Chris Mears facts for kids

Christopher Peter Mears, born on January 20, 1978, is a former professional baseball player from Canada. He was a pitcher who played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Detroit Tigers in 2003. Today, he works as a pitching coordinator for the Boston Red Sox. When he played, Chris was 6 feet 4 inches tall and weighed 190 pounds. He threw and batted with his right hand. Chris was born in Ottawa, Ontario.

Chris Mears' Baseball Journey

Chris Mears went to Lord Byng Secondary School in Vancouver, British Columbia. In 1996, the Seattle Mariners picked him in the fifth round of the 1996 Major League Baseball draft. This was the start of his professional baseball career.

Playing in the Minor Leagues

Chris spent seven years playing in the Mariners' minor league teams. He played for teams like the San Antonio Missions, which was a Double-A team. After the 2002 season, the Mariners released him. Soon after, Chris signed with the Detroit Tigers. He started the 2003 season with the Tigers' Triple-A team, the Toledo Mud Hens.

Playing in Major League Baseball

After two months with the Toledo Mud Hens, Chris Mears joined the Detroit Tigers in Major League Baseball on June 29, 2003. He spent his first nine weeks in the Tigers' bullpen as a relief pitcher. He pitched quite well and earned five saves. A "save" is when a pitcher finishes a game and helps their team win.

In September, Chris became a starting pitcher for the Tigers. However, this change did not last long. The 2003 Tigers team was struggling and needed good pitchers. Chris did not perform as well as a starter. He never pitched more than 4 and 1/3 innings in a game. His earned run average (ERA) was over 10, which means he allowed many runs. After three starts, he went back to pitching from the bullpen for the rest of the 2003 season. He finished the season with five saves, tying for the most on the team.

After His MLB Career

After the 2003 season, the Detroit Tigers sent Chris back to the minor leagues for 2004. He was released at the end of that season. Chris also played for Team Canada in the 2004 Summer Olympics. His team finished in fourth place. In 2005, Chris played for two different minor league teams. He played for a Double-A team linked to the St. Louis Cardinals and a Triple-A team linked to the Atlanta Braves. He retired from playing baseball after that season.

During his time in Major League Baseball, Chris Mears played in 29 games pitched. He pitched for 41 and 1/3 innings. He allowed 50 hits and 11 walks. He also struck out 21 batters.

Chris Mears' Coaching Career

After he stopped playing, Chris Mears continued to work in baseball. In September 2015, he was promoted to a new role with the Boston Red Sox. He became a national pitching cross-checker. This means he helped evaluate pitchers from different areas. In January 2020, he was promoted again. He became the pitching coordinator for the Red Sox. In this role, he helps guide and train all the pitchers in the Red Sox organization.