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Mike Flanagan (baseball player)
Encyclopedia
Michael Kendall Flanagan (December 16, 1951 August 24, 2011) was an American
left-handed pitcher
, front office
executive, and color commentator
. With the exception of four years with the Toronto Blue Jays
(1987
–1990
), he was with the Baltimore Orioles
for his entire career in Major League Baseball (MLB)
.
Flanagan was a starting pitcher
for the Orioles from 1975
through 1987
. He was named to the American League (AL)
All-Star Team once in 1978
. The following year
, the first of two times he would play on an AL pennant
winner, his 23 victories led the circuit and earned him the league's Cy Young Award
. He was a member of the Orioles' World Series Championship team
in 1983
. He returned to Baltimore to close out his playing career as a reliever
in 1991
and 1992
. During this second tour, he contributed to the most recent no-hitter
thrown by the club. He was also the last Orioles pitcher to appear in a major-league contest at Memorial Stadium
.
In an 18-season career, Flanagan posted a 167–143 record with 1491 strikeout
s and a 3.90 ERA in 2770.0 innings pitched
.
He served in three different positions with the Orioles after his retirement as an active player. He was the pitching coach in 1995
and 1998
and the executive vice president of baseball operations from 2006
through 2008
. At the time of his death, he was one of the team's broadcasters, a capacity he had previously held three times (1994, 1996–1997, 1999–2002).
, he was one of Ed and Lorraine Flanagan's four children and the younger of their two son
s. Under the coaching of his father
and grandfather
Ed Sr., who both played in the Boston Red Sox
organization, he once struck out
18 batters in a six-inning
Little League game.
Flanagan graduated from Manchester (NH) Memorial High School
, where he was on baseball and basketball
teams that each won consecutive New Hampshire Interscholastic Athletic Association (NHIAA)
Class L titles in 1970 and 1971. His pitching was limited in 1971 due to an arm
injury he had sustained while playing American Legion Baseball
for the local Henry J. Sweeney Post the previous summer
. This factored into him not signing a contract
after he was picked by the Houston Astros
in the 15th round (346th overall) of the 1971 Major League Baseball Draft
.
, where he played baseball in 1972 and 1973. He earned first team All-Yankee Conference and first team All-New England honors in 1973, after he compiled a 9-1 record with a 1.52 ERA and 91 strikeouts, to lead the team in all three categories. The nine wins and .900 winning percentage also set school single-season records at the time. Flanagan had a career ERA of 1.19 and a career winning percentage of .923 (12-1), which are both still the best marks in school history. He also played in the outfield while at UMass, hitting .320 with six homers and 29 RBIs in 128 career at-bats.
Flanagan also played freshman basketball at UMass, where he crossed paths with Julius Erving
. He received his degree from the UMass School of Education in 1975, and was inducted into the UMass Athletic Hall of Fame in 2000.
He was a pitcher and outfielder for the Falmouth Commodores
in the Cape Cod Baseball League (CCBL)
during the summer
of 1972. He had a 7–1 record and a 2.18 earned run average (ERA)
, while batting .286 with seven home run
s. He was a member of the CCBL's inaugural Hall of Fame class in 2000.
, this time by the Baltimore Orioles
in the 7th round (159th overall). When he signed with the Orioles, the ballclub agreed to finance the remainder of his college education. He progressed through the organization, with stops in Miami
(1973–1974), Asheville
(1974) and Rochester
, where he went 13–4 with a 2.50 ERA in 1975.
His experience in the major leagues began with two appearances as a September call-up
in 1975
. In his MLB debut on September 5, he pitched 1⅔ innings
in relief of starter
Wayne Garland
in a 5–4 victory at home over the New York Yankees
in the opener of a twi-night doubleheader
. His first decision was a 3–2 loss to the same opponent at Shea Stadium
in the nightcap of another twin bill on September 28. He was on the verge of a complete-game shutout until the bottom of the ninth when the first three batters he faced reached base and Dyar Miller
allowed all of them to score.
Flanagan's 1976 campaign
was split between Rochester and Baltimore. He did not get his first major-league win until a 7–1 complete-game triumph at home over the eventual AL West
Champion Kansas City Royals
late that year on September 1. He joined the Orioles' starting rotation in 1977
, finishing with a 15–10 record."
One of the team's most dependable pitchers for the next nine years, Flanagan went to the All-Star Game in 1978 and won the Cy Young Award
in 1979 with a record of 23-9 and an ERA
of 3.08. Flanagan suffered two major injuries during his tenure with the Orioles, a knee injury in 1983, and a torn achilles tendon
from a pick-up basketball game.
Returning as a free agent
to Baltimore for the 1991 season, he pitched effectively that season as a reliever, including sharing a no-hitter with starter Bob Milacki
, middle reliever Mark Williamson
, and closer Gregg Olson
. After a forgettable 1992 season, Flanagan retired from baseball.
, beginning on August 31, 1987 when he was traded for Oswaldo Peraza
. José Mesa
was sent to Baltimore to complete the deal four days later on September 4. The Blue Jays released Phil Niekro
to make room for Flanagan on its roster.
Flanagan's finest performance with the Blue Jays occurred at Tiger Stadium in the penultimate game of the 1987 regular season
on October 3. With Toronto in a first-place tie with the Detroit Tigers
and having lost its last five contests, he outlasted Jack Morris
by pitching eleven innings before departing with the match deadlocked at 2–2. The Blue Jays ended up losing the game 3–2 one inning later and the AL East
championship the following afternoon. Morris said after the game, "Flanagan was so great, so competitive, that I considered my job to be survival – somehow keep us tied until he left the game. We weren't going to get to the playoffs beating him, we could only get there surviving him."
Flanagan's only postseason experience with the Blue Jays was a Game 4 start in the 1989 AL Championship Series
on October 7. He only lasted 4⅓ innings, giving up five run
s and three homers. The only one not hit by Rickey Henderson
, Jose Canseco
's 480-foot (146.30 meter
s) shot in the third inning, was the first ever to land in the top deck at Skydome
.
