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Michael Cole (Mike) Mussina (born December 8 1968 in Williamsport, Pennsylvania), nicknamed Moose, is a Major League starting pitcher, currently with the New York Yankees.
A six-time Gold Glove Award winner and a seven-time nominee for the Cy Young Award, he is one of the most prominent pitchers in baseball history. He was chosen to be the starting pitcher in both nominations to Baseball America American League All Star in 1994 and Baseball America Second-Team Major League All Star in 1999. He also received Baltimore Orioles Player of the Year award in 2000.
He is fifth among all active pitchers in wins (239) and shutouts (23), sixth in complete games (57), seventh in strikeouts (2,572), eighth in innings (3,210.1), ninth in walks per 9 IP (2.02) and batters faced (13,118), and tenth in won-lost percentage (.641),
Through 2006, he is tied for fifth in the major leagues in shutouts (7), seventh in walks per 9 IP (1.83), ninth in wins (75), tied for tenth in games started (159), and thirteenth in strikeouts per 9 IP (7.91).
Early life
During his high school years in Montoursville, Pennsylvania (pop. 4,645), he played three postions on the football team, setting records for field goals, extra points, and touchdown receptions. In addition, he scored a total of 1,455 points for the basketball team, while compiling a 24-4 record with a 0.87 ERA for his baseball team. As a high school senior, Mussina fell decimal points short of winning valedictorian honors. It's been said that he flubbed a test on purpose so he wouldn't have to speak at graduation.Smith, Chris, "Be Like Mike (Mussina)", New York Magazine, November 5, 2001
He graduated from Stanford University in 1990, where he earned a degree in economics in three and a half years and was a member of the Delta Tau Delta fraternity. He was also a placekicker for Stanford's football team.
Career
Mussina was drafted by the Baltimore Orioles in the 1st round (20th pick overall) of the 1990 amateur draft. In the minor leagues, he went 14-4 with a 2.38 ERA.
In his first full season with the OriolesHe went 18-5 with a 2.54 ERA in 1992. He led the American League in win-lose percentage (.783).
Mussina continued to post quality numbers in Baltimore, featuring two back-to-back 19-win seasons. The first was in 1995 leading the league, while also leading the AL in shutouts (4) and walks/9 IP (2.03). He achieved the second in the following year, 1996, while leading the AL with 36 starts.
Mussina helped the Orioles to the playoffs in 1996, when they eventually lost in the ALCS to the Yankees, and in 1997, when they lost in the ALCS to the Cleveland Indians. In Game 3 of that series, Mussina set the ALCS record for strikeouts in a single game when he struck out 15 Indians (The record was later tied by the New York Yankees' Roger Clemens in Game 4 of the 2000 ALCS against the Seattle Mariners).
In 1999, he had the 3rd best win-lose percentage in the AL (720). In 2000, he led the AL in innnings pitched (237.3).
New York Yankees
Following the 2000 season, Mussina decided to leave the Orioles. He signed a 6-year contract with the New York Yankees on November 30, 2000.
In 2001, Mussina posted a 17-11 record. He was 2nd in the league ERA (3.15), strikeouts (214), shutouts (3), and strikeout/walk ratio (5.10), and 5th in strikeouts/9 IP (8.42) and complete games (4). In the postseason, Mussina started Games 1 and 5 of the 2001 World Series against the Arizona Diamondbacks, posting a 2.63 ERA.
In 2002, he was 2nd in the AL in walks/9 IP (1.65), 3rd in strikeouts (182) and strikeouts/9 IP (7.60), 8th in wins (18), and 9th in walks/9 IP (2.00).
In 2003 he was 3rd in the league in strikeouts/9 IP (8.18) and strikeout/walk ratio (4.88), 4th in strikeouts (195) and walks/9 IP (1.68), 5th in wins (17), and 8th in ERA (3.40).
In 2004, after high-profile defections by Roger Clemens, Andy Pettitte, and David Wells, Mussina became the ace of the Yankee pitching rotation. Plagued by a series of injuries, he ended the year with a 12-9 record and a 4.59 ERA. He was 4th in the league in strikeouts (195), and 8th in walks/9 IP (2.19). Jones, Danyel, "Armed and Dangerous: Mike Mussina", At Home Plate, Inc., January 14, 2005
In 2005, Mussina was no longer the Yankees' ace. He was inconsistent throughout the season, finishing with a 13-8 record and a 4.41 ERA. He was 7th in the AL in strikeouts/9 IP (7.11).
He regained his form in 2006, ending the season with a 15-7 record. He was 3rd in the AL in walks/9 IP (1.60) and strikeout/walk ratio (4.91), 4th in ERA (3.51), 6th in win-lose pearcentage (.682), 8th in strikeouts (172), and 9th in strikeouts/9 IP (7.84).
