Mike Cather
Encyclopedia
Michael Peter Cather is a former right-handed Major League Baseball
pitcher
who played three baseball seasons as a major league baseball player for the Atlanta Braves
. Cather was born in San Diego, California
. Cather also pitched in the organizations of the Texas Rangers
, Florida Marlins
, and St. Louis Cardinals
. He is 6' 2" in height, and 195 lb. in weight.
at Berkeley
where he participated in college baseball
. In college, he had pitched in the 1992 College World Series
. He was drafted in the 41st round of the free-agent draft by the Texas Rangers and was signed on June 5, 1993. On June 14, 1995, he was released by the Texas Rangers and was purchased by the Atlanta Braves from Winnipeg
(Northern) on February 2, 1996.
Cather made his major league debut on July 13, at age 26 with the Atlanta Braves. On that day, the New York Mets
were playing against the Atlanta Braves at Turner Field
with 42,111 people attending the game. In the top of the seventh inning
, Cather was called to replace Keith Lockhart
pitching and batting ninth. He pitched two innings, striking out
one batter and allowing only one base on balls
. At the end of the game, the Atlanta Braves lost against the New york Mets with the score at 7-6.
He did not allow an earned run
over his first eight games. He earned his first major-league win
on September 22 in the Braves’ 11-inning, 3-2 win against the Montreal Expos
, the same night the Braves earned the National League Eastern Division title. In the National League Division Series
that year, he pitched two scoreless innings in Game 2 against the Houston Astros
and did not allow a run over four games in the National League Championship Series
against the Florida Marlins.
In the season, he played and made it on the Opening Day
roster. On August 31 of the same season, Cather was placed on the 60-day disabled list
due to a circulatory problem of Cather's right arm. He had surgery in October in order to remove his first rib on his right side, which was impinging on an artery
(thoracic outlet syndrome
). He then was able to play the season, playing his last Major League Baseball game on April 12, 1999, and was granted free agency on October 15. In , he played Triple-A
in Minor League Baseball
in the Florida Marlins organization. In , he played in the St. Louis Cardinals organization.
organization as the pitching coach for the Wilmington Blue Rocks
of the Class A Carolina League
. He was promoted in to be the pitching coach for the Portland Sea Dogs
of the Double-A Eastern League and spent three seasons in that post. Since he has served the MLB Red Sox as one of the team's advance scouts.
:
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...
who played three baseball seasons as a major league baseball player for the Atlanta Braves
Atlanta Braves
The Atlanta Braves are a professional baseball club based in Atlanta, Georgia. The Braves are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League. The Braves have played in Turner Field since 1997....
. Cather was born in San Diego, California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
. Cather also pitched in the organizations of 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...
, Florida Marlins
Florida Marlins
The Miami Marlins are a professional baseball team based in Miami, Florida, United States. Established in 1993 as an expansion franchise called the Florida Marlins, the Marlins are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League. The Marlins played their home games at...
, and 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...
. He is 6' 2" in height, and 195 lb. in weight.
Pitching career
He attended the University of CaliforniaUniversity of California
The University of California is a public university system in the U.S. state of California. Under the California Master Plan for Higher Education, the University of California is a part of the state's three-tier public higher education system, which also includes the California State University...
at Berkeley
Berkeley, California
Berkeley is a city on the east shore of the San Francisco Bay in Northern California, United States. Its neighbors to the south are the cities of Oakland and Emeryville. To the north is the city of Albany and the unincorporated community of Kensington...
where he participated in college baseball
College baseball
College baseball is baseball that is played on the intercollegiate level at institutions of higher education. Compared to football and basketball, college competition in the United States plays a less significant contribution to cultivating professional players, as the minor leagues primarily...
. In college, he had pitched in the 1992 College World Series
1992 College World Series
The 1992 College World Series was played at Johnny Rosenblatt Stadium in Omaha, NE from May 29 to June 6. The forty-sixth tournament's champion was Pepperdine University, coached by Andy Lopez...
. He was drafted in the 41st round of the free-agent draft by the Texas Rangers and was signed on June 5, 1993. On June 14, 1995, he was released by the Texas Rangers and was purchased by the Atlanta Braves from Winnipeg
Winnipeg Goldeyes
The Winnipeg Goldeyes are a professional baseball team based in Winnipeg, Manitoba, in Canada. The Goldeyes play in the American Association of Independent Professional Baseball, which is not affiliated with Major League Baseball. From 1994 to 2010, the team was a member of the Northern League.The...
(Northern) on February 2, 1996.
