A photo of Wade Miller.
Wade Miller (born September 13, 1976 in Reading, Pennsylvania) is a former Major League Baseball starting pitcher. He was placed on waivers granting his unconditional release from the Chicago Cubs in August, 2007. Miller played for the Houston Astros from 1999 through 2004, and in 2005 toiled for the Boston Red Sox. He bats and throws right-handed.
A winner of 45 games in a three-year period for the Astros, Miller was one of the best young pitchers in the National League before injuring the rotator cuff in his pitching shoulder in 2004.
Miller went 16-8 with 183 strikeouts and a 3.40 ERA in 2001. A year later, he was close behind at 15-4, 144, 3.35, and tied the club record with a 12-game winning streak over the summer. He then pitched through right forearm pain in 2003, but still was 14-13, 161, 4.13, and led his team in starts (33) and innings (187.1).
In 2004 Miller was 7-7 with 74 strikeouts and a 3.35 ERA in 15 starts before going on the disabled list in June with a season-ending rotator cuff injury. The Astros believed he was playing hurt with shoulder and elbow injuries much of the year before, but he never complained about them.
A free agent before the 2005 season, Miller was signed by the Boston Red Sox. He started the year on the disabled list. The acquisition paid off well when Miller was activated on May 8, while starters Curt Schilling and David Wells spent time on the DL. He finished the 2005 season with a record of 4-4 and a 4.95 ERA.
On January 23, 2006 the Chicago Cubs signed Miller to a one-year, one million dollar contract, with $1 million more in incentives. Miller made his first start of the 2006 season on September 9. Overall, Miller made five starts in 2006, finishing with a record of 0-2 with a 4.57 ERA. He filed for free agency after the season.
On November 9, 2006 Miller signed an incentive-laden, 1.5 million dollar one-year extension to stay with the Chicago Cubs under new manager Lou Piniella. However, after three unsuccessful starts where he compiled a 10+ earned run average, Miller was once again placed on the DL in July of 2007. He was given his unconditional release from the team one month later.
Through his entire career, Wade has compiled a 62-46 record with 749 strikeouts and a 4.10 ERA in 894.1 innings.
External links[]
- ESPN - profile and daily update
- Boston Red Sox web site - biography and highlights
- Baseball-Reference.com - Major league career statistics