His final appearance with Toronto was a start that resulted in a 3–1 loss at home to the Tigers on May 4, 1990. He surrendered all three runs in 4⅓ innings. He was released four days later on May 8. His overall record with the Blue Jays was 26–27.
in other team organizations. However with the appointment of Andy MacPhail
as President of Baseball Operations, his responsibilities dwindled. According to Dave Johnson on the August 15, 2009 episode of the Tom Davis Show, Flanagan's contract with the Orioles had ended in 2008 and he was no longer officially with the club.
Flanagan's career as a color commentator
on Orioles telecasts began with 20 contests on Home Team Sports (HTS) in 1994. His appointment by the network as the primary game analyst alongside Mel Proctor
in early-January 1996 followed the controversial dismissal of John Lowenstein
, an Orioles teammate of Flanagan's during their playing days. He also teamed with Michael Reghi
for a year before being succeeded by Rick Cerone
prior to the 1998 season
. He rejoined Reghi in the broadcast booth after replacing Cerone in 1999
. He continued in that capacity for four more seasons, during which HTS evolved into Comcast SportsNet Mid-Atlantic
. He was followed behind the microphone by Buck Martinez in 2003
. He joined the Mid-Atlantic Sports Network (MASN)
as the secondary analyst after Martinez became the Blue Jays' lead broadcaster
on Rogers Sportsnet
in 2010
. Both he and Jim Palmer
worked with rotating play-by-play announcers Gary Thorne
and Jim Hunter.
, especially when it involved using pun
s to create nickname
s. In his baseball
column in the Sunday
issues of The Boston Globe
during the late-1970s, Peter Gammons
ran a regular feature called the Mike Flanagan Nickname of the Week. One example was John "Clams" Castino
, which was a play on clams casino
. Another was "Mordecai Six Toe" Lezcano, based on Mordecai "Three Finger" Brown
and given to Sixto Lezcano
. When the Blue Jays allowed Tony Solaita
to sign with the Nippon-Ham Fighters after the 1979 campaign
, he was dubbed "Tony Obsolaita." During the 1980 season
, Flanagan called himself "Cy Young
," Jim Palmer "Cy Old," Steve Stone "Cy Present" and Scott McGregor "Cy Future." When Storm Davis
, whose pitching motion resembled Palmer's, joined the Orioles two years later in 1982
, he was "Cy Clone." Flanagan added that pitchers became "Cy-bex
" if they were injured and "Cy-onara" when they were no longer effective. Two monikers that stuck were "Full Pack" and "Stan the Man Unusual," both of which were coined for Don Stanhouse
. This nickname concept was later popularized by ESPN
's Chris Berman, who was inspired by the feature in Gammons' column.
, fastball
, and a changeup
supposedly taught to him by Scott McGregor in 1979.
Kerry Ellen was the fourth American
born through in vitro fertilization
and the first not by Caesarean section
. She was born at the Greater Baltimore Medical Center
on July 9, 1982. The conception had been performed at the Eastern Virginia Medical School
.
after failing to find him. Police discovered a body on the property but could not immediately determine the identity because the wounds were so severe. The body was later identified as Flanagan, with the cause of death determined to be a self-inflicted shotgun
wound to the head. Police said that Flanagan was distressed about financial issues. WBAL-TV
reported that Flanagan was still despondent about perceived failures during his tenure in the Orioles' front office.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
left-handed 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...
, front office
Front office
Front office is a business term that refers to a company's departments that come in contact with clients, including the marketing, sales, and service departments...
executive, and color commentator
Color commentator
A color commentator is a sports commentator who assists the play-by-play announcer, often by filling in any time when play is not in progress. The color analyst and main commentator will often exchange comments freely throughout the broadcast, when the play-by-play announcer is not describing the...
. With the exception of four years with the Toronto Blue Jays
Toronto Blue Jays
The Toronto Blue Jays are a professional baseball team located in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The Blue Jays are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball 's American League ....
(1987
1987 Toronto Blue Jays season
The Toronto Blue Jays season witnessed the Blue Jays finishing second in the American League East with a record of 96 wins and 66 losses. They had been in first place by 3½ games over the Detroit Tigers with a week left to play...
–1990
1990 Toronto Blue Jays season
The Toronto Blue Jays season was a season in American baseball. It involved the Blue Jays finishing second in the American League East with a record of 86 wins and 76 losses. It was their first full season in the Skydome. The Blue Jays led the division by 1½ games over the Boston Red Sox with one...
), he was with the Baltimore Orioles
Baltimore Orioles
The Baltimore Orioles are a professional baseball team based in Baltimore, Maryland in the United States. They are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's American League. One of the American League's eight charter franchises in 1901, it spent its first year as a major league...
for his entire career in Major League Baseball (MLB)
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...
.
Flanagan was a starting pitcher
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....
for the Orioles from 1975
1975 Baltimore Orioles season
The Baltimore Orioles season was a season in American baseball. It involved the Orioles finishing 2nd in the American League East with a record of 90 wins and 69 losses.- Offseason :...
through 1987
1987 Baltimore Orioles season
The Baltimore Orioles season was a season in American baseball. It involved the Orioles finishing 6th in the American League East with a record of 67 wins and 95 losses.-Offseason:* January 30, 1987: Jack O'Connor was signed as a free agent by the Orioles....
. He was named to the American League (AL)
American League
The American League of Professional Baseball Clubs, or simply the American League , is one of two leagues that make up Major League Baseball in the United States and Canada. It developed from the Western League, a minor league based in the Great Lakes states, which eventually aspired to major...
