Mets
Statistics
Situational
Statistics
Keith Miller
vs. Other Teams
Ballpark
Statistics
Monthly
Statistics
Game Log
Scrapbook
Articles
Memories of
Keith Miller

Keith Miller
Ultimate Mets Database popularity ranking: 127 of 1218 players
Miller
Keith Alan Miller
Born: June 12, 1963 at Midland, Mich.
Throws: Right Bats: Right
Height: 5.11 Weight: 180

Keith Miller was the most popular Ultimate Mets Database daily lookup on June 25, 2014, May 19, 2015, and August 5, 2015.

2b of ss 3b

First Mets game: June 16, 1987
Last Mets game: October 6, 1991

Share your memories of Keith Miller

HERE IS WHAT OTHER METS FANS HAVE TO SAY:

Mr. Sparkle
Keith had a great attitude and played hard. One mistake the Mets made was having him play centerfield however. Only Todd Hundley was worse in the outfield than Keith.

Larry Burns
May 29, 2002
Great hustle and grit. A determined player who maximized his potential. He was a favorite of my friends and myself, although we all thought he looked like he had a small degree of brain damage.

BG
June 7, 2002
I have a full page (front and back) of Keith Miller rookie cards in my baseball card album. A recent look at the album almost made me and my friends piss our pants in laughter. I probably couldn't get a hot dog for that page of cards!

David Mo
June 12, 2002
It's a shame my father didn't live quite long enough to see Keith Miller, with whom he shares a birth date (June 12), play for the Mets. He was Dad's favorite type of scrappy, do-anything-to-win player in the Eddie Stanky-Ron Hunt mode. Too bad he was injury-prone. He looked like he was finally coming into his own in '91 -- .411 slugging (not too shabby for a middle infielder) and a legitimate base-stealing threat to boot. Certainly a better all-around ballplayer than Bill Pecota.

Dan Engber
December 17, 2002
What can I say about Keith Miller that hasn't already been said? From the moment he was called up in 1987 we all knew that things were going to change in New York. The Mets were lethargic after their colossal championship campaign the year before and Keith added some desperately-needed spunk to the squad. No one missed Tim Teufel when the new kid scratched out 19 hits in his first 51 at-bats, including 2 doubles and 2 triples.

When he was finally given the chance to play every day in 1989, Keith responded with a torrid start at the plate, ranking among the league leaders in On-Base Average for several weeks at least. He had some problems in the field (as many of you have pointed out already), but you just got the feeling that he was gaining confidence every day. And remember we were only a few years removed from his 1986 season in AAA-ball, when he was named the International League's Best Defensive Second Baseman.

It was during the 1989 season that Keith played a series against Philadelphia during which he stretched short line-drives into doubles in consecutive games. On the second play he even beat out a strong throw from Von Hayes. Not too long after that, he blasted his first career home run off of Zane Smith at Shea Stadium. You have to remember how much trouble the Mets had hitting left-handed pitching in the late eighties and early nineties, and how much trouble Zane Smith had given them over the years. As Keith rounded the bases and pumped his fist, Fran Healey was moved to exclaim: "Keith Miller! They LOVE him in New York!" Indeed we did.

When the Saberhagen deal was finally announced, the New York Times reported that it had followed a long stall in the negotiations during which the Royals had demanded Miller and the Mets had refused to part with him. Frank Cashen was quoted as saying "Keith is an exciting, get-your-uniform-dirty catalyst," which was of course an understatement. When Miller was on base, he could take over an inning. He could beat out an infield single, steal second and force a wild throw into the outfield. He could get to third and score on a wild pitch. He was that kind of a player.

Before being traded, Keith appeared on a NYC radio program and was asked by the DJ to request a song. He selected "Texas Twister," by Little Feat (on the album Representing the Mambo). I am reminded of one line from the song which really speaks to me when I think about Keith Miller:

'They sure do play it hard and fast... but they sell it soft and loose.'

Over the years Keith Miller faced a lot of adversity. He rebounded from several nasty injuries, almost always a result of his hard-nosed play. His exciting rookie season was cut short by a thumb injury incurred while sliding into third base on a successful steal. The season he started in CF was cut short by an injury he got while crashing into the outfield fence.

