Dana Kiecker | |
---|---|
Pitcher | |
Born: Sleepy Eye, Minnesota, U.S. | February 25, 1961|
Batted: Right Threw: Right | |
MLB debut | |
April 12, 1990, for the Boston Red Sox | |
Last MLB appearance | |
October 1, 1991, for the Boston Red Sox | |
MLB statistics | |
Win–loss record | 10–12 |
Earned run average | 4.68 |
Strikeouts | 114 |
Teams | |
Dana Ervin Kiecker (born February 25,1961) is a former starting pitcher in Major League Baseball who played for the Boston Red Sox during 1990-1991. He batted and threw right-handed.
Kiecker was born in Sleepy Eye,Minnesota and raised in Fairfax,Minnesota. He attended Fairfax High School from 1976 to 1979. Kiecker earned four varsity baseball letters during high school. He earned three letters in basketball and two letters in football. Kiecker set the single and career season record for receptions at wide receiver with 36 his senior year. He earned WCCO Radio Prep Parade All-State and KNUJ All-Area accolades as a wide receiver his senior season. Kiecker attended the American Legion Boys' State in 1978 and was selected as the Outstanding Boy's Stater from Minnesota and earned a trip to Boy's Nation in Washington,DC. In 1979,Kiecker was a semi-finalist at the Mr. Minnesota Teen Program. He spent the summer of 1979 working as an intern for Minnesota Governor Al Quie. That summer,Kiecker played on the St Paul Public Safety American Legion baseball team coached by Jake Mauer,Sr. and Jake Mauer,Jr. grandfather and father to MLB catcher Joe Mauer.
Kiecker played college baseball for the St. Cloud State University Huskies and was a freshman on the 1980 Northern Intercolligate Conference championship team which was a rarity among NCAA Division II teams in that it featured two other future Major Leaguers,Jim Eisenreich and Bob Hegman. He earned 4 varsity letters in baseball during his college career. He was named the North Central Conference "Pitcher of the Year" during his senior year at SCSU. He was drafted in the eighth round of the 1983 Major League Baseball draft. [1]
Kiecker spent seven years in the minor leagues,having two double-digit win seasons in the A- and A level before finally getting promoted to Triple-A in 1988 with Pawtucket. He spent one further year there before making the 1990 roster out of spring training;he credited working with Oakland catcher Terry Steinbach in granting him confidence that he could make it with his stuff. The 29-year-old rookie made his first major league appearance against the Detroit Tigers on the road on April 12,appearing in the third inning. He went four innings and allowed three runs (two earned) on four hits. He made his first start on April 27 and went 4 1/3 innings while allowing four runs on four hits. He became a mainline starter in May. He won his first game on June 9,going six innings and allowing just one run. In 152 innings,he had a 3.97 ERA with 93 strikeouts to 54 walks with a record of 8-9 and pitched into the 6th inning in 19 of 25 starts. [2] That year,the Red Sox won the American League East and Kiecker was tasked to start Game 2 of the 1990 American League Championship Series against the Oakland Athletics. Kiecker went 5 2/3 innings and allowed one run on six hits with a walk and two strikeouts while matched against Bob Welch. However,the bullpen could not hold its own against Oakland despite a 1-1 tie after six innings to give the Sox a 4-1 loss in a series later ended two games later. It would be the only postseason start by Kiecker. [3] He was named Red Sox Rookie of the Year by the Boston Baseball Writers Association.
Kiecker was utilized in the bullpen for the Sox to start 1991,making just one start in April,which was a 5.1 inning effort (one run allowed) against the Royals on April 28. An inflamed muscle in his right elbow in May saw him miss June and most of July while rehabilitating for a couple games in Triple-A. He made just eight appearances in a major league game after May 26. His last start was on July 31,where he went five innings and allowed seven runs in a no decision. His last appearance in a game was on October 1,going two shutout relief innings. He went 2-3 on the year in 40.1 innings with 23 walks to 21 strikeouts and a 7.36 ERA [4] He required arthroscopic surgery after the season ended and ultimately never played again.
In 1992,Kiecker was released by the Boston Red Sox at the end of spring training. He signed a minor league deal with Cleveland in 1992 but had a second arthroscopic surgery in November. He attended minor league spring training with the Minnesota Twins in 1993,before retiring due to continued elbow soreness. In a two-season career,Kiecker posted a 10-12 record with 114 strikeouts and a 4.68 ERA in 192.1 innings pitched. [5]
After retiring from professional baseball in 1993,Kiecker continued to play amateur baseball. [1] In 1993,he turned down a contract offer from the independent St. Paul Saints. [6] He would,however,go on to become a long-serving television analyst for the club. [1]
Kiecker began driving a truck for United Parcel Service in 1988 during his offseasons with the Pawtucket Red Sox. As of August 2004 [update] ,he had risen to Enterprise Accounts Manager. [7] He became a pitching coach at Dakota County Technical College in 2017 and retired from UPS in 2018 after 27 years of service. [8]
As of 2004 [update] ,he lived in Eagan,Minnesota with his wife Julie. [7] The couple spends their winters in Naples,Florida. [8]
Bruce Vee Hurst is an American former Major League Baseball left-handed starting pitcher. He is best remembered for his performance for the Boston Red Sox in the 1986 postseason,where he won two games while allowing only two runs total. Prior to the miraculous Game 6 comeback by the New York Mets,he was the presumed World Series MVP. Two days later,in Game 7,Hurst was sent out to pitch the decisive game for the Sox,but he left with a no-decision when Boston saw a three run lead turn into a tie in the sixth with Hurst on the mound;Hurst pitched a total of 23 innings,most among any pitcher in the Series and allowed five earned runs.
