Nick Neugebauer
Encyclopedia
Nickolas Donald Neugebauer (born July 15, 1980 in Riverside, California
) is a former Major League Baseball
starting pitcher
who spent the entirety of his brief playing career with the Milwaukee Brewers
. Despite being touted as one of the organization's "top prospects of the decade" by Baseball America
on two occasions, a rotator cuff injury
suffered during the 2002 season ultimately cut his career short.
in Riverside, California
, and was drafted out of there by the Milwaukee Brewers
with the 56th pick in the 2nd round of the 1998 amateur draft; he was promptly signed to a contract on August 27, 1998. He began play for the Brewers the next year, playing out the entire season with the single-A-level Beloit Snappers
; in 80.2 innings pitched for them, he compiled a record of 7 wins and 5 losses with an earned run average of 3.91 in 18 starts.
Neugebauer received a promotion within the Brewers' farm system for the season, and began play that year with the Mudville Nine
. After compiling a record of 4 wins and 4 losses with an earned run average of 4.19 in 77.1 innings pitched for Mudville, he was promoted mid-season to the Huntsville Stars
, where he finished the season with a record of 1 win and 3 losses and an earned run average of 3.73 in 50.2 innings pitched. It was during this year that he began to be touted as a top prospect by Baseball America
; during the 2000 season, he was named as Milwaukee's top farm system prospect.
Neugebauer would enjoy an even more successful year in , beginning the year with Huntsville; in 106.2 innings pitched, he had an earned run average of 3.46 and a record of 5 wins and 6 losses with a strikeouts per 9 innings pitched total of 12.6. Neugebauer was called up to the Indianapolis Indians
partway through the season, compiling a record of 2 wins and 1 loss in 24 innings pitched with an earned run average of only 1.50. After compiling these numbers, Neugebauer was called up by the Brewers in August 2001 to pitch for them at the major league level.
, he struck out nine and gave up one earned run on three hits for a game earned run average of 1.80, earning his first career major league victory in the process.
Neugebauer's second and final major league start for the 2001 season would not go so well, however; in only one inning of work against the Colorado Rockies
, he gave up three earned runs and one home run on three hits en route to his first career major league loss.
ranked him the seventeenth best prospect in all of baseball and Milwaukee's top prospect. However, the year started disastrously for him; after losing his first start of the season against the Arizona Diamondbacks
, he would give up a combined total of six earned runs in his next two starts before collecting his first win of the season against the St. Louis Cardinals
on April 21. Hampered by a rotator cuff injury suffered during the season, Neugebauer would finish the season with a dismal record of 1 win and 7 losses in 55.1 innings pitched with a 4.72 earned run average.
– in 2004, Neugebauer gave up two earned runs on one hit in one inning of work in his only start of the season, finishing him with an 18.00 earned run average for the year. He was released by the Brewers on September 10, 2004, and eventually retired from the sport.
Riverside, California
Riverside is a city in Riverside County, California, United States, and the county seat of the eponymous county. Named for its location beside the Santa Ana River, it is the largest city in the Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario metropolitan area of Southern California, 4th largest inland California...
) is a former 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...
starting pitcher
Starting pitcher
In baseball or softball, a starting pitcher is the pitcher who delivers the first pitch to the first batter of a game. A pitcher who enters the game after the first pitch of the game is a relief pitcher....
who spent the entirety of his brief playing career 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...
. Despite being touted as one of the organization's "top prospects of the decade" by Baseball America
Baseball America
Baseball America is a magazine which covers baseball at every level, with a particular focus on up-and-coming players in high school, college, Japan, and the minor leagues. It is currently published in the form of a bi-weekly newspaper, five annual reference book titles, a weekly podcast, and a...
on two occasions, a rotator cuff injury
Rotator cuff tear
Rotator cuff tears are tears of one or more of the four tendons of the rotator cuff muscles. A rotator cuff injury can include any type of irritation or damage to the rotator cuff muscles or tendons....
suffered during the 2002 season ultimately cut his career short.
Early years and pre-major league years
Neugebauer attended Arlington High SchoolArlington High School (Riverside, California)
Arlington High School is a public high school in Riverside, California, United States.-History:Founded in 1973, Arlington is one of 5 comprehensive high schools in Riverside Unified School District...
in Riverside, California
Riverside, California
Riverside is a city in Riverside County, California, United States, and the county seat of the eponymous county. Named for its location beside the Santa Ana River, it is the largest city in the Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario metropolitan area of Southern California, 4th largest inland California...
