Mike Muhlethaler, Loosey-Goosey - 3448

-
Mike Muhlethaler did his best to keep his pro dreams alive in 1990 by calling an old coach and scout, according to The Los Angeles Times.

What he got was an audience of two scouts, both for batting practice and in that night's game, according to The Times.

"I just went out there loosey-goosey," Muhlethaler told The Times. "All I did was swing free and easy."

And, with hot play down the stretch, Muhlethaler found himself just where he wanted to be: The pros. His pro stint, though, ended up being a brief one. His professional career lasted just a single season, 62 games.

Muhlethaler turned pro in June 1990, after being taken by the Athletics in the 39th round of the draft out of the University of California, Berkeley.

Muhlethaler went to Berkeley after graduating from Crescenta Valley High School in California. There, Muhlethaler also played football, winning a Times award for back of the year in his area.

As a pro, Muhlethaler was sent to short-season Southern Oregon. In a mid-July, he smacked his second home run on the year.

For the season as a whole, Mulethaler ended up hitting .256, with four home runs and knocking in 31. He didn't come back for a second season.
1990 Minor League Tally
Players/Coaches Featured:1,551
Made the Majors: 760 - 49.0%
Never Made Majors: 791-51.0%-X
5+ Seasons in the Majors: 329
10+ Seasons in the Minors: 197

Browse By:

-Player Name
-Player Team
-Date Featured

Players A to Z

Popular posts from this blog

Jason Wall gave solid college relief, saw 1 pro season

-
Image
Louisiana State University took the win this day in February 1990. Helping them get there was reliever Jason Wall , according to a wire report . With a final score of 7-5, the account cited "solid relief pitching" from Wall and two other relievers. Wall's relief efforts at LSU were eventually enough for him to turn pro. His pro career, however, lasted a single season . Wall's career began and ended in 1990, taken by the Astros in the 39th round of the draft out of LSU.  At LSU, Wall picked up a win in 1.2 innings of relief in a March 1989 game. He saw 15 relief appearances that year and had a 3.62 ERA. With the Astros, Wall played at short-season Auburn . He saw 12 games, all in relief. He went 0-1 , with a 5.23 ERA and two saves to mark the extent of his pro career. Wall continued playing, at least in the short term. He's listed as playing with a Louisiana semi-pro team . Opelousas Daily World, wire report, Feb. 18, 1990: LSU beats Ole Miss, 7-5 More:  The 19...
Read more

Mark Stiteler threw well in college, saw 3 pro outings

-
Image
Blue Mountain Community College starter Mark Stiteler threw a two-hitter this day in April 1987, while striking out six, The Pendleton East Oregonian wrote . Two of those strikeouts cane looking, in successive innings with runners in scoring position, The East Oregonian wrote . "Stiteler threw an excellent ball game," Blue Mountain coach Larry Bartee told the paper . Stiteler went on from Blue Mountain ultimately to the University of Eastern Washington, Point Park College of Pittsburgh - and to the pros. His pro career lasted a single season, just three appearances .  Stiteler's career began and ended in 1990, signed by the Astros as an undrafted free agent out of Point Park College. At Blue Mountain, Stiteler threw a two-hit shutout in an April 1988 game. He then went on to Eastern Washington and then to Point Park College. He picked up his fifth win of 1990 to no defeats for Point Park in an April game. In a May contest, he struck out five in two innings . With the ...
Read more

Steve McCumiskey went from college catching to pros

-
Image
Rhode Island catcher Steve McCumiskey seemingly tried to be polite with when the opposing pitcher Ed Therrien came to bat after a designated hitter switch issue in this April 1989 game, according to The Bangor Daily News . "There was no way I was going to get a hit," Therrien told The Daily News then. "Their catcher (McCumiskey) asked me what I wanted their pitcher to throw me, but I told him it didn't matter, I wasn't going to hit it anyway." McCumiskey's more usual work as a catcher at Rhode Island ultimately got him a shot at the pros. His pro time ended up lasting a single season , spent at short-season Auburn. McCumiskey's career began and ended in 1990, taken by the Astros in the 42nd round of the draft out of the University of Rhode Island. At Rhode Island, McCumiskey was photographed catching a high throw and pulling it down to get a tag out in an April 1989 game. He picked up a double in an April 1990 game. With the Astros, he was assig...
Read more

