Andrew Miller (baseball)
Encyclopedia
Andrew Mark Miller is an American professional baseball
Baseball
Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each. The aim is to score runs by hitting a thrown ball with a bat and touching a series of four bases arranged at the corners of a ninety-foot diamond...

 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...

 with 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"...

 of 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...

.

College

After graduating from Buchholz High School
Buchholz High School
F. W. Buchholz High School is a high school in Gainesville, Florida. Buchholz is one of seven high schools in Alachua County. Opened in January 1971, it is the largest of the public high schools in Gainesville...

 in Gainesville, Florida
Gainesville, Florida
Gainesville is the largest city in, and the county seat of, Alachua County, Florida, United States as well as the principal city of the Gainesville, Florida Metropolitan Statistical Area . The preliminary 2010 Census population count for Gainesville is 124,354. Gainesville is home to the sixth...

, Miller attended the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill is a public research university located in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, United States...

. While pitching for the North Carolina Tar Heels baseball
North Carolina Tar Heels baseball
The North Carolina Tar Heels baseball team represents the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in NCAA Division I college baseball. They participate in the Atlantic Coast Conference Coastal Division....

 team, Miller set the Carolina single season (133) and career strikeout records (325). He was also third in Tar Heels' history with 27 wins and fourth in total innings pitched with 309. He was named Baseball America National Player of the Year and Roger Clemens Award
Roger Clemens Award
The Roger Clemens Award was an award that honored the top NCAA Division I college baseball pitcher of the year. The award was created prior to the 2004 season and succeeded the Rotary Smith Award....

 winner as the nation's top collegiate pitcher. He was also named to the first team All-America for Collegiate Baseball, Baseball America, NCBWA and Rivals.com

In the summer of 2005 Miller pitched for the Chatham Anglers in the Cape Cod Baseball League
Cape Cod Baseball League
The Cape Cod Baseball League is a collegiate summer baseball league located on Cape Cod in the U.S. state of Massachusetts, in which many college baseball stars play during the summer. Many future Major League Baseball players have started there during their college years; MLB has provided...

 where he was named the College Summer Player of the Year by Baseball America and rated as the No. 1 prospect in the Cape League by the publication.

Miller was selected as a finalist in 2006 for the Golden Spikes Award
Golden Spikes Award
The Golden Spikes Award is awarded annually to the best amateur baseball player. It is awarded by USA Baseball and sponsored by the Major League Baseball Players Association. Though the award can be presented to any amateur player, it has always been given to a college baseball player.-Past...

 by USA Baseball.

Detroit Tigers

Miller was drafted in 2006, 6th overall by the Detroit Tigers
Detroit Tigers
The Detroit Tigers are a Major League Baseball team located in Detroit, Michigan. One of the American League's eight charter franchises, the club was founded in Detroit in as part of the Western League. The Tigers have won four World Series championships and have won the American League pennant...

, and agreed to a contract with a guaranteed value of $5.45 million and a signing bonus of $3.55 million on August 4, 2006.

He made his pro debut on August 20, with the High-A Lakeland Tigers against the Fort Myers Miracle
Fort Myers Miracle
The Fort Myers Miracle is the Class A Advanced minor league baseball affiliate of the Minnesota Twins Major League Baseball club, currently managed by Jake Mauer. Home games are played at the Lee County Sports Complex in Hammond Stadium, which has a capacity of 7,500, and opened in...

, striking out
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....

 two batters and allowing no baserunners in one inning. His stint with Lakeland lasted less than a week, as he pitched his third and final outing six days later, once again against the Miracle. After five scoreless innings in three outings, he was called up to the Major Leagues. Miller also played for the Erie Seawolves
Erie SeaWolves
The Erie SeaWolves are a minor league baseball team based in Erie, Pennsylvania. The team, which plays in the Eastern League, is the Double-A affiliate of the Detroit Tigers Major League Baseball club....

 in Double-A.

Miller was not in the minor leagues very long before getting called up to the Major Leagues. Miller made his major league debut on August 30 against the New York Yankees
New York Yankees
The New York Yankees are a professional baseball team based in the The Bronx, New York. They compete in Major League Baseball in the American League's East Division...

, pitching one scoreless inning and allowing only one baserunner on a hit by pitch
Hit by pitch
In baseball, hit by pitch , or hit batsman , is a batter or his equipment being hit in some part of his body by a pitch from the pitcher.-Official rule:...

.

While Miller did not make the opening day roster for the Tigers, he made his first major league start May 18, versus 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 place of injured starter Jeremy Bonderman
Jeremy Bonderman
Jeremy Allen Bonderman is a Major League Baseball starting pitcher who currently is a free agent. Bonderman is six feet and two inches tall and weighs 220 pounds. He bats and throws right-handed...

. Miller earned his first major league victory
Win (baseball)
In professional baseball, there are two types of decisions: a win and a loss . In each game, one pitcher on the winning team is awarded a win and one pitcher on the losing team is given a loss in their respective statistics. These pitchers are collectively known as the pitchers of record. Only...

 in his season debut, pitching 6 scoreless innings and giving up 4 hits
Hit (baseball)
In baseball statistics, a hit , also called a base hit, is credited to a batter when the batter safely reaches first base after hitting the ball into fair territory, without the benefit of an error or a fielder's choice....

 while 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...

