Wade Miller
Encyclopedia
Wade Thomas Miller is a former Major League Baseball
starting pitcher
for the Houston Astros
from through the Boston Red Sox
in and the Chicago Cubs
in and . He bats and throws right-handed. He attended Brandywine Heights High School in Topton, and also played for the Kutztown American Legion Baseball team in Pennsylvania.
A winner of 45 games in a three-year period for the Astros, Miller was one of the best young pitchers in the National League
before injuring the rotator cuff
in his pitching shoulder in 2004.
Miller went 16-8 with 183 strikeout
s and a 3.40 ERA
in . A year later, he was close behind at 15-4, 144, 3.35, and tied the club record with a 12-game winning streak over the summer. He then pitched through right forearm pain in , but still was 14-13, 161, 4.13, and led his team in starts (33) and innings
(187.1).
In 2004, Miller was 7-7 with 74 strikeouts and a 3.35 ERA in 15 starts before going on the disabled list
in June with a season-ending rotator cuff
injury. The Astros believed he was playing hurt with shoulder and elbow injuries much of the year before, but he never complained about them.
A free agent before the 2005 season, Miller was signed by the Boston Red Sox. He started the year on the disabled list. The acquisition paid off well when Miller was activated on May 8, while starters Curt Schilling
and David Wells
spent time on the DL. He finished the 2005 season with a record of 4-4 and a 4.95 ERA.
On January 23, , the Chicago Cubs
signed Miller to a one-year, one million dollar contract, with $1 million more in incentives. Miller made his first start of the 2006 season on September 9. Overall, Miller made five starts in 2006, finishing with a record of 0-2 with a 4.57 ERA. He filed for free agency after the season.
On November 9, 2006, Miller signed an incentive-laden, 1.5 million dollar one-year extension to stay with the Chicago Cubs under new manager
Lou Piniella
. However, after three unsuccessful starts where he compiled a 10+ ERA, Miller was once again placed on the DL in July 2007. He was placed on waivers granting his unconditional release from the Cubs in August .
On March 7, 2009, Miller agreed to a minor league contract with the Toronto Blue Jays
.
In a nine-year career, Miller has compiled a 62-45 record with 743 strikeouts and a 4.00 ERA in 880.2 innings.
Miller was inducted into the Reading Phillies Hall of Fame on July 21st 2011.
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....
for the Houston Astros
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...
from through the Boston Red Sox
Boston Red Sox
The Boston Red Sox are a professional baseball team based in Boston, Massachusetts, and a member of Major League Baseball’s American League Eastern Division. Founded in as one of the American League's eight charter franchises, the Red Sox's home ballpark has been Fenway Park since . The "Red Sox"...
in and 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...
in and . He bats and throws right-handed. He attended Brandywine Heights High School in Topton, and also played for the Kutztown American Legion Baseball team in Pennsylvania.
Career
Drafted out of Alvernia College, Reading, PA by the Houston Astros in 1996.A winner of 45 games in a three-year period for the Astros, Miller was one of the best young pitchers in the 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...
before injuring the rotator cuff
Rotator cuff
In anatomy, the rotator cuff is the group of muscles and their tendons that act to stabilize the shoulder. The four muscles of the rotator cuff, along with the teres major muscle, the coracobrachialis muscle and the deltoid, make up the seven scapulohumeral muscles of the human body.-Function:The...
in his pitching shoulder in 2004.
Miller went 16-8 with 183 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 and a 3.40 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...
in . A year later, he was close behind at 15-4, 144, 3.35, and tied the club record with a 12-game winning streak over the summer. He then pitched through right forearm pain in , but still was 14-13, 161, 4.13, and led his team in starts (33) and innings
Innings
An inning, or innings, is a fixed-length segment of a game in any of a variety of sports – most notably cricket and baseball during which one team attempts to score while the other team attempts to prevent the first from scoring. In cricket, the term innings is both singular and plural and is...
(187.1).
In 2004, Miller was 7-7 with 74 strikeouts and a 3.35 ERA in 15 starts before going on the disabled list
Disabled list
In Major League Baseball, the disabled list is a method for teams to remove their injured players from the roster in order to summon healthy players.-General guidelines:...
in June with a season-ending rotator cuff
Rotator cuff
In anatomy, the rotator cuff is the group of muscles and their tendons that act to stabilize the shoulder. The four muscles of the rotator cuff, along with the teres major muscle, the coracobrachialis muscle and the deltoid, make up the seven scapulohumeral muscles of the human body.-Function:The...
injury. The Astros believed he was playing hurt with shoulder and elbow injuries much of the year before, but he never complained about them.
A free agent before the 2005 season, Miller was signed by the Boston Red Sox. He started the year on the disabled list. The acquisition paid off well when Miller was activated on May 8, while starters Curt Schilling
Curt Schilling
Curtis Montague "Curt" Schilling is a former American Major League Baseball right-handed pitcher. He helped lead the Philadelphia Phillies to the World Series in and won World Series championships in with the Arizona Diamondbacks and in and with the Boston Red Sox. Schilling retired with a...
and David Wells
David Wells
David Lee Wells , nicknamed "Boomer", is a former Major League Baseball pitcher. Wells was considered to be one of the game's better left-handed pitchers, especially during his years with the New York Yankees and the Toronto Blue Jays. He pitched the fifteenth perfect game in baseball history...
spent time on the DL. He finished the 2005 season with a record of 4-4 and a 4.95 ERA.
On January 23, , 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...
signed Miller to a one-year, one million dollar contract, with $1 million more in incentives. Miller made his first start of the 2006 season on September 9. Overall, Miller made five starts in 2006, finishing with a record of 0-2 with a 4.57 ERA. He filed for free agency after the season.
On November 9, 2006, Miller signed an incentive-laden, 1.5 million dollar one-year extension to stay with the Chicago Cubs under new manager
Manager (baseball)
In baseball, the field manager is an individual who is responsible for matters of team strategy on the field and team leadership. Managers are typically assisted by between one and six assistant coaches, whose responsibilities are specialized...
Lou Piniella
Lou Piniella
Louis Victor Piniella is a former Major League Baseball outfielder and manager. He has been nicknamed "Sweet Lou," both for his swing as a major league hitter and, facetiously, to describe his demeanor as a player and manager...
. However, after three unsuccessful starts where he compiled a 10+ ERA, Miller was once again placed on the DL in July 2007. He was placed on waivers granting his unconditional release from the Cubs in August .
On March 7, 2009, Miller agreed to a minor league contract with the Toronto Blue Jays
Toronto Blue Jays
The Toronto Blue Jays are a professional baseball team located in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The Blue Jays are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball 's American League ....
.
In a nine-year career, Miller has compiled a 62-45 record with 743 strikeouts and a 4.00 ERA in 880.2 innings.
Miller was inducted into the Reading Phillies Hall of Fame on July 21st 2011.