Rusty Meacham
Encyclopedia
Russell Loren Meacham is a former professional baseball
pitcher
. He played all or part of eight seasons in Major League Baseball
between 1991 and 2001.
in the 33rd round of the 1987 Major League Baseball Draft
.
and reliever
. During the remainder of his major league career, he was used almost exclusively in relief, with the exception of five starts in 1996 while he was with the Seattle Mariners
.
playing for the Yuma Scorpions
for 2 seasons. Meacham then retired and became their 1st base coach for 1 year then he left Yuma to be the pitching coach for the Vermont Lake Monsters
. He was released right after the 2008 season, even though he helped the Lake Monsters to one of the lowest ERA's of the league. He returned to pitch in one game for the GBL's Tijuana Cimarrones in 2010.
Professional baseball
Baseball is a team sport which is played by several professional leagues throughout the world. In these leagues, and associated farm teams, players are selected for their talents and are paid to play for a specific team or club system....
pitcher
Pitcher
In baseball, the pitcher is the player who throwsthe baseball from the pitcher's mound toward the catcher to begin each play, with the goal of retiring a batter, who attempts to either make contact with the pitched ball or draw a walk. In the numbering system used to record defensive plays, the...
. He played all or part of eight seasons in Major League Baseball
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...
between 1991 and 2001.
Early career
Meacham was drafted by the Detroit TigersDetroit 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...
in the 33rd round of the 1987 Major League Baseball Draft
1987 Major League Baseball Draft
-First round selections:The following are the first round picks in the 1987 Major League Baseball draft.-Supplemental First Round Selections:-External links:*...
.
Major league career
He made his major league debut for the Tigers in 1991, and was used as both a starterStarting 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....
and 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...
. During the remainder of his major league career, he was used almost exclusively in relief, with the exception of five starts in 1996 while he was with the Seattle Mariners
Seattle Mariners
The Seattle Mariners are a professional baseball team based in Seattle, Washington. Enfranchised in , the Mariners are a member of the Western Division of Major League Baseball's American League. Safeco Field has been the Mariners' home ballpark since July...
.
Independent leagues
After his MLB career ended in 2001, Meacham continued to pitch in independent leagues for several years. Meacham was a player in the Golden Baseball LeagueGolden Baseball League
The Golden Baseball League, based in San Ramon, California, was an independent baseball league. It later merged with the Northern League and the United Baseball League to form the North American League in the western United States, western Canada and Mexico....
playing for the Yuma Scorpions
Yuma Scorpions
The Yuma Scorpions are a professional baseball team based in Yuma, Arizona, in the United States. The Scorpions are a member of the Western Division of the independent North American League. From the 2005 season to the present, the Scorpions have played their home games at Desert Sun Stadium at the...
for 2 seasons. Meacham then retired and became their 1st base coach for 1 year then he left Yuma to be the pitching coach for the Vermont Lake Monsters
Vermont Lake Monsters
The Vermont Lake Monsters are a minor league baseball team in the Short-Season A classification New York - Penn League, affiliated with the Oakland Athletics. The team plays its home games at Centennial Field on the University of Vermont campus in Burlington, Vermont...
. He was released right after the 2008 season, even though he helped the Lake Monsters to one of the lowest ERA's of the league. He returned to pitch in one game for the GBL's Tijuana Cimarrones in 2010.