Cather made his major league debut on July 13, at age 26 with the Atlanta Braves. On that day, the 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...
were playing against the Atlanta Braves at Turner Field
Turner Field
Turner Field is a stadium in Atlanta, Georgia, home to Major League Baseball's Atlanta Braves since 1997. Turner Field was originally built as Centennial Olympic Stadium, it was completed in 1996 to serve as the centerpiece of the 1996 Summer Olympics...
with 42,111 people attending the game. In the top of the seventh inning
Inning
Inning is a municipality in the district of Erding in Bavaria in Germany....
, Cather was called to replace Keith Lockhart
Keith Lockhart (baseball)
Keith Virgil Lockhart is a retired second baseman and third baseman who played for 10 seasons in the major leagues from -....
pitching and batting ninth. He pitched two innings, striking out
Strike Out
Strike Out, , North American Harness racing championStrike Out was born in 1969 at Castleton Farm in Lexington, Kentucky, and is by Bret Hanover out of the mare Golden Miss....
one batter and allowing only one base on balls
Base on balls
A base on balls is credited to a batter and against a pitcher in baseball statistics when a batter receives four pitches that the umpire calls balls. It is better known as a walk. The base on balls is defined in Section 2.00 of baseball's Official Rules, and further detail is given in 6.08...
. At the end of the game, the Atlanta Braves lost against the New york Mets with the score at 7-6.
He did not allow an 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...
over his first eight games. He earned his first major-league win
Win (baseball)
In professional baseball, there are two types of decisions: a win and a loss . In each game, one pitcher on the winning team is awarded a win and one pitcher on the losing team is given a loss in their respective statistics. These pitchers are collectively known as the pitchers of record. Only...
on September 22 in the Braves’ 11-inning, 3-2 win against 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...
, the same night the Braves earned the National League Eastern Division title. In the National League Division Series
National League Division Series
In Major League Baseball, the National League Division Series determine which two teams from the National League will advance to the National League Championship Series...
that year, he pitched two scoreless innings in Game 2 against the Houston Astros
Houston Astros
The Houston Astros are a Major League Baseball team located in Houston, Texas. They are a member of the National League Central division. The Astros are expected to join the American League West division in 2013. Since , they have played their home games at Minute Maid Park, known as Enron Field...
and did not allow a run over four games in the National League Championship Series
National League Championship Series
In Major League Baseball, the National League Championship Series is a round in the postseason that determines who wins the National League pennant and advances to Major League Baseball's championship, the World Series, facing the winner of the American League Championship Series. The reigning...
against the Florida Marlins.
In the season, he played and made it on the Opening Day
Opening Day
Opening Day is the day on which professional baseball leagues begin their regular season. For Major League Baseball and most of the minor leagues, this day falls during the first week of April. For baseball fans, Opening Day serves as a symbol of rebirth; writer Thomas Boswell once penned a book...
roster. On August 31 of the same season, Cather was placed on the 60-day disabled list
Disabled list
In Major League Baseball, the disabled list is a method for teams to remove their injured players from the roster in order to summon healthy players.-General guidelines:...
due to a circulatory problem of Cather's right arm. He had surgery in October in order to remove his first rib on his right side, which was impinging on an artery
Artery
Arteries are blood vessels that carry blood away from the heart. This blood is normally oxygenated, exceptions made for the pulmonary and umbilical arteries....
(thoracic outlet syndrome
Thoracic outlet syndrome
Thoracic outlet syndrome is a syndrome involving compression at the superior thoracic outlet involving compression of a neurovascular bundle passing between the anterior scalene and middle scalene...
). He then was able to play the season, playing his last Major League Baseball game on April 12, 1999, and was granted free agency on October 15. In , he played Triple-A
AAA (baseball)
Triple-A refers to the highest level of play in minor league baseball in the United States and Mexico.-Purpose:Triple-A teams' main purpose is to prepare players for the Major Leagues:...
in Minor League Baseball
Minor league baseball
Minor league baseball is a hierarchy of professional baseball leagues in the Americas that compete at levels below Major League Baseball and provide opportunities for player development. All of the minor leagues are operated as independent businesses...
in the Florida Marlins organization. In , he played in the St. Louis Cardinals organization.