, and was drafted out of there by 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...
with the 56th pick in the 2nd round of the 1998 amateur draft; he was promptly signed to a contract on August 27, 1998. He began play for the Brewers the next year, playing out the entire season with the single-A-level Beloit Snappers
Beloit Snappers
The Beloit Snappers are a Class A minor league baseball team, affiliated with the Minnesota Twins, that plays in the Midwest League.Beloit joined the Midwest League as an expansion franchise in 1982. They were a Milwaukee Brewers farm team from its beginning through 2004; they switched to the...
; in 80.2 innings pitched for them, he compiled a record of 7 wins and 5 losses with an earned run average of 3.91 in 18 starts.
Neugebauer received a promotion within the Brewers' farm system for the season, and began play that year with the Mudville Nine
Stockton Ports
The Stockton Ports are a baseball team in Stockton, California. The Ports play in the Northern Division of the Class A – Advanced California League and are a Minor League affiliate of the Oakland Athletics. Their home field is Banner Island Ballpark which seats over 5,000 people and opened in...
. After compiling a record of 4 wins and 4 losses with an earned run average of 4.19 in 77.1 innings pitched for Mudville, he was promoted mid-season to the Huntsville Stars
Huntsville Stars
The Huntsville Stars are a minor league baseball team of the Southern League and are the Double-A affiliate of the Milwaukee Brewers. They are located in Huntsville, Alabama and are named for the space industry with which Huntsville is economically tied .The Stars play their home games at Joe W...
, where he finished the season with a record of 1 win and 3 losses and an earned run average of 3.73 in 50.2 innings pitched. It was during this year that he began to be touted as a top prospect by Baseball America
Baseball America
Baseball America is a magazine which covers baseball at every level, with a particular focus on up-and-coming players in high school, college, Japan, and the minor leagues. It is currently published in the form of a bi-weekly newspaper, five annual reference book titles, a weekly podcast, and a...
; during the 2000 season, he was named as Milwaukee's top farm system prospect.
Neugebauer would enjoy an even more successful year in , beginning the year with Huntsville; in 106.2 innings pitched, he had an earned run average of 3.46 and a record of 5 wins and 6 losses with a strikeouts per 9 innings pitched total of 12.6. Neugebauer was called up 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...
partway through the season, compiling a record of 2 wins and 1 loss in 24 innings pitched with an earned run average of only 1.50. After compiling these numbers, Neugebauer was called up by the Brewers in August 2001 to pitch for them at the major league level.
Major league debut
After getting called up, Neugebauer made his debut for the Brewers on August 19, 2001. In five innings of work for the Brewers against 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....
, he struck out nine and gave up one earned run on three hits for a game earned run average of 1.80, earning his first career major league victory in the process.
Neugebauer's second and final major league start for the 2001 season would not go so well, however; in only one inning of work against the Colorado Rockies
Colorado Rockies
The Colorado Rockies are a Major League Baseball team based in Denver, Colorado. Established in 1991, they started play in 1993 and are in the West Division of the National League. The team is named after the Rocky Mountains...
, he gave up three earned runs and one home run on three hits en route to his first career major league loss.
2002 season
Neugebauer was on the Brewers' major league roster at the start of the 2002 season, projected as the fifth starter in their five-man rotation. At the inception of this season, Baseball AmericaBaseball America
Baseball America is a magazine which covers baseball at every level, with a particular focus on up-and-coming players in high school, college, Japan, and the minor leagues. It is currently published in the form of a bi-weekly newspaper, five annual reference book titles, a weekly podcast, and a...
ranked him the seventeenth best prospect in all of baseball and Milwaukee's top prospect. However, the year started disastrously for him; after losing his first start of the season against the 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...
, he would give up a combined total of six earned runs in his next two starts before collecting his first win of the season against 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...
on April 21. Hampered by a rotator cuff injury suffered during the season, Neugebauer would finish the season with a dismal record of 1 win and 7 losses in 55.1 innings pitched with a 4.72 earned run average.
Surgery and eventual retirement
Neugebauer underwent arthroscopic shoulder surgery on February 28, 2003, causing him to miss the entire 2003 season. In a brief comeback attempt with the Brewers' "A advanced" affiliate – the High Desert MavericksHigh Desert Mavericks
The High Desert Mavericks are a minor league baseball team in Adelanto, California, USA. Their Major League parent club is the Seattle Mariners. They are a Class A - Advanced team in the California League and had been a farm team of the Kansas City Royals since 2005 before the switch...
– in 2004, Neugebauer gave up two earned runs on one hit in one inning of work in his only start of the season, finishing him with an 18.00 earned run average for the year. He was released by the Brewers on September 10, 2004, and eventually retired from the sport.