1. Overview
Mark Alan Mulder (born August 5, 1977) is an American former professional baseball player who primarily played as a left-handed starting pitcher in Major League Baseball (MLB). He played for the Oakland Athletics and the St. Louis Cardinals. Mulder was a key member of the Oakland Athletics' renowned "Big Three" pitching rotation, alongside Barry Zito and Tim Hudson, which propelled the team to four consecutive postseason appearances from 2000 to 2003. A two-time All-Star, Mulder led the American League in wins in 2001 and was a contender for the Cy Young Award. His career was significantly impacted by injuries, leading to his initial retirement in 2010 and a subsequent comeback attempt in 2014 that was cut short by an Achilles tendon rupture. Following his baseball career, Mulder has transitioned into professional golf and sports analysis.
2. Early Life and Amateur Career
Mark Mulder's formative years included his high school education and his early achievements in college baseball, where he garnered significant attention as a promising pitcher.
2.1. Early Life and Education
Mark Alan Mulder was born on August 5, 1977, in South Holland, Illinois. During his high school years, Mulder was primarily noted for his batting skills as a first baseman. Upon graduation, he was drafted by the Detroit Tigers in the 55th round (1456th overall) of the 1995 Major League Baseball draft, but he opted to forgo a professional contract to pursue a college education.
2.2. College Baseball
Mulder attended Michigan State University, where he played college baseball for the Michigan State Spartans. He was recognized as the team's Most Valuable Player (MVP) for two consecutive years, in 1997 and 1998. In 1997, he also played collegiate summer baseball for the Bourne Braves in the Cape Cod Baseball League, where he was selected as a league All-Star. In July and August 1999, Mulder was part of the United States national baseball team that competed in the 1999 Pan American Games in Winnipeg, where the team earned a silver medal.
3. Professional Career
Mark Mulder's professional baseball career began with the Oakland Athletics, where he achieved significant success as part of a dominant pitching trio, before moving to the St. Louis Cardinals and later facing challenges due to injuries and a brief comeback attempt.
3.1. Draft and Minor Leagues
Mulder was highly regarded in the 1998 Major League Baseball draft, where he was selected by the Oakland Athletics as the second overall pick. He was placed on a fast track to the major leagues, spending less than two seasons in the minor leagues before making his MLB debut.
3.2. Oakland Athletics (2000-2004)
Mulder made his MLB debut on April 18, 2000, at the age of 22. He had a challenging start to his major league career, finishing the 2000 season with a 9-10 record and a 5.44 ERA, despite making 27 starts, the most for any rookie pitcher that year.
In 2001, Mulder established himself as a dominant force. He led the American League with 21 wins, becoming the first left-handed pitcher in the AL to achieve 20 or more wins since Andy Pettitte in 1996. He was a crucial part of the Oakland Athletics' rotation, alongside Barry Zito and Tim Hudson, a group famously known as "The Big Three". This formidable trio collectively amassed 198 wins, accounting for 50.5% of the team's total victories, and were instrumental in leading the Athletics to four consecutive postseason appearances from 2000 to 2003. Mulder finished second in the AL Cy Young Award voting to Roger Clemens in 2001. He continued his strong performance in 2002, securing 19 wins and recording a career-high 159 strikeouts in 207.1 innings.
The 2003 season saw Mulder limited by injuries, reducing his starts to 26. Nevertheless, he still managed to record 15 wins and achieved a career-best 3.13 ERA. Historically, only Eddie Plank (19 wins in 26 starts in 1906) had more wins in fewer starts for the Athletics franchise. Mulder was also selected for his first All-Star Game in 2003. The 2004 season was inconsistent for Mulder; he started strong and was chosen to start the 2004 Major League Baseball All-Star Game, but his ERA and walks increased in the second half of the season. During his tenure with the Athletics, Mulder competed in the playoffs in 2001 and 2002, making two starts in each series against the New York Yankees (2001) and the Minnesota Twins (2002). In these four playoff starts, he pitched 24 innings with a 2.25 ERA and 19 strikeouts, maintaining his strong regular-season performance.
