Gil Meche

Gil Meche
Meche with the Kansas City Royals
Pitcher
Born: (1978-09-08) September 8, 1978 (age 46)
Lafayette, Louisiana, U.S.
Batted: Right
Threw: Right
MLB debut
July 6, 1999, for the Seattle Mariners
Last MLB appearance
October 3, 2010, for the Kansas City Royals
MLB statistics
Win–loss record84–83
Earned run average4.49
Strikeouts1,050
Stats at Baseball Reference Edit this at Wikidata
Teams
Career highlights and awards
Medals
Men's baseball
Representing  United States
World Junior Baseball Championship
Gold medal – first place 1995 Massachusetts Team

Gilbert Allen Meche (/ɡɪl mɛʃ/; born September 8, 1978) is an American former right-handed Major League Baseball starting pitcher. Meche pitched for the Seattle Mariners for six seasons. With the Kansas City Royals, Meche made three straight Opening Day starts and was an All Star in 2007. Shoulder and back problems caused the former first-round pick to retire in 2011 at just 32 years old.[1]

Early years

Meche, who is Cajun,[2] was a star pitcher at Acadiana High School in his hometown of Lafayette, Louisiana, and was a member of the U.S. Junior Olympic team that won the gold medal in the 1995 World Junior Baseball Championship. After his junior year of high school, Meche earned most valuable pitcher honors at the 1995 National Amateur All-Star Tournament at just sixteen years old. However, shortly afterwards, he suffered a viral infection that caused him to miss a considerable amount of playing time his senior year.[3] Nonetheless, Meche was named to the All-America Second Team by the American Baseball Coaches Association and Rawlings.[4] He intended to attend Louisiana State University, but reconsidered when the Seattle Mariners surprised him by selecting him in the first round (22nd overall) of the 1996 Major League Baseball draft.[5][6]

Seattle Mariners

Meche debuted with the Mariners on July 6, 1999, two months shy of his twenty-first birthday, making him the second-youngest debut for the Mariners at that time (only Ken Griffey Jr. was younger). Pitching with a 2–1 lead over the Anaheim Angels and two outs in the sixth, Meche walked two consecutive batters to force in a run and surrender the lead. He ended up with a no-decision.[7] On July 19, Meche allowed three earned runs in seven innings against the Arizona Diamondbacks, earning his first major league win in Seattle's 7–5 victory.[8] For the season, Meche went 8–4 with a 4.73 earned run average (ERA) in 16 games (15 starts).[9]

Meche lost his first four decisions of the 2000 season.[10] On June 13, 2000, in a game shortened by rain, he tossed a five-inning, one-hit shutout against the Kansas City Royals.[11][12] After coming back to go 4–0 with a 2.64 ERA through his July 4 start against Anaheim,[10] Meche was lifted in the sixth inning having thrown 113 pitches.[13] His season was cut short due to what was thought at the time to be a dead arm.[14] He went 1–2 with a 3.15 ERA in five rehab starts, but did not pitch at the major league level again for the rest of the season.[15] At the major league level, Meche was 4–4 with a 3.78 ERA in 15 starts with Seattle.[9]

In February 2001, Meche underwent arthroscopic surgery to partially repair a frayed rotator cuff, and at the time he was expected to only be on the disabled list for six months.[16] As it turns out, he ended up missing the entire season, and undergoing surgery again on October 3, 2001, on his right AC joint.[17] Meche returned to pitching in 2002 for the Double-A San Antonio Missions of the Texas League, and went 4–6 with a 6.51 ERA in 25 games (13 starts).[15]

Meche officially returned to the Mariners on April 5, 2003. Despite giving up four first inning runs, and taking the loss against the Texas Rangers, Meche came back to pitch four solid innings in which he allowed just two earned runs on solo shots by Iván Rodríguez and Juan González.[18] From there, Meche went 15–13 with a 4.59 ERA in 32 starts and 186+1⁄3 innings pitched.[9] He went on to earn the Sporting News' American League Comeback Player of the Year Award at the end of the season.[19]

Meche's 2004 season got off to a slow start as his record stood at 1–5 with a 7.06 ERA following a June 1 start against the Toronto Blue Jays.[20] He was optioned to the Triple-A Tacoma Rainiers of the Pacific Coast League after the game.[21] He returned to the M's on July 30,[22] and proceeded to go 6–2 with a 3.95 ERA in 13 second-half starts.[23] On September 12, Meche tossed his first career nine-inning shutout against the Boston Red Sox.[24] Overall, Meche finished 7–7 with a 5.01 ERA in 22 starts.[9]

