Zach Miner
Encyclopedia
Zachary Charles Miner is a Major League Baseball
pitcher
currently in the Kansas City Royals
organization. He bats and throws right-handed.
. Miner was a fourth round pick by the Atlanta Braves
, and in 2000, he received the second-team All-American pitcher award, and had been offered a full ride to Miami University
.
Miner spent 2001–2004 in the Braves minor league system, pitching for the class-A Jamestown Jammers
(2001), class-A Macon Braves (2002), class-A Myrtle Beach Pelicans
(2003), and class-AA Greenville Braves
(2004). 2005 found him with the class-AA Mississippi Braves
, but after four games he was promoted to the class-AAA Richmond Braves
. Miner started 17 games for the Braves, going 2–7 with a 4.23 ERA. On July 31, 2005, the Braves traded Miner along with relief pitcher Román Colón
to the Detroit Tigers for setup man/closer
Kyle Farnsworth
.
, but he was called up to the Tigers in May 2006 to replace the injured Mike Maroth
. He was a reliable 5th starter but was moved to the bullpen
near the end of the season. He was on the Tigers playoff roster as a reliever. He pitched once in the 2006 World Series
against the St. Louis Cardinals
.
In 2007 Zach started the season in Triple A Toledo, but was called up on May 17, and made a spot start against the Boston Red Sox
in place of the sick Mike Maroth
. After a brief return to Toledo, Miner was called up to help in the bullpen. He finished the season 3–4 while pitching in 34 games. Zach allowed 2 runs, 18 earned, through 53⅔ innings.
Miner started the 2008 season with the Tigers, but was sent to Toledo July 2 after walking
four batters in two inning
s in a loss to the Minnesota Twins
. On July 21, Miner returned to the Tigers as a starter against the Kansas City Royals. Miner pitched six shutout innings in the Tigers 19–4 victory.
In April 2009, Miner came off a strong start in his first outing of the season to being roughed up in his second outing against the White Sox. In this game, he allowed back to back home runs to Jermaine Dye and Paul Konerko - the 300th of each man's career.
Miner underwent Tommy John surgery in June, 2010 and missed the entire 2010 season, after which he was designated for assignment
.
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...
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...
currently in the Kansas City Royals
Kansas City Royals
The Kansas City Royals are a Major League Baseball team based in Kansas City, Missouri. The Royals are a member of the Central Division of Major League Baseball's American League. From 1973 to the present, the Royals have played in Kauffman Stadium...
organization. He bats and throws right-handed.
Atlanta Braves
Standing at 6 foot 3 inches and 205 pounds, Miner had no previous college experience before playing minor and major league baseball. He did, however, play high school baseball for Palm Beach Gardens Community High SchoolPalm Beach Gardens Community High School
Palm Beach Gardens Community High School is a public magnet high school for grades 9-12 in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida. The school mascot is the Gator. It is well known for its athletics and medical magnet program. It was built in 1969 as a public high school...
. Miner was a fourth round pick by 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....
, and in 2000, he received the second-team All-American pitcher award, and had been offered a full ride to Miami University
Miami University
Miami University is a coeducational public research university located in Oxford, Ohio, United States. Founded in 1809, it is the 10th oldest public university in the United States and the second oldest university in Ohio, founded four years after Ohio University. In its 2012 edition, U.S...
.
Miner spent 2001–2004 in the Braves minor league system, pitching for the class-A Jamestown Jammers
Jamestown Jammers
The Jamestown Jammers are a minor league baseball team in Jamestown, New York, United States. The team is the Short-Season A classification affiliate of the Miami Marlins and plays in the New York - Penn League...
(2001), class-A Macon Braves (2002), class-A Myrtle Beach Pelicans
Myrtle Beach Pelicans
The Myrtle Beach Pelicans are a minor league baseball team in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. They are a Class A Advanced team in the Carolina League and the franchise is currently the farm team of the Texas Rangers. From their inaugural season until 2010, the Pelicans were an affiliate of the...
(2003), and class-AA Greenville Braves
Greenville Braves
The Greenville Braves were an American minor league baseball franchise, based in Greenville, South Carolina, that served as the Class AA farm team of the Atlanta Braves between 1984 and 2004...
