Randy Myers

Infobox MLB retired
name=Randy Myers
position=Pitcher
bats=Left
throws=Left
birthdate=birth date and age|1962|9|19
city-state|Vancouver|Washington
debutdate=October 6
debutyear=by|1985
debutteam=New York Mets
finaldate=September 25
finalyear=by|1998
finalteam=San Diego Padres
stat1label=Games pitched
stat1value=728
stat2label=Earned run average
stat2value=3.19
stat3label=Saves
stat3value=347
teams=
* New York Mets (by|1985–by|1989)
* Cincinnati Reds (by|1990-by|1991)
* San Diego Padres (by|1992)
* Chicago Cubs (by|1993-by|1995)
* Baltimore Orioles (by|1996-by|1997)
* Toronto Blue Jays (1998)
* San Diego Padres (by|1998)
highlights=
* 4x All-Star selection (1990, 1994, 1995, 1997)
* World Series champion (1990)
* 1997 AL Rolaids Relief Man of the Year
* 1993 NL Rolaids Relief Man of the Year
* 1990 NLCS MVP

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

Career

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

Myers was traded to the Reds in by|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 by|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.

by|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 by|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 by|1994 and by|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 by|1997, when he saved 45 games. Myers had 28 saves for the Blue Jays in his final season, by|1998, before being traded back to the Padres after being claimed on waivers. Though he was under contract for both by|1999 and by|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. Going into the 2008 season, Myers ranked 7th on the all-time Major League career saves list. He has since been passed by Billy Wagner of the New York Mets and Troy Percival of the Tampa Bay Rays.

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. [http://www.signonsandiego.com/sports/padres/20030530-9999_1s30padside.html]

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. [http://www.usatoday.com/sports/baseball/columnist/bodley/2006-08-28-bodley-trades_x.htm]

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, Jose Rijo, Barry Larkin, Chris Sabo, and Hal Morris. [http://www.generalmills.com/stream_document.aspx?rID=8419&catID=359&itemID=6806]

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

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 [http://reds.enquirer.com/2002/06/23/red_surprise_90_series.html]

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

External links

*
* [http://www.baseballlibrary.com/baseballlibrary/ballplayers/M/Myers_Randy.stm Biography of Randy Myers] provided by baseballlibrary.com

succession box
title = National League Saves Champion
years = by|1993
by|1995
before = Lee Smith
John Franco
after = John Franco
Jeff Brantley & Todd Worrellsuccession box
title = American League Saves Champion
years = by|1997
before = John Wetteland
after = Tom Gordon
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