On January 13, 2005, Meche signed a one-year, $2.54 million contract with the Mariners to avoid arbitration.[24] In 2005, Meche posted a winning record of 10–8, but had an ERA of 5.09 in 29 games (26 starts).[9] He pitched 143+1⁄3 innings, and averaged less than six innings in over half of his starts.[25]

On January 26, 2006, Meche avoided arbitration again, signing a one-year, $3.7 million contract.[26] He finished the 2006 season with an 11–8 record and a 4.48 ERA in 32 starts. He also struck out 156 batters in 186+2⁄3 innings.[9]

Kansas City Royals

Meche signed a five-year, $55 million contract with the Kansas City Royals on December 7, 2006, matching Mike Sweeney's contract as the largest in club history until Alex Gordon agreed to a four-year $72 million deal in 2016.[27][28] His record stood at 5–6 with a 3.28 ERA when he was named the Royals' sole representative at the 2007 Major League Baseball All-Star Game in San Francisco.[29][30] Meche finished the season with a 9–13 record, while posting career bests in ERA (3.67), innings pitched (216) and a league-leading 34 starts.[9]

Meche led the American League with 34 starts again in 2008, while improving to 14–11 with a 3.98 ERA, and pitching over 200 innings for the second consecutive year for a Royals club that finished 75–87 and in fourth place in the American League Central.[9][31]

On June 16, 2009, Meche pitched a four-hit shutout against the Diamondbacks to improve his season record to 4–5 with a 3.31 ERA.[32] The 132 pitches he threw, however, took a toll on Meche and he began experiencing back and shoulder problems soon afterwards.[33] For the rest of the 2009 season, Meche went just 2–5 with an 8.46 ERA in his final nine starts.[34] He made 23 total starts, going 6–10 with a 5.09 ERA.[9]

For the first time in his Royals career, 31-year-old Meche did not receive the Opening Day nod for Kansas City in 2010. Instead he was slated as the number-two starter behind reigning AL Cy Young Award winner Zack Greinke.[35] Meche struggled throughout the season, and was 0–4 with a 6.66 ERA after making his final career start on May 25.[36] On May 30, he was placed on the disabled list with right shoulder bursitis, which marked his second stint on the DL for the season.[37] After five rehab appearances with the Double-A Northwest Arkansas Naturals and Triple-A Omaha Royals, Meche returned to the Royals as a reliever that September.[15][38] He made 11 appearances, giving up three earned runs in thirteen innings for a 2.08 ERA.[39]

Retirement

Seasons W L PCT ERA G GS CG SHO SV IP H ER R HR BB K WP HBP Fld%
10 84 83 .503 4.49 258 243 7 3 0 1,432.1 1,441 714 772 176 594 1,050 38 29 .954

Despite a guaranteed contract that called for a $12 million salary in 2011, Meche chose to walk away from the game on January 18 as he considered it unfair for the Royals to pay him millions if he would be out all year in the last year of his contract.[1]

The rock group Band of Horses, which was founded in Seattle in 2004, wrote and dedicated their song "Wicked Gil" to Meche.[40]

