Mike Couchee
Encyclopedia
Michael Eugene Couchee is a former relief pitcher
in Major League Baseball
and a current minor league
pitching coach with the San Diego Padres
.
Couchee was selected three times in baseball's amateur draft, but chose to attend college rather than sign on the first two occasions. He was chosen by the San Francisco Giants
in 1976
, the Minnesota Twins
in 1978
, and the San Diego Padres
in 1980
. He eventually appeared in only 8 games in relief for the Padres, all in 1983
.
After his playing career ended, Couchee took up coaching, beginning with the Texas Rangers
organization in 1986. He then spent 15 years as a coach with the California Angels
where he earned a World Series
ring in 2002
. In 2003, Couchee rejoined the Padres as a pitching coach for their Class AAA Portland Beavers and also as minor league pitching coordinator.
Couchee, a 1976 graduate of Los Gatos High School
in Los Gatos, California
, quarterbacked the high school football
team (the Wildcats) to the first undefeated season in the school's history. In 1980, Couchee received The President's Award as Most Valuable Player
at the University of Southern California
http://usctrojans.collegesports.com/sports/m-basebl/archive/usc-m-basebl-awards.html.
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...
in 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...
and a current minor league
Minor league baseball
Minor league baseball is a hierarchy of professional baseball leagues in the Americas that compete at levels below Major League Baseball and provide opportunities for player development. All of the minor leagues are operated as independent businesses...
pitching coach with the San Diego Padres
San Diego Padres
The San Diego Padres are a Major League Baseball team based in San Diego, California. They play in the National League Western Division. Founded in 1969, the Padres have won the National League Pennant twice, in 1984 and 1998, losing in the World Series both times...
.
Couchee was selected three times in baseball's amateur draft, but chose to attend college rather than sign on the first two occasions. He was chosen by the San Francisco Giants
San Francisco Giants
The San Francisco Giants are a Major League Baseball team based in San Francisco, California, playing in the National League West Division....
in 1976
1976 in baseball
-Major League Baseball:*World Series: Cincinnati Reds over New York Yankees ; Johnny Bench, MVP*All-Star Game, July 13 at Veterans Stadium: National League, 7-1; George Foster, MVP-Other champions:*Caribbean World Series: Naranjeros de Hermosillo...
, 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...
in 1978
1978 in baseball
-Other champions:*Caribbean World Series: Indios de Mayagüez *College World Series: USC*Japan Series: Yakult Swallows over Hankyu Braves *Little League World Series: Pin-Kuang, Pin-Tung, Taiwan-Awards and honors:*Most Valuable Player...
, and the San Diego Padres
San Diego Padres
The San Diego Padres are a Major League Baseball team based in San Diego, California. They play in the National League Western Division. Founded in 1969, the Padres have won the National League Pennant twice, in 1984 and 1998, losing in the World Series both times...
in 1980
1980 in baseball
-Major League Baseball:World Series: Philadelphia Phillies over Kansas City Royals ; Mike Schmidt, MVP*American League Championship Series: Frank White, MVP*National League Championship Series Manny Trillo, MVP...
. He eventually appeared in only 8 games in relief for the Padres, all in 1983
1983 in baseball
-Major League Baseball:*World Series: Baltimore Orioles over Philadelphia Phillies ; Rick Dempsey, MVP*American League Championship Series MVP: Mike Boddicker*National League Championship Series MVP: Gary Matthews...
.
After his playing career ended, Couchee took up coaching, beginning with the Texas Rangers
Texas Rangers (baseball)
The Texas Rangers are a professional baseball team in the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex, based in Arlington, Texas. The Rangers are a member of the Western Division of Major League Baseball's American League, and are the reigning A.L. Western Division and A.L. Champions. Since , the Rangers have...
organization in 1986. He then spent 15 years as a coach with the California Angels
Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim
The Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim are a professional baseball team based in Anaheim, California, United States. The Angels are a member of the Western Division of Major League Baseball's American League. The "Angels" name originates from the city in which the team started, Los Angeles...
where he earned a World Series
World Series
The World Series is the annual championship series of Major League Baseball, played between the American League and National League champions since 1903. The winner of the World Series championship is determined through a best-of-seven playoff and awarded the Commissioner's Trophy...
ring in 2002
2002 World Series
The 2002 World Series was a best-of-seven playoff series to determine the champion of Major League Baseball for the 2002 season. It was the 98th such contest between the champions of the American League and National League , and featured the AL champion Anaheim Angels against the NL champion San...
. In 2003, Couchee rejoined the Padres as a pitching coach for their Class AAA Portland Beavers and also as minor league pitching coordinator.
Couchee, a 1976 graduate of Los Gatos High School
Los Gatos High School
Los Gatos High School is a high school in Los Gatos, California, a small town near San Jose in the Silicon Valley. Los Gatos High School was founded in 1908 and is part of the Los Gatos-Saratoga Joint Union High School District...
in Los Gatos, California
Los Gatos, California
The Town of Los Gatos is an incorporated town in Santa Clara County, California, United States. The population was 29,413 at the 2010 census. It is located in the San Francisco Bay Area at the southwest corner of San Jose in the foothills of the Santa Cruz Mountains...
, quarterbacked the high school football
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
team (the Wildcats) to the first undefeated season in the school's history. In 1980, Couchee received The President's Award as Most Valuable Player
Most Valuable Player
In sports, a Most Valuable Player award is an honor typically bestowed upon the best performing player or players on a specific team, in an entire league, or for a particular contest or series of contests...
at the University of Southern California
University of Southern California
The University of Southern California is a private, not-for-profit, nonsectarian, research university located in Los Angeles, California, United States. USC was founded in 1880, making it California's oldest private research university...
http://usctrojans.collegesports.com/sports/m-basebl/archive/usc-m-basebl-awards.html.