David Nied
{{short description|American baseball player (born 1968)}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=July 2024}}
{{Infobox baseball biography
|name=David Nied
|position=Pitcher
|bats=Right
|throws=Right
|birth_date={{birth date and age|1968|12|22}}
|birth_place=Dallas, Texas, U.S.
|debutleague = MLB
|debutdate=September 1
|debutyear=1992
|debutteam=Atlanta Braves
|finalleague = MLB
|finaldate=September 27
|finalyear=1996
|finalteam=Colorado Rockies
|statleague = MLB
|stat1label=Win–loss record
|stat1value=17–18
|stat2label=Earned run average
|stat2value=5.06
|stat3label=Strikeouts
|stat3value=146
|teams=
- Atlanta Braves ({{mlby|1992}})
- Colorado Rockies ({{mlby|1993}}–{{mlby|1996}})
}}
David Glen Nied (born December 22, 1968) is a retired American professional baseball pitcher. He played in Major League Baseball for the Atlanta Braves and Colorado Rockies from 1992 through 1996.
Career
Nied attended Duncanville High School in Duncanville, Texas. He was drafted out of high school by the Atlanta Braves in the 14th round of the 1987 Major League Baseball draft.{{citation needed|date=December 2021}} Baseball America rated Nied as the 56th best prospect in baseball prior to the 1992 season and the 23rd best prospect in baseball prior to the 1993 season.{{cite web|url=http://www.baseballamerica.com/today/prospects/rankings/top-100-prospects/2007/26983.html|title=All-Time Top 100 Prospects|publisher=Baseball America|date=February 28, 2007|accessdate=October 26, 2011}}
Despite excelling in 1992 spring training, Nied was optioned to the Triple-A Richmond Braves to start the 1992 season.{{cite news|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=COYiAAAAIBAJ&sjid=SyQEAAAAIBAJ&pg=6120,5014715|title=Braves cut 3 pitchers|newspaper=The Times-News|date=March 26, 1992|accessdate=October 26, 2011}} He made his major league debut for the Braves on September 1, 1992, after MLB rosters expanded.
Nied was the first pick for the expansion Colorado Rockies in the 1992 Major League Baseball expansion draft. Nied started in the first ever game for the Rockies, taking the loss against the New York Mets. He also pitched a number of other firsts for the Rockies, including first strikeout, first walk, first complete game, and first complete game shutout.
Nied compiled a 5–9 won-loss record in 1993 then went 9–7 in 1994 but won no more games through the next two years. He suffered an elbow injury during spring training in 1995,{{cite news|url=https://archive.seattletimes.com/archive/19971123/2574051/former-no-1-pick-finds-new-life----pitcher-david-nied-decides-to-go-home|title=Former No. 1 Pick Finds New Life -- Pitcher David Nied Decides To Go Home|newspaper=The Seattle Times|date=November 23, 1997|accessdate=November 3, 2024}} missing most of the season. He spent most of 1996 in the minor leagues, pitching poorly enough that he was eventually demoted to class A.
Following the 1996 season, Nied was granted free agency and joined the Cincinnati Reds organization on November 14, 1996, but never appeared in a game in the majors or minors again. When the Reds tried to send him back down to the minor leagues in March, he instead chose to retire.
Personal life
Nied now{{when|date=December 2021}} sells equipment for his father's agricultural products company. He is married to his second wife, Heather Cranford, who is a former contestant on the TV show The Bachelor.{{cite web |url=http://www3.dmagazine.com/content/reality-stars/heather-cranford |title=Heather Cranford {{!}} Top Reality Stars in Dallas {{!}} D Magazine |website=www3.dmagazine.com |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101010120720/http://www3.dmagazine.com/content/reality-stars/heather-cranford |archive-date=2010-10-10}} Nied has four sons, two each from both marriages.{{cite web|url=https://www.denverpost.com/2012/05/22/david-nied-gave-rockies-their-first-step-in-major-league-baseball/|title=David Nied gave Rockies their first step in major-league baseball|publisher=The Denver Post|date=May 22, 2012|accessdate=December 30, 2017}}
References
{{reflist}}
External links
{{Portal|Baseball}}
{{baseballstats|br=n/niedda01|brm=nied--001dav}}
- [http://colorado.rockies.mlb.com/NASApp/mlb/col/history/club_firsts.jsp Colorado Rockies Team Firsts] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20050313093933/http://colorado.rockies.mlb.com/NASApp/mlb/col/history/club_firsts.jsp |date=2005-03-13 }}
- [https://web.archive.org/web/20050412191830/http://www.rbraves.com/pressreleases/2004/20040408diam.asp Richmond Braves Diamond Anniversary team]
- [https://web.archive.org/web/20020814002212/http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/baseball/mlb/players/4925/ Sports Illustrated page]
{{Colorado Rockies Opening Day starting pitchers}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Nied, David}}
Category:Baseball players from Dallas
Category:Major League Baseball pitchers
Category:Colorado Rockies players
Category:Sportspeople from Duncanville, Texas
Category:Duncanville High School alumni
Category:Burlington Braves players
Category:Central Valley Rockies players
Category:Colorado Springs Sky Sox players
Category:Greenville Braves players
Category:New Haven Ravens players
Category:Portland Rockies players
Category:Richmond Braves players
Category:Salem Avalanche players
Category:Sumter Braves players
Category:20th-century American sportsmen
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