Mussina is 54th on the all-time win list with 239 wins through the 2006 season. He also broke the 2,500 strikeout barrier. With his victory against Cleveland on July 5, 2006, Mike Mussina became the first pitcher in American League history to win 10 or more games for 15 consecutive seasons.Kepner, Tyler, "The Yankees Rebound, but Damon Falls to the Side", The New York Times, July 6, 2006 He is currently tied with Greg Maddux for the most interleague wins with 19.
Postseason Stats
Mussina has pitched in the postseason in 1996-1997 and 2001-2005, collecting an overall 7-8, 3.40 ERA, 142 strikeouts, and 135 innings pitched.
In the 1997 American League Championship Series, Mussina pitched two of the greatest no-decision performances in post-season history. In 15 innings of work, he allowed one run, four hits, and struck out 25. The Orioles failed to score a single run for him and lost both games.
Salary
On November 20, 2006, Mussina and the Yankees reached a preliminary agreement, pending a physical, on a 2-year, $23 million contract. Earlier in the off-season the Yankees declined the 1-year, $17 million option on Mussina's previous contract. Under that back-loaded 6-year, $88.5 million contract, Mussina earned $17 million in each of the last two seasons.Feinsand, Mark, "Yankees bring back Mussina: Right-hander agrees to two-year, $23 million deal", MLB.com, November 20, 2006
Pitching
Mussina throws a bevy of different pitches. He throws a 4-seam fastball in the low 90 mph range, a 2-seam fastball, a curveball, a splitter, a slider, a changeup, and, arguably his best pitch, the knuckle curve. Over the course of his career, he has become more skilled at altering speeds with his breaking pitches and has used different arm slots to confuse batters, and to compensate for the diminishing speek of his fastball.
During spring training in 2006, Yankee catcher Jorge Posada noticed that Mussina's fingers wrapped over the ball in a unique way whenever he threw his changeup. When Posada went to bat against Mussina during an intra-squad game, he used this sign to crush Mussina's changeup into center field. Mussina later learned from Posada that his ability to precisely time Mussina's changeup was due to his observation on Mussina's grip. With this feedback, Mussina adjusted his grip accordingly, making it extremely difficult for batters to guess that a changeup is coming their way.[1]
Brushes with perfection
Mussina is known for his collection of near-perfect outings:
- On July 17, 1992, he retired the first 12 Texas Rangers before surrendering a double to Kevin Reimer. Mussina retired the final 14 batters he faced for a one-hit 8-0 shutout.
- On May 30, 1997, he retired the first 25 Cleveland Indians before surrendering a single to Sandy Alomar Jr. with one out in the ninth. Mussina struck out the last two batters for a one-hit 3-0 shutout.
- On August 4, 1998, he retired the first 23 Detroit Tigers he faced before surrendering a double to Frank Catalanotto with two outs in the eighth. Mussina gave up another hit in the eventual 4-0 shutout.
- On September 2, 2001, he had his most heart-breaking brush with perfection when he retired the first 26 Boston Red Sox he faced; he then ran pinch-hitter Carl Everett (batting for Joe Oliver) to a 1-and-2 count before Everett blooped a single to left-center. Mussina retired leadoff man Trot Nixon on a grounder, striking out 13 batters in a one-hit 1-0 shutout.
- On April 14, 2002, he retired the first 16 Red Sox he faced before surrendering a single to Doug Mirabelli with one out in the sixth. Mussina was replaced by reliever Ramiro Mendoza, and the Yankees finished off the 6-2 win.
- On October 12, 2004, he retired the first 19 Red Sox he faced in Game 1 of the American League Championship Series before surrendering a double to Mark Bellhorn with one out in the seventh. Mussina was replaced by Tanyon Sturtze, and the Yankees finished off the 10-7 win.
Near greatness
Aside from his several near perfect outings, Mussina is known to be a great pitcher who has had several brushes with excellence.
- Never won 20 games in a season, but won 19 twice and 18 three times. Reliever Armando Benitez blew the save in Mussina's last start in 1996, which would have been win number 20.
- Never led the league in ERA, but has placed in the top ten several times.
- Never won a Cy Young award, but has placed in the top five six times.
- Never won a World Series
Trivia
- He is married and has a stepdaughter.
- He serves on the Little League International Board of Directors.
- His nickname "Moose" comes from a regional (PA) pronunciation of his last name, and he owns a sub shop called "Moose Bros." in his hometown.
- He was the starting pitcher and winning pitcher during Cal Ripken's record breaking 2,131st consecutive game on September 6, 1995.
- Sandy Alomar, Jr., who broke up Mussina's near perfect game in 1997, also broke Mussina's nose with a line drive in 1998.
- The opposing pitcher during his near perfect game of 2001 was David Cone, who at the time was the last one to throw a perfect game.
- He is a crossword puzzle enthusiast who is featured in the 2006 documentary film Wordplay.
- Throughout the duration of his Yankee career, Mussina has entered the field with The Zoo by The Scorpions before his starts.
- He shares his high school Alma Mater with Kelly Mazzante, currently a WNBA shooting guard for the Charlotte Sting.
Notes
External links
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