Max Scherzer
Encyclopedia
Maxwell M. "Max" Scherzer (born July 27, 1984) is an American professional baseball
pitcher
with the Detroit Tigers
of Major League Baseball
. He currently resides in Phoenix, Arizona
.
, Scherzer was drafted by the St. Louis Cardinals
in the 43rd round (1,291st overall) in the 2003 Major League Baseball Draft
but did not sign and instead attended the University of Missouri
in Columbia, Missouri
. He was then drafted again in 2006 by the Arizona Diamondbacks, this time in the 1st round as the 11th overall pick.
. He was promoted to Double-A Mobile BayBears
after three impressive starts for the Oaks. In 2007, Scherzer also played for the Fort Worth Cats
, an independent baseball team. During the 2008 offseason, he was named the fourth-best prospect in the Diamondback's organization. After a good start to the 2008 season in Tucson he was called up to the Diamondbacks on April 27, 2008. In 2007,
when he came on in relief and threw 4⅓ perfect innings while striking out
seven. While doing so he also set the record for the number of consecutive batters retired (13) for a pitcher making his MLB debut as a reliever. The previous record was 12 set in 1962 by the Dodgers' Pete Richert
. The seven strikeouts were one short of the major-league record for most in a debut relief appearance. The Pirates
' Barry Jones
had eight on April 20, 1986. On April 30, 2008, the Diamondbacks announced he would be placed into the starting rotation, due to his impressive start. In his first appearance as a starter for the D-Backs, Scherzer allowed five runs (two earned) in four innings, while striking out five, taking the first loss of his major league career. He pitched against the Cardinals, his favorite team growing up, on September 24 and lost for the fourth time in his career in a winless season, going five innings, allowing seven hits and four runs (two earned) while walking two and striking out four. Scherzer recorded his first victory in a 12–0 win over the Atlanta Braves
on May 16, 2009. On May 26, Scherzer recorded his second win of his career.
Scherzer participated in the 2008 Arizona Fall League
season as member of the Phoenix Desert Dogs
.
Scherzer started as the fifth starter in the D-Backs rotation for 2009.
to the Detroit Tigers as part of a three team trade that brought Ian Kennedy
and Edwin Jackson
to the Diamondbacks and Curtis Granderson
to the New York Yankees.
Detroit optioned Scherzer to the Triple-A Toledo Mud Hens
on May 16, 2010, replacing him with Armando Galarraga
. Shortly thereafter he returned successfully to the major leagues, going 6–4 in twelve starts with an ERA of 2.62 and 85 strikeouts in 75.2 innings.
On May 30 against the Oakland Athletics
, Scherzer accumulated 14 strikeout
s in only 5⅔ innings pitched. This was the fourth time in his career that he has had 10 or more strikeouts in a single game. He allowed two hits, four walks, and hit a batter on his last pitch
before being replaced. That mark was tied for the most strikeouts in Comerica Park
history with Jeremy Bonderman
and tied for second in franchise history behind Mickey Lolich
, who had 16 strikeouts in one game. On July 26, Scherzer and Tampa Bay Rays
pitcher Matt Garza
took a no-hit duel into the sixth inning. Scherzer lost the no-hit bid after giving up a grand slam to Matt Joyce
. Garza went on to throw the no hitter.
On September 1 against the Minnesota Twins
Scherzer pitched into the 9th for the first time in his career, giving up one run on four hits and one walk while striking out nine on 107 pitches, though the Tigers lost the game in the 10th inning.
Scherzer finished the 2010 season with a 12–11 record, 3.50 ERA and 184 strikeouts. Despite spending some time in the minor leagues, his strikeout total was still good for 10th in the American League.
In the 2011 season, Scherzer is the third starter in the rotation, and won six straight starts early in the year, being the first Tiger since Jeremy Bonderman
in 2006 to accomplish this feat.
After the acquisition of Doug Fister
, and the success Scherzer had in the first half of the 2011 season, he has been bumped up to the second starter, with Fister placed at third, and Brad Penny
moved to fourth.
