Randy Myers

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Randall Kirk Myers (born September 19, 1962 in Vancouver, Washington, U.S.) is a former Major League Baseball relief pitcher who pitched from 1985-1998, with the New York Mets, Cincinnati Reds, San Diego Padres, Chicago Cubs, Baltimore Orioles, and Toronto Blue Jays.

[edit] Career

Myers first began his professional ball playing career with the New York Mets in 1985 under the management of Davey Johnson, and was a member of the Mets 1986 World Championship team. Myers became a closer in 1988 as he platooned with Roger McDowell after Jesse Orosco left for the Los Angeles Dodgers.

Myers was traded to the Reds in 1990 for closer John Franco, and became one of the league's elite closers and the most successful member of the Nasty Boys trio, which also included Rob Dibble and Norm Charlton while being selected as an All-Star in 1990. 1990 also gave Myers his second World Championship as the Reds swept the Oakland Athletics. In 1991, the Reds experimented with Myers as a starter, a move that proved highly unsuccessful as he posted a record of 6 wins and 13 losses.

1992 found Myers back in a familiar role, but with a new team, as he became the closer for the Padres. After only one season in San Diego, Myers was a Cub in 1993 where he posted his best statistical season with a then National League record 53 saves. Also, some Chicagoans remember Randy Myers as the pitcher who was nearly attacked at Wrigley Field by an angry fan. In 1994 and 1995, Myers earned his second and third All-Star selections. After the 1995 season, Myers became a member of the Orioles where had two more solid seasons, highlighted by an All-Star selection in 1997, when he saved 45 games. Myers had 28 saves for the Blue Jays in his final season, 1998, before being traded back to the Padres after being claimed on waivers. Though he was under contract for both 1999 and 2000, he did not pitch in the Major Leagues after 1998.

In a 14 year Major League career, Myers compiled a 3.19 ERA, 347 saves, 44 wins, 63 losses and struck out 884 batters in 884.2 innings. Myers currently ranks 7th on the all-time Major League career saves list.

In 2000, Myers earned a salary of $6,916,667.00 while unable to pitch due to a damaged shoulder. Most of his 1999 and 2000 seasons were spent receiving treatment in the Padres training room after undergoing rotator cuff surgery in 1999; his injury resulted in a legal dispute between the Padres and their insurance carrier after the carrier denied an $8 million claim due to Myers' inability to play. [1]

The Padres' 1998 waiver claim of Myers is considered one of the biggest blunders in the history of the waiver wire. The Padres did not want Myers, mostly because of the $12 million and 2 additional years remaining on his contract as well as the fact that they already had an established closer in Trevor Hoffman, but placed a waiver claim in order to prevent him from going to the rival Atlanta Braves. They expected the Blue Jays to rescind their waiver claim, but the Blue Jays instead allowed the waiver claim to go through, leaving them responsible for the rest of his contract.[2]

In October 1990, Myers was featured on the 18 ounce box of Wheaties breakfast cereal along with fellow Cincinnati Reds 1990 World Series champions Eric Davis (baseball), Jose Rijo, Barry Larkin, Chris Sabo, and Hal Morris. [3]

Randy Myers is a notable graduate of Evergreen High School and Clark College.

[edit] Quotes

"The Nasty Boys — The Reds' three flame-throwing relievers, Randy Myers, Rob Dibble and Norm Charlton, emerged as arguably the deepest and most talented late-inning pitchers in postseason history." — John Erardi and John Fay, The Cincinnati Enquirer [4]

[edit] See also

• List of athletes on Wheaties boxes
• List of Major League Baseball saves champions
• List of Major League Baseball saves champions
• List of Major League Baseball all-time saves leaders

[edit] External links

• Biography of Randy Myers provided by baseballlibrary.com
• Biography of Randy Myers provided by thebaseballcube.com