Mike Alvarez turned from pitching to long career as coach

-
Image
Released by the Orioles in his second pro season in 1981, Mike Alvarez signed on with the Royals and looked forward to showing what he could do, The Miami Herald wrote . "This organization has a lot of good pitching, but it also recognizes when someone does a good job," Alvarez told The Herald that next August in 1982. "I think they'll give me a fair shake, and in the minors that's all you can ask for." Alvarez eventually pitched well enough for the Royals to make AAA . But the organization eventually recognized Alvarez could do a good job elsewhere, as a coach.  After a pro career that lasted five seasons, Alvarez has gone on to a long minor league coaching career with the Royals, Braves and, into 2023, with the Tigers. Alvarez' baseball career began in 1980, signed by the Orioles out of      .  He started with the Orioles at single-A Miami , then moved to the Royals and single-A Fort Myers for 1981. He made AA Jacksonville in 1982 and went 9-0, with...
Read more

Jorge Pineda made perfect throw, played one pro season

-
Image
The Asheville Tourists had a tough inning in this June 1990 game, but left fielder Jorge Pineda helped stop the bleeding, according to The Asheville Times . After a single sent the ball his way to left, Pineda "made a perfect throw" to his catcher to cut down a runner trying to score, The Times wrote . Pineda made that throw in his first season as a pro. It also proved his last. He played one season , at single-A Asheville. Pineda's career began and ended that year signed by the Astros as a free agent. His school or home  country are not included in records. Pineda arrived at Asheville in mid-June, described as from extended spring training .  Pineda picked up an RBI triple  and an RBI single in two other June games. He then singled and scored in a July game. A Pineda sacrifice in a late-August game led to a run. Overall, Pineda got into 37 games on the year. He hit .198, with two home runs and nine RBI to mark the extent of his pro career . Asheville Times, June 24, ...
Read more

Marcos Garcia turned pitcher and accepted that; Saw four pro seasons, made AA, later turned pitching coach

-
Image
Marcos Garcia grew up a shortstop. But, signed by the Mariners, they turned him into a pitcher, The San Bernardino County Sun wrote in 1991. "My love of the game is hitting," Garcia told The Sun then. "(But) I'm beginning to enjoy the game as a pitcher. Now that I'm doing this, I accept the fact that I am a pitcher." Garcia eventually saw four pro seasons as a pitcher and made AA . He then went on to a post-playing career putting those pitching skills to use, as a pitching coach. Garcia's career began in 1989, signed by the Mariners as a free agent out of his native Dominican Republic. Garcia started with the Mariners in the rookie Gulf Coast League. He went 4-5, with a 2.75 ERA over 13 starts. He then moved to high-A Peninsula for 1990. He saw 36 outings , seven starts and went 4-5, with a 2.75 ERA. For 1991, he saw 20 starts at high-A San Bernardino and six at AA Jacksonville. He went 10-12 between them, with a 3.68 ERA. Garcia then returned to Ja...
Read more

Rod Correia picked up 3 hits off Randy Johnson in 1993

-
Image
Rod Correia picked up three hits off future Hall of Famer Randy Johnson on this day in 1993 and Johnson seemingly decided to make Correia pay, according to The Los Angeles Times . The result was Correia got a fastball to his leg and ultimately had to come out of the game . "If that ball had come four inches lower, it would have caused some serious damage to my knee," Correia told The Times afterward. "But I'll remember this, and you're damn right I'll get even." Correia's team got even by coming back and knocking around the Mariners the next day - and throwing behind some batters. Correia never faced Johnson again after that game, but he did come back and play in two more major league seasons, trying to take advantage of the opportunities as they came. In all, he played professionally for 10 seasons, getting into a total of 84 big league contests . Correia's career began in 1988, taken by the Athletics in the 15th round of the dr...
Read more