In 2011, he was 15–9, and was 3rd in the AL in home runs allowed (29), 4th in wild pitches, 5th in hit by pitch (10), 9th in win-loss percentage (.625), and 10th in wins.
Baseball
Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each. The aim is to score runs by hitting a thrown ball with a bat and touching a series of four bases arranged at the corners of a ninety-foot diamond...
pitcher
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...
with the 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...
of 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 currently resides in Phoenix, Arizona
Phoenix, Arizona
Phoenix is the capital, and largest city, of the U.S. state of Arizona, as well as the sixth most populated city in the United States. Phoenix is home to 1,445,632 people according to the official 2010 U.S. Census Bureau data...
.
Early life
After playing for Parkway Central High SchoolParkway Central High School
Parkway Central High School is a secondary school located in Chesterfield, Missouri. The school's mascot is the Colt. Parkway Central High School is the original high school in the Parkway School District in St. Louis County. It serves 1,353 students in grades 9-12...
, Scherzer was drafted by the St. Louis Cardinals
St. Louis Cardinals
The St. Louis Cardinals are a professional baseball team based in St. Louis, Missouri. They are members of the Central Division in the National League of Major League Baseball. The Cardinals have won eleven World Series championships, the most of any National League team, and second overall only to...
in the 43rd round (1,291st overall) in the 2003 Major League Baseball Draft
2003 Major League Baseball Draft
The 2003 First-Year Player Draft, Major League Baseball's annual amateur draft, was held on June 3 and 4. It was conducted via conference call with representatives from each of the league's 30 teams.Source: -First round selections:...
but did not sign and instead attended the University of Missouri
University of Missouri
The University of Missouri System is a state university system providing centralized administration for four universities, a health care system, an extension program, five research and technology parks, and a publishing press. More than 64,000 students are currently enrolled at its four campuses...
in Columbia, Missouri
Columbia, Missouri
Columbia is the fifth-largest city in Missouri, and the largest city in Mid-Missouri. With a population of 108,500 as of the 2010 Census, it is the principal municipality of the Columbia Metropolitan Area, a region of 164,283 residents. The city serves as the county seat of Boone County and as the...
. He was then drafted again in 2006 by the Arizona Diamondbacks, this time in the 1st round as the 11th overall pick.
Minor leagues
He began playing in the Diamondbacks organization in 2007 with the Single-A Visalia OaksVisalia Oaks
The Visalia Rawhide are a minor league baseball team in Visalia, California, U.S. They are a Class A - Advanced team of the Arizona Diamondbacks operating in the California League and have recently agreed to renew their affiliation through 2012....
. He was promoted to Double-A Mobile BayBears
Mobile BayBears
The Mobile BayBears are a minor league baseball team based in Mobile, Alabama, United States. The team, which plays in the Southern League, is the Double-A affiliate of the Arizona Diamondbacks major league club. The BayBears play in Hank Aaron Stadium, named after baseball's former all-time home...
after three impressive starts for the Oaks. In 2007, Scherzer also played for the Fort Worth Cats
Fort Worth Cats
The Fort Worth Cats are a professional baseball team based in Fort Worth, Texas, in the United States. The Cats are a member of the South Division of the American Association of Independent Professional Baseball, which is not affiliated with Major League Baseball. Since the 2002 season the Cats...
, an independent baseball team. During the 2008 offseason, he was named the fourth-best prospect in the Diamondback's organization. After a good start to the 2008 season in Tucson he was called up to the Diamondbacks on April 27, 2008. In 2007,
Arizona Diamondbacks
On April 29, 2008, Scherzer made his MLB debut against the Houston AstrosHouston 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...
when he came on in relief and threw 4⅓ perfect innings while striking out
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....
seven. While doing so he also set the record for the number of consecutive batters retired (13) for a pitcher making his MLB debut as a reliever. The previous record was 12 set in 1962 by the Dodgers' Pete Richert
Pete Richert
Peter Gerard Richert is a former Major League Baseball left-handed pitcher. He pitched for the Los Angeles Dodgers , Washington Senators , Baltimore Orioles , St...
