Mike Mussina

From BR Bullpen

Michael Cole Mussina (Moose)

Bats Left, Throws Right
Height 6' 2", Weight 185 lb.
School Stanford University
High School Montoursville High School
Debut August 4, 1991
Final Game September 28, 2008
Born December 8, 1968 in Williamsport, PA USA

[edit] Biographical Information

Mike Mussina had an 18-year career in the majors, winning 270 and losing 153. He had losing seasons only twice. In 2008 he retired after going 20-9.

Mussina attended Stanford University at the same time as Brian Johnson, Jeffrey Hammonds and David McCarty. Drafted in the first round in 1990, he spent two years in the minors. In 1990 he went 3-0 and in 1991 he was 10-4.

Mike made his major league debut in August 1991, and went 4-5 his first season with the 1991 Orioles, posting a 2.87 ERA. The 1991 Orioles went 67-95 so Mussina's 4-5 record wasn't so bad, and his 2.87 ERA was far better than the team's 4.59.

He spent 1991-2000 with the Orioles, usually winning far more than he lost. In 1992 he went 18-5, and in the following three seasons he went 14-6, 16-5 and 19-9. In 1999 he was 18-7.

From 2001-08 he was with the New York Yankees, continuing his winning ways. He was 18-10 in 2002 and the following year was 17-8. In 2006 he was 15-7.

In 2006, Mussina had his 15th consecutive season of 10 or more wins, setting a new American League record. In the same season he also became the ninth American League pitcher to reach 2,500 career strikeouts.

Mussina was the only pitcher to beat Cuba in the 1986 Junior World Championship. He struck out 16 in a five-hit shutout. The US won Bronze.

He is a five-time All-Star who has won seven Gold Gloves, and the most similar player, according to the similarity scores method, is Juan Marichal. While David Wells and Curt Schilling are # 2 and # 3 on the list, neither has as many wins or as high a winning percentage as Mussina has.

Mussina has never won a Cy Young award, despite being in the top 5 in voting 6 different seasons
Recently passed Jim Lonborg as the pitcher out of Stanford University with the most major league appearances.