| Alan Mills | |
|---|---|
_(cropped).jpg) Mills with theBaltimore Orioles in 1993 | |
| Pitcher | |
| Born: (1966-10-18)October 18, 1966 (age 59) Lakeland, Florida, U.S. | |
Batted: Right Threw: Right | |
| MLB debut | |
| April 14, 1990, for the New York Yankees | |
| Last MLB appearance | |
| October 5, 2001, for the Baltimore Orioles | |
| MLB statistics | |
| Win–loss record | 39–32 |
| Earned run average | 4.12 |
| Strikeouts | 456 |
Stats atBaseball Reference  | |
| Teams | |
Alan Bernard Mills (born October 18, 1966) is an American formerrelief pitcher andpitching coach. He spent 12 seasons inMajor League Baseball (MLB) with theNew York Yankees (1990–1991),Baltimore Orioles (1992–1998, 2000–2001) andLos Angeles Dodgers (1999–2000). He pitched right-handed.
Born inLakeland, Florida, on October 18, 1966, Mills was the youngest of Hugh and Alfreddia Mills' four children. His favorite sport in his youth wasfootball, but he switched to baseball after doctors informed him that he had only onekidney. He graduated fromKathleen High School in 1984. He was anoutfielder on the school'svarsity team before making the transition to pitcher. He attendedTuskegee University, but transferred toPolk Community College after one year when the former droppedbaseball scholarships.[1]
He was selected in theMLB Draft on two occasions in 1986,[1] both times in phases that were discontinued later that year.[2] He was chosen by theBoston Red Sox (13th overall) andCalifornia Angels (8th overall) in the first rounds of the regular phase of the January draft and the secondary phase of the June draft respectively.[3] He decided to sign with the Angels over the Red Sox based on which team was willing to finance his final two years of college.[1]
Mills spent just one season with theSalem Angels of theNorthwest League, compiling a 6–6 record over fourteen starts, before the Angels sent him to theNew York Yankees to complete a December 19, 1986, deal in which the Yankees sentButch Wynegar to the Angels forRon Romanick and a player to be named later.
Mills converted to arelief pitcher during his three seasons in the Yankees' farm system, going 12–24 with a 4.25 ERA and thirteensaves. With thePrince William Cannons of the Class ACarolina League in1989, Mills went 6–1 with a 0.91 ERA and seven saves to lead his team to their first Carolina League title. Though he had never pitched above A ball, his performance earned him and invitation toSpring training in1990.
He made his major league debut on April 14, pitching 2.2 scoreless innings against theTexas Rangers.[4] Mills went 1–5 with a 4.15 ERA his rookie year splitting his time between the Yankees and triple AColumbus Clippers. For Columbus, he was 3–3 with a 3.38 ERA and six saves.
Mills spent most of1991 in the minors, however, made two starts upon returning to the club in September. He was traded to theBaltimore Orioles for a player to be named later during Spring training the following season.
As of 2024, Mills is the only Yankee to wear number 69 in a regular season game.[5]
Mills emerged as a valuable member of the Orioles' bullpen upon his arrival in Baltimore. He went 10–4 with a 2.61 ERA over 103.1 innings in1992.
Mills made a team high 72 appearances in1998, going 3–4 with a 3.74 ERA. Perhaps the most famous moment of Mills' career came on May 19,1998, when he gaveDarryl Strawberry a right cross that bloodied his face in the dugout during a bench clearing brawl with the New York Yankees atYankee Stadium.[6] Strawberry had just hit Mills' teammateArmando Benítez with a cheap shot during a melee, and Mills promptly defended Benitez by clocking Strawberry point-blank.
The following season, Mills signed as a free agent with theLos Angeles Dodgers. After a season and a half in Los Angeles, he was dealt back to the Orioles forAlberto Reyes. He remained with the Orioles through2001 before being released. In a 12-season career, Mills posted a 39–32 record with 456strikeouts and a 4.12ERA in 474games.
Mills wore jersey number 75 with the Orioles. Numbers that high are typically only worn by players in spring training (when teams have considerably larger rosters than they do during the regular season). Mills chose to wear it as a motivating factor, to remind himself that his job was not necessarily any more secure than that of someone in spring training should he perform poorly.[7]
Mills attempted comebacks with theMontreal Expos in Spring training2002 and theTampa Bay Devil Rays in2004, but was essentially away from the game for five years before signing a minor league deal with theDetroit Tigers in2007, and spending one season with theErie SeaWolves. In his first 27 games, he went 23-for-23 in save opportunities, posting a 2.79 ERA and limiting batters to a .154batting average.[8]
Mills returned to hisalma mater Kathleen High School as aphysical education teacher and head coach of its varsity baseball team from 2009 through 2011. It was also during that time that he earned aBachelor of Arts degree inpsychology fromAshford University in 2009. He has also served as a pitching coach in theNew York–Penn League for theOneonta Tigers in 2008.
His return to the Orioles organization in 2012 began a five-year span as pitching coach with theAberdeen IronBirds (2012–2013),[9]Delmarva Shorebirds (2014) andBowie Baysox (2015–2016).[10][11] His 2012 and 2013 seasons with the IronBirds were the subject of a 2021 memoir calledClubbie from the team's clubhouse attendant, Greg Larson. His 2015 campaign with Bowie was the first time the Baysox captured theEastern League Championship.[12] After two seasons as the Orioles' bullpen coach in2017 and2018, he was announced as themanager of theGCL Orioles on February 8, 2019.[11] Despite theGulf Coast League cancelling its playoffs due to the threat ofHurricane Dorian, Mills was named Manager of the Year after guiding the Orioles to a league-best 38–15 record in his first full season at the helm. Team records were established or matched in winning percentage (.717) and wins respectively, with the latter tying the 2011 GCL Orioles.[13] On October 4, 2021, Mills was fired by the Baltimore organization.[14]
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