. The seven strikeouts were one short of the major-league record for most in a debut relief appearance. The 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...
' Barry Jones
Barry Jones (baseball)
Barry Louis Jones is a retired Major League Baseball pitcher. He played during eight seasons at the major league level for the Pittsburgh Pirates, Chicago White Sox, Montreal Expos, Philadelphia Phillies, and New York Mets. He was drafted by the Pirates in the 3rd round of the 1984 amateur draft...
had eight on April 20, 1986. On April 30, 2008, the Diamondbacks announced he would be placed into the starting rotation, due to his impressive start. In his first appearance as a starter for the D-Backs, Scherzer allowed five runs (two earned) in four innings, while striking out five, taking the first loss of his major league career. He pitched against the Cardinals, his favorite team growing up, on September 24 and lost for the fourth time in his career in a winless season, going five innings, allowing seven hits and four runs (two earned) while walking two and striking out four. Scherzer recorded his first victory in a 12–0 win over the Atlanta Braves
Atlanta Braves
The Atlanta Braves are a professional baseball club based in Atlanta, Georgia. The Braves are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League. The Braves have played in Turner Field since 1997....
on May 16, 2009. On May 26, Scherzer recorded his second win of his career.
Scherzer participated in the 2008 Arizona Fall League
Arizona Fall League
The Arizona Fall League is an off-season league owned and operated by Major League Baseball which operates during the fall in Arizona, United States at five spring training complexes...
season as member of the Phoenix Desert Dogs
Phoenix Desert Dogs
The Phoenix Desert Dogs are a baseball team that plays in the East Division of the Arizona Fall League located in Phoenix, Arizona. They play their home games at Phoenix Municipal Stadium, the spring training home of the Oakland Athletics...
.
Scherzer started as the fifth starter in the D-Backs rotation for 2009.
Detroit Tigers
On December 9, 2009, Scherzer was traded along with Daniel SchlerethDaniel Schlereth
Daniel Robert Schlereth is a Major League Baseball pitcher for the Detroit Tigers.-Early years:Schlereth was born in Anchorage, Alaska, before moving to Highlands Ranch, Colorado. He is a graduate of Highlands Ranch High School. During his senior year, he struck out a school record 19 batters in a...
to the Detroit Tigers as part of a three team trade that brought Ian Kennedy
Ian Kennedy
Ian Patrick Kennedy is a right-handed Major League Baseball pitcher for the Arizona Diamondbacks.He is 6' 0" tall and weighs 190 pounds...
and Edwin Jackson
Edwin Jackson
Edwin Jackson is an American professional baseball pitcher.-Early life:Jackson's father, Edwin Jackson, Sr., a military cook, was stationed in Germany at the time of his birth. Jackson is one of 27 major league players who were born in Germany...
to the Diamondbacks and Curtis Granderson
Curtis Granderson
Curtis Granderson is an American Major League Baseball player for the New York Yankees. Before joining the Yankees in 2010, he played with the Detroit Tigers . A center fielder, Granderson is known for being a five-tool player...
to the New York Yankees.
Detroit optioned Scherzer to the Triple-A Toledo Mud Hens
Toledo Mud Hens
The Toledo Mud Hens are a minor league baseball team located in Toledo, Ohio. The Mud Hens play in the International League, and are affiliated with the major league baseball team the Detroit Tigers, based approximately 50 miles to the north of Toledo. The current team is one of several...
on May 16, 2010, replacing him with Armando Galarraga
Armando Galarraga
Armando Antonio Galarraga is a Venezuelan professional baseball pitcher who is a free agent. Galarraga made his Major League Baseball debut with the Texas Rangers on September 15, 2007...
. Shortly thereafter he returned successfully to the major leagues, going 6–4 in twelve starts with an ERA of 2.62 and 85 strikeouts in 75.2 innings.
On May 30 against the Oakland Athletics
Oakland Athletics
The Oakland Athletics are a Major League Baseball team based in Oakland, California. The Athletics are a member of the Western Division of Major League Baseball's American League. From to the present, the Athletics have played in the O.co Coliseum....
