Kent Mercker | |
---|---|
Pitcher | |
Born: Brownsburg, Indiana, U.S. | February 1, 1968|
Batted: Left Threw: Left | |
MLB debut | |
September 22, 1989, for the Atlanta Braves | |
Last MLB appearance | |
May 30, 2008, for the Cincinnati Reds | |
MLB statistics | |
Win–loss record | 74–67 |
Earned run average | 4.16 |
Strikeouts | 917 |
Teams | |
Career highlights and awards | |
|
Kent Franklin Mercker (born February 1,1968) is an American former Major League Baseball left-handed pitcher. He played for nine teams over his 17-year career.
Mercker was born in Brownsburg,Indiana and lived in several different cities,including four years in Export,Pennsylvania,before his family settled in Dublin,Ohio in 1980. [1] He was taken in the first round (5th pick overall) of the 1986 Major League Baseball Draft by the Atlanta Braves. He made his major league debut with the Braves on September 22,1989,and appeared in two games that season. During his years with the Braves,Mercker split time between the bullpen and the starting rotation. After serving as a reliever for the vast part of his first five seasons,he joined the Braves' rotation full-time for the 1994 and 1995 seasons.
After the 1995 season,the Braves traded Mercker to the Baltimore Orioles. Mercker then became a journeyman,spending time with Baltimore (1996),Cleveland (1996),Cincinnati (1997,2003,2005-2006,2008),St. Louis (1998-1999),Boston (1999),Anaheim (2000),Colorado (2002),Atlanta (2003),and the Chicago Cubs (2004). He signed with Cincinnati for the third time in his career on December 20,2004. [2] [3]
Mercker received the Tony Conigliaro Award in 2000 following his recovery from a cerebral hemorrhage.
Mercker has taken part in two no-hit games during his career,both with the Braves. The first,on September 11,1991,against the San Diego Padres at Fulton County Stadium,was a combined effort between Mercker,the starter,who pitched six innings;Mark Wohlers,who pitched the seventh and eighth innings;and Alejandro Peña,who pitched the ninth. The Braves defeated the Padres 1–0. The 13th no-hitter in Braves franchise history,attendance was 20,477 at Fulton-County Stadium. [4]
The second no-hitter was a solo effort by Mercker,as he no-hit the Los Angeles Dodgers on April 8,1994,at Dodger Stadium in a 6–0 victory. To date,this no-hitter is the last to be pitched by a Brave. [5]
On February 8,2008,Mercker signed a minor league contract with Cincinnati with an invitation to spring training. [6] He pitched in 15 games for the Reds that season.
From 2009 to 2012,he worked as a broadcaster for the Reds. [7]
Mercker played in the 2022 Minto U.S. Open Pickleball Championships. [8]
In baseball, a no-hitter or no-hit game is a game in which a team does not record a hit through conventional methods. Major League Baseball (MLB) officially defines a no-hitter as a completed game in which a team that batted in at least nine complete innings recorded no hits. A pitcher who prevents the opposing team from achieving a hit is thereby said to have "thrown a no-hitter". In most cases, no-hitters are recorded by a single pitcher who throws a complete game; one thrown by two or more pitchers is a combined no-hitter.
Chan Ho Park is a South Korean former professional baseball pitcher. Park was the first South Korea-born player in MLB history, and the first South Korean player to be named an MLB All-Star. He played for the Los Angeles Dodgers, Texas Rangers, San Diego Padres, New York Mets, Philadelphia Phillies, New York Yankees, and Pittsburgh Pirates of Major League Baseball (MLB), the Orix Buffaloes of Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB), and the Hanwha Eagles of the KBO League. As of 2023, he has the most career wins of any Asia-born pitcher in history (124), having passed Hideo Nomo for that distinction in 2010. During his playing days, Park stood 6 feet 2 inches (188 cm) tall, weighing 210 pounds (95 kg).
Mark Edward Wohlers is an American former professional baseball pitcher. A right-hander, he played all or parts of 12 seasons in Major League Baseball, exclusively as a relief pitcher. He is best known for his years with the Atlanta Braves from 1991 to 1999. He is the third fastest recorded pitcher in baseball history, having thrown a pitch recorded at 103 miles per hour during a spring training session in 1995; the record was broken by Detroit Tigers pitcher Joel Zumaya with a 104 mph (167 km/h) pitch.