Instructor, coach and scout
Cather became a private instructor for pitchers from 2001 to . In , he joined the Boston Red SoxBoston Red Sox
The Boston Red Sox are a professional baseball team based in Boston, Massachusetts, and a member of Major League Baseball’s American League Eastern Division. Founded in as one of the American League's eight charter franchises, the Red Sox's home ballpark has been Fenway Park since . The "Red Sox"...
organization as the pitching coach for the Wilmington Blue Rocks
Wilmington Blue Rocks
The Wilmington Blue Rocks are a Minor League Baseball team located in Wilmington, Delaware. The Blue Rocks play in the Northern Division of the Carolina League.-Franchise history:...
of the Class A Carolina League
Carolina League
The Carolina League is a minor league baseball affiliation which operates in the South Atlantic Coast of the United States. Before 2002, it was classified as a "High A" league, indicating its status as a Class A league with the highest level of competition within that classification, and the fifth...
. He was promoted in to be the pitching coach for the Portland Sea Dogs
Portland Sea Dogs
The Portland Sea Dogs are the Double-A minor league affiliate of the Boston Red Sox. Established in 1994 and based in Portland, Maine, the Sea Dogs play in the Northern Division of the Eastern League....
of the Double-A Eastern League and spent three seasons in that post. Since he has served the MLB Red Sox as one of the team's advance scouts.
Career statistics
Career StatisticsBaseball statistics
Statistics play an important role in summarizing baseball performance and evaluating players in the sport.Since the flow of a baseball game has natural breaks to it, and normally players act individually rather than performing in clusters, the sport lends itself to easy record-keeping and statistics...
:
| G Games played Games played is a statistic used in team sports to indicate the total number of games in which a player has participated ; the statistic is generally applied irrespective of whatever portion of the game is contested.-Baseball:In baseball, the statistic applies also to players who, prior to a game,... |
GR Grand slam (baseball) In the sport of baseball, a grand slam is a home run hit with all three bases occupied by baserunners , thereby scoring four runs—the most possible in one play. According to The Dickson Baseball Dictionary, the term originated in the card game of contract bridge, in which a grand slam involves... |
CG 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... |
SHO | GF Games finished In baseball statistics, a relief pitcher is credited with a game finished if he is the last pitcher to pitch for his team in a game. A starting pitcher is not credited with a GF for pitching a complete game... |
SV | IP Innings pitched In baseball, innings pitched are the number of innings a pitcher has completed, measured by the number of batters and baserunners that are put out while the pitcher on the pitching mound in a game. Three outs made is equal to one inning pitched. One out counts as one-third of an inning, and two... |
H 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.... |
R Run (baseball) In baseball, a run is scored when a player advances around first, second and third base and returns safely to home plate, touching the bases in that order, before three outs are recorded and all obligations to reach base safely on batted balls are met or assured... |
ER 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... |
HR Home run In baseball, a home run is scored when the ball is hit in such a way that the batter is able to reach home safely in one play without any errors being committed by the defensive team in the process... |
BB Base on balls A base on balls is credited to a batter and against a pitcher in baseball statistics when a batter receives four pitches that the umpire calls balls. It is better known as a walk. The base on balls is defined in Section 2.00 of baseball's Official Rules, and further detail is given in 6.08... |
SO Strikeout In baseball or softball, a strikeout or strike-out occurs when a batter receives three strikes during his time at bat. A strikeout is a statistic recorded for both pitchers and batters.... |
HBP Hit by pitch In baseball, hit by pitch , or hit batsman , is a batter or his equipment being hit in some part of his body by a pitch from the pitcher.-Official rule:... |
WP Wild pitch In baseball, a wild pitch is charged against a pitcher when his pitch is too high, too short, or too wide of home plate for the catcher to control with ordinary effort, thereby allowing a baserunner, perhaps even the batter-runner on strike three or ball four, to advance.A wild pitch usually... |
BFP Batters Faced by Pitcher In baseball statistics, Batters Faced by Pitcher , also known as Total Batters Faced , is the number of batters who made a plate appearance before the pitcher in a game or in a season.... |
IBB Intentional base on balls In baseball, an intentional base on balls, usually referred to as an intentional walk and denoted in baseball scorekeeping by IBB, is a walk issued to a batter by a pitcher with the intent of removing the batter's opportunity to swing at the pitched ball... |
BK Balk In baseball, a pitcher can commit a number of illegal motions or actions that constitute a balk. In games played under the Official Baseball Rules, a balk results in a dead ball or delayed dead ball. In certain other circumstances, a balk may be wholly or partially disregarded... |
ERA 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... |
WHIP Walks plus hits per inning pitched In baseball statistics, walks plus hits per inning pitched is a sabermetric measurement of the number of baserunners a pitcher has allowed per inning pitched. It is a measure of a pitcher's ability to prevent batters from reaching base... |
| 75 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 21 | 0 | 81.7 | 61 | 36 | 31 | 10 | 32 | 62 | 4 | 0 | 341 | 5 | 0 | 3.42 | 1.212 |