View source for Mark Mulder

{{short description|American baseball player (born 1977)}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=February 2014}}
{{Infobox baseball biography
| name          = Mark Mulder
| image         = Mark Mulder.jpg
| position      = [[Pitcher]]
| bats          = Left
| throws        = Left
| birth_date    = {{birth date and age|1977|8|5}}
| birth_place   = [[South Holland, Illinois]], U.S.
| debutleague   = MLB
| debutdate     = April 18
| debutyear     = 2000
| debutteam     = Oakland Athletics
| finalleague   = MLB
| finaldate     = July 9
| finalyear     = 2008
| finalteam     = St. Louis Cardinals
| statleague    = MLB
| stat1label    = [[Win–loss record (pitching)|Win–loss record]]
| stat1value    = 103–60
| stat2label    = [[Earned run average]]
| stat2value    = 4.18
| stat3label    = [[Strikeout]]s
| stat3value    = 834
| teams         = 
* [[Oakland Athletics]] ({{mlby|2000}}–{{mlby|2004}})
* [[St. Louis Cardinals]] ({{mlby|2005}}–{{mlby|2008}})
| highlights    = 
* 2× [[Major League Baseball All-Star Game|All-Star]] ([[2003 Major League Baseball All-Star Game|2003]], [[2004 Major League Baseball All-Star Game|2004]])
* [[List of Major League Baseball annual wins leaders|AL wins leader]] (2001)
|medaltemplates=
{{MedalSport|Men's [[baseball]]}}
{{Medal|Country|{{bb|USA}}}}
{{MedalCompetition | [[Baseball at the Pan American Games|Pan American Games]] }}
{{MedalSilver | [[1999 Pan American Games|1999 Winnipeg]] | [[Baseball at the 1999 Pan American Games|Team competition]] }}
}}

'''Mark Alan Mulder''' (born August 5, 1977) is an American former professional [[baseball]] player. A left-handed [[starting pitcher]], Mulder pitched in [[Major League Baseball]] (MLB) for the [[Oakland Athletics]] and [[St. Louis Cardinals]]. He is a two-time [[Major League Baseball All-Star Game|All-Star]].

==Early life==
Mark Alan Mulder was born on August 5, 1977, in [[South Holland, Illinois]].

==College career==
Mulder attended [[Michigan State University]], where he played [[college baseball]] for the [[Michigan State Spartans]].<ref name=spartans>{{cite web |url=http://www.msuspartans.com/sports/m-basebl/spec-rel/052298aaa.html |title=Michigan State's Mark Mulder Named to Baseball All-America Squad – Michigan State Official Athletic Site |publisher=Msuspartans.com |date=May 22, 1998 |access-date=February 16, 2014}}</ref> In 1997, he played [[collegiate summer baseball]] in the [[Cape Cod Baseball League]] for the [[Bourne Braves]], and was named a league all-star.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.capecodbaseball.org/news/league-news/index.html?article_id=306 |title=Once an All-Star, Always an All-Star |publisher=capecodbaseball.org |access-date=August 3, 2019}}</ref>

==Professional career==
===Draft and minor leagues===
Mulder was selected by the [[Oakland Athletics]] with the second overall pick in the [[1998 Major League Baseball draft|1998 MLB draft]].<ref>{{cite web|title=Baseball Draft Research Application|url=http://www.thebaseballcube.com/draft/research.asp?Y=1998|website=The Baseball Cube|access-date=13 July 2016}}</ref>

===Oakland Athletics (2000–2004)===
He was placed on the fast track{{clarify|date=January 2014}} to MLB and made his MLB debut on April 18, {{Baseball year|2000}}; he was still only 22 years old and had less than two seasons of minor-league experience. He had a rocky start to his MLB career, going 9–10 with a 5.44 [[earned run average|ERA]].

In {{Baseball year|2001}}, Mulder played his first full major-league season and quickly became a dominant pitcher. Leading the [[American League]] with 21 wins, he anchored a powerful Oakland rotation along with [[Barry Zito]] and [[Tim Hudson]], called "[[Big Three (Oakland Athletics)|The Big Three]]".{{Citation needed|date=April 2022}} Mulder finished second in AL [[Cy Young Award]] voting behind [[Roger Clemens]]. He continued to do well in {{Baseball year|2002}}, winning 19 games and striking out a career-high 159 [[Batter (baseball)|batters]] in 207.1 [[innings pitched|innings]]. Limited by injuries in {{Baseball year|2003}}, he would only log 26 starts, he still won 15 [[game]]s and had a career-best 3.13 [[earned run average|ERA]]. {{Baseball year|2004}} was an inconsistent year for Mulder. He started the season strong, and was chosen to start that season's All-Star Game. However, he had a higher ERA and walked more batters in the second half of the season.

Mulder, Hudson, and Zito were able to carry their team to the [[postseason]] four seasons in a row (2000–2003). Mulder competed in the playoffs in 2001 and 2002, logging two starts each against the [[New York Yankees]] (2001) and the [[Minnesota Twins]] (2002). He carried over his strong regular-season performance by pitching 24 innings in the four playoff starts, with an ERA of 2.25 and 19 [[strikeout]]s.

