Randy Tomlin: Difference between revisions

|birth_place=[[Bainbridge, Maryland]], U.S.

'''Randy Leon Tomlin''' (born June 14, 1966 in [[Bainbridge, Maryland]]) is a former [[left-handed]] [[starting pitcher]] for the [[Pittsburgh Pirates]] (1990-94). He stands 5'11" and weighs 170 pounds.<ref name="reference"/> In five seasons, he had a 3.43 [[earned run average]] (ERA).

Tomlin grew up around [[Lynchburg, Virginia]], and attended [[Liberty University]]. Selected by the Pirates in the 18th round of the [[1988 Major League Baseball Draft|1988 Major League Baseball (MLB) Draft]], he reached the major leagues in 1990. In 1991, he finished eighth in the [[National League (baseball)|National League]] (NL) in ERA (2.98) and held the [[Atlanta Braves]] to two runs over six innings in Game 4 of the [[1991 National League Championship Series|NL Championship Series]], earning a [[no decision]] in a 3–2 victory. The next year, he was tied for the NL lead in wins through June 22 and finished the year with the 10th-best winning percentage in the NL. Injuries limited him to 18 starts in 1993, and he had elbow surgery after the season. He only appeared in 10 games for Pittsburgh in 1994 and did not pitch at all in 1995. After two seasons in minor/independent league baseball, he became the pitching coach for Liberty University. After serving in that capacity through 2006, he served as a minor league pitching coach for the [[Washington Nationals]] for a few seasons.

Though born in [[Bainbridge, Maryland]], Tomlin lived there less than a year before moving to Virginia, first to [[Farmville, Virginia|Farmville]], then to the [[Lynchburg, Virginia|Lynchburg]] area when he was four or five. He attended [[Amherst County High School]], where he played [[baseball]] and [[American football|football]]. Tomlin hoped to attend [[James Madison University]], but their [[Scout (sports)|scouts]] were not impressed with him. [[Liberty University]] offered him a full scholarship, so he chose to attend there instead.<ref name="Interview">{{cite webjournal|title=Interview: 2011-02-09|url=https://digitalcommons.liberty.edu/ohp_tomlin_r/1/|workjournal=Liberty University|date=February 11, 2009|access-date=December 31, 2020|last1=Sattler |first1=Abigail |last2=Cobb |first2=Mike |last3=Hall |first3=Cline |last4=Tomlin |first4=Randy }}</ref>

Tomlin spent most of 1989 with the [[Salem Buccaneers]] of the Single-A [[Carolina League]], where he had a 12–6 record, a 3.25 ERA, 99 strikeouts, 43 walks, and 131 hits allowed in {{frac|138|2|3}} innings pitched.<ref name="minors"/> The 12 wins were tied with two others for fourth in the league.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/register/leader.cgi?type=pitch&id=3891fd78|title=1989 Carolina League Pitching Leaders|work=Baseball-Reference|access-date=January 3, 2021}}</ref> Tomlin also made five starts for the [[Harrisburg Senators]] of the [[Double-A (baseball)|Double-A]] [[Eastern League (baseball1938–2020)|Eastern League]] that year; though his record was just 2–2, his ERA was 0.84.<ref name="minors"/>

In August of 1990, Tomlin was recalled to replace [[Rick Reed (pitcher)|Rick Reed]] in Pittsburgh's [[starting rotation]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/gl.fcgi?id=reedri01&t=p&year=1990|title=Rick Reed 1990 Pitching Gamelogs|work=Baseball-Reference|access-date=January 4, 2021}}</ref><ref name="1990 Tomlin">{{cite web|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/gl.fcgi?id=tomlira01&t=p&year=1990|title=Randy Tomlin 1990 Pitching Gamelogs|work=Baseball-Reference|access-date=January 4, 2021}}</ref> He made his major league debut in the first game of a [[Doubleheader (baseball)|doubleheader]] on August 6, allowing just five hits and one run in a [[complete game]], 10–1 victory over the [[Philadelphia Phillies]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/PHI/PHI199008061.shtml|title=Pittsburgh Pirates at Philadelphia Phillies Box Score, August 6, 1990|work=Baseball-Reference|access-date=January 4, 2021}}</ref> On September 6, he held the [[New York Mets]] to three hits in a complete game, 7–1 victory.<ref>{{cite webmagazine|last=Kurkjian|first=Tim|url=https://vault.si.com/vault/1990/09/17/baseball|title=Baseball|workmagazine=Sports Illustrated|date=September 17, 1990|access-date=December 28, 2020}}</ref> In 12 starts with Pittsburgh, he had a 4–4 record, a 2.55 ERA, 42 strikeouts, 12 walks, and 62 hits allowed in {{frac|77|2|3}} innings pitched.<ref name="reference">{{cite web|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/t/tomlira01.shtml|title=Randy Tomlin Stats|work=Baseball-Reference|access-date=January 5, 2021}}</ref> The Pirates won the [[National League East|National League (NL) East]] Division and faced the [[Cincinnati Reds]] in the [[1990 National League Championship Series|NL Championship Series]] (NLCS), but Tomlin made no appearances in the series as Cincinnati defeated Pittsburgh four games to two.<ref name="reference"/><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/teams/PIT/1990.shtml|title=1990 Pittsburgh Pirates Statistics|work=Baseball-Reference|access-date=January 5, 2021}}</ref>

