Keith Miller (milleke01)

Keith Alan Miller

• Bats Right, Throws Right
• Height 5' 11", Weight 185 lb.
• School Oral Roberts University
• High School All Saints Central High School
• Debut June 16, 1987
• Final Game May 13, 1995
• Born June 12, 1963 in Midland, MI USA

BR page

Biographical Information

Keith Miller was a hustling, scrappy ballplayer who patterned his game after Pete Rose. Indeed, in his very first game in the majors, Miller dislocated his pinky on a headfirst slide into third base, pulling the joint back into its socket himself. Despite his grit, injuries hampered his career.

Miller's primary position was second base, but the New York Mets also experimented with him in center field, especially in 1990 following the 1989 trades of Lenny Dykstra and Mookie Wilson. Despite good speed, Miller was not well suited to center.

Miller helped Team USA to a Silver Medal in the 1983 Intercontinental Cup. An old version of the IBAF website listed him as the tournament leader in steals, though other sources list Fu-Lien Wu. He also won a Bronze with the US in the 1983 Pan American Games.

The Mets signed Miller as an amateur free agent on September 6, 1984. He spent three years in the minors before getting his first look at major league pitching with the team in 1987. He appeared in 25 games getting 51 at-bats with 19 hits for a .373 batting average. Back with the Mets in 1988 he got into 40 games, had 70 at bats with 15 hits for a .214 BA. He also spent time in 1988 with the AAA Tidewater Tides where he hit .281 in 42 games.

Keith was with Tidewater again in 1989 for 48 games, 184 at bats and a .266 BA. Miller would get more action with the big league team that year, appearing in 57 games and hitting for a .231 average. He spent the 1990 and 1991 seasons with the New York team before being traded to the Kansas City Royals along with Gregg Jefferies and Kevin McReynolds for Bret Saberhagen and Bill Pecota on December 11, 1991.

With the Royals in 1992, Keith had probably his best year in the majors. He appeared in 106 games, getting 416 at bats with 118 hits for a .284 average. He spent the last three years of his major league career, 1993 through 1995, with Kansas City. He was used sparingly, getting into only 51 games in the three years. He also spent 21 games during that same period with the Omaha Royals.

Miller split his time in professional baseball pretty evenly between the major and minor leagues. Keith spent part or all of 9 years in the major leagues with the Mets and the Royals. With them he appeared in 465 games and had a career .262 batting average. He was in the minors parts of eight years with four teams and appeared in 400 contests and hit for a .264 average.

Keith was given his unconditional release by the Kansas City Royals on May 15, 1995.

Miller has become a successful player agent with ACES, a firm headed by Seth and Sam Levinson, who represented Keith while he was still a player. His best-known client is David Wright.

Sources

Baseball-Reference.com
SABR MILB Database:page