Mike Schooler
Encyclopedia
Michael Ralph Schooler is a retired professional baseball
player who pitched in the Major Leagues
from - for the Seattle Mariners
and the Texas Rangers
. He attended Garden Grove High School
in Garden Grove, California
, Cal State Fullerton and Golden West College
in the second round, 35th overall, in the 1985 Major League Baseball Draft
.
He made his Major League debut on June 10, against the Minnesota Twins
pitching one scoreless inning.
Schooler became Seattle's bullpen ace in the second half of , saving 15 games and striking out better than a batter an inning. He surpassed that performance in , his first full season, improving his control and finishing third in the American League
in saves, trailing only Jeff Russell
and Bobby Thigpen
. He was on pace for another good season in , but shoulder stiffness forced him to miss the final month.
He ended up posting thirty saves in 1990, good for eighth in the league, but the shoulder injury lingered, and forced him to miss the first half of the season. He returned July 12 and recorded seven saves, but his arm was still showing the effects of the injury. In , he allowed seven home runs, all of which tied the game or put the opposition in the lead. This resulted in a 4.70 ERA, by far the highest of his career. The Mariners released Schooler following the 1992 season. This paved the way for Norm Charlton
to become the Mariners' new closer.
but was released on September 11 after going 3-0 with a 5.55 ERA in 17 games.
He is now a gym teacher at Ladera Ranch Middle School in Ladera Ranch, California.
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...
player who pitched in the Major Leagues
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...
from - for the Seattle Mariners
Seattle Mariners
The Seattle Mariners are a professional baseball team based in Seattle, Washington. Enfranchised in , the Mariners are a member of the Western Division of Major League Baseball's American League. Safeco Field has been the Mariners' home ballpark since July...
and 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...
. He attended Garden Grove High School
Garden Grove High School
Garden Grove High School is located in Garden Grove, California. It is a member of the Garden Grove Unified School District.- Overview :The Garden Grove Union High School District was established in 1921 in response to attempts by neighboring school districts to annex the Garden Grove area. GGHS...
in Garden Grove, California
Garden Grove, California
Garden Grove is a city located in northern Orange County, California. The population was 170,883 at the 2010 census. State Route 22, also known as the Garden Grove Freeway, passes through the city running east-west. The city is known outside the Southern California area for being the home of Robert H...
, Cal State Fullerton and Golden West College
Golden West College
Golden West College or GWC, is a community college providing two-year associate of arts degrees, and lower-division classes transferable to other colleges and universities...
Seattle Mariners
Schooler was selected by the Seattle MarinersSeattle Mariners
The Seattle Mariners are a professional baseball team based in Seattle, Washington. Enfranchised in , the Mariners are a member of the Western Division of Major League Baseball's American League. Safeco Field has been the Mariners' home ballpark since July...
in the second round, 35th overall, in the 1985 Major League Baseball Draft
1985 Major League Baseball Draft
-First round selections:The following are the first round picks in the 1985 Major League Baseball draft.-Background:Six of the first eight draft picks from the June regular phase had at least one full year of major league experience prior to the start of the 1987 season. Included in that list were...
.
He made his Major League debut on June 10, against 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...
pitching one scoreless inning.
Schooler became Seattle's bullpen ace in the second half of , saving 15 games and striking out better than a batter an inning. He surpassed that performance in , his first full season, improving his control and finishing third in the American League
American League
The American League of Professional Baseball Clubs, or simply the American League , is one of two leagues that make up Major League Baseball in the United States and Canada. It developed from the Western League, a minor league based in the Great Lakes states, which eventually aspired to major...
in saves, trailing only Jeff Russell
Jeff Russell
Jeffrey Lee Russell is a former Major League Baseball pitcher who played 14 years from 1983 to 1996. Russell played for the Cincinnati Reds of the National League and the Texas Rangers, Oakland A's, Boston Red Sox and Cleveland Indians, all of the American League...
and Bobby Thigpen
Bobby Thigpen
Robert Thomas "Bobby" Thigpen is a former relief pitcher in Major League Baseball. He is noted for setting the major league record of 57 saves during the season, which has since been broken by Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim pitcher Francisco Rodríguez...
. He was on pace for another good season in , but shoulder stiffness forced him to miss the final month.
He ended up posting thirty saves in 1990, good for eighth in the league, but the shoulder injury lingered, and forced him to miss the first half of the season. He returned July 12 and recorded seven saves, but his arm was still showing the effects of the injury. In , he allowed seven home runs, all of which tied the game or put the opposition in the lead. This resulted in a 4.70 ERA, by far the highest of his career. The Mariners released Schooler following the 1992 season. This paved the way for Norm Charlton
Norm Charlton
Norman Wood Charlton III , nicknamed "The Sheriff", is a former Major League Baseball relief pitcher for the Cincinnati Reds , Seattle Mariners , Philadelphia Phillies , Baltimore Orioles , Atlanta Braves , and Tampa Bay Devil Rays .Charlton holds three degrees from Rice University.The left-handed...
to become the Mariners' new closer.
Texas Rangers
On March 22, he was signed as a free agent by the Texas RangersTexas 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...
but was released on September 11 after going 3-0 with a 5.55 ERA in 17 games.
Gym Teacher
He has been a gym teacher at Richardson Middle School, and Calle Mayor Middle School in Torrance California.He is now a gym teacher at Ladera Ranch Middle School in Ladera Ranch, California.