 3 and striking out 2. Miller showed his full potential in this game, but he was sent back to the minors as Bonderman recovered from injury. Miller was later recalled while Nate Robertson
Nate Robertson
Nathan Daniel "Nate" Robertson, is a Major League Baseball pitcher who currently pitches in the Seattle Mariners organization.-Florida Marlins:...

 was sent to 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:...

 with arm fatigue. He earned a 15-7 victory over the New York Mets
New York Mets
The New York Mets are a professional baseball team based in the borough of Queens in New York City, New York. They belong to Major League Baseball's National League East Division. One of baseball's first expansion teams, the Mets were founded in 1962 to replace New York's departed National League...

 behind another superb offensive backing by his teammates. Miller's best game pitched in 2007 was a six inning performance in Atlanta
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....

 allowing 4 hits and no runs
Run (baseball)
In baseball, a run is scored when a player advances around first, second and third base and returns safely to home plate, touching the bases in that order, before three outs are recorded and all obligations to reach base safely on batted balls are met or assured...

 while also striking out two batters and walking two ending in a 5-0 Tigers victory

Florida Marlins

On December 5, 2007, the Tigers traded Miller, Cameron Maybin
Cameron Maybin
Cameron Keith Maybin is a Major League Baseball outfielder for the San Diego Padres. He was the tenth pick in the 2005 First-Year Player Draft by The Detroit Tigers. He was consistently ranked as the Tigers top minor league prospect while in the organization.-High school:Maybin played high school...

, Mike Rabelo
Mike Rabelo
Michael Gregory Rabelo is a former Major League Baseball catcher.Rabelo grew up in the city of New Port Richey, Florida, and attended Ridgewood High School...

, Dallas Trahern
Dallas Trahern
Dallas Neal Trahern is a professional baseball pitcher.Trahern was drafted by the Detroit Tigers in the 34th round of the 2004 Major League Baseball Draft...

, Eulogio de la Cruz and Burke Badenhop
Burke Badenhop
Burke Heinrich Badenhop is a Major League Baseball pitcher for the Miami Marlins. Burke played college baseball at Bowling Green State University. He played High School Baseball at Perrysburg High School in Perrysburg, Ohio...

 to the Florida Marlins
Florida Marlins
The Miami Marlins are a professional baseball team based in Miami, Florida, United States. Established in 1993 as an expansion franchise called the Florida Marlins, the Marlins are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League. The Marlins played their home games at...

 for Dontrelle Willis
Dontrelle Willis
Dontrelle Wayne Willis , nicknamed "The D-Train", is an American professional baseball pitcher. Willis is notable for his success during his first few years in the league and for his unconventional pitching style, which includes a high leg kick and exaggerated twisting away from the batter...

 and Miguel Cabrera
Miguel Cabrera
José Miguel Cabrera Torres nicknamed "Miggy", is a Venezuelan professional baseball first baseman with the Detroit Tigers of Major League Baseball. He bats and throws right-handed....

.

Miller injured his oblique muscle in 2009. On May 16, 2009, Florida activated the left-hander off the disabled list.

During Spring Training
Spring 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...

 in 2010, the Florida Marlins announced that Miller would be assigned to their AAA minor league team, the New Orleans Zephyrs
New Orleans Zephyrs
The New Orleans Zephyrs are a minor league baseball team based in Metairie, Louisiana, a suburb of New Orleans. The Zephyrs play in the Pacific Coast League and are the Triple-A affiliate of the Miami Marlins. The Zephyrs play their home games at Zephyr Field....

 to open the 2010 season. He was called up to the Major League club on August 18.

Boston Red Sox

On November 12, 2010, Andrew Miller was traded to 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 exchange for 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...

 Dustin Richardson
Dustin Richardson
Dustin A. Richardson is an American professional baseball pitcher for the Atlanta Braves of Major League Baseball...

. He was non-tendered less than a month later, and re-signed with the club on December 16, 2010. During 2011 spring training
Spring 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...

, Miller was optioned to minor league camp and it was announced that he would begin the year as a starting pitcher with the AAA Pawtucket Red Sox
Pawtucket Red Sox
The Pawtucket Red Sox are the minor league baseball Triple-A affiliates of the Boston Red Sox and belong to the International League...

. On June 19, Miller had his contract purchased by Boston. In Miller's first four starts in a Boston uniform, the Red Sox won all four games in which he started, with Miller selected as the winning pitcher in three of his four Boston starts. His first loss of the 2011 season came on July 15, as the Tampa Bay Rays
Tampa Bay Rays
The Tampa Bay Rays are a Major League Baseball team based in St. Petersburg, Florida. The Rays are a member of the Eastern Division of MLB's American League. Since their inception in , the club has played at Tropicana Field...

 hosted the Red Sox at Tropicana Field
Tropicana Field
Tropicana Field is a domed stadium in St. Petersburg, Florida, which has been the home of Major League Baseball's Tampa Bay Rays since the team's inaugural season in 1998, when they were the Devil Rays. It has also served as the host stadium for the Beef 'O' Brady's Bowl, an NCAA-sanctioned college...

. He was pulled after two-and-two-third innings, having already given up seven runs on five hits, including a grand slam to Ben Zobrist
Ben Zobrist
Benjamin Thomas "Ben" Zobrist is an American baseball player currently with Major League Baseball's Tampa Bay Rays. A switch-hitter who throws right-handed, he has exhibited a versatility to play most positions with the exception of pitcher and catcher. He has been the Rays' starting second...

.

External links

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