Shaun Marcum

Shaun Michal Marcum (born December 14, 1981) is an American former professional baseball pitcher who played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Toronto Blue Jays, Milwaukee Brewers, New York Mets, and Cleveland Indians. In 2015, he became the pitching coach for the Northwestern Oklahoma State Rangers. He joined the Missouri Southern Lions as their pitching coach in August 2016.

Early life Marcum was born in Kansas City, Missouri and raised in Excelsior Springs, Missouri, where he attended Excelsior Springs High School. Athletically, besides baseball, he was a two-time State Champion in wrestling and a standout football player. Marcum initially attended the University of Missouri, but transferred to Missouri State University, playing on the 2003 College World Series team as a pitcher and shortstop. In 2002, he played collegiate summer baseball with the Harwich Mariners of the Cape Cod Baseball League and was named a league all-star.

Professional career Toronto Blue Jays Marcum was drafted by the Blue Jays in the third round, 80th overall, of the 2003 Major League Baseball draft. He quickly rose through the minor leagues and made his major league debut on September 6, 2005 as a late season call-up when rosters expanded. He made his debut against the Baltimore Orioles pitching one scoreless inning, giving up a hit and one walk, with one strikeout. Marcum pitched eight innings, giving up six hits, without surrendering a run during the month of September.

Marcum went 3–4 for the Blue Jays in 2006 in 21 games, including 14 starts, with an earned run average (ERA) of 5.06. In his final seven starts, he had a record of 2–1 with a 3.31 ERA. He finished the 2008 campaign with a 9–7 record, 3.39 ERA, and 123 strikeouts in 151 innings.

On March 22, Marcum was named the Opening Day starter for the 2010 season, succeeding Roy Halladay for that role, who had seven consecutive opening day starts for the team from 2003 to 2009. On May 2, Marcum got his first win against the Oakland Athletics, it was his first win since September 11, 2008 before going through Tommy John surgery. On August 4, 2010, Marcum gave up Alex Rodriguez's 600th career home run. Marcum ended the season with a 13–8 win–loss record, 3.64 ERA, and 165 strikeouts in 195 innings pitched.

On July 4, 2011, Marcum hit his first Major League home run, a grand slam off Daniel Hudson of the Arizona Diamondbacks. Despite the home run, the Diamondbacks won the game 8–6. In the 2011 NLDS against Arizona, Marcum gave up a grand slam to Paul Goldschmidt, which sealed a win for the Diamondbacks. However, the Brewers won the series in five games. In 2011, he went 13–7, with a 3.54 ERA and 158 strikeouts in a career-high 200 innings.

New York Mets On January 30, 2013, Marcum signed a one-year contract worth $4 million with the New York Mets. Through his first 11 games (9 of which were starts) for the Mets, Marcum posted a dismal 0–9 record with a 5.76 ERA. He recorded his first win as a Met in a game against the Chicago White Sox on June 26, 2013. Marcum pitched eight innings and yielded only four hits and two walks while striking out two. He underwent surgery on his pitching shoulder on July 15, 2013, and was ruled out for the rest of the season. Marcum was released by the Mets on July 23, 2013. Marcum finished his lone season in New York with a 1–10 record, 5.29 earned run average, and 60 strikeouts in 78 innings pitched. While pitching in extended spring training, on May 22, 2014, Marcum was shut down after problems with his injured shoulder occurred. He pitched in just eight games (one start) for the Triple-A Columbus Clippers in 2014, going 1–0 with an ERA of 2.35. He started the 2015 season on the Columbus roster, but was called up to the Indians on April 12, 2015, without having pitched for Columbus. The Indians designated Marcum for assignment on April 14. He was added back to the Indians' roster on May 20. Marcum was subsequently designated for assignment once more on June 18. He cleared waivers and was sent outright to Triple-A Columbus on June 20. Marcum elected free agency on October 7.

Coaching career On July 26, 2015, it was announced that Marcum had taken a coaching position with the Northwestern Oklahoma State Rangers, an NCAA Division II school in Alva, Oklahoma. Despite a 14-35 record, Marcum coached three Rangers to Great American Conference all-conference honors in his first and only season with the team.

Marcum was hired by Missouri Southern State University to be the pitching coach for the Lions on August 10, 2016.

Scouting report Marcum threw a broad array of pitches. He used a four-seam fastball at , a two-seam fastball at , a cutter at , a changeup at , a slider at , and a slow, looping curveball at . Marcum almost never used his two-seamer on right-handed hitters, preferring to use his cutter and breaking pitches. Against left-handed hitters, he threw many more changeups and did not use his slider.