Neil Allen
Encyclopedia
Neil Patrick Allen is a former Major League Baseball
pitcher
currently serving as pitching coach for the Triple-A affiliate of the Tampa Bay Rays
, the Durham Bulls
.
drafted Allen out of Bishop Ward High School
in Kansas City in the 11th round of the 1976 Major League Baseball Draft
. He went 10-2 with a 2.79 earned run average
and led the Carolina League
with 126 strikeouts with the Lynchburg Mets in his second professional season.
Allen came up with the Mets as a starting pitcher
in , and he made his major league debut on April 15 against the Philadelphia Phillies
and former Met Nino Espinosa
, giving up three runs in six innings and taking the loss. Allen was 0-5 as a starter when the Mets moved him to the bullpen
. He won his next four decisions in a row as a reliever
, and on July 28 he earned his first major league save.
Soon Allen emerged as the club's closer
, earning eight saves by the end of the season and 69 total in his Mets career. In May of , the Mets reached a deal to acquire Ellis Valentine
from the Montreal Expos
for Dan Norman
and either Allen or Jeff Reardon
. Unwilling to part with their closer, the Mets traded Reardon.
were traded to the St. Louis Cardinals
for Keith Hernandez
. Allen went 10-6 mostly as a starter his first seasons in St. Louis. In , he was returned to the bullpen making only one emergency start.
By , the Mets and Cardinals had become arch rivals atop the National League East
. Hernandez emerged as a leader of his new team, and had become a fan favorite in New York
. Allen, meanwhile, was 1-4 with a 5.59 earned run average
, and began incurring the wrath of Cardinals fans. On July 16, he was sold to the New York Yankees
. Allen was 1-0 with one save and a 2.76 ERA out of the Yankees' bullpen.
with Scott Bradley
and Glen Braxton for Ron Hassey
, Matt Winters
, Chris Alvarez and Eric Schmidt. The ChiSox converted him back to a starter, and he earned his first win of the season against Ron Guidry
and his former teammates at Yankee Stadium
on May 15. Allen gave up only one earned run, four hits and two walks in seven innings for the first White Sox victory over Guidry at Yankee Stadium since August 13, .
His next start at Yankee Stadium was even better. On July 20, Allen pitched a complete game two hitter to lead the White Sox to a 8-0 victory over the Yankees. For the season, Allen went 7-2 with a 3.82 ERA.
in , making three appearances for the big league club. He pitched for the Cincinnati Reds
' triple A affiliate, the Nashville Sounds
in before retiring.
in as pitching coach of their New York-Penn League affiliate, the St. Catharines Stompers.
After four seasons with the Jays' organization, Allen returned to the Yankees in as pitching coach of the Staten Island Yankees
. He was pitching coach for the Columbus Clippers
from to , and returned to that position again in after serving as the bullpen pitching coach for the New York Yankees during the season. Allen, while the Columbus Clippers pitching coach, introduced the sinker to Chien-Ming Wang
that has become his signature pitch. In , he joined the Rays' franchise.
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...
currently serving as pitching coach for the Triple-A affiliate of the Tampa Bay Rays
Tampa Bay Rays
The Tampa Bay Rays are a Major League Baseball team based in St. Petersburg, Florida. The Rays are a member of the Eastern Division of MLB's American League. Since their inception in , the club has played at Tropicana Field...
, the Durham Bulls
Durham Bulls
The Durham Bulls are a minor league baseball team that currently plays in the International League. The Bulls play their home games at Durham Bulls Athletic Park located in the downtown area of Durham, North Carolina. Durham Bulls Athletic Park is often called the "DBAP" or "D-Bap". The Bulls are...
.
New York Mets
The New York MetsNew 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...
drafted Allen out of Bishop Ward High School
Bishop Ward High School
Bishop Ward High School is a private, coed, Roman Catholic high school in Kansas City, Kansas. It is located in the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Kansas City in Kansas.-History:...
in Kansas City in the 11th round of the 1976 Major League Baseball Draft
1976 Major League Baseball Draft
-First round selections:The following are the first round picks in the 1976 Major League Baseball draft.* Did not sign- Background :The 1976 Arizona State University team, considered by many to be the best collegiate team ever, played a major role in the draft. Floyd Bannister was picked number one...
