Athletes - Mike Mordecai

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	Athletes - Mike Mordecai

Michael Howard Mordecai (born December 13, 1967 in Birmingham, Alabama) is a right-handed hitting infielder in Major League Baseball who most recently played for the Florida Marlins.

School and minor leagues

Mordecai graduated from Hewitt Trussville High School, Trussville, Alabama in 1986 where he played baseball, basketball and football. For the next three years he attended University of South Alabama and was inducted into the school's Hall of Fame on April 27, 2001. During his time at South Alabama, he was a two-time All-American and named to the All-Sun Belt Conference team each year. In 1987, he helped the Jaguars to the conference title. Mordecai majored in criminal justice and minored in sociology.

With their sixth round selection of the 1989 MLB Draft, the Atlanta Braves drafted Mordecai. He began his minor league career at Class A Burlington and eventually worked his way up to Greenville. In 1992, he made his way to AAA Richmond on June 19. In 1993, he was selected as Richmond's Most Competitive Player. He played every defensive position with the exception of center field and pitcher that season.

Atlanta and a championship

In 1994, Mordecai made it to the majors but only for four at bats. His first tour was from May 3-20, when he replaced Jeff Blauser on the roster. Mordecai's first hit was a game-winning three-run home run in the ninth inning against the Philadelphia Phillies. He received the John M. Zwack III Memorial Award for being the most community-minded player.

Mordecai was a key cog in the 1995 World Series team as he provided depth on the bench. He made his first start at second on July 16 at San Diego. In the NLDS he went 2-for-3 with a double and 2 RBI. His pinch-hit single in the ninth inning of Game 2 gave the Braves the go-ahead run. In the World Series, he went 1-for-3.

Unfortunately for Mordecai, the Braves had Mark Lemke at second base, Chipper Jones at third and Fred McGriff at first preventing him from getting more then a reserve role with the team. Mordecai was the Braves' starting third baseman on opening day though as Chipper Jones sat out with an injury. On August 30, he collected the first three-hit game of his career at Chicago.

Montreal

Mordecai's inability to stay consistent while a member of the Braves frustrated the front office and, in 1998, he joined the Montreal Expos. Mordecai made 53 starts the next year. He then enjoyed his best seasons there in 2000 and 2001. On April 2, 2001, Mordecai demonstrated his versatility by playing catcher in the tenth inning of a game against the Cubs after Montreal's first catcher, Marty Barrett, was ejected and their second catcher, Sandy Martínez, was injured.

Florida and another championship

In the midst of the 2002 trade deadline, Mordecai was hitting poorly for Montreal and was traded to the Florida Marlins. His statistics for the season drastically improved after the trade. The following season, he was again a key part in helping the inexperienced Marlins win the 2003 World Series. In Game 6 of the NLCS, the Marlins were five outs away from being eliminated when Cubs fan, Steve Bartman, derailed his team by preventing a foul ball from being an out. Mordecai's three-run double blew the game open highlighting the Cubs' subsequent historic collapse in what is sometimes referred to as simply "The Inning". Despite his heroics, it was Mordecai's last appearance of the season as he didn't play in the World Series.

On June 1, 2004, Mordecai again filled the role as emergency catcher, this time for eight innings after Ramón Castro was injured.

Mordecai took a job as manager with the Marlins minor league affiliate Jamestown Jammers in December 2004. A few days later, the team announced that they would give him a chance to join the team in September so he could reach ten years of Major League service.

Mordecai was married on February 5 2000 and his wife, Jennifer, gave birth to son Jackson on August 2 that year. He also has a daughter, Taylor Mae, who was born on April 27 1995.

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