Brian Merritt Moehler (born December 31, 1971) is a former
starting pitcher
In baseball (hardball or softball), a starting pitcher or starter is the first pitcher in the game for each team. A pitcher is credited with a game started if they throw the first pitch to the opponent's first batter of a game. Starting pitc ...
.
Moehler pitched for the
University of North Carolina at Greensboro
The University of North Carolina at Greensboro (UNCG or UNC Greensboro) is a public research university in Greensboro, North Carolina. It is part of the University of North Carolina system. UNCG, like all members of the UNC system, is a stand-a ...
. He was selected by the
Detroit Tigers
The Detroit Tigers are an American professional baseball team based in Detroit. The Tigers compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member of the American League (AL) Central division. One of the AL's eight charter franchises, the club was f ...
in the sixth round of the 1993 draft, and assigned to the
Niagara Falls Rapids. After the 1993 season, Moehler moved on to the
Jacksonville Suns
The Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp are a Minor League Baseball team of the International League (IL) and the Triple-A affiliate of the Miami Marlins. They are located in Jacksonville, Florida, and are named for shrimp caught in the area. The team pl ...
, where he pitched until late 1996, when he was called up by the Tigers.
Moehler made his major league debut in 1996, pitching in 2 games for the Tigers. In 1997, Moehler went 11–12 in 31 starts, the following year he would have his best season of his career, going 14–13 with a 3.90 ERA and 4 complete games, including 3 shutouts. In 1999, he led the American league in losses with 16. In 1999, during his stint with Detroit, he was caught
scuffing the baseball against the
Tampa Bay Devil Rays
The Tampa Bay Rays are an American professional baseball team based in St. Petersburg, Florida. The Rays compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) East division. Since its inception, the team's home ve ...
, and was suspended for 10 games. He would rebound in the year 2000, going 12–9 for Detroit. 2001 and 2002 Moehler pitched just a combined 4 starts due to injury, he would later be traded in 2002 to the Cincinnati Reds. He was the starting pitcher for the Tigers' inaugural game at
Comerica Park
Comerica Park is a baseball stadium located in Downtown Detroit. It has been the home of Major League Baseball's Detroit Tigers since 2000, when the team left Tiger Stadium.
History Construction
Founded in 1894, the Tigers had played at the c ...
in 2000. During his stint with the Tigers, he won both the last game at the old
Tiger Stadium and the first game at the new
Comerica Park
Comerica Park is a baseball stadium located in Downtown Detroit. It has been the home of Major League Baseball's Detroit Tigers since 2000, when the team left Tiger Stadium.
History Construction
Founded in 1894, the Tigers had played at the c ...
.
In 2003, Moehler signed with the Houston Astros but pitched in just 3 games. After taking the 2004 season off, Moehler came back in 2005 pitching for the
Florida Marlins
The Miami Marlins are an American professional baseball team based in Miami. The Marlins compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) East division. The club's home ballpark is LoanDepot Park.
The fra ...
. He went 13–23 in two seasons with the Marlins, bouncing between the bullpen and the rotation.
On January 19, 2007, Moehler signed a one-year contract with the Houston Astros; at the end of spring training he earned a relief spot on the roster. On August 2, 2007, Moehler achieved his first save in a Major League game against the
Atlanta Braves
The Atlanta Braves are an American professional baseball team based in the Atlanta metropolitan area. The Braves compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) East division. The Braves were founded in B ...
.
On November 4, 2012, Moehler was hired as a Georgia area scout for the
Boston Red Sox
The Boston Red Sox are an American professional baseball team based in Boston. The Red Sox compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) East division. Founded in as one of the American League's eig ...
.
References
External links
{{DEFAULTSORT:Moehler, Brian
1971 births
Living people
Baseball players from North Carolina
Boston Red Sox scouts
Cincinnati Reds players
Detroit Tigers players
Corpus Christi Hooks players
Greenville Braves players
Gulf Coast Marlins players
Houston Astros players
Florida Marlins players
Jacksonville Suns players
Lakeland Tigers players
Major League Baseball pitchers
New Orleans Zephyrs players
Niagara Falls Rapids players
Round Rock Express players
Toledo Mud Hens players
UNC Greensboro Spartans baseball players
West Michigan Whitecaps players