Nate Robertson
Nathan Daniel Robertson, is an American former professional baseball pitcher. He played in Major League Baseball for the Florida Marlins, Detroit Tigers and Philadelphia Phillies.
Career
Florida Marlins
Robertson attended Wichita State University and was drafted by the Florida Marlins in the fifth round of the 1999 Major League Baseball draft. Robertson underwent Tommy John surgery in 1998 while a sophomore at Wichita State. Robertson pitched for the Low-A Utica Blue Sox and Single-A Kane County Cougars; with the latter he was 6–1 with a 2.29 ERA in eight starts. Robertson returned to Kane County for the season but spent most of the year on the disabled list battling tendinitis in his left elbow. Florida moved him up to the High-A Brevard County Manatees, where he went 11–4 as a starter. Robertson's rise continued in, as Florida promoted him to the Double-A Portland Sea Dogs of the Eastern League. At Portland Robertson amassed a 10–9 record with a 3.42 ERA, sufficient that Florida summoned him to the major league club in early September.Robertson made his Major League debut on September 7, 2002, for the Marlins, pitching innings and allowing four earned runs in a 4–1 loss to the Pittsburgh Pirates at PNC Park. Robertson moved to the bullpen for the remainder of the season, making five relief appearances. The following January Florida traded Robertson along with Gary Knotts and Rob Henkel to the Detroit Tigers for Mark Redman and Jerrod Fuell.
Detroit Tigers
Robertson began the season with the Toledo Mud Hens, Detroit's Triple-A affiliate. Robertson remained there until late August, when Detroit, recalled him. In his first start with Detroit and second major league start overall, Robertson threw 8 innings against the Texas Rangers, giving up two earned runs and striking out eight. Robertson did not figure in the decision, as Detroit lost the game 4–2 in sixteen innings. Robertson won his first major league game eleven days later, pitching five innings in an 8–4 victory over the Chicago White Sox.Robertson's best pitch is his four-seam fastball, followed by a "plus" slider and major-league quality change-up.
In 2005, he began wearing clear corrective lenses to correct his lazy eye.
Robertson invented a new means of rallying the Tigers during a June 2006 game with the New York Yankees. While wearing a microphone for television, Robertson began stuffing his mouth with Big League Chew to encourage the Tigers to score, down 5–0. Iván Rodríguez hit a home run on the subsequent at-bat. Though the Tigers lost the game, the "Gum Time!" tradition has caught on among Detroit players and fans.
Robertson earned his first career postseason victory on October 10, 2006, by pitching five shutout innings against the Oakland Athletics in game 1 which helped launch the Detroit Tigers into their ALCS sweep of the A's and their first pennant since 1984.
In 2008, he tied for the major league lead in bunt hits allowed, with nine.
Robertson is also a part owner of the Wichita Wingnuts independent baseball organization.
On August 22, 2008, Tigers manager Jim Leyland announced that Nate was being demoted to the bullpen due to ongoing trouble with his slider. Nate was quoted by the Detroit Free Press as saying that it was the "lowest point" of his career.