All-Star Team once in 1978
1978 Major League Baseball All-Star Game
The 1978 Major League Baseball All-Star Game was the 49th midseason exhibition between the all-stars of the American League and the National League , the two leagues comprising Major League Baseball. The game was played on July 11, 1978 at San Diego Stadium in San Diego, California, home of the...
. The following year
1979 Baltimore Orioles season
The 1979 Baltimore Orioles season was a season in American baseball. The Orioles finished first in the American League East division of Major League Baseball with a record of 102 wins and 57 losses...
, the first of two times he would play on an AL pennant
Pennant (sports)
A pennant is a commemorative flag typically used to show support for a particular athletic team. Pennants have been historically used in all types of athletic levels: high school, collegiate, professional etc. Traditionally, pennants were made of felt and fashioned in the official colors of a...
winner, his 23 victories led the circuit and earned him the league's Cy Young Award
Cy Young Award
The Cy Young Award is an honor given annually in baseball to the best pitchers in Major League Baseball , one each for the American League and National League . The award was first introduced in 1956 by Baseball Commissioner Ford Frick in honor of Hall of Fame pitcher Cy Young, who died in 1955...
. He was a member of the Orioles' World Series Championship team
1983 World Series
-Game 1:Tuesday, October 11, 1983 at Memorial Stadium in Baltimore, MarylandJohn Denver, whose Thank God I'm a Country Boy was played at the seventh-inning stretch of each Orioles home game, sang the National Anthem prior to this game....
in 1983
1983 Baltimore Orioles season
The Baltimore Orioles season was a season in American baseball. It involved the Orioles finishing 1st in the American League East with a record of 98 wins and 64 losses...
. He returned to Baltimore to close out his playing career as a reliever
Relief pitcher
A relief pitcher or reliever is a baseball or softball pitcher who enters the game after the starting pitcher is removed due to injury, ineffectiveness, fatigue, ejection, or for other strategic reasons, such as being substituted by a pinch hitter...
in 1991
1991 Baltimore Orioles season
The Baltimore Orioles season was a season in American baseball. It involved the Orioles finishing 6th in the American League East with a record of 67 wins and 95 losses. Cal Ripken. Jr. would be the first shortstop in the history of the American League to win two MVP awards in a career. This was...
and 1992
1992 Baltimore Orioles season
The Baltimore Orioles season was a season in American baseball. It involved the Orioles finishing third in the American League East with a record of 89 wins and 73 losses....
. During this second tour, he contributed to the most recent no-hitter
No-hitter
A no-hitter is a baseball game in which one team has no hits. In Major League Baseball, the team must be without hits during the entire game, and the game must be at least nine innings. A pitcher who prevents the opposing team from achieving a hit is said to have "thrown a no-hitter"...
thrown by the club. He was also the last Orioles pitcher to appear in a major-league contest at Memorial Stadium
Memorial Stadium (Baltimore)
Memorial Stadium was a sports stadium in Baltimore, Maryland, that formerly stood on 33rd Street on an over-sized block also bounded by Ellerslie Avenue , 36th Street , and Ednor Road...
.
In an 18-season career, Flanagan posted a 167–143 record with 1491 strikeout
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....
s and a 3.90 ERA in 2770.0 innings pitched
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...
.
He served in three different positions with the Orioles after his retirement as an active player. He was the pitching coach in 1995
1995 Baltimore Orioles season
The Baltimore Orioles season was a season in American baseball. It involved the Orioles finishing 3rd in the American League East with a record of 71 wins and 73 losses.-Offseason:* November 18, 1994: Mark Lee was signed as a free agent by the Orioles....
and 1998
1998 Baltimore Orioles season
The 1998 Baltimore Orioles season involved the Orioles finishing 4th in the American League East with a record of 79 wins and 83 losses.-Offseason:*December 11, 1997: Doug Drabek was signed as a free agent with the Baltimore Orioles....
and the executive vice president of baseball operations from 2006
2006 Baltimore Orioles season
The 2006 Baltimore Orioles season involved the Orioles finishing 4th in the American League East with a record of 70 wins and 92 losses.-Front office changes:...
through 2008
2008 Baltimore Orioles season
The Baltimore Orioles entered the 2008 season led by Dave Trembley, now starting his first full season as manager. President of Baseball Operations Andy MacPhail continued the rebuilding process...
. At the time of his death, he was one of the team's broadcasters, a capacity he had previously held three times (1994, 1996–1997, 1999–2002).
Early years
Born and raised in Manchester, New HampshireManchester, New Hampshire
Manchester is the largest city in the U.S. state of New Hampshire, the tenth largest city in New England, and the largest city in northern New England, an area comprising the states of Maine, New Hampshire, and Vermont. It is in Hillsborough County along the banks of the Merrimack River, which...
, he was one of Ed and Lorraine Flanagan's four children and the younger of their two son
Son
A son is a male offspring; a boy or man in relation to his parents. The female analogue is a daughter.-Social issues regarding sons:In pre-industrial societies and some current countries with agriculture-based economies, a higher value was, and still is, assigned to sons rather than daughters,...
s. Under the coaching of his father
Father
A father, Pop, Dad, or Papa, is defined as a male parent of any type of offspring. The adjective "paternal" refers to father, parallel to "maternal" for mother...
and grandfather
Grandparent
Grandparents are the parents of a person's own parent, whether that be a father or a mother. Every sexually-reproducing creature who is not a genetic chimera has a maximum of four genetic grandparents, eight genetic great-grandparents, sixteen genetic great-great-grandparents, etc...
Ed Sr., who both played in the Boston Red Sox
Boston 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, he once struck out
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....
18 batters in a six-inning
Innings
An inning, or innings, is a fixed-length segment of a game in any of a variety of sports – most notably cricket and baseball during which one team attempts to score while the other team attempts to prevent the first from scoring. In cricket, the term innings is both singular and plural and is...
Little League game.
