Monday, August 11, 2014

#258 Mike Schooler

About the Front: Mike Schooler is sporting a blue glove. I bet he was crestfallen when the Mariners switched to navy blue and teal in 1993.

About the Back: It's strange to tout Schooler's minor league bona fides as a starting pitcher, since he was exclusively a reliever in the majors.

Triple Play:

1. Mike earned his first big league win with three scoreless innings of relief on June 22, 1988, keeping the Rangers at bay in a tie game until Mickey Brantley's solo homer in the tenth inning gave Seattle the advantage.

2. His 98 saves still rank third in Mariners franchise history behind Kaz Sasaki and J. J. Putz.

3. Wikipedia tells me that Schooler has worked as a middle school gym teacher and a high school baseball coach in California.

11-Year-Old Kevin Says: How much was my perception of baseball in 1993 formed by this set? I assumed that Schooler had spent that season with Seattle, only to check Baseball Reference and see that he finished his career in '93 with the Rangers.

Bill James Said: "Schooler saved 33 games for the Mariners in 1989 and 30 more in 1990, but has since had a shoulder injury, tendonitis, and a strained bicep, and hasn't pitched well anywhere."

On This Date in 1993: August 11. Dan Gladden hits a grand slam for the second straight game, becoming the 14th player in MLB history to perform this feat, as the Tigers batter the Orioles 15-5. Travis Fryman, Kirk Gibson, and Tony Phillips also homer for Detroit, who will go on to bash Baltimore pitching for 47 runs in three games from August 10-12.

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