Blaine Neal

Blaine Neal (born April 6, 1978 in Marlton, New Jersey) is a former Major League Baseball relief pitcher. Neal played with the Florida Marlins (2001–2003), San Diego Padres (2004), Boston Red Sox (2005), and Colorado Rockies (2005). He bats left-handed and throws right-handed.

Career

Neal grew up in Haddon Heights, New Jersey. He attended Bishop Eustace Preparatory School in Pennsauken, New Jersey and graduated in 1996. Although bothered by elbow problems throughout his high school career, Neal made a strong impression with a fastball that topped out at 93 miles per hour (150 km/h) and an ERA of 0.92. Virginia Commonwealth University offered him a full scholarship to play baseball, but Neal signed with the Florida Marlins, who picked him in the fourth round of the 1996 amateur draft and gave him a $400,000 signing bonus.

Florida Marlins

Neal spent the 1996 and 1997 seasons with the Rookie-level Gulf Coast Marlins but managed just seventeen appearances over those two seasons as his elbow continued to bother him. The Marlins sent Neal to the Low-A Utica Blue Sox in 1998 and attempted to convert him into a first baseman: in 53 games Neal batted just .190. His elbow felt better, and after the season underwent arthroscopic surgery. The surgery apparently worked: assigned to the Single-A Kane County Cougars for the 1999 season, Neal went 4-2 with a 2.32 ERA and six saves. After playing in the California Fall League, Neal spent 2000 with the High-A Brevard County Manatees, where he posted a 2.15 ERA with 11 saves.