Mike Timlin

Michael August Timlin (born March 10, 1966) is an American former professional baseball relief pitcher.

Timlin was drafted in the fifth round of the 1987 Major League Baseball draft by the Toronto Blue Jays, and signed with the team on June 6, 1987.

From 1987 through 1990, Timlin played for several of Toronto's minor league teams; the Rookie-level Medicine Hat Blue Jays (1987), the Class-A Myrtle Beach Blue Jays (1988), the High-A Dunedin Blue Jays (1989–90), and the Double-A Knoxville Blue Jays (1990).

Timlin spent the 1991 season with Toronto.

He made his first major league appearance on opening day, April 8, pitching 1 1⁄3 innings in relief against the Boston Red Sox.

Two days later, he recorded his first strikeout (Tom Brunansky) and had his first win, after pitching an inning in relief against the Red Sox.

For the regular season, Timlin appeared in 63 games, all but three in relief, compiling a record of 11–6 with three saves and a 3.16 earned run average (ERA).

Timlin played on four World Series championship teams in an 18-year career; the 1992 Toronto Blue Jays, 1993 Toronto Blue Jays, 2004 Boston Red Sox, and 2007 Boston Red Sox.

Timlin was born in Midland, Texas, to Jerome Francis Timlin Sr. and Nancy Sharon Beyer.

Timlin graduated from Midland High School; he attended and pitched at Southwestern University in Georgetown, Texas, where he was a member of Phi Delta Theta.

Listed at 6 ft and 205 lb, Timlin threw and batted right-handed.

Timlin was known for his 93 mph fastball.

His sliders and sinkers had a downward break, inducing a significant number of ground balls.

During the 1992 season, Timlin spent time with the Single-A Dunedin Blue Jays (six games), the Triple-A Syracuse Chiefs (seven games), and the major league Blue Jays (26 games).

With Toronto he compiled a record of 0–2 with one save and a 4.12 ERA.

In the postseason, he made two relief appearances in the ALCS against the Oakland Athletics, and two relief appearances in the World Series against the Atlanta Braves.

For the 1993 season, Timlin played four games with Single-A Dunedin and 54 games with Toronto, all in relief.

His record with Toronto was 4–2, with 1 save and a 4.69 ERA.

In the postseason he made one appearance in the ALCS against the Chicago White Sox, and two appearances in the World Series against the Philadelphia Phillies.

The Blue Jays won the World Series for the second consecutive year, giving Timlin two World Series rings in his first three MLB seasons.

Timlin made 34 appearances with Toronto in the 1994 season (0–1, with two saves and a 5.18 ERA), and 31 appearances in the 1995 season (4–3, with five saves and a 2.14 ERA).

In 1995, he also appeared in 8 games with Triple-A Syracuse.

For the 1996 season, he appeared in 59 games with Toronto (1–6, with 31 saves and a 3.65 ERA).

During the 1997 season, Timlin made 38 appearances with Toronto through July 29; he had a 3–2 record, with nine saves and a 2.87 ERA.

Timlin and Paul Spoljaric were traded to the Seattle Mariners in exchange for José Cruz Jr. on July 31, 1997.

In his seven seasons with the Blue Jays, Timlin appeared in 305 games, compiling a record of 23–22 with 52 saves and a 3.62 ERA.

In innings pitched, he struck out 331 batters while walking 167.

Timlin made his first appearance with the Mariners on August 1, 1997, pitching one inning in relief against the Milwaukee Brewers.

He made 26 total appearances with Seattle during the regular season; he had a 3–2 record, with one save and a 3.86 ERA.

He appeared in one game in the American League Division Series (ALDS), giving up four runs to the Baltimore Orioles in of an inning during Game 1.

For the 1998 season, Timlin appeared in 70 games with Seattle; he had a 3–3 record, 19 saves, and a 2.95 ERA.

After the season, Timlin became a free agent.

In his two seasons with Seattle, he appeared in a total of 96 games with 20 saves, while striking out 69 and walking 21 in 105 innings pitched, with a 3.17 ERA.

On November 13, 1998, Timlin signed a four-year, $16 million contract with the Baltimore Orioles.

During the 1999 season, he appeared in 62 games for the Orioles, with a record of 3–9, 27 saves and a 3.57 ERA.

For the 2000 season, he was with the Orioles through late July, appearing in 37 games, with a record of 2–3, 11 saves and a 4.89 ERA.

On July 29, 2000, Timlin was traded (along with cash) to the St. Louis Cardinals in exchange for Chris Richard and minor league player Mark Nussbeck.

In the postseason, he made four relief appearances in the American League Championship Series (ALCS) against the Minnesota Twins, including taking the loss in Game 3 after giving up a home run to Mike Pagliarulo in the 10th inning.

Timlin was sixth in Rookie of the Year voting.

He recorded his first postseason save in the deciding Game 6, facing a single batter, Otis Nixon, who Timlin threw out at first base on a bunt attempt in the 11th inning, for the final out of the series.