Mike Timlin

Michael August Timlin (born March 10, 1966 in Midland, Texas) is a relief pitcher in Major League Baseball for the Boston Red Sox. He signed a one-year contract with the club on Saturday, December 1, 2007.

An important man in the Boston bullpen and a veteran setup man, Timlin has a good command of his 93-MPH fastball. He also throws a slider and a sinker that have a downward break, inducing a significant number of ground balls.

In 2004, Timlin made 76 pitching appearances, the third most in Red Sox history and tied for fourth in American League history. On September 3, he made his 800th major league appearance, becoming only the 29th pitcher in major league history to reach that mark. Timlin made his 1,000th career appearance on August 31, 2007, against the Baltimore Orioles.

After his first three successful seasons with the Red Sox, Timlin struggled in 2006 and the beginning of 2007 due to injuries to his right shoulder and left oblique, making multiple visits to the disabled list. In the period after his return from the disabled list through July 23, 2007, Timlin recorded over 14 consecutive scoreless innings and appeared to have overcome any shoulder issues. In the week following, however, he has again experienced shoulder soreness. Since then, however, Timlin has once again stepped in as an important setup man for the Red Sox.

He resigned with the Red Sox for the 2008 season, but was largely ineffective, with an ERA of 5.66 and a WHIP of 1.622. Following the 2008 season, Timlin will be a free agent, but is expected to retire.

Career Accomplishments[]

As of 2007, Timlin is the only active player to have played on four non-New York Yankees championship teams: (the 1992 and 1993 Toronto Blue Jays and the 2004 and 2007 Boston Red Sox).
Timlin assisted on the final out of 1992 World Series in game 6 by fielding a bunt by Atlanta Braves outfielder Otis Nixon and throwing to Joe Carter at first base. Timlin also recorded a save for the game.
Timlin did not allow a run during the 2003 postseason.^[1]
As of the end of May in the 2008 season, Timlin ranks eighth in appearances among all-time pitchers, with 1030 appearances. He is second among active pitchers, behind only Mike Stanton (1178).^[2]
Timlin appeared in the eighth inning of Game 1 of the 2007 World Series, pitching one inning of scoreless relief. The appearance came 15 years to the day that Timlin closed out the final game of the 1992 World Series.
Timlin is the active leader in appearances among all-time pitchers

Trivia[]

Template:Trivia

Timlin, alongside former teammates Johnny Damon and Edgar Rentería, made an appearance on the TV Cartoon Arthur, providing his voice for the Ellwood City Grebes pitcher "Winlin."
He attended Southwestern University in Georgetown, Texas where he was a member of Phi Delta Theta.
His entrance music is Ram Jam's "Black Betty".

Personal life[]

Timlin graduated from Midland High School in Midland, Texas and pitched at Southwestern University in Georgetown, Texas.

Timlin and his wife Dawn have two children, son Jake (born August 2, 1996) and daughter Mykala (born on September 29, 2000). He is an evangelical Christian.

References[]

Baseball Reference - statistics and analysis
ESPN - profile and daily updates
MLB - player page

External links[]

Mike Timlin Appreciation Page
Career statistics and player information from MLB, or ESPN, or Baseball-Reference, or Fangraphs, or The Baseball Cube

[1] Baseball reference aricle on 2003 postseason

[2] Pitching Appearances Career Leaders

[1]

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