3.3. St. Louis Cardinals (2005-2008)
After the 2004 season, the Athletics traded Mulder to the St. Louis Cardinals on December 18, 2004, in exchange for Dan Haren, Kiko Calero, and Daric Barton. He signed a one-year contract with a club option for 2006. In 2005, his first season with the Cardinals, Mulder performed well, finishing with a 16-8 record and a 3.64 ERA, serving as a much-needed left-handed ace. His contributions helped the Cardinals reach the NLCS, where they ultimately lost to the Houston Astros.
Mulder began the 2006 season strongly, holding a 5-1 record with a 3.69 ERA through May 17. However, his performance deteriorated in subsequent starts, and his ERA rose to 6.09. He was diagnosed with rotator cuff and shoulder problems, leading to his placement on the disabled list on June 23. After a brief rehabilitation stint in the minor leagues, he returned to the major league mound on August 23, but gave up nine earned runs in three innings. His struggles culminated in left shoulder repair surgery on September 12, ending his season with only six wins and breaking his streak of five consecutive seasons with 15 or more wins. He became a free agent on October 13, 2006.
Despite his injury, the Cardinals re-signed Mulder on January 10, 2007, to a two-year contract worth 13.00 M USD, with performance-based incentives and a club option that could extend the deal to three years for a potential 45.00 M USD. He reportedly turned down comparable offers from the Cleveland Indians and Texas Rangers. Mulder spent much of 2007 rehabilitating, attempting to regain his form. He returned to the major league team on September 5, but continued to struggle with his command, with his fastball velocity dropping below 87 mph (140 km/h). In three starts, he went 0-3 with a 12.27 ERA, pitching only 11 innings and allowing 22 hits and seven walks. An MRI scan revealed further issues, and he underwent an additional left shoulder arthroscopic surgery on September 24.
Mulder began the 2008 season on the disabled list. He returned on June 17, initially pitching out of the bullpen. On June 30, he pitched a scoreless ninth inning against the New York Mets. His first start of the season came on July 9 against the Philadelphia Phillies. After striking out the first batter, Jimmy Rollins, Mulder threw eight consecutive pitches out of the strike zone and was forced to leave the game with a shoulder injury while attempting a pickoff throw. On August 27, he underwent yet another left shoulder surgery and was transferred to the 60-day disabled list. Following the 2008 season, on October 20, the Cardinals decided not to exercise Mulder's 11.00 M USD option for the 2009 season, instead buying out his contract for 1.50 M USD, making him a free agent.
3.4. Retirement and Comeback Attempt
After remaining unsigned, Mark Mulder announced his retirement from professional baseball on June 15, 2010, stating, "I guess I have retired."
However, while watching the 2013 MLB postseason, Mulder began to mimic the throwing motion of Paco Rodriguez and felt a natural separation of his hands at the top of the delivery. This prompted him to consider a return to baseball, and he began auditioning for teams in November 2013. On January 1, 2014, Mulder signed a minor league deal with the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim, which included an invitation to spring training. He expressed confidence in his shoulder but had concerns about his lower back and legs. On February 15, 2014, on the second day of spring training and before his first scheduled bullpen session, Mulder tore his Achilles tendon during agility drills. This injury required surgery and effectively ended his comeback bid. The Angels released Mulder on March 11.
4. Pitching Style
Mark Mulder was known for his distinctive pitching style, which combined a diverse repertoire of pitches with a strategic approach focused on inducing ground balls. His primary pitches included a powerful moving fastball that clocked between 91 mph and 95 mph, a four-seam fastball, a sharp curveball, and a splitter. Mulder was recognized for his quick tempo on the mound and his ability to consistently throw strikes, often relying on his array of pitches to generate ground-ball outs.
5. Achievements and Honors
Mark Mulder's professional career was marked by several significant achievements and recognitions:
- Led the American League in wins in 2001 (21 wins).
