Corky Miller Likely Finished As A Player

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Corky Miller

The popular catcher Corky Miller more than likely has played his last game.

Miller has been on the Louisville bats disabled list since June 13 with a lower back strain but hasn't played a game since May 22nd.

His signature Fu Manchu hasn't been seen in Louisville for months.

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Miller hasn't been idle. He has been working with rookie league catchers in Billings, Montana recently while Tucker Barnhart and Bryan Anderson have been doing the catching for the Bats.

Former Reds manager Dusty Baker told everyone that Miller would make a great pitching coach and possibly a manager someday.  It appears that the 38-year old native of Yucaipa, California is heading in that direction in his baseball career.

The Reds originally signed Miller as a non-drafted free agent in June 1998 and against all odds, he worked his way to the major leagues with the Reds in 2001

Miller played parts of 11 seasons in the Major Leagues with the Reds, Minnesota Twins, Boston Red Sox, Atlanta Braves and Chicago White Sox.  He returned to the Reds' organization in 2009. He has never been on a Major League roster for an entire season.

Miller, who's career resembles the mythical Crash Davis played by Kevin Costner in Bull Durham, has played more games in Louisville (548) than any other player.

It appears that it may be the last for the career .249 hitter with 120 home runs and 495 RBI in the minor leagues. Miller also played in 216 Major League games, hitting .193 with 11 home runs and 67 RBI.

“I don’t anticipate him coming back,” Bats manager Jim Riggleman told the Louisville Courier Journal.“You never know (if he will coach full time), but it looks like it’s moving in that direction.”

Like the character in Bull Durham, the Reds depended a lot on Miller to work with younger players. Devin Mesoraco, the current starting catcher in Cincinnati spent a lot of time with Miller, nicknamed Buzz, when they played in Louisville together.

“He’s meant a lot,” Riggleman said. “He’s not just a good leader. He’s a good player. We won a lot ball games with him catching. He’s had a great impact on the pitching staff and the other catchers who have come through here. He’s helped a lot of those guys who are in the big leagues. He’s had a great impact on the Reds organization