References

  1. ^ a b Kepner, Tyler (January 26, 2011). "Pitcher Spurns $12 Million, to Keep Self-Respect". The New York Times.
  2. ^ Bernard, Shane K. (2008). Cajuns and Their Acadian Ancestors: A Young Reader's History. Univ. Press of Mississippi. pp. 74–. ISBN 9781604733211. Retrieved February 13, 2017.
  3. ^ Bower, Jeff (July 6, 1999). "Prospectus Profile: Gil Meche". Baseball Prospectus.
  4. ^ "1996 ABCA/Rawlings High School All-America Teams". American Baseball Coaches Association. Archived from the original on August 27, 2018. Retrieved January 22, 2018.
  5. ^ Turk, Leslie (January 28, 2011). "Lafayette's Gil Meche in elite class of athletes". Independent Weekly. Archived from the original on September 27, 2011.
  6. ^ "1st Round of the 1996 MLB June Amateur Draft". Baseball Reference. Retrieved December 23, 2024.
  7. ^ "Anaheim Angels 8, Seattle Mariners 2". Baseball Reference. Sports Reference. July 6, 1999.
  8. ^ "Seattle Mariners 7, Arizona Diamondbacks 5". Baseball-Reference.com. July 19, 1999.
  9. ^ a b c d e f g h i "Gil Meche Stats, Height, Weight, Position, Rookie Status & More". Baseball Reference. Retrieved December 23, 2024.
  10. ^ a b "Gil Meche 2000 Pitching Game Logs". Baseball Reference. Retrieved December 23, 2024.
  11. ^ 2001 Official Major League Baseball Fact Book. St. Louis, Missouri: The Sporting News. 2001. p. 163. 0-89204-646-5.
  12. ^ "Mariners now seven games over .500". ESPN. Associated Press. June 13, 2000. Retrieved December 23, 2024.
  13. ^ "Seattle Mariners vs Anaheim Angels Box Score: July 4, 2000". Baseball Reference. July 4, 2000. Retrieved December 23, 2024.
  14. ^ "Rickey's two-run single sparks M's". ESPN. Associated Press. June 20, 2000. Retrieved December 23, 2024.
  15. ^ a b c "Gil Meche Minor Leagues Statistics". Baseball Reference. Retrieved December 23, 2024.
  16. ^ Traina, Jimmy (2001). "Spring training 2001: Seattle Mariners". Sports Illustrated. CNN. Archived from the original on May 17, 2001.
  17. ^ "Meche Finally Feels Healthy Again". Huron Daily Tribune. February 15, 2002. Retrieved December 23, 2024.
  18. ^ "Texas Rangers 8, Seattle Mariners 4". Baseball Reference. Sports Reference. April 5, 2003.
  19. ^ Hickey, John (October 22, 2003). "Mariners Notebook: MLB aims for earlier 2004 start in Japan". Seattle Post-Intelligencer. Retrieved December 23, 2024.
  20. ^ "Toronto Blue Jays 6, Seattle Mariners 5". Baseball Reference. Sports Reference. June 1, 2004.
  21. ^ Street, Jim (June 2, 2004). "Notes: Meche sent to minors". Seattle Mariners. MLB.com. Archived from the original on June 14, 2004. Retrieved December 23, 2024.
  22. ^ "Mariners recall Meche". Seattle Mariners. MLB.com. July 30, 2004. Archived from the original on August 4, 2004. Retrieved December 23, 2024.
  23. ^ "Gil Meche 2004 Pitching Splits". Baseball Reference. Retrieved December 23, 2024.
  24. ^ a b "Mariners, Meche mesh". The Spokesman-Review. Associated Press. January 13, 2005. Retrieved December 23, 2024.
  25. ^ "Gil Meche 2005 Pitching Game Logs". Baseball Reference. Retrieved December 23, 2024.
  26. ^ Street, Jim (January 26, 2006). "Mariners, Meche avoid arbitration". Seattle Mariners. MLB.com. Archived from the original on February 3, 2006. Retrieved December 23, 2024.
  27. ^ "Royals sign Gil Meche to five-year contract". MLB.com. MLB Advanced Media. December 7, 2006. Archived from the original on November 7, 2012.
  28. ^ Kaegel, Dick (December 7, 2006). "KC, Meche agree on five-year contract". Kansas City Royals. MLB.com. Archived from the original on March 5, 2016. Retrieved December 23, 2024.
  29. ^ Kaegel, Dick (July 1, 2007). "Meche named All-Star for first time". Kansas City Royals. MLB.com. Archived from the original on July 4, 2007. Retrieved December 23, 2024.
  30. ^ "2007 Major League Baseball All-Star Game". Baseball Reference. Sports Reference. July 10, 2007.
  31. ^ "2008 Kansas City Royals Statistics". Baseball Reference. Retrieved December 23, 2024.
  32. ^ "Kansas City Royals 5, Arizona Diamondbacks 0". Baseball Reference. Sports Reference. June 16, 2009.
  33. ^ "Gil Meche retires from baseball". ESPN. Associated Press. January 19, 2011.
  34. ^ "Gil Meche 2009 Pitching Game Logs". Baseball Reference. Retrieved December 23, 2024.
  35. ^ Kaegel, Dick (February 7, 2010). "Greinke to make first Opening Day start". Kansas City Royals. MLB.com. Archived from the original on February 20, 2010. Retrieved December 23, 2024.
  36. ^ "Texas Rangers 8, Kansas City Royals 7". Baseball Reference. Sports Reference. May 25, 2010.
  37. ^ "Royals place struggling Meche on DL". Sportsnet. Associated Press. May 30, 2010. Retrieved December 23, 2024.
  38. ^ "Royals reinstate Meche, Fields from D.L, recall May from Omaha". Medium. September 1, 2010. Retrieved December 23, 2024.
  39. ^ "Gil Meche 2010 Pitching Splits". Baseball Reference. Retrieved December 23, 2024.
  40. ^ Ryan, Shane (November 12, 2012). "The Five Best Sports Songs". Paste Magazine. Retrieved November 12, 2012.

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