Mike MacDougal
Encyclopedia
Robert Meiklejohn MacDougal (born March 5, 1977 in Las Vegas, Nevada
) is a relief pitcher
in Major League Baseball
, who is currently a free agent. He bats and throws right-handed.
His pitch selection include a fastball in the 95-98 mph range, a slider
, curve
, and a changeup
used only occasionally.
, where he pitched for the Wake Forest Demon Deacons baseball
team. He was selected in the 22nd round of the 1996 Major League Baseball Draft
and the 17th round of the 1998 Major League Baseball Draft
by the Baltimore Orioles
, but did not sign on either occasion.
in the first round (25th overall) of the 1999 Major League Baseball Draft
. He signed on July 1, 1999.
MacDougal made his major league debut as a starting pitcher
, but suffered a fractured skull late in the season when he was struck in the head by a bat that had escaped from the hand of Carlos Beltrán
. He lost feeling in his right arm and was unable to pitch for three months. In , the Kansas City Royals
turned him into a closer
. He recorded 24 saves by mid-season and made the American League All-Star
team.
MacDougal struggled with flu-like symptoms in spring training
in , causing him to lose weight and, as a result, to lose velocity off his fastball
, which had been clocked as high as 103 miles per hour. He lost his job as the Royals' closer to Jeremy Affeldt
and spent much of the 2004 season in the minor leagues
. However, early in , he was reinstalled as the closer after Affeldt himself was injured.
MacDougal battled injuries again in , starting the season on the DL
and not returning to the field until mid July. After only about a week after his first appearance of the year, he was traded to the Chicago White Sox
for minor-league pitchers Tyler Lumsden
and Dan Cortes
on July 24, 2006.
.
MacDougal's 2006 performance earned him a new three-year deal with the White Sox, but he was not able to carry his success from the end of the 2006 season into . MacDougal finished 2007 with an ERA about 6.00, spent more time on the DL with right-shoulder inflammation, and was actually optioned to the team's Triple-A affiliate
at one point.
On April 21, 2009, MacDougal was designated for assignment by the White Sox, and was released on April 30.
on May 3.
On December 12, 2009, MacDougal was non-tendered by the Nationals, making him a free agent.
On February 18, 2010, MacDougal signed a minor league contract with the Florida Marlins
with an invite to spring training. He was released on March 23. He then signed a minor league deal with the Nationals. On July 1, 2010, he decided to opt out of his contract to become a free agent
.
, making his debut for Triple-A Memphis
that night, giving up two runs on two hits in one inning pitched. MacDougal made his Cardinals debut on July 28, 2010.
, but made the Major League club to start the season. MacDougal pitched in 69 games with the Dodgers, working 57 innings and had a record of 3-1 and a team leading 2.05 ERA.
Las Vegas, Nevada
Las Vegas is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Nevada and is also the county seat of Clark County, Nevada. Las Vegas is an internationally renowned major resort city for gambling, shopping, and fine dining. The city bills itself as The Entertainment Capital of the World, and is famous...
) is a 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...
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...
, who is currently a free agent. He bats and throws right-handed.
His pitch selection include a fastball in the 95-98 mph range, a slider
Slider
In baseball, a slider is a pitch that breaks laterally and down, with a speed between that of a curveball and that of a fastball....
, curve
Curveball
The curveball is a type of pitch in baseball thrown with a characteristic grip and hand movement that imparts forward spin to the ball causing it to dive in a downward path as it approaches the plate. Its close relatives are the slider and the slurve. The "curve" of the ball varies from pitcher to...
, and a changeup
Changeup
A changeup is a type of pitch in baseball. Other names include change-of-pace, Bugs Bunny change-up, the dreaded equalizer, and simply change. The changeup is sometimes called an off-speed pitch, although that term can also be used simply to mean any pitch that is slower than a fastball...
used only occasionally.
Amateur career
MacDougal attended Wake Forest UniversityWake Forest University
Wake Forest University is a private, coeducational university in the U.S. state of North Carolina, founded in 1834. The university received its name from its original location in Wake Forest, north of Raleigh, North Carolina, the state capital. The Reynolda Campus, the university's main campus, is...
, where he pitched for the Wake Forest Demon Deacons baseball
Wake Forest Demon Deacons baseball
The Wake Forest Demon Deacons baseball team is the intercollegiate baseball team of Wake Forest University. The program competes in the Atlantic Coast Conference...
team. He was selected in the 22nd round of the 1996 Major League Baseball Draft
1996 Major League Baseball Draft
The 1996 First-Year Player Draft, Major League Baseball's annual amateur draft of high school and college baseball players, was held on June 4 and 5, 1996...
and the 17th round of the 1998 Major League Baseball Draft
1998 Major League Baseball Draft
The 1998 First-Year Player Draft, Major League Baseball's annual amateur draft of high school and college baseball players, was held on June 2 and 3, 1998...
by the Baltimore Orioles
Baltimore Orioles
The Baltimore Orioles are a professional baseball team based in Baltimore, Maryland in the United States. They are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's American League. One of the American League's eight charter franchises in 1901, it spent its first year as a major league...
, but did not sign on either occasion.
Kansas City Royals
Following his senior season at Wake Forest, MacDougal was drafted by the Kansas City RoyalsKansas 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...
in the first round (25th overall) of the 1999 Major League Baseball Draft
1999 Major League Baseball Draft
The 1999 First-Year Player Draft, Major League Baseball's annual amateur draft of high school and college baseball players, was held on June 2 and 3, 1999...