In addition to all this, he wasn't the only Keith Miller on the block. Soon after his call-up, the Phillies brought their own Keith Miller (N. Keith Miller) up to the majors. During a game I remember attending at Shea, both Keith Millers were in the game at the same time. If I remember correctly, Keith A. Miller managed to lay down a successful sacrifice bunt all the same.

A few years after his retirement, Keith reappeared at the Mets spring training camp in Port St. Lucie, serving as a Psychological Counselor to the team's younger players. While I was surprised by the news it wasn't altogether unexpected. This is the kind of guy you'd want helping out the kids. This is the kind of guy you'd want on the bench in a big game. During the spring training lockout in I forget which year, Keith was out there every day playing stickball in the parking lot. He loved the game of baseball and he wasn't going to stop playing no matter what the owners said. He would be an asset on a major league baseball team even today, maybe as a Don Zimmer kind of figure.

Keith was deemed a Future Star by the Score baseball card company. He was hard-working, scrappy, speedy, and generous. And to at least some people in New York City, he was a hero.

Joe Figliola
December 18, 2002
I share the same sentiments with everyone else. Keith was a tough, in-your-face type of player. I'm proud to say that in 1990, Keith topped all Met hitters with a .333 batting average (8-24) in my scorebook stats.

I also remember that for a tough guy, his speaking voice sounded like he sucked a little helium. Definitely ranks up there with Seaver's golden tones and hearty laugh and Steve Henderson's thick Bronxy twang.

Jonathan Stern
February 27, 2005
One day, Keith came down with the hiccups in the middle of a game. The camera stayed glued on his face as he was sitting in the dugout trying to shake them off. That's the kind of thing that can happen when your office is on television.

Good guy, hard worker, had no real position, did not hit with enough power. It's always annoying when jerks are blessed with natural ability while the Keith Millers of the world have to bust it every day just to be a journeyman. Then again, while they may have to struggle to get their kids through college, the Keith Millers of the world are often more fondly remembered than cold and distant superstars.

Marc
October 13, 2005
Hey Mets fans. I personally know Keith Miller. He's a great guy. I'm best friends with his son. Keith Miller is a agent right now. His best player is probably David Wright of the Mets or Mike Sweeney of the Royals. I have met Mike Sweeney. He's a great guy too.

hojo3030
March 27, 2008
Don't worry about Keith; he is D-Wright's agent now so he's filthy rich. He was a scrappy li'l dude, could play a bunch of positions, a pretty weak hitter, but most memorable were his sweet goggles.

Danielle
November 13, 2008
I was fortunate enough to meet Keith at the 4th Annual Do the Wright Thing Gala and he made it a point to make sure I got to meet David and take a picture.

His status as an agent has not gone to his head at all and he was such a kind and caring indivdual. He made my night.

You can say all you want about his baseball talent, but Keith Miller is an incredibly compassionate and kind human being.

Stu Baron
January 18, 2017
Nice guy - at Port St. Lucie spring training in 1989, he gave me his broken bat and autographed it without me asking. I still have it almost 28 years later!

Joe Girard
May 31, 2020
Keith was a great guy. I went to college with him and was in a few classes. Was a funny guy. Played basketball with him and other baseball players and he was good and aggressive as was his nature. He had a signing in Albany, NY before he made the majors. Was nice to talk to him. He actually remembered me. Enjoyed watching him play for the Mets. Great memories!








Meet the Mets
  • All-Time Roster
  • Mug Shots
  • Player Awards
  • Transactions
  • Managers and Coaches
  • Mets Staff
  • Birthplaces
  • Oldest Living Mets
  • Necrology
  • Games
  • Game Results
  • Walkoff Wins and Losses
  • Post-Season Games
  • No-Hitters and One-Hitters
  • All-Star Games
  • Opponents and Ballparks
  • Daily Standings
  • Yearly Finishes
  • Mayor's Trophy Games
  • Stats
  • Interactive Statistics
  • Team Leaders
  • Decade Leaders
  • Metscellaneous
  • Fan Memories
  • Mets Uniforms
  • Uniform Numbers
  • About Us
  • Contact us
  • FAQ



  • Copyright 1999-2024, The Ultimate Mets Database