. He went 10-2 with a 2.79 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...
and led the 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...
with 126 strikeouts with the Lynchburg Mets in his second professional season.
Allen came up with the Mets as 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....
in , and he made his major league debut on April 15 against 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...
and former Met Nino Espinosa
Nino Espinosa
Arnulfo Acevedo Espinosa was a right-handed Major League Baseball pitcher from the Dominican Republic signed as an amateur free agent with the New York Mets in September at the age of 17....
, giving up three runs in six innings and taking the loss. Allen was 0-5 as a starter when the Mets moved him to the bullpen
Bullpen
In baseball, the bullpen is the area where relief pitchers warm-up before entering a game. Depending on the ballpark, it may be situated in foul territory along the baselines or just beyond the outfield fence. Also, a team's roster of relief pitchers is metonymically referred to as "the bullpen"...
. He won his next four decisions in a row 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...
, and on July 28 he earned his first major league save.
Soon Allen emerged as the club's closer
Closer (baseball)
In baseball, a closing pitcher, more frequently referred to as a closer , is a relief pitcher who specializes in closing out games, i.e., getting the final outs in a close game. Closers often appear when the score is close, and the role is often assigned to a team's best reliever. A small number of...
, earning eight saves by the end of the season and 69 total in his Mets career. In May of , the Mets reached a deal to acquire Ellis Valentine
Ellis Valentine
Ellis Clarence Valentine is a former right fielder in Major League Baseball. He was drafted by the Montreal Expos in 1972; playing for the Expos, he was elected a National League All-Star in 1977 and received a Gold Glove Award in 1978...
from 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...
for Dan Norman
Dan Norman
Daniel Edmund Norman is a former right fielder in Major League Baseball who played for the New York Mets and Montreal Expos...
and either Allen or Jeff Reardon
Jeff Reardon
Jeffrey James Reardon , nicknamed "The Terminator" for his intimidating presence on the mound and 98 mph fastball, is a former professional baseball relief pitcher from 1979-1994 who played for the New York Mets, Montreal Expos, Minnesota Twins, and Boston Red Sox, Atlanta Braves, Cincinnati...
. Unwilling to part with their closer, the Mets traded Reardon.
St. Louis Cardinals
The Mets converted Allen back to a starter in , and on June 15, he and Rick OwnbeyRick Ownbey
Richard Wayne Ownbey is a former Major League Baseball pitcher. He played in parts of four seasons in the majors, between and , for the New York Mets and St...
were traded to 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...
for Keith Hernandez
Keith Hernandez
Keith Barlow Hernandez is a former Major League Baseball first baseman. He is currently a baseball analyst working for the New York Mets, for whom he played from –, on SportsNet New York and WPIX television broadcasts...
. Allen went 10-6 mostly as a starter his first seasons in St. Louis. In , he was returned to the bullpen making only one emergency start.
By , the Mets and Cardinals had become arch rivals atop the National League East
National League East
The National League East Division is one of Major League Baseball's six divisions. The Atlanta Braves and the Philadelphia Phillies are tied for the most National League East Division titles . All of Atlanta's NL East titles came during a record stretch of 14 consecutive division titles...
. Hernandez emerged as a leader of his new team, and had become a fan favorite in New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
. Allen, meanwhile, was 1-4 with a 5.59 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...
, and began incurring the wrath of Cardinals fans. On July 16, he was sold to 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...
. Allen was 1-0 with one save and a 2.76 ERA out of the Yankees' bullpen.
