Joakim Agustín Soria Ramos is a Mexican right-handed baseball relief pitcher for the Kansas City Royals of Major League Baseball...
and Brian Wilson despite not being one himself. Early in the season when Dotel had given up runs in six straight games as the closer, Meek had an opportunity in the role and earned his first Major League save on April 29, 2010 to close out a 2–0 win over the Los Angeles Dodgers
Los Angeles Dodgers
The Los Angeles Dodgers are a professional baseball team based in Los Angeles, California. The Dodgers are members of Major League Baseball's National League West Division. Established in 1883, the team originated in Brooklyn, New York, where it was known by a number of nicknames before becoming...
. He showed his true potential on May 14, 2010 against the Chicago Cubs
Chicago Cubs
The Chicago Cubs are a professional baseball team located in Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the Central Division of Major League Baseball's National League. They are one of two Major League clubs based in Chicago . The Cubs are also one of the two remaining charter members of the National...
at Wrigley Field
Wrigley Field
Wrigley Field is a baseball stadium in Chicago, Illinois, United States that has served as the home ballpark of the Chicago Cubs since 1916. It was built in 1914 as Weeghman Park for the Chicago Federal League baseball team, the Chicago Whales...
. Entering the game in the 6th inning with the score tied 6–6, he pitched two scoreless innings of relief, striking out four of the seven Cubs hitters he faced including Derrek Lee
Derrek Lee
Derrek Leon Lee , or "D-Lee", is a Major League Baseball first baseman. Lee has played with the San Diego Padres , the Florida Marlins , Chicago Cubs , Atlanta Braves , Baltimore Orioles and Pittsburgh Pirates . He bats and throws right-handed.Lee was a World Series Champion with Florida in 2003,...
, Xavier Nady
Xavier Nady
Xavier Clifford Nady VI is a Major League Baseball outfielder and first baseman, who is a free agent.-Amateur career:The St. Louis Cardinals originally drafted Nady in the 4th round of the 1997 Major League Baseball Draft after he was named Northern California Player of the Year in his senior...
and Alfonso Soriano
Alfonso Soriano
Alfonso Guilleard Soriano is a Major League Baseball outfielder for the Chicago Cubs....
in the bottom of the 7th. The Pirates rallied behind his strong pitching to win the game 10–6.
Meek delivered one of his finest performances of the season against the Washington Nationals
Washington Nationals
The Washington Nationals are a professional baseball team based in Washington, D.C. The Nationals are a member of the Eastern Division of the National League of Major League Baseball . The team moved into the newly built Nationals Park in 2008, after playing their first three seasons in RFK Stadium...
on June 10, 2010, coming in to relieve Pirates starter Zach Duke
Zach Duke
Zachary Thomas Duke is a starting pitcher in Major League Baseball who currently plays for the Arizona Diamondbacks...
with the bases loaded and no outs. He quickly forced Willie Harris
Willie Harris
William Charles Harris is a Major League Baseball outfielder and infielder. Harris is known for his quick feet and base-stealing abilities, with currently 94 career stolen bases. Harris was formerly a member of the Baltimore Orioles , Chicago White Sox , Boston Red Sox , Atlanta Braves , and...
to line into a double play before retiring Cristian Guzmán
Cristian Guzmán
Cristian Antonio Guzmán is a Dominican baseball player who plays second base and shortstop, who is currently a free agent.-Minnesota Twins:...
, needing only six pitches to get out of the inning with no runs in. Due to his excellent work, he was named to the 2010 MLB All Star Game
2010 Major League Baseball All-Star Game
The 2010 Major League Baseball All-Star Game was the 81st midseason exhibition between the All-Stars of the American League and the National League , the two leagues comprising Major League Baseball...
. At the time of his selection on July 4, 2010, Meek carried a 4–2 record with a 0.96 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...
, a mark that lead all National League
National League
The National League of Professional Baseball Clubs, known simply as the National League , is the older of two leagues constituting Major League Baseball, and the world's oldest extant professional team sports league. Founded on February 2, 1876, to replace the National Association of Professional...
relievers. "It's surprising," Meek said. "A lot of starters and closers go to the game. I've always said there are a lot of great middle relievers out there who deserve to go to the game. I think they're overlooked a little bit. It's amazing to be selected, an overwhelming feeling."