- Led American League pitchers in complete games in 2003 (9) and 2004 (5).
- Led the American League in shutouts in 2001 (4) and 2003 (2).
- Selected as an American League All-Star in 2003 and 2004.
- Started the 2004 Major League Baseball All-Star Game.
- Finished second in the American League Cy Young Award voting in 2001.
- Earned a silver medal as part of the United States national baseball team at the 1999 Pan American Games.
6. Post-Playing Career
After his initial retirement from baseball, Mark Mulder pursued a career in golf. He achieved notable success in celebrity golf tournaments, winning the prestigious American Century Championship three consecutive times (2015, 2016, and 2017). He also won the celebrity division of the Diamond Resorts Tournament of Champions in 2017. In October 2018, Mulder competed in a PGA Tour event, the Safeway Open, through a sponsor's invitation.
In addition to his golf career, Mulder has worked as a sports analyst. He served as an analyst on ESPN's Baseball Tonight beginning in 2011, and also worked as a part-time analyst for Oakland Athletics telecasts on NBC Sports California in 2016 and 2017.
7. Career Statistics
Mulder's career pitching statistics are detailed below, showing his performance across his seasons in Major League Baseball.
| Year | Team | G | GS | CG | SHO | SV | W | L | HLD | BS | WPct. | BFP | IP | H | R | ER | HR | BB | IBB | SO | HBP | BK | R.A | ER.A | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | OAK | 27 | 27 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 9 | 10 | 0 | 0 | .474 | 705 | 154.0 | 191 | 22 | 69 | 3 | 4 | 88 | 6 | 0 | 106 | 93 | 5.44 | 1.69 |
| 2001 | OAK | 34 | 34 | 6 | 4 | 3 | 21 | 8 | 0 | 0 | .724 | 927 | 229.1 | 214 | 16 | 51 | 4 | 5 | 153 | 4 | 0 | 92 | 88 | 3.45 | 1.16 |
| 2002 | OAK | 30 | 30 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 19 | 7 | 0 | 0 | .731 | 862 | 207.1 | 182 | 21 | 55 | 3 | 11 | 159 | 7 | 1 | 88 | 80 | 3.47 | 1.14 |
| 2003 | OAK | 26 | 26 | 9 | 2 | 2 | 15 | 9 | 0 | 0 | .625 | 747 | 186.2 | 180 | 15 | 40 | 2 | 2 | 128 | 7 | 0 | 66 | 65 | 3.13 | 1.18 |
| 2004 | OAK | 33 | 33 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 17 | 8 | 0 | 0 | .680 | 952 | 225.2 | 223 | 25 | 83 | 1 | 12 | 140 | 10 | 0 | 119 | 111 | 4.43 | 1.36 |
| 2005 | STL | 32 | 32 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 16 | 8 | 0 | 0 | .667 | 868 | 205.0 | 212 | 19 | 70 | 1 | 9 | 111 | 9 | 0 | 90 | 83 | 3.64 | 1.38 |
| 2006 | STL | 17 | 17 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 7 | 0 | 0 | .462 | 430 | 93.1 | 124 | 19 | 35 | 1 | 5 | 50 | 3 | 0 | 77 | 74 | 7.14 | 1.70 |
| 2007 | STL | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | .000 | 59 | 11.0 | 22 | 4 | 7 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 17 | 15 | 12.27 | 2.64 |
| 2008 | STL | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ---- | 12 | 1.2 | 4 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 10.80 | 3.60 |
| Career Total (8 seasons) | 205 | 203 | 25 | 10 | 7 | 103 | 60 | 0 | 0 | .632 | 5562 | 1314.0 | 1352 | 141 | 412 | 15 | 50 | 834 | 47 | 1 | 657 | 611 | 4.18 | 1.34 | |
- Bold indicates league leader.
- Statistics accurate through the end of the 2008 season.
Mulder's jersey numbers during his professional career were:
- 20 (2000-2004) for the Oakland Athletics
- 30 (2005-2008) for the St. Louis Cardinals