Keeping with the theme of professional baseball experience, the Sun Devils will have a wealth of talent and knowledge in the form of Bill Mueller as the program’s hitting coach.
The 2004 World Series Champion with the Boston Red Sox joins the staff after spending over two decades in professional baseball as a player, front office assistant, scout and hitting coach.
Mueller spent 11 seasons as a player in the MLB, primarily with the Giants and Red Sox. He was the American League Batting Champion with the Red Sox in 2003 with an average of .326 and won the AL Silver Slugger Award for third basemen that season as well. He finished 12th in the AL MVP voting that season.
He finished his career with a .291 average while slugging .425 with a .797 OPS, recording 85 home runs, 265 doubles and 22 triples. In 36 postseason games, he hit .234 (34-for-145) with 14 runs, 8 doubles, 1 home run, 4 RBI and 13 walks.
On July 29, 2003, visiting the Rangers, he hit three home runs in one game, two of which were grand slams. Mueller became the 12th player in major league history to hit two grand slams in one game, but the first ever to hit one from each side of the plate, which has never been repeated. The grand slams also came in consecutive at-bats.
He played a significant role in the Red Sox’s 2004 season en route to becoming World Series Champions. Hit a dramatic game-winning walk-off home run on July 24, 2004, against the New York Yankees. The game appeared to be another devastating loss for the then stagnant Red Sox, but in the bottom of the ninth, with the Red Sox down a run and Yankees closer Mariano Rivera on the mound, Mueller hit a 3–1 pitch into the Red Sox bullpen in right field, winning the game for the Red Sox. Many baseball analysts considered this game to be the turning point in the Red Sox 2004 season, in which they went on to win the World Series.
He made a significant number of contributions to the Red Sox's World Series win in 2004. The most notable was his critical RBI single in the ninth inning of Game 4 against the Yankees in the American League Championship Series. Down 4–3 in the ninth inning and facing elimination, Kevin Millar drew a walk from closer Mariano Rivera. Dave Roberts came in to pinch run for Millar and stole second base. Mueller singled him home and the Red Sox went on to win in 12 innings, beginning their run of eight straight wins, culminating in the title.
Mueller held a .455 career batting average against Mariano Rivera and was appropriately dubbed "The Rivera Slayer."
Mueller wasted no time working his way into the front office ranks, joining the Dodgers front office as special assistant to the general manager immediately after his retirement in 2006 before being named the organization’s hitting coach for the second half of the 2007 season.
Mueller would then return to the Dodger front office for the next several seasons, working under general manager Ned Colletti before leaving that position to become a full-time scout.
After a year spent as a scout, Mueller was brought on by the Chicago Cubs as the organization’s hitting coach before spending four seasons with the St. Louis Cardinals as an assistant hitting coach and also spent time as first base coach during his tenure there.
Mueller played collegiate baseball at Missouri State University and was named Missouri Valley Player of the Year as a senior in 1993 when he had 18 doubles, 11 home runs and batted .371 for MSU. The switch-hitting St. Louis native graduated as the MSU all-time leader in runs (234), hits (289), singles (222), total bases (398), walks (154) and stolen bases (65), and was in the top five in games, at bats, doubles, triples, on base percentage, extra-base hits, hit by pitch, sacrifice hits, assists, total chances and double plays.
The Bears' MVP as a senior, Mueller earned second team All-America recognition from the American Baseball Coaches Association. A co-captain as a junior and senior, Mueller was picked for the USA National Team and U. S. Olympic Trials in 1992. He was selected in the 15th round of the MLB Draft by the San Francisco Giants and was inducted into the MSU Athletics Hall of Fame in 2004.
Mueller spent 2020 and 2021 as an assistant coach at Hamilton High School in Chandler, Ariz.
What They Are Saying About Bill Mueller:
“Bill Mueller is one of the people in this game who leaves a mark on every person they encounter. His stats speak for themselves as a player, but the greatest compliment you can be given is a ‘great teammate.’ Bill was a great teammate.”
“As a coach, the greatest compliment you can be given is ‘a selfless teacher who truly cares and makes people better.’ Bill has done this too.”
“The game of baseball is rich in tradition and history, but the special people who pass on the wisdom of the game, AND can teach the character to succeed in life, are rare. Bill Mueller is a treasure to the game of baseball and the young players who want to improve their skills while also using the game to help them grow into the young men they hope to be.”
