Inductees
Brad Ziegler
Born: October 10, 1979
He didn’t simply dream the big dream – he lived it.
The dream of climbing out of a quaint Missouri town and gaining notice despite never earning All-State honors. Of going on to pitch for an NCAA Division I program and lifting it to the College World Series. Of reaching the big leagues and making history.
“It wasn’t like I lit up the radar gun,” Brad Ziegler said. “Even in college, I rarely hit 90-91 mph.”
Ziegler forged his place in the game by overcoming numerous roadblocks – he was released after his first six innings in pro ball and later suffered two skull fractures – and yet carved out an 11-season career in the big leagues. Thus, the Missouri Sports Hall of Fame is proud to induct Ziegler in the Class of 2020.
A 1998 graduate of Odessa High School, Ziegler pitched Missouri State University to the 2003 College World Series and later made a name for himself as a submarining relief pitcher – that is, a groundball machine – for four big-league clubs (Oakland Athletics, Arizona Diamondbacks, Boston Red Sox, Miami Marlins) between 2008 and 2018.
The right-hander broke in by throwing 39 scoreless innings to open his career, shattering a 101-year-old MLB record (25) and garnering an eighth-place finish in 2008 American League Rookie of the Year voting. Overall, he pitched 717 1/3 innings, and his 739 relief appearances rank 81st all-time, despite not making his debut until he was 28.
Additionally, upon retirement, Ziegler’s 138 groundball double plays were the most among relievers since he joined the league and 17th-most in big-league history.
He nailed down 105 saves, had a career 2.75 earned run average, and appeared in two Division Series (2011 with Arizona, 2016 with Boston). He is the Diamondbacks’ career leader in wins, appearances, and innings pitched as a reliever.
In Odessa, American Legion coach Ron Johnson helped enhance Ziegler’s stock, ensuring he was able to be seen by the coaches at Missouri State. After committing, Ziegler went 17-1 his senior season of Legion ball.
It was low-risk for the Bears, considering Ziegler was on an academic scholarship.
“When I went to college, Major League Baseball seemed so out of reach,” Ziegler said. “I was just there to get my degree and play ball.”
Ziegler finished his career as the all-time MSU record-holder in wins, innings pitched, games started, and strikeouts. He was a 12-game winner in 2003 and pitched the clinching Super Regional game that sent the Bears to Omaha.
“I was at the bottom of the dog pile, barely able to breathe,” said Ziegler, who four years earlier had briefly considered transferring, instead opting to redshirt and then working his way into the starting rotation.
The next spring (2004), having been a 20th-round draft pick and having pitched only six innings in the short-season New York-Penn League, Ziegler was released by the Philadelphia Phillies.
However, that same day, he caught on with the Schaumburg Flyers, an independent Northern League team. In June of that season, he landed a spot in the starting rotation on the Athletics’ high Class A club.
It was in the A’s system that Ziegler converted to submarine style on the advice of pitching coordinator Ron Romanick, an experiment that started after the 2006 season.
The change fast-tracked Ziegler to the big leagues. Ziegler debuted on May 31, 2008, allowing a single to the Rangers’ Ian Kinsler, but picked him off, joining only seven other pitchers in history who recorded a pickoff for their first MLB out. His first strikeout was four appearances in against the Angels’ Robb Quinlan.
Ziegler broke the scoreless innings record on a Sunday afternoon when third baseman Jack Hannahan made a spectacular bare-handed play on a slow-roller by Marlon Byrd.
“After the game, our clubby came in and said, ‘The Hall of Fame called and asked if they could have something,’” Ziegler said. “I said, ‘Take everything.’ I didn’t want them to change their mind.”
His spikes and a baseball used that inning have been on display in Cooperstown since.
From there, more scoreless streaks followed. He totaled 55 saves in 2015 and 2016 and was named to the Diamondbacks’ 20th anniversary all-franchise team.
To Ziegler, so many made his career possible: Johnson, Bears coaches Keith Guttin and Paul Evans, as well as his family and close friends.
“I really wanted to leave teams in a better situation than when they acquired me,” Ziegler said. “And hopefully I was able to help a few young guys along the way.”
