Mike Cook, Found Out - 556

Check out Mike Cook revisited, May 13, 2011: Sights Set

A first-round draft pick for the Angels only a year before, Mike Cook quickly found himself in Anaheim.

The Angels, according to the Los Angeles Times, were well into a new strategy, one where they nurtured young talent instead of letting it linger with free agent signings.

For Cook, that meant the jump from AA, and his then 4-6 record at Midland, to pitching in the major leagues.

"He's going to be a big league pitcher some day," Angels Manager Gene Mauch told the paper. "Why not find out now?"

Mauch soon found out. In three innings of work, Cook gave up five hits and five runs, The Times noted.

The rest of his major league career went in a similar direction. From 1986 to 1989, Cook appeared in only 39 major league contests, starting two games. In 1988, he appeared in only three games, but posting his best ERA still, it was just under 5, at 4.91.

The Charleston, SC, product, Cook's high school career with St. Andrew's High was good enough to get him selected by the Phillies in the sixth round in 1982. But Cook didn't sign, choosing to play at the other USC, the University of South Carolina for three years. In 1985, he was a Baseball America All-American. That's the year he was taken 19th overall by the Angels.

After his 1986 stint in Anaheim, Cook spent time at AAA Edmonton. He would see action at AAA every subsequent year through 1994.

In November 1988, Cook was traded to the Twins in a five-player deal, with future Hall of Famer Bert Blyleven going the other way.

Cook made it to Minnesota for 15 games in 1989, but returned to AAA for three full seasons, 1990 with the Twins system, 1991 with Seattle's and 1992 with St. Louis'.

It wasn't until Baltimore picked him up for 1993, that Cook returned to the majors, pitching in the final two games of his career. In three innings, he walked two, struck out three and allowed zero runs.

One more minor league stop in 1994, with the Mets system and Cook was done.

Twelve years later, Cook found himself back in Charleston, being inducted into a Hall of Fame, just not the one that Blyleven will be inducted into. Cook is currently a member of the Charleston Baseball Hall of Fame.

• Los Angeles Times, July 2, 1986: Can't Keep 'em Down on the Farm

1990 CMC Tally
Cards Featured: 60/880 - 6.8%
Made the Majors: 36 - 60%
Never Made the Majors: 24 - 40%
5+ Seasons in the Majors: 15
10+ Seasons in the Minors: 20