Chicago White Sox
Following the season, Allen was traded to the Chicago White SoxChicago White Sox
The Chicago White Sox are a Major League Baseball team located in Chicago, Illinois.The White Sox play in the American League's Central Division. Since , the White Sox have played in U.S. Cellular Field, which was originally called New Comiskey Park and nicknamed The Cell by local fans...
with Scott Bradley
Scott Bradley
Scott Bradley was an American composer, pianist and conductor.Bradley is best remembered for scoring the Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer theatrical cartoons, including those starring Tom and Jerry , Droopy , Barney Bear , and the many one-shot cartoons.Bradley was a...
and Glen Braxton for Ron Hassey
Ron Hassey
Ronald William Hassey is a retired Major League Baseball catcher. Hassey began his career with the Cleveland Indians after the Indians drafted him in the 18th round of the 1976 MLB amateur draft...
, Matt Winters
Matt Winters
Matthew Littleton Winters is a former major league baseball player from Buffalo, New York. He played with the Kansas City Royals, and the Nippon Ham Fighters in Nippon Professional Baseball.-Biography:...
, Chris Alvarez and Eric Schmidt. The ChiSox converted him back to a starter, and he earned his first win of the season against Ron Guidry
Ron Guidry
Ronald Ames Guidry , nicknamed "Louisiana Lightning" and "Gator", is a former Major League Baseball left-handed pitcher. He played his entire 14-year baseball career for the New York Yankees...
and his former teammates at Yankee Stadium
Yankee Stadium
Yankee Stadium was a stadium located in The Bronx in New York City, New York. It was the home ballpark of the New York Yankees from 1923 to 1973 and from 1976 to 2008. The stadium hosted 6,581 Yankees regular season home games during its 85-year history. It was also the former home of the New York...
on May 15. Allen gave up only one earned run, four hits and two walks in seven innings for the first White Sox victory over Guidry at Yankee Stadium since August 13, .
His next start at Yankee Stadium was even better. On July 20, Allen pitched a complete game two hitter to lead the White Sox to a 8-0 victory over the Yankees. For the season, Allen went 7-2 with a 3.82 ERA.
1987–1990
The White Sox released Allen during the season with an 0-7 record and 7.07 ERA. He signed with the Yankees for the remainder of the season, and returned again for . He signed a minor league deal with the Cleveland IndiansCleveland Indians
The Cleveland Indians are a professional baseball team based in Cleveland, Ohio. They are in the Central Division of Major League Baseball's American League. Since , they have played in Progressive Field. The team's spring training facility is in Goodyear, Arizona...
in , making three appearances for the big league club. He pitched for the Cincinnati Reds
Cincinnati Reds
The Cincinnati Reds are a Major League Baseball team based in Cincinnati, Ohio. They are members of the National League Central Division. The club was established in 1882 as a charter member of the American Association and joined the National League in 1890....
' triple A affiliate, the Nashville Sounds
Nashville Sounds
The Nashville Sounds are a minor league baseball team of the Pacific Coast League , and the Triple-A affiliate of the Milwaukee Brewers. They are located in Nashville, Tennessee, and are named for the city's association with the music industry...
in before retiring.
Coaching career
Allen began coaching shortly after his retirement. After a brief stint in the independent Texas-Louisiana League, Allen joined 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 ....
in as pitching coach of their New York-Penn League affiliate, the St. Catharines Stompers.
After four seasons with the Jays' organization, Allen returned to the Yankees in as pitching coach of the Staten Island Yankees
Staten Island Yankees
The Staten Island Yankees are a minor league baseball team, located in the New York City borough of Staten Island. Nicknamed the "Baby Bombers," the Yankees are a Short-Season A classification affiliate of the New York Yankees and play in the New York - Penn League at Richmond County Bank Ballpark...
. He was pitching coach for 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....
from to , and returned to that position again in after serving as the bullpen pitching coach for the New York Yankees during the season. Allen, while the Columbus Clippers pitching coach, introduced the sinker to Chien-Ming Wang
Chien-Ming Wang
Chien-Ming Wang is a Taiwanese Major League Baseball pitcher. He was initially signed as an amateur free agent by the New York Yankees for the 2000 season, and played for the Staten Island Yankees...
that has become his signature pitch. In , he joined the Rays' franchise.