. He signed on July 1, 1999.
MacDougal made his major league debut as a 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....
, but suffered a fractured skull late in the season when he was struck in the head by a bat that had escaped from the hand of Carlos Beltrán
Carlos Beltrán
Carlos Iván Beltrán is a Major League Baseball outfielder.-Early life:In his youth, Beltrán excelled in many sports, with volleyball and baseball being his favorites. At his father's urging, he gave up volleyball to concentrate on baseball when he was seventeen...
. He lost feeling in his right arm and was unable to pitch for three months. 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...
turned him into a 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...
. He recorded 24 saves by mid-season and made the American League All-Star
2003 Major League Baseball All-Star Game
The 2003 Major League Baseball All-Star Game was the 74th midsummer classic between the all-stars of the American League and National League , the two leagues constituting Major League Baseball. The game was held on July 15, 2003 at U.S. Cellular Field in Chicago, Illinois, the home of the Chicago...
team.
MacDougal struggled with flu-like symptoms in 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 , causing him to lose weight and, as a result, to lose velocity off his fastball
Fastball
The fastball is the most common type of pitch in baseball. Some "power pitchers," such as Nolan Ryan and Roger Clemens, have thrown it at speeds of 95–106 mph and up to 108.1 mph , relying purely on speed to prevent the ball from being hit...
, which had been clocked as high as 103 miles per hour. He lost his job as the Royals' closer to Jeremy Affeldt
Jeremy Affeldt
Jeremy David Affeldt is an American baseball professional pitcher for the San Francisco Giants of Major League Baseball. He throws and bats left-handed. Previously, he has played for the Kansas City Royals, the Colorado Rockies, and the Cincinnati Reds....
and spent much of the 2004 season in the minor leagues
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...
. However, early in , he was reinstalled as the closer after Affeldt himself was injured.
MacDougal battled injuries again in , starting the season on the DL
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:...
and not returning to the field until mid July. After only about a week after his first appearance of the year, he was traded to the Chicago White Sox
Chicago White Sox
The Chicago White Sox are a Major League Baseball team located in Chicago, Illinois.The White Sox play in the American League's Central Division. Since , the White Sox have played in U.S. Cellular Field, which was originally called New Comiskey Park and nicknamed The Cell by local fans...
for minor-league pitchers Tyler Lumsden
Tyler Lumsden
Tyler Ryan Lumsden is a Chinese Professional Baseball League pitcher for the Brother Elephants organization. He attended Cave Spring High School ....
and Dan Cortes
Dan Cortes
Daniel Adam "Dan" Cortes is a Major League Baseball relief pitcher in the Seattle Mariners organization. He was drafted by the Chicago White Sox in the seventh round of the 2005 Major League Baseball Draft...
on July 24, 2006.
Chicago White Sox
The addition of MacDougal was to be a move to bolster the White Sox bullpen as they vied for playoff contention, and while the team ended up missing the playoffs, MacDougal was quite effective in his 25 appearances. Combining his appearances with both teams, he finished the year with a 1.55 ERAEarned 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...
.
MacDougal's 2006 performance earned him a new three-year deal with the White Sox, but he was not able to carry his success from the end of the 2006 season into . MacDougal finished 2007 with an ERA about 6.00, spent more time on the DL with right-shoulder inflammation, and was actually optioned to the team's Triple-A affiliate
Charlotte Knights
The Charlotte Knights are a minor league baseball team representing Charlotte, North Carolina. The team, which plays in the International League, is the Triple-A affiliate of the Chicago White Sox of the American League...
at one point.
On April 21, 2009, MacDougal was designated for assignment by the White Sox, and was released on April 30.
Washington Nationals
He then signed a minor league deal with the Washington NationalsWashington Nationals
The Washington Nationals are a professional baseball team based in Washington, D.C. The Nationals are a member of the Eastern Division of the National League of Major League Baseball . The team moved into the newly built Nationals Park in 2008, after playing their first three seasons in RFK Stadium...
on May 3.
On December 12, 2009, MacDougal was non-tendered by the Nationals, making him a free agent.
On February 18, 2010, MacDougal signed a minor league contract with 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...
with an invite to spring training. He was released on March 23. He then signed a minor league deal with the Nationals. On July 1, 2010, he decided to opt out of his contract to become a free agent
Free agent
In professional sports, a free agent is a player whose contract with a team has expired and who is thus eligible to sign with another club or franchise....
.
St. Louis Cardinals
On July 7, 2010, he signed a minor league deal with the St. Louis CardinalsSt. 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...
, making his debut for Triple-A Memphis
Memphis Redbirds
The Memphis Redbirds are the Triple-A minor league baseball affiliate of the St. Louis Cardinals. They play their home games at AutoZone Park in downtown Memphis, Tennessee. The stadium's capacity is 14,320. They entered the Pacific Coast League as an expansion team in 1998, and were owned as a...
that night, giving up two runs on two hits in one inning pitched. MacDougal made his Cardinals debut on July 28, 2010.
Los Angeles Dodgers
On January 28, 2011, he signed a minor league contract with the Los Angeles DodgersLos Angeles Dodgers
The Los Angeles Dodgers are a professional baseball team based in Los Angeles, California. The Dodgers are members of Major League Baseball's National League West Division. Established in 1883, the team originated in Brooklyn, New York, where it was known by a number of nicknames before becoming...
, but made the Major League club to start the season. MacDougal pitched in 69 games with the Dodgers, working 57 innings and had a record of 3-1 and a team leading 2.05 ERA.