Flanagan graduated from Manchester (NH) Memorial High School
Manchester Memorial High School
Manchester Memorial High School is a four-year comprehensive school in Manchester, New Hampshire with an enrollment of approximately 2,100. The school's Latin motto is "scientia est potentia."...
, where he was on baseball and basketball
Basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
teams that each won consecutive New Hampshire Interscholastic Athletic Association (NHIAA)
New Hampshire Interscholastic Athletic Association
The New Hampshire Interscholastic Athletic Association is the governing body for sports competitions among all public and some private high schools in New Hampshire...
Class L titles in 1970 and 1971. His pitching was limited in 1971 due to an arm
Arm
In human anatomy, the arm is the part of the upper limb between the shoulder and the elbow joints. In other animals, the term arm can also be used for analogous structures, such as one of the paired forelimbs of a four-legged animal or the arms of cephalopods...
injury he had sustained while playing American Legion Baseball
American Legion Baseball
American Legion Baseball is a variety of amateur baseball played by teenage boys in 50 states in the USA. More than five thousand teams participate each year. The American Legion Department of South Dakota established the program in 1925 at Milbank, South Dakota...
for the local Henry J. Sweeney Post the previous summer
Summer
Summer is the warmest of the four temperate seasons, between spring and autumn. At the summer solstice, the days are longest and the nights are shortest, with day-length decreasing as the season progresses after the solstice...
. This factored into him not signing a contract
Contract
A contract is an agreement entered into by two parties or more with the intention of creating a legal obligation, which may have elements in writing. Contracts can be made orally. The remedy for breach of contract can be "damages" or compensation of money. In equity, the remedy can be specific...
after he was picked by 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...
in the 15th round (346th overall) of the 1971 Major League Baseball Draft
1971 Major League Baseball Draft
-First round selections:The following are the first round picks in the 1971 Major League Baseball draft.* Did not sign- Background :The June 1971 draft was a productive one, even though none of its top ten choices yielded players who would have memorable major league careers...
.
University of Massachusetts Amherst
Flanagan attended the University of Massachusetts AmherstUniversity of Massachusetts Amherst
The University of Massachusetts Amherst is a public research and land-grant university in Amherst, Massachusetts, United States and the flagship of the University of Massachusetts system...
, where he played baseball in 1972 and 1973. He earned first team All-Yankee Conference and first team All-New England honors in 1973, after he compiled a 9-1 record with a 1.52 ERA and 91 strikeouts, to lead the team in all three categories. The nine wins and .900 winning percentage also set school single-season records at the time. Flanagan had a career ERA of 1.19 and a career winning percentage of .923 (12-1), which are both still the best marks in school history. He also played in the outfield while at UMass, hitting .320 with six homers and 29 RBIs in 128 career at-bats.
Flanagan also played freshman basketball at UMass, where he crossed paths with Julius Erving
Julius Erving
Julius Winfield Erving II , commonly known by the nickname Dr. J, is a retired American basketball player who helped launch a modern style of play that emphasizes leaping and play above the rim....
. He received his degree from the UMass School of Education in 1975, and was inducted into the UMass Athletic Hall of Fame in 2000.
He was a pitcher and outfielder for the Falmouth Commodores
Falmouth Commodores
The Falmouth Commodores are a collegiate summer baseball team based in Falmouth, Massachusetts. The team is a member of the Cape Cod Baseball League and plays in the league's Western Division. Falmouth currently plays its home games at Arnie Allen Diamond at Guv Fuller Field, one of 6 ballparks in...
in the Cape Cod Baseball League (CCBL)
Cape Cod Baseball League
The Cape Cod Baseball League is a collegiate summer baseball league located on Cape Cod in the U.S. state of Massachusetts, in which many college baseball stars play during the summer. Many future Major League Baseball players have started there during their college years; MLB has provided...
during the summer
Summer
Summer is the warmest of the four temperate seasons, between spring and autumn. At the summer solstice, the days are longest and the nights are shortest, with day-length decreasing as the season progresses after the solstice...
of 1972. He had a 7–1 record and a 2.18 earned run average (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...
, while batting .286 with seven home run
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...
s. He was a member of the CCBL's inaugural Hall of Fame class in 2000.
Baltimore Orioles
Flanagan was selected again in the 1973 MLB Draft1973 Major League Baseball Draft
-First round selections:The following are the first round picks in the 1973 Major League Baseball draft.* Did not sign- Background :Four dominating players of the late 70s and 80s were selected in the June regular phase...
, this time by the Baltimore Orioles
Baltimore Orioles
The Baltimore Orioles are a professional baseball team based in Baltimore, Maryland in the United States. They are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's American League. One of the American League's eight charter franchises in 1901, it spent its first year as a major league...
in the 7th round (159th overall). When he signed with the Orioles, the ballclub agreed to finance the remainder of his college education. He progressed through the organization, with stops in Miami
Fort Myers Miracle
The Fort Myers Miracle is the Class A Advanced minor league baseball affiliate of the Minnesota Twins Major League Baseball club, currently managed by Jake Mauer. Home games are played at the Lee County Sports Complex in Hammond Stadium, which has a capacity of 7,500, and opened in...
(1973–1974), Asheville
Asheville Orioles
The Asheville Orioles are a former minor league baseball team based in Asheville, North Carolina. Originally known as the Asheville Tourists from 1959–1971, it was renamed for its major league affiliate, the Baltimore Orioles, and played for four seasons from to . They played in the Class Double-A...
(1974) and Rochester
Rochester Red Wings
The Rochester Red Wings are a minor league baseball team based in Rochester, New York. The team plays in the International League and is the Triple-A affiliate of the Minnesota Twins major-league club. The Red Wings play in Frontier Field, located in downtown Rochester.The Red Wings were an...
, where he went 13–4 with a 2.50 ERA in 1975.
