Mike Gardiner facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Mike Gardiner |
|||
|---|---|---|---|
.jpg)
Gardiner with the Wausau Timbers c. 1988
|
|||
| Pitcher | |||
| Born: October 19, 1965 Sarnia, Ontario, Canada |
|||
|
|||
| debut | |||
| September 8, 1990, for the Seattle Mariners | |||
| Last appearance | |||
| July 2, 1995, for the Detroit Tigers | |||
| MLB statistics | |||
| Win–loss record | 17–27 | ||
| Earned run average | 5.21 | ||
| Strikeouts | 239 | ||
| Teams | |||
|
|||
Michael James Gardiner, often called Mike Gardiner, is a former professional baseball player from Canada. He was a pitcher in Major League Baseball (MLB). MLB is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada. Mike played for several teams, including the Seattle Mariners, Boston Red Sox, Montreal Expos, and Detroit Tigers. He was born on October 19, 1965. As a player, he could hit from both sides of the plate (a switch hitter) and threw the ball with his right hand.
Mike Gardiner's Baseball Journey
Mike Gardiner started his journey in professional baseball when the Seattle Mariners picked him in the 1987 Major League Baseball Draft. He was chosen from Indiana State University on June 6, 1987. He made it to the Major Leagues on September 8, 1990.
Before playing professionally, Mike was a star pitcher for his college team, the Indiana State Sycamores. He helped his team reach the 1986 College World Series, which is a big tournament for college baseball teams. He still holds the record for the most wins (30) as a pitcher for the Sycamores. He is also second in strikeouts (296) and fifth in complete games (16).
Mike also represented his country, Canada, in international competitions. He was part of the Canadian Olympic Team for baseball at the 1984 Summer Olympics. He also played in the 1985 Intercontinental Cup.
During his six years in Major League Baseball, Mike Gardiner played in 136 games. He had 17 wins and 27 losses. His ERA was 5.21, which measures how many earned runs a pitcher gives up per nine innings. Before playing in the MLB, he spent 12 seasons in the minor leagues. There, he had a record of 61 wins and 42 losses. In 1990, he was named the Pitcher of the Year for the Eastern League, a minor league.
Life After Baseball
After his playing career, Mike Gardiner stayed involved with baseball. He now lives in Charlotte, North Carolina. He is the owner and manager of the Charlotte Stealth Baseball Organization. This organization helps young baseball players from ages 9 to 17 develop their skills.