===St. Louis Cardinals (2005–2008)===
After the 2004 season, the Athletics traded Mulder to the [[St. Louis Cardinals]] in exchange for [[Dan Haren]], [[Kiko Calero]], and [[Daric Barton]].<ref>{{cite magazine |url=http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2004/baseball/mlb/12/18/mulder.trade.report/ |title=A's trade Mulder to Cardinals for Haren, Calero |access-date=November 5, 2008 |magazine=[[Sports Illustrated]] |date=December 18, 2004 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081025010954/http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2004/baseball/mlb/12/18/mulder.trade.report/ |archive-date=October 25, 2008}}</ref> In the 2005 season, Mulder's first with the Cardinals, he pitched well, 16–8 with a 3.64 ERA. His efforts helped the Cardinals reach the NLCS, where they lost to the [[Houston Astros]].<ref name="mulder">{{Cite web |title=Mark Mulder Stats, Height, Weight, Position, Rookie Status & More |url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/m/muldema01.shtml |access-date=2025-01-25 |website=Baseball-Reference.com |language=en}}</ref>

Mulder began the 2006 season strong, with a 5–1 record and 3.69 ERA through May 17. However, his next six starts were mediocre to awful, and his ERA ballooned to 6.09. He turned out to be suffering from [[rotator cuff]] and shoulder problems, and the Cardinals placed him on the disabled list on June 23. In August, he was taken off the disabled list and made several starts in the minors. On August 23, he made his first major-league start in two months and gave up nine runs, all of which were earned, in three innings.

After undergoing rotator cuff surgery, and with a return for the opening of the 2007 season unlikely, Mulder's future with the Cardinals looked somewhat uncertain in the 2007 offseason. However, despite being offered comparable deals with the [[Cleveland Indians]] and the [[Texas Rangers (baseball)|Texas Rangers]], Mulder re-signed with the [[St. Louis Cardinals]] on January 10, to a two-year $13 million contract, with performance-based incentives and a club option that could take the deal to three years at a possible $45 million.

After being re-activated on September 5, 2007, he continued to struggle with his command, losing all three of his starts with an ERA of 12.27. In that time, he pitched only 11 innings, and gave up 22 hits and seven walks. This prompted an [[Magnetic resonance imaging|MRI scan]], which led the team to the conclusion that Mulder needed additional clean-up rotator cuff surgery. Although he was expected to recover from surgery in time for [[Spring training]], Mark started the 2008 season on the disabled list. On June 30, 2008, Mulder made his return. He came in from the bullpen with a 7–1 lead over the [[New York Mets]] in the top of the ninth. Mulder finished the ballgame with no runs. On July 9, 2008, Mulder started his first game of the season against the [[Philadelphia Phillies]]. After striking out [[Jimmy Rollins]] to begin the game, Mulder threw eight consecutive pitches out of the [[strike zone]], and left the game with a shoulder injury while attempting a [[pickoff]] throw.{{citation needed|date=January 2014}}

After the 2008 season, the Cardinals chose not to exercise Mulder's $11 million option for the 2009 season, instead buying out his contract for $1.5 million.<ref>[http://www.stltoday.com/stltoday/sports/stories.nsf/cardinals/story/CED87E3AEAE6A8D4862574E8006E5F22?OpenDocument Cards are done with Mulder]{{dead link|date=February 2014}}</ref> After remaining unsigned, Mulder announced his retirement on June 15, 2010, saying "I guess I have retired."<ref>{{cite news |last=Boeck |first=Scott |url=http://content.usatoday.com/communities/dailypitch/post/2010/06/mark-mulder-says-hes-retired-now-playing-competitive--golf/1 |title=Mark Mulder Says He's Retired; Now Playing Competitive Golf |work=USA Today |date=June 15, 2010 |access-date=June 15, 2010}}</ref>

===2014 comeback attempt===
While watching the [[2013 Major League Baseball season|2013 MLB postseason]], Mulder began to mimic the throwing motion of [[Paco Rodriguez]], and felt the hand separation at the top of the delivery felt natural.<ref name=achilles /> Mulder began auditioning for teams in November 2013.<ref name=angels /> On January 1, 2014, Mulder came to terms with the [[Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim]] on a minor league deal with an invitation to spring training.<ref name=angels>{{cite web |url=https://www.espn.com/los-angeles/mlb/story/_/id/10228781/los-angeles-angels-sign-pitcher-mark-mulder-minor-league-contract |title=Los Angeles Angels sign pitcher Mark Mulder to minor league contract – ESPN Los Angeles |publisher=Espn.go.com |date=January 1, 2014 |access-date=February 16, 2014}}</ref>

Mulder expressed going into spring training that his shoulder felt strong, but wondered about the susceptibility of his lower back and legs to injury. On February 15, Mulder tore his [[achilles tendon]]. He suffered the injury in agility drills on the second day of spring training, before he was scheduled to throw his first bullpen session.<ref name=achilles>{{cite news |author=Mike DiGiovanna February 15, 2014, 3:43 p.m. |url=http://www.latimes.com/sports/sportsnow/la-sp-sn-mark-mulder-comeback-ends-injury-20140215,0,3994057.story |title=Mark Mulder's comeback with Angels ends with Achilles' tendon injury |work=[[Los Angeles Times]] |date=February 15, 2014 |access-date=February 16, 2014}}</ref> The Angels released Mulder on March 11.

