Mike Bruhert
Encyclopedia
Michael Edwin Bruhert is a former Major League Baseball
pitcher
. He is the former son-in-law of former New York Mets
manager Gil Hodges
.
Bruhert was drafted by the Mets as an amateur free agent
in . Shortly after joining the club, he began dating Gil Hodges' daughter, Irene. The two were engaged by the time Bruhert was claimed by the Philadelphia Phillies
in the rule 5 draft
in . Following Spring training
, he was returned to the Mets.
After seven seasons in the Mets' farm system, in which he went 38-51 with a 3.69 earned run average
, Bruhert made his major league debut in the second game of a doubleheader
with the Montreal Expos
on April 9, . He pitched six strong innings, allowing only one earned run
(two unearned), however, he took the loss. He earned his first win in his next start
against the St. Louis Cardinals
. His finest performance was a complete game
shutout
of the Phillies on September 17, in which he struck out five and allowed just four hits
.
For the season, Bruhert went 4-11 with a 4.78 ERA and 56 strikeouts. He was traded to the Texas Rangers
in along with Bob Myrick
for star pitcher Dock Ellis
. Bruhert went 9-10 with a 5.58 ERA in the Rangers' farm system, but never reached the majors.
He spent the and seasons with the New York Yankees
' International League
affiliate, the Columbus Clippers
, going 11-7 with a 3.69 ERA, before retiring. Shortly afterwards, he became pitching coach at Fordham University
.
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...
pitcher
Pitcher
In baseball, the pitcher is the player who throwsthe baseball from the pitcher's mound toward the catcher to begin each play, with the goal of retiring a batter, who attempts to either make contact with the pitched ball or draw a walk. In the numbering system used to record defensive plays, the...
. He is the former son-in-law of former New York Mets
New York Mets
The New York Mets are a professional baseball team based in the borough of Queens in New York City, New York. They belong to Major League Baseball's National League East Division. One of baseball's first expansion teams, the Mets were founded in 1962 to replace New York's departed National League...
manager Gil Hodges
Gil Hodges
Gilbert Ray Hodges was an American Major League Baseball first baseman and manager. During an 18-year baseball career, he played in 1943 and from 1947–63, spending most of his career with the Brooklyn and Los Angeles Dodgers...
.
Bruhert was drafted by the Mets as an amateur free agent
Free agent
In professional sports, a free agent is a player whose contract with a team has expired and who is thus eligible to sign with another club or franchise....
in . Shortly after joining the club, he began dating Gil Hodges' daughter, Irene. The two were engaged by the time Bruhert was claimed by the Philadelphia Phillies
Philadelphia Phillies
The Philadelphia Phillies are a Major League Baseball team. They are the oldest continuous, one-name, one-city franchise in all of professional American sports, dating to 1883. The Phillies are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League...
in the rule 5 draft
Rule 5 draft
The Rule 5 draft is a Major League Baseball player draft that occurs each year in December, at the annual Winter Meeting of general managers. The Rule 5 draft aims to prevent teams from stockpiling too many young players on their minor league affiliate teams when other teams would be willing to...
in . Following Spring training
Spring training
In Major League Baseball, spring training is a series of practices and exhibition games preceding the start of the regular season. Spring training allows new players to try out for roster and position spots, and gives existing team players practice time prior to competitive play...
, he was returned to the Mets.
After seven seasons in the Mets' farm system, in which he went 38-51 with a 3.69 earned run average
Earned run average
In baseball statistics, earned run average is the mean of earned runs given up by a pitcher per nine innings pitched. It is determined by dividing the number of earned runs allowed by the number of innings pitched and multiplying by nine...
, Bruhert made his major league debut in the second game of a doubleheader
Doubleheader (baseball)
A doubleheader is a set of two baseball games played between the same two teams on the same day in front of the same crowd. In addition, the term is often used unofficially to refer to a pair of games played by a team in a single day, but in front of different crowds and not in immediate...
with the Montreal Expos
Montreal Expos
The Montreal Expos were a Major League Baseball team located in Montreal, Quebec from 1969 through 2004, holding the first MLB franchise awarded outside the United States. After the 2004 season, MLB moved the Expos to Washington, D.C. and renamed them the Nationals.Named after the Expo 67 World's...
on April 9, . He pitched six strong innings, allowing only one earned run
Earned run
In baseball, an earned run is any run for which the pitcher is held accountable . Any runner who tags his base and reaches home plate is scored against the pitcher as an earned run...
(two unearned), however, he took the loss. He earned his first win in his next start
Starting pitcher
In baseball or softball, a starting pitcher is the pitcher who delivers the first pitch to the first batter of a game. A pitcher who enters the game after the first pitch of the game is a relief pitcher....
against the St. Louis Cardinals
St. Louis Cardinals
The St. Louis Cardinals are a professional baseball team based in St. Louis, Missouri. They are members of the Central Division in the National League of Major League Baseball. The Cardinals have won eleven World Series championships, the most of any National League team, and second overall only to...
. His finest performance was a complete game
Complete game
In baseball, a complete game is the act of a pitcher pitching an entire game without the benefit of a relief pitcher.As demonstrated by the charts below, in the early 20th century, it was common for most good Major League Baseball pitchers to pitch a complete game almost every start. Pitchers were...
shutout
Shutout
In team sports, a shutout refers to a game in which one team prevents the opposing team from scoring. While possible in most major sports, they are highly improbable in some sports, such as basketball....
of the Phillies on September 17, in which he struck out five and allowed just four hits
Hit (baseball)
In baseball statistics, a hit , also called a base hit, is credited to a batter when the batter safely reaches first base after hitting the ball into fair territory, without the benefit of an error or a fielder's choice....
.
For the season, Bruhert went 4-11 with a 4.78 ERA and 56 strikeouts. He was traded to 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...
in along with Bob Myrick
Bob Myrick
Robert Howard Myrick is a former Major League Baseball pitcher. He played all or part of three seasons in the majors, from until , for the New York Mets.-External links:...
for star pitcher Dock Ellis
Dock Ellis
Dock Phillip Ellis, Jr. was a professional baseball player who pitched for the Pittsburgh Pirates, among other teams in Major League Baseball. His best season was 1971, when he won 19 games for the World Series champion Pirates and was the starting pitcher for the National League in the All-Star...
. Bruhert went 9-10 with a 5.58 ERA in the Rangers' farm system, but never reached the majors.
He spent the and seasons with the New York Yankees
New York Yankees
The New York Yankees are a professional baseball team based in the The Bronx, New York. They compete in Major League Baseball in the American League's East Division...
' International League
International League
The International League is a minor league baseball league that operates in the eastern United States. Like the Pacific Coast League and the Mexican League, it plays at the Triple-A level, which is one step below Major League Baseball. It was so named because it had teams in both the United States...
affiliate, the Columbus Clippers
Columbus Clippers
The Columbus Clippers are a minor league baseball team based in Columbus, Ohio. The team plays in the International League and is the Triple-A affiliate of the Cleveland Indians. The team is owned by the government of Franklin County, Ohio....
, going 11-7 with a 3.69 ERA, before retiring. Shortly afterwards, he became pitching coach at Fordham University
Fordham University
Fordham University is a private, nonprofit, coeducational research university in the United States, with three campuses in and around New York City. It was founded by the Roman Catholic Diocese of New York in 1841 as St...
.