His experience in the major leagues began with two appearances as a September call-up
Major League Baseball rosters
A Major League Baseball roster is a roster of players able to play for their respective Major League team. There are two types of rosters, the 25-man roster and the 40-man roster.-25-man roster:...
in 1975
1975 Baltimore Orioles season
The Baltimore Orioles season was a season in American baseball. It involved the Orioles finishing 2nd in the American League East with a record of 90 wins and 69 losses.- Offseason :...
. In his MLB debut on September 5, he pitched 1⅔ innings
Innings
An inning, or innings, is a fixed-length segment of a game in any of a variety of sports – most notably cricket and baseball during which one team attempts to score while the other team attempts to prevent the first from scoring. In cricket, the term innings is both singular and plural and is...
in relief of starter
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....
Wayne Garland
Wayne Garland
Marcus Wayne Garland was a Major League Baseball pitcher from 1973 to 1981 for the Baltimore Orioles and Cleveland Indians. Garland's best season came in 1976 when he posted a win–loss record of 20–7...
in a 5–4 victory at home over 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...
in the opener of a twi-night 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...
. His first decision was a 3–2 loss to the same opponent at Shea Stadium
Shea Stadium
William A. Shea Municipal Stadium, usually shortened to Shea Stadium or just Shea , was a stadium in the New York City borough of Queens, in Flushing Meadows–Corona Park. It was the home baseball park of Major League Baseball's New York Mets from 1964 to 2008...
in the nightcap of another twin bill on September 28. He was on the verge of a complete-game shutout until the bottom of the ninth when the first three batters he faced reached base and Dyar Miller
Dyar Miller
Dyar K Miller is a former professional baseball player. He played all or part of seven seasons in Major League Baseball for the Baltimore Orioles, California Angels, Toronto Blue Jays, and New York Mets.-References:...
allowed all of them to score.
Flanagan's 1976 campaign
1976 Baltimore Orioles season
The 1976 Baltimore Orioles season was a season in American baseball. It involved the Orioles finishing second in the American League East with a record of 88 wins and 74 losses.- Offseason :...
was split between Rochester and Baltimore. He did not get his first major-league win until a 7–1 complete-game triumph at home over the eventual AL West
American League West
The American League West is one of three divisions in Major League Baseball's American League. The division currently has four teams, but it has had as many as seven teams before the 1994 realignment. Although its teams currently only reside along the west coast and in Texas, historically the...
Champion Kansas City Royals
Kansas City Royals
The Kansas City Royals are a Major League Baseball team based in Kansas City, Missouri. The Royals are a member of the Central Division of Major League Baseball's American League. From 1973 to the present, the Royals have played in Kauffman Stadium...
late that year on September 1. He joined the Orioles' starting rotation in 1977
1977 Baltimore Orioles season
The Baltimore Orioles season was a season in American baseball. It involved the Orioles finishing second in the American League East with a record of 97 wins and 64 losses.- Offseason :* November 1, 1976: Darryl Cias was released by the Orioles....
, finishing with a 15–10 record."
One of the team's most dependable pitchers for the next nine years, Flanagan went to the All-Star Game in 1978 and won the Cy Young Award
Cy Young Award
The Cy Young Award is an honor given annually in baseball to the best pitchers in Major League Baseball , one each for the American League and National League . The award was first introduced in 1956 by Baseball Commissioner Ford Frick in honor of Hall of Fame pitcher Cy Young, who died in 1955...
in 1979 with a record of 23-9 and an 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...
of 3.08. Flanagan suffered two major injuries during his tenure with the Orioles, a knee injury in 1983, and a torn achilles tendon
Achilles tendon
The Achilles tendon , also known as the calcaneal tendon or the tendo calcaneus, is a tendon of the posterior leg. It serves to attach the plantaris, gastrocnemius and soleus muscles to the calcaneus bone.- Anatomy :The Achilles is the tendonous extension of 3 muscles in the lower leg:...
from a pick-up basketball game.
Returning as a 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....
to Baltimore for the 1991 season, he pitched effectively that season as a reliever, including sharing a no-hitter with starter Bob Milacki
Bob Milacki
Robert "Bob" Milacki , is a former professional baseball player who pitched in the Major Leagues between and , mostly with the Baltimore Orioles.-Major league career:...
, middle reliever Mark Williamson
Mark Williamson (baseball)
Mark Alan Williamson Mark Alan Williamson Mark Alan Williamson (July 21, 1959 in Corpus Christi, Texas, is a retired professional baseball player who played pitcher in the Major Leagues from 1987-1994. He played for the Baltimore Orioles. On July 13, 1991, he pitched a no hitter along with Bob...
, and closer Gregg Olson
Gregg Olson
Greggory Olson is a former Major League Baseball relief pitcher who played with the Baltimore Orioles , Atlanta Braves , Cleveland Indians , Kansas City Royals , Detroit Tigers , Houston Astros , Minnesota Twins , Arizona Diamondbacks and Los Angeles Dodgers...
. After a forgettable 1992 season, Flanagan retired from baseball.
Toronto Blue Jays
His time between the two tours with the Orioles was spent with the Toronto Blue JaysToronto Blue Jays
The Toronto Blue Jays are a professional baseball team located in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The Blue Jays are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball 's American League ....
, beginning on August 31, 1987 when he was traded for Oswaldo Peraza
Oswaldo Peraza
Oswald José Peraza [pay-RAH-za] is a former starting pitcher in Major League Baseball who played for the Baltimore Orioles . He batted and threw right-handed....
. José Mesa
José Mesa
José Ramón Nova Mesa [MAY-sah] is a former Major League Baseball right-handed relief pitcher. His nickname was "Joe Table," the literal translation of his name in the English language....
was sent to Baltimore to complete the deal four days later on September 4. The Blue Jays released Phil Niekro
Phil Niekro
Philip Henry Niekro , nicknamed "Knucksie" because of his usage and skill level with the knuckleball, is a former Major League Baseball pitcher. He was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1997....
to make room for Flanagan on its roster.