===Accomplishments===
* Led [[American League]] in wins in 2001 (21)
* Led American League pitchers in complete games in 2003 (9) and 2004 (5)
* Led American League in [[shutouts in baseball|shutout]]s in 2001 (4) and 2003 (2)
* American League [[Major League Baseball All-Star Game|All-Star]], 2003 and 2004

==Post-playing career==
After first retiring from baseball, Mulder pursued golf.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.usatoday.com/sports/baseball/2010-09-23-mulder-switches-baseball-to-golf_N.htm |title=Mark Mulder makes switch from diamond to links |first=Steve |last=DiMeglio |work=USA Today |date=September 23, 2010 |access-date=September 26, 2010}}</ref> He won the 2015 [[American Century Championship]], considered to be the ‘premier’ celebrity golf tournament. He won it again in 2016, successfully defending his title. On July 16, 2017, he won his third straight American Century Championship. In October 2018, he played in a [[PGA Tour]] event, the [[Safeway Open]], via a sponsor's invitation.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.sfchronicle.com/sports/golf/article/Ex-A-s-pitcher-Mark-Mulder-holds-his-own-in-PGA-13283242.php |title=Ex-A's pitcher Mark Mulder holds his own in PGA Tour event |newspaper=San Francisco Chronicle |first=Ron |last=Kroichick |date=October 4, 2018}}</ref>

Mulder is annually one of the contenders at what is now the Diamond Resorts Tournament of Champions. He won the celebrity division in 2017.{{Citation needed|date=April 2022}}

He also served as an analyst on ESPN's ''[[Baseball Tonight (MLB)|Baseball Tonight]]'',<ref>{{cite web|last=Smeltz |first=Nate |title=Mark Mulder Joins ESPN as a Baseball Tonight Analyst |url=http://www.espnmediazone3.com/us/2011/04/06/mark-mulder-joins-espn-as-baseball-tonight-analyst/ |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110909134954/http://www.espnmediazone3.com/us/2011/04/06/mark-mulder-joins-espn-as-baseball-tonight-analyst/ |archive-date=September 9, 2011 |df=mdy }}</ref> and as part-time analyst for Athletics telecasts on [[NBC Sports California]] in 2016 and 2017.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.mercurynews.com/2018/01/10/former-ace-out-as-as-color-analyst-it-was-something-that-i-really-enjoyed/|title=Former ace out as A's analyst: "It was something that I really enjoyed"|last=Pashelka|first=Curtis|website=The Mercury News|date=January 10, 2018|access-date=February 25, 2019}}</ref>

==See also==
{{Portal|Biography|Baseball}}
* [[List of Major League Baseball annual wins leaders]]

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
{{Baseballstats|mlb=150426|espn=4232|br=m/muldema01|fangraphs=932|brm=mulder001mar|retro=M/Pmuldm001}}
:

{{s-start}}
{{s-ach}}
{{Succession box
| before = [[Esteban Loaiza]]
| title = [[American League]] [[All-Star Game]] Starting Pitcher
| years = [[2004 Major League Baseball All-Star Game|2004]]
| after = [[Mark Buehrle]]
}}
{{s-end}}

{{1998 MLB Draft}}
{{Athletics first-round draft picks}}
{{Oakland Athletics Opening Day starting pitchers}}
{{AL wins champions}}
{{ESPN Major League Baseball}}
{{Willie, Mickey and the Duke Award}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Mulder, Mark}}
[[Category:1977 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:American expatriate baseball players in Canada]]
[[Category:American League All-Stars]]
[[Category:American League wins champions]]
[[Category:American people of Dutch descent]]
[[Category:Baseball players at the 1999 Pan American Games]]
[[Category:Bourne Braves players]]
[[Category:ESPN people]]
[[Category:Major League Baseball pitchers]]
[[Category:Memphis Redbirds players]]
[[Category:Michigan State Spartans baseball players]]
[[Category:Oakland Athletics announcers]]
[[Category:Oakland Athletics players]]
[[Category:Palm Beach Cardinals players]]
[[Category:People from South Holland, Illinois]]
[[Category:Baseball players from Cook County, Illinois]]
[[Category:Sacramento River Cats players]]
[[Category:Springfield Cardinals (Missouri) players]]
[[Category:St. Louis Cardinals players]]
[[Category:Swing of the Quad Cities players]]
[[Category:United States national baseball team players]]
[[Category:Vancouver Canadians players]]
[[Category:Medalists at the 1999 Pan American Games]]
[[Category:Pan American Games silver medalists for the United States in baseball]]