, Scherzer accumulated 14 strikeout
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....
s in only 5⅔ innings pitched. This was the fourth time in his career that he has had 10 or more strikeouts in a single game. He allowed two hits, four walks, and hit a batter on his last pitch
Pitch (baseball)
In baseball, a pitch is the act of throwing a baseball toward home plate to start a play. The term comes from the Knickerbocker Rules. Originally, the ball had to be literally "pitched" underhand, as with pitching horseshoes. Overhand throwing was not allowed until 1884.The biomechanics of...
before being replaced. That mark was tied for the most strikeouts in Comerica Park
Comerica Park
Comerica Park is an open-air ballpark located in downtown Detroit, Michigan. It serves as the home of the Detroit Tigers of Major League Baseball's American League, replacing historic Tiger Stadium in 2000....
history with Jeremy Bonderman
Jeremy Bonderman
Jeremy Allen Bonderman is a Major League Baseball starting pitcher who currently is a free agent. Bonderman is six feet and two inches tall and weighs 220 pounds. He bats and throws right-handed...
and tied for second in franchise history behind Mickey Lolich
Mickey Lolich
Michael Stephen Lolich is a former Major League Baseball pitcher from 1962 until 1979 who played the majority of his career with the Detroit Tigers.-Baseball career:...
, who had 16 strikeouts in one game. On July 26, Scherzer and Tampa Bay Rays
Tampa Bay Rays
The Tampa Bay Rays are a Major League Baseball team based in St. Petersburg, Florida. The Rays are a member of the Eastern Division of MLB's American League. Since their inception in , the club has played at Tropicana Field...
pitcher Matt Garza
Matt Garza
Matthew Scott Garza is a United States professional baseball pitcher with the Chicago Cubs of Major League Baseball.-Amateur career:He attended Washington Union High School and Fresno State.-Minnesota Twins:...
took a no-hit duel into the sixth inning. Scherzer lost the no-hit bid after giving up a grand slam to Matt Joyce
Matt Joyce (baseball)
Matthew R. Joyce is a Major League Baseball outfielder for the Tampa Bay Rays.-Early life:Joyce began his career at North Brandon Little League in Brandon, Florida....
. Garza went on to throw the no hitter.
On September 1 against the Minnesota Twins
Minnesota 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...
Scherzer pitched into the 9th for the first time in his career, giving up one run on four hits and one walk while striking out nine on 107 pitches, though the Tigers lost the game in the 10th inning.
Scherzer finished the 2010 season with a 12–11 record, 3.50 ERA and 184 strikeouts. Despite spending some time in the minor leagues, his strikeout total was still good for 10th in the American League.
In the 2011 season, Scherzer is the third starter in the rotation, and won six straight starts early in the year, being the first Tiger since Jeremy Bonderman
Jeremy Bonderman
Jeremy Allen Bonderman is a Major League Baseball starting pitcher who currently is a free agent. Bonderman is six feet and two inches tall and weighs 220 pounds. He bats and throws right-handed...
in 2006 to accomplish this feat.
After the acquisition of Doug Fister
Doug Fister
Douglas Wildes Fister is a Major League Baseball starting pitcher for the Detroit Tigers.Fister bats left-handed, and throws right-handed. He was born in Merced, California and attended Golden Valley High School. For college, Fister attended Merced College, and later Fresno State University...
, and the success Scherzer had in the first half of the 2011 season, he has been bumped up to the second starter, with Fister placed at third, and Brad Penny
Brad Penny
Bradley Wayne "Brad" Penny is a Major League starting pitcher. Penny has spent portions of his career with the Florida Marlins, Los Angeles Dodgers, Boston Red Sox, San Francisco Giants, St. Louis Cardinals and Detroit Tigers....
moved to fourth.
In 2011, he was 15–9, and was 3rd in the AL in home runs allowed (29), 4th in wild pitches, 5th in hit by pitch (10), 9th in win-loss percentage (.625), and 10th in wins.