Flanagan's finest performance with the Blue Jays occurred at Tiger Stadium in the penultimate game of the 1987 regular season
1987 Toronto Blue Jays season
The Toronto Blue Jays season witnessed the Blue Jays finishing second in the American League East with a record of 96 wins and 66 losses. They had been in first place by 3½ games over the Detroit Tigers with a week left to play...
on October 3. With Toronto in a first-place tie with the Detroit Tigers
Detroit Tigers
The Detroit Tigers are a Major League Baseball team located in Detroit, Michigan. One of the American League's eight charter franchises, the club was founded in Detroit in as part of the Western League. The Tigers have won four World Series championships and have won the American League pennant...
and having lost its last five contests, he outlasted Jack Morris
Jack Morris
John Scott "Jack" Morris is a former Major League Baseball right-handed starting pitcher. He played in 18 big league seasons between 1977 and 1994, mainly for the Detroit Tigers, and won 254 games throughout his career...
by pitching eleven innings before departing with the match deadlocked at 2–2. The Blue Jays ended up losing the game 3–2 one inning later and the AL East
American League East
The American League Eastern Division is one of Major League Baseball's six divisions . This division was created before the start of the 1969 season along with the Western Division...
championship the following afternoon. Morris said after the game, "Flanagan was so great, so competitive, that I considered my job to be survival – somehow keep us tied until he left the game. We weren't going to get to the playoffs beating him, we could only get there surviving him."
Flanagan's only postseason experience with the Blue Jays was a Game 4 start in the 1989 AL Championship Series
1989 American League Championship Series
-Game 1:Tuesday, October 3, 1989 at Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum in Oakland, CaliforniaThe A's went off as heavy favorites largely due to their status as defending American League champions. The Blue Jays had been in second place much of the year before catching and passing the Baltimore Orioles...
on October 7. He only lasted 4⅓ innings, giving up five run
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...
s and three homers. The only one not hit by Rickey Henderson
Rickey Henderson
Rickey Henley Henderson is a former Major League Baseball left fielder who played for nine teams from 1979 to 2003, including four stints with his original team, the Oakland Athletics. Nicknamed The Man of Steal, he is widely regarded as the sport's greatest leadoff hitter and baserunner...
, Jose Canseco
José Canseco
José Canseco Capas, Jr. is a Cuban-American professional baseball manager, outfielder, and designated hitter for the Yuma Scorpions of the North American League and former Major League Baseball player. He is the identical twin brother of former major league player and current teammate Ozzie Canseco...
's 480-foot (146.30 meter
Metre
The metre , symbol m, is the base unit of length in the International System of Units . Originally intended to be one ten-millionth of the distance from the Earth's equator to the North Pole , its definition has been periodically refined to reflect growing knowledge of metrology...
s) shot in the third inning, was the first ever to land in the top deck at Skydome
Rogers Centre
Rogers Centre is a multi-purpose stadium, in Downtown Toronto, Ontario, Canada, situated next to the CN Tower, near the shores of Lake Ontario. Opened in 1989, it is home to the Toronto Blue Jays of Major League Baseball and the Toronto Argonauts of the Canadian Football League...
.
His final appearance with Toronto was a start that resulted in a 3–1 loss at home to the Tigers on May 4, 1990. He surrendered all three runs in 4⅓ innings. He was released four days later on May 8. His overall record with the Blue Jays was 26–27.
Post-playing days
He served two stints each as a pitching coach and broadcaster for the Orioles. Flanagan was the Orioles' executive vice president of baseball operations. In recent years, positions in the Orioles' front office have been referred to by this title that would be known as general managerGeneral manager (baseball)
In Major League Baseball, the general manager of a team typically controls player transactions and bears the primary responsibility on behalf of the ballclub during contract discussions with players....
in other team organizations. However with the appointment of Andy MacPhail
Andy MacPhail
Andy MacPhail is the former president of baseball operations for the Baltimore Orioles. He was the president/CEO of the National League Chicago Cubs from September 9, 1994 until October 1, 2006...
as President of Baseball Operations, his responsibilities dwindled. According to Dave Johnson on the August 15, 2009 episode of the Tom Davis Show, Flanagan's contract with the Orioles had ended in 2008 and he was no longer officially with the club.
Flanagan's career as a color commentator
Color commentator
A color commentator is a sports commentator who assists the play-by-play announcer, often by filling in any time when play is not in progress. The color analyst and main commentator will often exchange comments freely throughout the broadcast, when the play-by-play announcer is not describing the...
on Orioles telecasts began with 20 contests on Home Team Sports (HTS) in 1994. His appointment by the network as the primary game analyst alongside Mel Proctor
Mel Proctor
Mel Proctor is an American television sportscaster, actor, and book author.-Biography:A Denver, Colorado native, Proctor has called play-by-play for such teams as the Texas Rangers, Baltimore Orioles, Washington Nationals, San Diego Padres and Los Angeles Clippers at various points in his career...
in early-January 1996 followed the controversial dismissal of John Lowenstein
John Lowenstein
John Lee Lowenstein , is a former professional baseball player who played Major League Baseball primarily as an outfielder from to...
, an Orioles teammate of Flanagan's during their playing days. He also teamed with Michael Reghi
Michael Reghi
Michael J. Reghi is an American television play-by-play announcer and radio sports talk show host. He is best known for being the former television play-by-play announcer of the Baltimore Orioles of Major League Baseball , and the Cleveland Cavaliers of the National Basketball Association...
for a year before being succeeded by Rick Cerone
Rick Cerone
Richard Aldo Cerone from Seton Hall University is a former Major League Baseball player from 1975 to 1992 for the Cleveland Indians, Toronto Blue Jays, New York Yankees, Atlanta Braves, Milwaukee Brewers, Boston Red Sox, New York Mets, and Montreal Expos...
prior to the 1998 season
1998 Baltimore Orioles season
The 1998 Baltimore Orioles season involved the Orioles finishing 4th in the American League East with a record of 79 wins and 83 losses.-Offseason:*December 11, 1997: Doug Drabek was signed as a free agent with the Baltimore Orioles....
