Shelby Miller Has Christmas Come Early

The Atlanta Braves acquired starting pitcher Shelby Miller on November 17, 2014 when the Braves traded Jason Heyward and Jordan Walden to the St. Louis Cardinals in-exchange for Miller and Tyrell Jenkins.

The 6-foot-3, 215 pound pitcher is a top of the rotation type pitcher who will come into Atlanta and hopefully improve the starting five and give Braves fans more confidence in our pitching staff.

Miller was drafted by the Cardinals in the first round, 19th overall, in the 2009 MLB draft out of Brownwood high school in Texas.

He made his debut on September 5, 2012 against the New York Mets in a relief situation.  He came in after Adam Wainwright gave up eight hits and five runs to the Mets in five innings.  Miller came in and pitched two scoreless innings, giving up only one hit and had four strikeouts.  He made four more appearances out of the bullpen in 2012 before making his first start in the MLB on October 3, 2012 against the Cincinnati Reds.  He threw six innings, one hit and seven strikeouts.  This was also his first win.

In his short career, the 24-year-old has pitched against the Braves four times, two of which came at Turner Field.  During those two games at the Braves stadium, he has pitched 10.2 innings, giving up 12 hits, five runs four earned runs, four walks, 11 strikeouts and one home run.  The outs he recorded while on the mound were distributed as 16 ground balls, 18 fly balls, and eight line drives.

As we get ready for the 2015 season and officially seeing Miller in a Braves uniform, Christmas as seemed to come a little early for him.  He posted a photo on his Instagram (shelbycmiller19) that shows a bunch of Atlanta Braves gear the Braves sent him.  I think the “A” will look great on the hat he wears day in and day out.

This was also a video he posted after the Braves received him via the trade…