View source for Wade Miller

{{Short description|American baseball player (born 1976)}}
{{about|the Major League baseball pitcher|the Canadian football player|Wade Miller (Canadian football)|the mystery author duo who often wrote under the pseudonym Wade Miller |Whit Masterson}}
{{Use MDY dates|date=February 2021}}
{{Infobox baseball biography
|name=Wade Miller
|image=Wade Miller.jpg
|position=[[Pitcher]]
|bats=Right
|throws=Right
|birth_date={{Birth date and age|1976|9|13}}
|birth_place=[[Reading, Pennsylvania]], U.S.
|debutleague = MLB
|debutdate=July 7
|debutyear=1999
|debutteam=Houston Astros
|finalleague = MLB
|finaldate=April 22
|finalyear=2007
|finalteam=Chicago Cubs
|statleague = MLB
|stat1label=[[Win (baseball)|Win–loss record]]
|stat1value=62–46
|stat2label=[[Earned run average]]
|stat2value=4.10
|stat3label=[[Strikeout]]s
|stat3value=749
|teams=
* [[Houston Astros]] ({{mlby|1999}}–{{mlby|2004}})
* [[Boston Red Sox]] ({{mlby|2005}})
* [[Chicago Cubs]] ({{mlby|2006}}–{{mlby|2007}})
}}

'''Wade Thomas Miller''' (born September 13, 1976) is an American former professional [[baseball]] [[starting pitcher]], who played in [[Major League Baseball]] (MLB) for the [[Houston Astros]] ({{by|1999}}–{{by|2004}}), [[Boston Red Sox]] ({{by|2005}}), and [[Chicago Cubs]] ({{by|2006}}–{{by|2007}}). He batted and threw [[right-handed]]. Miller attended [[Brandywine Heights Area School District|Brandywine Heights High School]] in [[Topton, Pennsylvania]]. He is currently [[Alvernia University]]'s [[Coach (baseball)#Pitching and bullpen coaches|pitching coach]], a position he assumed in 2012.<ref name="coach">{{cite web|url=https://auwolves.com/sports/baseball/roster/coaches/wade-miller/463|title=Wade Miller - Baseball Coach|date=2012|publisher=[[Alvernia University|Alvernia University Golden Wolves]]|work=auwolves.com|accessdate=February 16, 2021}}</ref>

==Career==
Miller was drafted out of Alvernia University (Reading, PA) by the Houston Astros, in 1996. He won 45 games in a three-year period for the Astros. Miller was one of the best young pitchers in the [[National League (baseball)|National League]] (NL) before injuring the [[rotator cuff]] in his pitching shoulder in 2004.

Miller went 16–8 with 183 [[strikeout]]s and a 3.40 [[earned run average]] (ERA) in {{by|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. Miller then pitched through right forearm pain in {{by|2003}}, but still was 14–13, 161, 4.13, and led his team in starts (33) and [[Inning (baseball)|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 Miller 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. Miller finished the 2005 campaign with a record of 4–4 and a 4.95 ERA.

On January 23, {{by|2006}}, the [[Chicago Cubs]] signed Miller to a one-year, $1 million contract, with $1 million more in incentives. He made his first start of the 2006 season on September 9.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/cs-060909cubsgamer,0,178112.story|title=Miller's return to Cubs ends in 7-3 loss|last=Sullivan|first=Paul|date=September 9, 2006|publisher=[[Chicago Tribune]]|work=chicagotribune.com|accessdate=April 30, 2009}}</ref> 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 one-year extension to stay with the Cubs under new [[Manager (baseball)|manager]] [[Lou Piniella]]. However, after three unsuccessful starts where he compiled a 10-plus ERA, Miller was once again placed on the DL in July 2007. He was placed on waivers granting his unconditional release from the Cubs in August {{by|2007}}.

On March 7, 2009, Miller agreed to a minor league contract with the [[Toronto Blue Jays]]. He retired from baseball, following that season.

In a nine-year MLB career, Miller compiled a 62–46 record with 749 strikeouts and a 4.10 ERA in {{frac|894|1|3}} innings pitched.<ref name="bbref major">{{cite web|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/m/millewa04.shtml|title=Wade Miller Stats|publisher=Sports Reference LLC|work=[[Baseball-Reference.com]]|accessdate=February 16, 2021}}</ref>

==After baseball==
Miller was inducted into the Reading Baseball Hall of Fame on July 21, 2011.<ref name="hall">{{cite web|url=http://www2.readingeagle.com/article.aspx?id=320577|title=For Wade Miller, a roller-coaster career cut short|date=July 17, 2011|last=Drago|first=Mike|publisher=[[Reading Eagle]]|work=readingeagle.com|accessdate=February 16, 2021}}</ref>

==See also==
* [[Houston Astros award winners and league leaders]]

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
{{baseballstats|mlb=150063|espn=4109|br=m/millewa04|fangraphs=568|brm=miller001wad|retro=M/Pmillw001}}

{{Houston Astros Opening Day starting pitchers}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Miller, Wade}}
[[Category:Alvernia Golden Wolves baseball players]]
[[Category:Baseball players from Reading, Pennsylvania]]
[[Category:Boston Red Sox players]]
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