. He rejoined Reghi in the broadcast booth after replacing Cerone in 1999
1999 Baltimore Orioles season
The 1999 Baltimore Orioles season involved the Orioles finishing 4th in the American League East with a record of 78 wins and 84 losses.-Offseason:...
. He continued in that capacity for four more seasons, during which HTS evolved into Comcast SportsNet Mid-Atlantic
Comcast SportsNet Mid-Atlantic
Comcast SportsNet Mid-Atlantic is a regional sports network that delivers live-game coverage and sports news and entertainment television programming to more than 4.7 million households throughout the Washington, D.C...
. He was followed behind the microphone by Buck Martinez in 2003
2003 Baltimore Orioles season
The 2003 Baltimore Orioles season involved the Orioles finishing 4th in the American League East with a record of 71 wins and 91 losses.-Offseason:*December 2, 2002: Bill Pulsipher was signed as a Free Agent with the Baltimore Orioles....
. He joined the Mid-Atlantic Sports Network (MASN)
Mid-Atlantic Sports Network
Mid-Atlantic Sports Network is a regional sports network owned by two Major League Baseball franchises—the Baltimore Orioles and Washington Nationals -- and televises every available game of both teams, live and in high-definition...
as the secondary analyst after Martinez became the Blue Jays' lead broadcaster
Sports commentator
In sports broadcasting, a commentator gives a running commentary of a game or event in real time, usually during a live broadcast. The comments are normally a voiceover, with the sounds of the action and spectators also heard in the background. In the case of television commentary, the commentator...
on Rogers Sportsnet
Rogers Sportsnet
Sportsnet was launched on October 9, 1998 as CTV Sportsnet. The name was chosen to match the regional "Fox Sports Net" operations across the United States...
in 2010
2010 Baltimore Orioles season
The Baltimore Orioles' 2010 season was the 110th season in franchise history.-Offseason:The Orioles made many significant roster moves prior to the 2010 season. The team parted ways with several contributors from the 2009 season including Aubrey Huff, and Melvin Mora who was the team's longest...
. Both he and Jim Palmer
Jim Palmer
James Alvin "Jim" Palmer , nicknamed "Cakes", is a former Major League Baseball right-handed pitcher. He played his entire 20-year baseball career for the Baltimore Orioles . He was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in .As of 2008, Palmer and his wife Susan have homes in Palm Beach, Florida, and...
worked with rotating play-by-play announcers Gary Thorne
Gary Thorne
Gary Thorne is a play-by-play announcer for ESPN and ABC, working Major League Baseball, College football and Frozen Four hockey contests. He is also the television play-by-play voice of the Baltimore Orioles...
and Jim Hunter.
Sense of humor
Flanagan was noted for his sense of humorHumour
Humour or humor is the tendency of particular cognitive experiences to provoke laughter and provide amusement...
, especially when it involved using pun
Pun
The pun, also called paronomasia, is a form of word play which suggests two or more meanings, by exploiting multiple meanings of words, or of similar-sounding words, for an intended humorous or rhetorical effect. These ambiguities can arise from the intentional use and abuse of homophonic,...
s to create nickname
Nickname
A nickname is "a usually familiar or humorous but sometimes pointed or cruel name given to a person or place, as a supposedly appropriate replacement for or addition to the proper name.", or a name similar in origin and pronunciation from the original name....
s. In his baseball
Baseball
Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each. The aim is to score runs by hitting a thrown ball with a bat and touching a series of four bases arranged at the corners of a ninety-foot diamond...
column in the Sunday
Sunday
Sunday is the day of the week between Saturday and Monday. For most Christians, Sunday is observed as a day for worship of God and rest, due to the belief that it is Lord's Day, the day of Christ's resurrection....
issues of The Boston Globe
The Boston Globe
The Boston Globe is an American daily newspaper based in Boston, Massachusetts. The Boston Globe has been owned by The New York Times Company since 1993...
during the late-1970s, Peter Gammons
Peter Gammons
Peter Gammons is an American sportswriter, media personality, and a recipient of the J. G. Taylor Spink Award for outstanding baseball writing, given by the BBWAA.-Education:...
ran a regular feature called the Mike Flanagan Nickname of the Week. One example was John "Clams" Castino
John Castino
John Anthony Castino is a former Major League Baseball player. Castino played as an infielder, primarily at third base and second base, with the Minnesota Twins from 1979 through 1984.-Professional career:...
, which was a play on clams casino
Clams casino
Clams casino is a clam "on the halfshell" dish with breadcrumbs and bacon. It originated in Rhode Island in the United States. It is often served as an appetizer in New England and is served in variations nationally.-Ingredients:...
. Another was "Mordecai Six Toe" Lezcano, based on Mordecai "Three Finger" Brown
Mordecai Brown
Mordecai Peter Centennial Brown , nicknamed "Three Finger" or "Miner", was an American Major League Baseball pitcher at the turn of the 20th century. Due to a farm-machinery accident in his youth, Brown lost parts of two fingers on his right hand and eventually acquired his nickname as a result...
and given to Sixto Lezcano
Sixto Lezcano
Sixto Joaquin Lezcano Curras is a retired baseball player who played for 12 seasons as an outfielder in the Major Leagues between 1974 and 1985. He played for 5 different teams in the Majors and won a Gold Glove during his career.Lezcano was originally signed as an amateur in 1970 by the...