Jared Michael "Skip" Schumaker is an American former professional baseball outfielder and second baseman, former coach, and manager, most recently of the Miami Marlins from 2023 to 2024. He played for the St. Louis Cardinals, Los Angeles Dodgers, and Cincinnati Reds throughout his career. He previously served as a bench coach for the Cardinals and San Diego Padres.
Patrick Paul Zachry was an American professional baseball pitcher. He pitched in Major League Baseball for the Cincinnati Reds, New York Mets, Los Angeles Dodgers, and Philadelphia Phillies from 1976 to 1985.
Aaron Michael Harang is an American former professional baseball starting pitcher. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Oakland Athletics, Cincinnati Reds, San Diego Padres, Los Angeles Dodgers, Seattle Mariners, New York Mets, Philadelphia Phillies, and Atlanta Braves.
Alejandro Peña Vásquez[ah-leh-hahn'-dro / pen'-nya / vahs'-kes] is a Dominican former relief pitcher in Major League Baseball. Listed at 6' 1" [1.85 m], 200 lb. [91 k], he batted and threw right-handed.
Lee William Capra, is an American former professional baseball pitcher, who played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the New York Mets and Atlanta Braves, from 1971 to 1977. Nicknamed "Buzz", by a neighbor as a child, Capra was a National League (NL) All-Star and the NL earned run average (ERA) leader, in 1974.
Robert Dennis Owchinko is an American former professional baseball left-handed pitcher who played all or parts of ten seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB). Initially drafted by the San Diego Padres, he played for five teams during the 1980s. During his career, he worked as both a starter and relief pitcher.
Eric William Stults is an American former professional baseball pitcher. He pitched for the Los Angeles Dodgers, Colorado Rockies, Chicago White Sox, San Diego Padres and Atlanta Braves in Major League Baseball, and for the Hiroshima Toyo Carp in Nippon Professional Baseball.
Edinson Vólquez is a Dominican former professional baseball pitcher. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Texas Rangers, Cincinnati Reds, San Diego Padres, Los Angeles Dodgers, Pittsburgh Pirates, Kansas City Royals and Miami Marlins.
Derek Jansen Lilliquist is an American former Major League Baseball (MLB) pitcher and pitching coach. He played for the Atlanta Braves (1989–1990), San Diego Padres (1990–1991), Cleveland Indians (1992–1994), Boston Red Sox (1995) and Cincinnati Reds (1996), and has coached for the St. Louis Cardinals and Washington Nationals.
The 1991 Atlanta Braves season was the 26th in Atlanta and the 121st overall. They became the first team in the National League to go from last place one year to first place the next, doing so after remaining 9.5 games out of first at the All Star break. Coincidentally, the Braves' last-to-first feat was also accomplished by the 1991 Minnesota Twins, the team they would face in the 1991 World Series. The last Major League Baseball team to accomplish this was the 1890 Louisville Colonels of the American Association. The 1991 World Series, which the Braves ultimately lost, has been called the greatest World Series in history by ESPN.
The 1991 Major League Baseball season saw the Minnesota Twins defeat the Atlanta Braves for the World Series title, in a series where every game was won by the home team.
Kenley Geronimo Jansen is a Curaçaoan professional baseball pitcher who is a free agent. He has played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Los Angeles Dodgers, Atlanta Braves and Boston Red Sox.
Thomas Andrew Pomeranz, nicknamed Big Smooth, is an American professional baseball pitcher who is a free agent. He has previously played in MLB for the Colorado Rockies, Oakland Athletics, Boston Red Sox, San Francisco Giants, Milwaukee Brewers, and San Diego Padres. Pomeranz was an MLB All-Star with the Padres in 2016, and a World Series champion with the Red Sox in 2018.
Anthony Michael Cingrani is an American former professional baseball pitcher. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Cincinnati Reds and Los Angeles Dodgers. Prior to playing professionally, he played for his high school baseball team at Lincoln-Way Central High School and for the college baseball teams at South Suburban College and Rice University.
Robert Alexander Wood is an American professional baseball pitcher who is a free agent. He has played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Atlanta Braves, Los Angeles Dodgers, Cincinnati Reds, San Francisco Giants and Oakland Athletics.