-Mike Matheny (Manager, Kansas City Royals)
The 2004 World Series Champion with the Boston Red Sox joins the staff after spending over two decades in professional baseball as a player, front office assistant, scout and hitting coach.
Mueller spent 11 seasons as a player in the MLB, primarily with the Giants and Red Sox. He was the American League Batting Champion with the Red Sox in 2003 with an average of .326 and won the AL Silver Slugger Award for third basemen that season as well. He finished 12th in the AL MVP voting that season.
He finished his career with a .291 average while slugging .425 with a .797 OPS, recording 85 home runs, 265 doubles and 22 triples. In 36 postseason games, he hit .234 (34-for-145) with 14 runs, 8 doubles, 1 home run, 4 RBI and 13 walks.
On July 29, 2003, visiting the Rangers, he hit three home runs in one game, two of which were grand slams. Mueller became the 12th player in major league history to hit two grand slams in one game, but the first ever to hit one from each side of the plate, which has never been repeated. The grand slams also came in consecutive at-bats.
He played a significant role in the Red Sox’s 2004 season en route to becoming World Series Champions. Hit a dramatic game-winning walk-off home run on July 24, 2004, against the New York Yankees. The game appeared to be another devastating loss for the then stagnant Red Sox, but in the bottom of the ninth, with the Red Sox down a run and Yankees closer Mariano Rivera on the mound, Mueller hit a 3–1 pitch into the Red Sox bullpen in right field, winning the game for the Red Sox. Many baseball analysts considered this game to be the turning point in the Red Sox 2004 season, in which they went on to win the World Series.
He made a significant number of contributions to the Red Sox's World Series win in 2004. The most notable was his critical RBI single in the ninth inning of Game 4 against the Yankees in the American League Championship Series. Down 4–3 in the ninth inning and facing elimination, Kevin Millar drew a walk from closer Mariano Rivera. Dave Roberts came in to pinch run for Millar and stole second base. Mueller singled him home and the Red Sox went on to win in 12 innings, beginning their run of eight straight wins, culminating in the title.
Mueller held a .455 career batting average against Mariano Rivera and was appropriately dubbed "The Rivera Slayer."
Mueller wasted no time working his way into the front office ranks, joining the Dodgers front office as special assistant to the general manager immediately after his retirement in 2006 before being named the organization’s hitting coach for the second half of the 2007 season.
Mueller would then return to the Dodger front office for the next several seasons, working under general manager Ned Colletti before leaving that position to become a full-time scout.
After a year spent as a scout, Mueller was brought on by the Chicago Cubs as the organization’s hitting coach before spending four seasons with the St. Louis Cardinals as an assistant hitting coach and also spent time as first base coach during his tenure there.
Mueller played collegiate baseball at Missouri State University and was named Missouri Valley Player of the Year as a senior in 1993 when he had 18 doubles, 11 home runs and batted .371 for MSU. The switch-hitting St. Louis native graduated as the MSU all-time leader in runs (234), hits (289), singles (222), total bases (398), walks (154) and stolen bases (65), and was in the top five in games, at bats, doubles, triples, on base percentage, extra-base hits, hit by pitch, sacrifice hits, assists, total chances and double plays.
The Bears' MVP as a senior, Mueller earned second team All-America recognition from the American Baseball Coaches Association. A co-captain as a junior and senior, Mueller was picked for the USA National Team and U. S. Olympic Trials in 1992. He was selected in the 15th round of the MLB Draft by the San Francisco Giants and was inducted into the MSU Athletics Hall of Fame in 2004.
Mueller spent 2020 and 2021 as an assistant coach at Hamilton High School in Chandler, Ariz.
What They Are Saying About Bill Mueller:
“Bill Mueller is one of the people in this game who leaves a mark on every person they encounter. His stats speak for themselves as a player, but the greatest compliment you can be given is a ‘great teammate.’ Bill was a great teammate.”
“As a coach, the greatest compliment you can be given is ‘a selfless teacher who truly cares and makes people better.’ Bill has done this too.”
“The game of baseball is rich in tradition and history, but the special people who pass on the wisdom of the game, AND can teach the character to succeed in life, are rare. Bill Mueller is a treasure to the game of baseball and the young players who want to improve their skills while also using the game to help them grow into the young men they hope to be.”
-Mike Matheny (Manager, Kansas City Royals)