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{{short description|American baseball player (born 1966)}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=July 2024}}
{{good article}}
{{Infobox baseball biography
|name=Randy Tomlin
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|throws=Left
|birth_date={{Birth date and age|1966|6|14|}}
|birth_place=[[Bainbridge, Maryland]], U.S.
|debutleague = MLB
|debutdate=August 6
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*[[Pittsburgh Pirates]] ({{by|1990}}–{{by|1994}})
}}
'''Randy Leon Tomlin''' (born June 14, 1966
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
==Early life==
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
==College career==
Tomlin had played as a [[pitcher]] and [[outfielder]] in high school, but he focused on pitching upon joining the Liberty Flames in 1986.<ref name="Interview"/> During his time with the Flames, he threw 22 [[complete game]]s and four [[Shutouts in baseball|shutouts]], both records as of 2016. Three of those shutouts came in 1986, a year in which he also pitched all 11 innings of a 4–3 victory over [[Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania|Slippery Rock University]]. He pitched 273 [[Innings pitched|innings]] for the Flames, [[strikeout|striking out]] 211 hitters. After his junior year, he was drafted by the Pirates in the 18th round (460th overall) of the [[1988 Major League Baseball Draft|1988 Major League Baseball (MLB) Draft]]. In 2016, he was inducted into the Liberty Sports Hall of Fame.<ref name="WDBJ7">{{cite web|url=https://www.wdbj7.com/content/news/Five-athletes-to-be-inducted-into-Liberty-Universitys-sports-Hall-of-Fame-387847482.html|title=Five athletes to be inducted into Liberty University's sports Hall of Fame|work=WDBJ7|date=July 21, 2016|
==Minor leagues==
After being drafted, Tomlin began his professional career in 1988 with the [[Watertown Pirates]] of the [[Single-A (baseball)|Single-A]] (short season) [[New York-Penn League]]. In 15 [[Games started|starts]], he had a 7–5 [[
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|
For 1990, Tomlin spent much of the year with Harrisburg. In 19 games (18 starts), he had a 9–6 record, a 2.28 ERA, 92 strikeouts, 34 walks, and 101 hits allowed in {{frac|126|1|3}} innings pitched. He also appeared in three games (one start) with the [[Triple-A (baseball)|Triple-A]] [[Buffalo Bisons]] of the [[American Association (20th century)|American Association]].<ref name="minors"/>
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==Pittsburgh Pirates (1990-94)==
===1990===
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|
===1991===
1991 was Tomlin's first full season as a starter in the major leagues.<ref name="reference"/> On July 15 and 21, he pitched back-to-back shutouts against the [[Houston Astros]] and the Reds.<ref name="1991 Tomlin">{{cite web|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/gl.fcgi?id=tomlira01&t=p&year=1991|title=Randy Tomlin 1991 Pitching Gamelogs|work=Baseball-Reference|
===1992===
Tomlin won his first four starts of the 1992 season; ''Sports Illustrated'' wrote in May that he and the other
===1993===
In 1993, Tomlin won only two of his first four five decisions, posting a 4.44 ERA through the end of May.<ref name="1993 Tomlin">{{cite web|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/gl.fcgi?id=tomlira01&t=p&year=1993|title=Randy Tomlin 1993 Pitching Gamelogs|work=Baseball-Reference|
===1994===
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
==Back to the minor leagues==
Tomlin did not pitch in 1995.<ref name="minors"/> On January 17, 1996, Tomlin signed a minor league contract with the [[Boston Red Sox]] that included an invitation to spring training.<ref>{{cite web|page=3C|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1914&dat=19960118&id=xtYgAAAAIBAJ&sjid=BWsFAAAAIBAJ&pg=1338,2609893|title=Red Sox announce signings|work=The Sun-Journal|date=January 18, 1996|
==Career statistics, pitching style==
During his major league career, Tomlin had a 30-31 in 94 career starts with 297 strikeouts. He posted a 3.43 ERA, allowing 590 hits and walking 133 in {{frac|580|1|3}} innings.<ref name="reference"/> The [[Associated Press]] called him "the ultimate Met killer" because of his success against that team; he won all nine of his decisions against New York.<ref name="Met killer">{{cite web|page=3B|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=861&dat=19920613&id=bPVHAAAAIBAJ&sjid=roAMAAAAIBAJ&pg=856,3731222|title=Pirates 3, Mets 2|work=The Victoria Advocate|date=June 13, 1992|
Tomlin was not a power pitcher, relying on full use of the [[strike zone]] to get batters out.<ref name="Catching Up"/> In a 2008 interview with ''The Washington Times'', he described his pitching style: "I mainly tried to get ground balls. I threw a fastball that moved a lot and I had a big curveball and a sweeper - more of a slider - and a change-up. I mixed my pitches. I didn't throw overly hard; when I tried to throw hard my ball straightened out, so I had to throw strikes and change speeds. That's the name of the game - throwing the ball over the plate and changing speeds - that's how you get guys out ... if you're not blessed with being able to throw 95."<ref name="Catching Up"/>
==Coaching career==
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|
==Personal life==
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=
==References==
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[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Major League Baseball pitchers]]
[[Category:Watertown Pirates players]]
[[Category:Harrisburg Senators players]]
[[Category:Salem Buccaneers players]]
[[Category:Buffalo Bisons (minor league) players]]
[[Category:Carolina Mudcats players]]
[[Category:Pittsburgh Pirates players]]
[[Category:Pawtucket Red Sox players]]
[[Category:Liberty Flames baseball players]]
[[Category:Baseball players from Cecil County, Maryland]]
[[Category:Duluth-Superior Dukes players]]
[[Category:Converts from Presbyterianism]]
[[Category:Converts to Baptist denominations]]
[[Category:Converts to evangelical Christianity]]
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