Allan Fulton Worthington,nicknamed "Red",is a former professional baseball pitcher. He played all or part of 14 seasons in Major League Baseball for the New York / San Francisco Giants,Boston Red Sox (1960),Chicago White Sox (1960),Cincinnati Reds (1963–64) and Minnesota Twins (1965–69). Worthington batted and threw right-handed.
James Richard Harden is a Canadian former professional baseball pitcher. He pitched for the Oakland Athletics,Chicago Cubs,and Texas Rangers of Major League Baseball.
Craig Robert Hansen is an American former Major League Baseball (MLB) pitcher who played for the Boston Red Sox and Pittsburgh Pirates between 2005 and 2009.
The Pawtucket Red Sox and the Rochester Red Wings,two teams from the Triple-A International League,played the longest game in professional baseball history over three days in 1981. The game lasted 33 innings,with 8 hours and 25 minutes of playing time. The first 32 innings were played overnight from April 18–19,1981,at McCoy Stadium in Pawtucket,Rhode Island,and the tie-breaking 33rd inning was played June 23,1981. Pawtucket won the game,3–2.
Aaron Helmer Sele is an American former Major League Baseball right-handed pitcher who is currently a special assignment scout for the Chicago Cubs.
Jonathan Tyler Lester is an American former professional baseball pitcher. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Boston Red Sox,Oakland Athletics,Chicago Cubs,Washington Nationals,and St. Louis Cardinals. Less than two years after being diagnosed with lymphoma,Lester started and won the final game of the 2007 World Series for the Red Sox and,in May 2008,pitched a no-hitter against the Kansas City Royals. He helped lead the Red Sox to another championship in 2013,and he won the 2016 World Series with the Cubs. Lester started the opening game of a playoff series 12 times,which was a record for the most in baseball history until Justin Verlander passed him in 2023.
Robert Michael Ojeda is an American former professional baseball player,coach and television sports color commentator. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a left-handed pitcher from 1980 to 1994,most notably as a member of the New York Mets,with whom he won a world championship in 1986. He also played for the Boston Red Sox,Los Angeles Dodgers,Cleveland Indians and the New York Yankees. Ojeda was the lone survivor of a March 22,1993,boating accident that killed fellow Cleveland Indians players Steve Olin and Tim Crews. He is a former pre- and post-game studio analyst for Mets' broadcasts.
John Paul "Boof" Bonser is an American former professional baseball pitcher. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Minnesota Twins,Boston Red Sox,and Oakland Athletics.
Javier Alfonso López Palmer is a Puerto Rican former professional baseball pitcher. He pitched in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Colorado Rockies (2003–05),Arizona Diamondbacks (2005),Boston Red Sox (2006–09),Pittsburgh Pirates (2010),and San Francisco Giants (2010–16). He was a left-handed specialist known for his sidearm delivery. He is currently a member of the Giants broadcast team,working alongside Dave Flemming as color commentator for their away games.
Billy Mike Smithson is an American former Major League Baseball (MLB) right-handed pitcher who played for the Texas Rangers,Minnesota Twins,and Boston Red Sox from 1982 to 1989.
Chester Raymond Nichols Jr. was an American professional baseball player. A 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m) tall,165 lb (75 kg) left-hander,he was a pitcher over all or parts of nine seasons with the Boston and Milwaukee Braves,Boston Red Sox and Cincinnati Reds. In 1951,he was the National League earned run average (ERA) champion as a 20-year-old rookie,and was the runner-up to Willie Mays for the league's Rookie of the Year Award. He was the son of former major league pitcher Chet Nichols Sr.,a right-hander who appeared in 44 games for three National League clubs between 1926 and 1932.
Steven Richard Wright is an American former professional baseball pitcher. Wright played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Boston Red Sox,having made his MLB debut in 2013;he was an All-Star in 2016,and played for the team through 2019. He is known for his knuckleball pitch.
Anthony Ronald Ranaudo is an American former professional baseball pitcher. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Boston Red Sox,Texas Rangers,and Chicago White Sox,and in the KBO League for the Samsung Lions. Prior to playing professionally,Ranaudo attended Louisiana State University and played college baseball for the LSU Tigers.
William Enrique Cuevas Osorio[kway'-vahss / oh-so'-re-o] is a Venezuelan professional baseball pitcher for the KT Wiz of the KBO League. He has played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Boston Red Sox and the Detroit Tigers. Listed at 6 feet 2 inches (1.88 m) and 215 pounds (98 kg),Cuevas throws right-handed and is a switch hitter. He has played for the Colombia national baseball team.
Henry Cole Owens is an American former professional baseball pitcher. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Boston Red Sox.
Ryan David Brasier is an American professional baseball pitcher for the Los Angeles Dodgers of Major League Baseball (MLB). He has previously played in MLB for the Los Angeles Angels and Boston Red Sox and in Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB) for the Hiroshima Toyo Carp. Listed at 6 feet 0 inches (1.83 m) and 225 pounds (102 kg),he both throws and bats right-handed.
Patrick James Light is an American former professional baseball pitcher. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Boston Red Sox and Minnesota Twins.
Justin Case Haley is an American former professional baseball pitcher. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Minnesota Twins and Boston Red Sox,and in the KBO League for the Samsung Lions. Haley throws and bats right-handed.
Robert John Scott is an American former professional baseball pitcher. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Boston Red Sox and Arizona Diamondbacks.