:Mike Gardiner

{{about||the Australian rules footballer|Michael Gardiner|similar names|Michael Gardiner (disambiguation){{!}}Michael Gardiner|and|Michael Gardner (disambiguation){{!}}Michael Gardner}}

{{Infobox baseball biography

| image =1988 Grand Slam - Mike Gardiner (cropped).jpg

| width = 200

|caption=Gardiner with the Wausau Timbers {{circa}} 1988

| name = Mike Gardiner

| position = Pitcher

| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1965|10|19}}

| birth_place = Sarnia, Ontario, Canada

| bats = Switch

| throws = Right

|debutleague = MLB

| debutdate = September 8

| debutyear = 1990

| debutteam = Seattle Mariners

|finalleague = MLB

| finaldate = July 2

| finalyear = 1995

| finalteam = Detroit Tigers

|statleague = MLB

| stat1label = Win–loss record

| stat1value = 17–27

| stat2label = Earned run average

| stat2value = 5.21

| stat3label = Strikeouts

| stat3value = 239

| teams =

Seattle Mariners ({{mlby|1990}})
Boston Red Sox ({{mlby|1991}}–{{mlby|1992}})
Montreal Expos ({{mlby|1993}})
Detroit Tigers ({{mlby|1993}}–{{mlby|1995}})

}}

Michael James Gardiner (born October 19, 1965) is a Canadian former Major League Baseball pitcher who played for the Seattle Mariners, Boston Red Sox, Montreal Expos, and Detroit Tigers.[https://www.baseball-reference.com/g/gardimi01.shtml Mike Gardiner Statistics - Baseball-Reference.com] He was a switch hitter and threw right-handed.

Career

Gardiner was drafted by the Seattle Mariners in the 18th round (448th) of the 1987 Major League Baseball Draft out of Indiana State University. He signed June 6, 1987. He reached the Majors on September 8, {{mlby|1990}}.[http://www.baseball-almanac.com/players/player.php?p=gardimi01 Mike Gardiner Baseball Stats by Baseball Almanac]

In his college career, Gardiner led Indiana State to the College World Series; he currently holds the career wins record (30) for the Sycamores, he's #2 in strikeouts (296) and #5 in complete games (16). He was a member of the Canadian Olympic Team for the 1984 Olympics and the 1985 Intercontinental Cup.

In a six-year major league career, Gardiner posted 17 wins, 27 losses, and a career 5.21 ERA in 136 career games. He spent a total of 12 seasons in the minors, posting a W/L record of 61–42, 3.97, 11 Saves and an ERA of 3.45. He was the Eastern League Pitcher of the Year in 1990.{{Cite news |date=April 2, 1991 |title=Baseball: Daily Report |work=Los Angeles Times |url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1991-04-02-sp-1849-story.html |access-date=February 4, 2023}}

Personal life

Gardiner lives in Charlotte, North Carolina, and is the owner/manager of the Charlotte Stealth Baseball Organization (Travel baseball for players 9U up to 17U).

His son, Eric, died in February 2024 at the age of 28, following a battle with cancer.{{cite web | url=https://erldc.org/obituary/eric-obituary/ | title=Eric Obituary A Brave Soul Remembered | work=ERDLC |author= Ella Nguyen | date=Feb 25, 2024 | access-date=February 29, 2024}}{{dead link|date=May 2025|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}