Mike Fetters
Encyclopedia
Michael Lee Fetters is a former Major League Baseball
relief pitcher
who played for eight teams during his sixteen year career from to . Fetters started his playing career with the California Angels
and also played with the Milwaukee Brewers
, Oakland Athletics
, Baltimore Orioles
, Los Angeles Dodgers
, Pittsburgh Pirates
, Arizona Diamondbacks
, and Minnesota Twins
. Fetters had his best season in when he finished fifth in the American League
in saves with thirty-two with the Brewers. Fetters finished his career with one hundred career saves.
Fetters is of mixed ethnicity, being half-Caucasian
and half-Samoan
in ancestry. Fetters is a graduate of Iolani School
, where he played high school baseball in the early 1980s, in Honolulu, Hawaii
.
Fetters is best known for his head movement while on the mound. Prior to pitching, he takes a deep breath and moves his head quickly 90 degrees to the left. He claims that he is stressed when pitching as the reason for his head movement. While with the Arizona Diamondbacks in , Mark Grace imitated the same move when invited to pitch for one inning. During one game in the 2004 season, Houston Astro
Craig Biggio
imitated Fetters' head movement and scowl while batting against him, drawing laughter from the Houston crowd. Fetters is the cousin of American baritone Stephen Totter
. He currently works as a sports agent in Beverly Hills.
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...
who played for eight teams during his sixteen year career from to . Fetters started his playing career with the California Angels
Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim
The Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim are a professional baseball team based in Anaheim, California, United States. The Angels are a member of the Western Division of Major League Baseball's American League. The "Angels" name originates from the city in which the team started, Los Angeles...
and also played with the Milwaukee Brewers
Milwaukee Brewers
The Milwaukee Brewers are a professional baseball team based in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, currently playing in the Central Division of Major League Baseball's National League...
, 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....
, Baltimore Orioles
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...
, 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...
, 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...
, Arizona Diamondbacks
Arizona Diamondbacks
The Arizona Diamondbacks are a professional baseball team based in Phoenix. They play in the West Division of Major League Baseball's National League. From 1998 to the present, they have played in Chase Field...
, and 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...
. Fetters had his best season in when he finished fifth in the American League
American League
The American League of Professional Baseball Clubs, or simply the American League , is one of two leagues that make up Major League Baseball in the United States and Canada. It developed from the Western League, a minor league based in the Great Lakes states, which eventually aspired to major...
in saves with thirty-two with the Brewers. Fetters finished his career with one hundred career saves.
Fetters is of mixed ethnicity, being half-Caucasian
Caucasian race
The term Caucasian race has been used to denote the general physical type of some or all of the populations of Europe, North Africa, the Horn of Africa, Western Asia , Central Asia and South Asia...
and half-Samoan
Samoans
The Samoan people are a Polynesian ethnic group of the Samoan Islands, sharing genetics, language, history and culture. Due to colonialism, the home islands are politically and geographically divided between the country of Samoa, official name Independent State of Samoa ; and American Samoa, an...
in ancestry. Fetters is a graduate of Iolani School
Iolani School
Iolani School, located at 563 Kamoku Street in Honolulu, Hawaii, is a private coeducational college preparatory school serving over 1,800 students. Founded in 1863 by Father William R. Scott, it was the principal school of the former Anglican Church of Hawaii. It was patronized by Kamehameha IV...
, where he played high school baseball in the early 1980s, in Honolulu, Hawaii
Honolulu, Hawaii
Honolulu is the capital and the most populous city of the U.S. state of Hawaii. Honolulu is the southernmost major U.S. city. Although the name "Honolulu" refers to the urban area on the southeastern shore of the island of Oahu, the city and county government are consolidated as the City and...
.
Fetters is best known for his head movement while on the mound. Prior to pitching, he takes a deep breath and moves his head quickly 90 degrees to the left. He claims that he is stressed when pitching as the reason for his head movement. While with the Arizona Diamondbacks in , Mark Grace imitated the same move when invited to pitch for one inning. During one game in the 2004 season, Houston Astro
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...
Craig Biggio
Craig Biggio
Craig Alan Biggio is a former Major League Baseball second baseman, catcher, and outfielder. He played his entire 20-year baseball career with the Houston Astros . He ranks 21st all-time with 3,060 career hits, and is the ninth player in the 3000 hit club to get all his hits with the same team. He...
imitated Fetters' head movement and scowl while batting against him, drawing laughter from the Houston crowd. Fetters is the cousin of American baritone Stephen Totter
Stephen Totter
Stephen Totter is an American operatic baritone.He is known for his formidable stage presence combined with excellent diction and interpretation. Born on May 3, 1963, Totter performed the title role in the premier recording of Leonardo Balada's Torquemada for baritone soloist, choir and orchestra...
. He currently works as a sports agent in Beverly Hills.