Tomlin won his first four starts of the 1992 season; ''Sports Illustrated'' wrote in May that he and the other Pittsburgh starting pitchers "are racking up W's like unlucky Scrabble competitors."<ref>{{cite webmagazine|url=https://vault.si.com/vault/2010/05/24/the-vault|title=Bonds Away! The Retooled Pirates Again Overpowered the NL East|workmagazine=Sports Illustrated|date=May 24, 2010|access-date=December 28, 2020}}</ref> After losing three decisions in a row, he then won his next six decisions, including five starts in a row from June 2 through June 22.<ref name="1992 Tomlin">{{cite web|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/gl.fcgi?id=tomlira01&t=p&year=1992|title=Randy Tomlin 1992 Pitching Gamelogs|work=Baseball-Reference|access-date=December 29, 2020}}</ref> During the streak, he threw 26 consecutive scoreless innings, which included a complete -game shutout of the Mets on June 7.<ref name="Met killer"/> He was named the NL [[Major League Baseball Player of the Month Award|Player of the Month]] for June.<ref name="reference"/> Through the 22nd of the month, he was tied with four others for most wins in the major leagues.<ref>{{cite web|page=8|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=932&dat=19920623&id=3lJQAAAAIBAJ&sjid=t1YDAAAAIBAJ&pg=6009,8534372|title=Pirates 5, Cardinals 2|work=The Kingman Daily Miner|date=June 23, 1992|access-date=December 29, 2020}}</ref> His ERA was 3.03 at that point, and it would be 3.69 for the rest of the year, but Tomlin would win just four more games.<ref name="1992 Tomlin"/> He pitched back-to-back one-run, eight-inning games against the [[St. Louis Cardinals]] on August 2 and 7, earning the win in the second of those (the Pirates won both).<ref name="1992 Tomlin"/> In 33 starts, he had a 14–9 record, a 3.41 ERA, 90 strikeouts, and 42 walks in {{frac|208|2|3}} innings pitched.<ref name="reference"/> Tomlin finished 10th in the NL with a .609 winning percentage and fifth in the NL in [[Bases on balls per nine innings pitched|walks per nine innings pitched]], though he was also third with 226 hits allowed (behind [[Andy Benes]]'s 230 and [[Terry Mulholland]]'s 227).<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/leagues/NL/1992-pitching-leaders.shtml|title=1992 NL Pitching Leaders|work=Baseball-Reference|access-date=January 5, 2021}}</ref> NL East Champions again, the Pirates faced the Braves in the [[1992 National League Championship Series|NLCS]] for the second year in a row.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/teams/PIT/1992.shtml|title=1992 Pittsburgh Pirates Statistics|work=Baseball-Reference|access-date=January 5, 2021}}</ref> In Game 2, he pitched {{frac|1|1|3}} scoreless innings of relief, though the Pirates were already losing 8–0 and would lose 13–5.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/ATL/ATL199210070.shtml|title=1992 National League Championship Series (NLCS) Game 2, Pirates at Braves, October 7|work=Baseball-Reference|access-date=January 5, 2021}}</ref> He relieved [[Doug Drabek]] in Game 4 with the game tied at three, runners on first and third, and one out in the fifth inning. After an error allowed a run to score, Tomlin induced [[Ron Gant]] to hit into an inning-ending double play, but Tomlin would allow two runs in the next inning as Pittsburgh went on to lose 6–4.<ref name="Game 4">{{cite web|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/PIT/PIT199210100.shtml|title=1992 National League Championship Series (NLCS) Game 4, Braves at Pirates, October 10|work=Baseball-Reference|access-date=January 5, 2021}}</ref> The Pirates lost the series in seven games.<ref name="Game 4"/>