Meek is the first Pirate reliever selected who was not a closer
Closer (baseball)
In baseball, a closing pitcher, more frequently referred to as a closer , is a relief pitcher who specializes in closing out games, i.e., getting the final outs in a close game. Closers often appear when the score is close, and the role is often assigned to a team's best reliever. A small number of...
since Mace Brown
Mace Brown
Mace Stanley Brown was a relief pitcher in Major League Baseball. From 1935 through 1946, he played for the Pittsburgh Pirates, Brooklyn Dodgers, and Boston Red Sox. Brown posted a 76-57 record with a 3.46 ERA and 44 saves in 387 appearances .Brown was also a javelin thrower who attended the...
in 1938 – before the closer position emerged. The Pirates celebrated his nomination at PNC Park
PNC Park
PNC Park is a baseball park located in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. It is the fifth home of the Pittsburgh Pirates, the city's Major League Baseball franchise. It opened during the 2001 Major League Baseball season, after the controlled implosion of the Pirates' previous home, Three Rivers Stadium...
with an 8–5 victory over the visiting 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...
, a game where Meek was the winning pitcher.
On August 3, 2010, Meek recorded his first career base hit, off fellow reliever Jordan Smith
Jordan Smith (baseball)
Jordan Smith is a relief pitcher for the Cincinnati Reds. Smith is 6'4, 220 pounds and bats and throws right handed.-Early life:...
of the Cincinnati Reds
Cincinnati 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....
.
Meek finished the 2010 season with a 2.14 ERA, 70 strikeouts, 4 saves, 15 holds
Hold (baseball)
A hold is awarded to a relief pitcher who meets the following three conditions:Unlike saves, wins, and losses, more than one pitcher per team can earn a hold for a game, though it is not possible for a pitcher to receive more than one hold in a given game...
, and a 5–4 record, all career-highs.
Scouting report
Meek's four-seam fastballFour-seam fastball
A four-seam fastball, also called a rising fastball, a four-seamer, or a cross-seam fastball, is a pitch in baseball. It is a member of the fastball family...
normally sits around 95 mph, although he is capable of reaching 97–98 mph on occasion. It is his primary pitch, throwing it slightly over half the time. Despite missing the final two months of the 2009 Major League Baseball season
2009 Major League Baseball season
The 2009 Major League Baseball season began on Sunday, April 5, 2009 with the Atlanta Braves defeating the 2008 World Series champion Philadelphia Phillies 4–1. The regular season ended on October 6, extended two days for a one-game playoff between the Detroit Tigers and the Minnesota Twins to...
, he added 8 pounds of muscle during the off-season and promised that he would be able to hit 100 mph in 2010. Since his command has improved throughout his career – 5.55 walks per 9 innings in 2009 to around 2.10 in 2010 – opposing batters have shown more willingness to chase the pitch, even out of the strike zone to due his ability throw his other pitches for strikes.
Meek's curveball
Curveball
The curveball is a type of pitch in baseball thrown with a characteristic grip and hand movement that imparts forward spin to the ball causing it to dive in a downward path as it approaches the plate. Its close relatives are the slider and the slurve. The "curve" of the ball varies from pitcher to...
is his primary off-speed pitch, with the velocity sitting around 79–82 mph.
Meek throws a cutter
Cutter (baseball)
In baseball, a cutter, or cut fastball, is a type of fastball which breaks slightly toward the pitcher's glove side as it reaches home plate. This pitch is somewhere between a slider and a fastball, as it is usually thrown faster than a slider but with more motion than a typical fastball. Some...
that was rated in August 2009 as the 3rd most effective cutter in Major League Baseball because of its runs above the MLB average. The pitch has "unfair biting" movement, even against left-handed batters, according to Dejan Kovacevic of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, also known simply as the "PG," is the largest daily newspaper serving metropolitan Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA.-Early history:...
. Average velocity is 92–93 mph and he normally likes to use it when he gets ahead in a count as a strikeout pitch. It is normally a very difficult pitch to hit well, helping him limit the number of extra base hits he allows.
Meek also throws a fourth pitch, an off-speed slider
Slider
In baseball, a slider is a pitch that breaks laterally and down, with a speed between that of a curveball and that of a fastball....
that is seldom used in pressure situations. The pitch normally sits around 80–82 mph, mainly incorporated to keep hitters out of a rhythm. His ability to throw four pitches well however, makes him rare as a relief pitcher as the normal reliever only possesses a two-pitch arsenal.