. When the Blue Jays allowed Tony Solaita
Tony Solaita
Tolia "Tony" Solaita was a Major League Baseball player for the New York Yankees, Kansas City Royals, California Angels, Toronto Blue Jays, and Montreal Expos between 1968 and 1979...
to sign with the Nippon-Ham Fighters after the 1979 campaign
1979 Toronto Blue Jays season
The 1979 Toronto Blue Jays season was a season in American baseball. It involved the Blue Jays finishing 7th in the American League East with a record of 53 wins and 109 losses. The loss total of 109 set the franchise mark...
, he was dubbed "Tony Obsolaita." During the 1980 season
1980 Baltimore Orioles season
The 1980 Baltimore Orioles season was the club's 26th season in Baltimore. It involved the Orioles finishing 2nd in the American League East with a record of 100 wins and 62 losses.- Offseason :...
, Flanagan called himself "Cy Young
Cy Young Award
The Cy Young Award is an honor given annually in baseball to the best pitchers in Major League Baseball , one each for the American League and National League . The award was first introduced in 1956 by Baseball Commissioner Ford Frick in honor of Hall of Fame pitcher Cy Young, who died in 1955...
," Jim Palmer "Cy Old," Steve Stone "Cy Present" and Scott McGregor "Cy Future." When Storm Davis
Storm Davis
George Earl "Storm" Davis , is a former professional baseball player who pitched in the major leagues from 1982-1994.-World Series experience:...
, whose pitching motion resembled Palmer's, joined the Orioles two years later in 1982
1982 Baltimore Orioles season
The Baltimore Orioles season was a season in American baseball. It involved the Orioles finishing 2nd in the American League East with a record of 94 wins and 68 losses.- Offseason :...
, he was "Cy Clone." Flanagan added that pitchers became "Cy-bex
Cybex International
Cybex International is a fitness equipment manufacturer for commercial and consumer use. They produce mainly cardiovascular and strength equipment such as arc trainers, treadmills, stationary bicycles and steppers. Cybex markets their products through distributors in over 87 countries...
" if they were injured and "Cy-onara" when they were no longer effective. Two monikers that stuck were "Full Pack" and "Stan the Man Unusual," both of which were coined for Don Stanhouse
Don Stanhouse
Donald Joseph Stanhouse is a retired baseball pitcher who had a ten-year major league career from 1972–1980, 1982...
. This nickname concept was later popularized by ESPN
ESPN
Entertainment and Sports Programming Network, commonly known as ESPN, is an American global cable television network focusing on sports-related programming including live and pre-taped event telecasts, sports talk shows, and other original programming....
's Chris Berman, who was inspired by the feature in Gammons' column.
Pitching style
Flanagan's pitch selection included a slow curve, heavy sinkerSinker (baseball)
In baseball, a sinker , is a type of fastball pitch which has significant downward and horizontal movement. The sinker is known for inducing a lot of ground balls...
, fastball
Fastball
The fastball is the most common type of pitch in baseball. Some "power pitchers," such as Nolan Ryan and Roger Clemens, have thrown it at speeds of 95–106 mph and up to 108.1 mph , relying purely on speed to prevent the ball from being hit...
, and a changeup
Changeup
A changeup is a type of pitch in baseball. Other names include change-of-pace, Bugs Bunny change-up, the dreaded equalizer, and simply change. The changeup is sometimes called an off-speed pitch, although that term can also be used simply to mean any pitch that is slower than a fastball...
supposedly taught to him by Scott McGregor in 1979.
Personal
Flanagan's oldest daughterDaughter
A daughter is a female offspring; a girl, woman, or female animal in relation to her parents. The male equivalent is a son. Analogously the name is used on several areas to show relations between groups or elements.-Etymology:...
Kerry Ellen was the fourth American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
born through in vitro fertilization
In vitro fertilisation
In vitro fertilisation is a process by which egg cells are fertilised by sperm outside the body: in vitro. IVF is a major treatment in infertility when other methods of assisted reproductive technology have failed...
and the first not by Caesarean section
Caesarean section
A Caesarean section, is a surgical procedure in which one or more incisions are made through a mother's abdomen and uterus to deliver one or more babies, or, rarely, to remove a dead fetus...
. She was born at the Greater Baltimore Medical Center
Greater Baltimore Medical Center
Greater Baltimore Medical Center, known to many simply as GBMC, is a hospital located in the Baltimore suburb of Towson, Maryland. GBMC serves more than 26,700 inpatient cases and approximately 60,000 emergency room visits annually. GBMC’s main campus also includes three medical office...
on July 9, 1982. The conception had been performed at the Eastern Virginia Medical School
Eastern Virginia Medical School
Eastern Virginia Medical School commonly referred to as EVMS, in Norfolk, Virginia is a public-private medical school founded by the citizens of Hampton Roads, Virginia...
.
Death
When Flanagan's wife did not hear from her husband on August 24, 2011, she called a neighbor to check on him. The neighbor went to the home and called 9-1-19-1-1
9-1-1 is the emergency telephone number for the North American Numbering Plan .It is one of eight N11 codes.The use of this number is for emergency circumstances only, and to use it for any other purpose can be a crime.-History:In the earliest days of telephone technology, prior to the...
after failing to find him. Police discovered a body on the property but could not immediately determine the identity because the wounds were so severe. The body was later identified as Flanagan, with the cause of death determined to be a self-inflicted shotgun
Shotgun
A shotgun is a firearm that is usually designed to be fired from the shoulder, which uses the energy of a fixed shell to fire a number of small spherical pellets called shot, or a solid projectile called a slug...
wound to the head. Police said that Flanagan was distressed about financial issues. WBAL-TV
WBAL-TV
WBAL-TV is the NBC-affiliated television station in Baltimore, Maryland. It broadcasts a high definition digital signal on VHF channel 11. It is one of the flagship stations of Hearst Television, a wholly owned subsidiary of the Hearst Corporation, which also owns sister radio stations WBAL and...
reported that Flanagan was still despondent about perceived failures during his tenure in the Orioles' front office.
See also
- List of Major League Baseball wins champions
- List of Major League Baseball leaders in career wins