After the 1993 season, Tomlin underwent elbow surgery. He had not completely recovered from it by the beginning of the 1994 season, but he still began the year as a starter for the Pirates.<ref>{{cite webmagazine|last=Wulf|first=Steve|url=https://vault.si.com/vault/1994/04/04/nl-centralpittsburgh-pirates-in-need-of-a-call-to-arms|title=In Need of a Call to Arms|workmagazine=Sports Illustrated|date=April 4, 1994|access-date=December 28, 2020}}</ref> On April 23, he held the Braves to one runs over five innings and struck out six; though he did not get a decision, the Pirates won 6–1.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/ATL/ATL199404230.shtml|title=Pittsburgh Pirates at Atlanta Braves Box Score, April 23, 1994|work=Baseball-Reference|access-date=January 5, 2021}}</ref> After his start on May 10, he was moved to the bullpen in favor of prospect [[Jon Lieber]].<ref name="1994 Tomlin">{{cite web|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/gl.fcgi?id=tomlira01&t=p&year=1994|title=Randy Tomlin 1994 Pitching Gamelogs|work=Baseball-Reference|access-date=January 5, 2021}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/teams/tgl.cgi?team=PIT&t=p&year=1994|title=1994 Pittsburgh Pirates Pitching Game Log|work=Baseball-Reference|access-date=January 5, 2021}}</ref> On May 20, he entered a game against the [[Montreal Expos]] with nobody out in the eighth inning, runners on first and second, and the Pirates leading 3–2. He gave up back-to-back hits to [[Larry Walker]] and [[Moisés Alou]] and left with Pittsburgh trailing 5–3, which would be the final score.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/PIT/PIT199405200.shtml|title=Montreal Expos at Pittsburgh Pirates Box Score, May 20, 1994|work=Baseball-Reference|access-date=January 5, 2021}}</ref> After that, he was sent to Buffalo, where he posted a 2–2 record and a 5.30 ERA in 11 starts.<ref name="minors"/> He was recalled by the Pirates later in the year but did not make an appearance, as the [[1994 Major League Baseball strike]] had already begun.<ref>{{cite web|last=Chass|first=Murray|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1994/09/23/sports/baseball-recalled-players-try-to-get-pay-back.html|title=Baseball; Recalled Players Try to Get Pay Back|work=The New York Times|date=September 23, 1994|access-date=January 5, 2021}}</ref> In 10 games (four starts) for Pittsburgh, he had an 0–3 record, a 3.92 ERA, 17 strikeouts, 10 walks, and 23 hits in {{frac|20|2|3}} innings pitched. After the season, the Pirates chose not to resign him, making him a [[free agent]].<ref name="reference"/>

After his season with Duluth-Superior, Tomlin became the pitching coach at Liberty University from 1997 through 2006.<ref name="Catching Up">{{cite web|last=LeBlanc|first=Jay|url=http://www.washingtontimes.com/weblogs/national-pastime/2008/Jun/13/catching-up-with-randy-tomlin|title=Catching Up With Randy Tomlin|work=The Washington Times|date=June 13, 2008|access-date=December 30, 2020|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121103174429/http://www.washingtontimes.com/weblogs/national-pastime/2008/jun/13/catching-up-with-randy-tomlin/|archive-date=2012-11-03}}</ref> Then, he served as a minor league pitching coach in the [[Washington Nationals]] system, first for the Single-A [[Potomac Nationals]] (2007-08) and then for Double-A Harrisburg (2009-11).<ref name="Catching Up"/><ref name="High School"/><ref name="Quade">{{cite web|last=Kerr|first=Byron|url=https://www.masnsports.com/byron-kerr/2020/07/all-in-the-family-as-quade-tomlin-signs-with-the-nats.html|title=All in the family as Quade Tomlin signs with the Nats|work=MASN|date=July 3, 2020|access-date=December 30, 2020}}</ref> After the 2011 season, he became the head coach at Liberty Christian Academy in [[Lynchburg, Virginia]], a position that enabled him to spend more time with his family.<ref name="High School">{{cite web|last=Bristol|first=Jason|url=http://www.whptv.com/content/Dauphin/story/Tomlin-to-coach-high-school-baseball/4Tr5JAe4YEqOD2Jzevw9lw.cspx|title=Former Senators coach Randy Tomlin to coach high school team|work=WHPV TV|date=December 22, 2011|access-date=January 27, 2021|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130704062804/http://www.whptv.com/content/Dauphin/story/Tomlin-to-coach-high-school-baseball/4Tr5JAe4YEqOD2Jzevw9lw.cspx|archive-date=July 4, 2013}}</ref> In March 2024, Tomlin was named coach of the Charlottesville Tom Sox, a member of the collegiate summer baseball Valley League.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://tomsox.org/randy-tomlin-scott-stricklin-headline-charlottesville-tom-sox-coaching-staff/ | title=Randy Tomlin & Scott Stricklin Headline Charlottesville Tom Sox Coaching Staff | date=March 25, 2024 }}</ref>

While Tomlin was pitching for Watertown, he met Janet Belch, whom he would marry in 1990.<ref name="Interview"/><ref>{{cite web|last=Busler|first=Mel|url=https://www.wwnytv.com/2020/08/14/mels-sports-history-randy-tomlins-budding-career/|title=Mel's Sports History: Randy Tomlin's budding career|work=WWNY|date=August 14, 2020|access-date=January 3, 2021}}</ref> They have three children: son KoiCoy, daughter Ellison, and son Quade.<ref name="Interview"/> In 2020, Quade was signed by the Nationals as an [[undrafted free agent]].<ref name="Quade"/> Though not raised inattending a religious[[Presbyterian]] familychurch, Tomlin became a [[born-again Christian]] while attending Liberty University.<ref name="Interview"/>

[[Category:Baseball players from Cecil County, Maryland]]