(2004). 2005 found him with the class-AA Mississippi Braves
Mississippi Braves
The Mississippi Braves, or M-Braves as they are referred to locally, are a minor league baseball team based in Pearl, Mississippi, a suburb of Jackson. The team is the Class AA affiliate of the Atlanta Braves, and plays in the Southern League. The team is owned and operated by Liberty Media, which...
, but after four games he was promoted to the class-AAA Richmond Braves
Richmond Braves
The Richmond Braves were the Triple-A affiliate of the Atlanta Braves and played in the International League. Colloquially referred to as the R-Braves, they were based in Richmond, Virginia, where they played from 1966, when the Milwaukee Braves moved to Atlanta where their AAA team, the Crackers,...
. Miner started 17 games for the Braves, going 2–7 with a 4.23 ERA. On July 31, 2005, the Braves traded Miner along with relief pitcher Román Colón
Román Colón
Román Benedicto Colón is a Major League Baseball pitcher. He is 6 feet, 6 inches tall and weighs 245 pounds...
to the Detroit Tigers for setup man/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...
Kyle Farnsworth
Kyle Farnsworth
Kyle Lynn Farnsworth is a Major League Baseball relief pitcher who is currently the closer for the Tampa Bay Rays.-High school and college:...
.
Detroit Tigers
Miner did not make the 25-man roster at the end of the 2006 spring trainingSpring training
In Major League Baseball, spring training is a series of practices and exhibition games preceding the start of the regular season. Spring training allows new players to try out for roster and position spots, and gives existing team players practice time prior to competitive play...
, but he was called up to the Tigers in May 2006 to replace the injured Mike Maroth
Mike Maroth
Michael Warren Maroth is a former American Major League Baseball starting pitcher. Born in Orlando, Florida, and after attending the University of Central Florida, the left-handed Maroth made his Major League debut in for the Detroit Tigers.-Early career:A third-round pick in the draft, Maroth...
. He was a reliable 5th starter but was moved to the bullpen
Bullpen
In baseball, the bullpen is the area where relief pitchers warm-up before entering a game. Depending on the ballpark, it may be situated in foul territory along the baselines or just beyond the outfield fence. Also, a team's roster of relief pitchers is metonymically referred to as "the bullpen"...
near the end of the season. He was on the Tigers playoff roster as a reliever. He pitched once in the 2006 World Series
2006 World Series
The 2006 World Series, the 102nd edition of Major League Baseball's championship series, began on October 21 and ended on October 27, and matched the American League champion Detroit Tigers against the National League champion St. Louis Cardinals. The Cardinals won the Series in five games, taking...
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...
.
In 2007 Zach started the season in Triple A Toledo, but was called up on May 17, and made a spot start against 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 place of the sick Mike Maroth
Mike Maroth
Michael Warren Maroth is a former American Major League Baseball starting pitcher. Born in Orlando, Florida, and after attending the University of Central Florida, the left-handed Maroth made his Major League debut in for the Detroit Tigers.-Early career:A third-round pick in the draft, Maroth...
. After a brief return to Toledo, Miner was called up to help in the bullpen. He finished the season 3–4 while pitching in 34 games. Zach allowed 2 runs, 18 earned, through 53⅔ innings.
Miner started the 2008 season with the Tigers, but was sent to Toledo July 2 after walking
Base on balls
A base on balls is credited to a batter and against a pitcher in baseball statistics when a batter receives four pitches that the umpire calls balls. It is better known as a walk. The base on balls is defined in Section 2.00 of baseball's Official Rules, and further detail is given in 6.08...
four batters in two inning
Inning
Inning is a municipality in the district of Erding in Bavaria in Germany....
s in a loss to 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...
. On July 21, Miner returned to the Tigers as a starter against the Kansas City Royals. Miner pitched six shutout innings in the Tigers 19–4 victory.
In April 2009, Miner came off a strong start in his first outing of the season to being roughed up in his second outing against the White Sox. In this game, he allowed back to back home runs to Jermaine Dye and Paul Konerko - the 300th of each man's career.
Miner underwent Tommy John surgery in June, 2010 and missed the entire 2010 season, after which he was designated for assignment
Designated for assignment
Designated for assignment is a contractual term used in Major League Baseball. When a player is designated for assignment, he is immediately removed from the club's 40-man roster. This gives the club 10 days to decide what to do with the player while freeing up a roster spot for another...
.