Whether mowing down hitters in a big-league stadium or playing a round of golf with his buddies, Mark Mulder has the desire to maintain his competitive edge.
After much frustration and under the weight of two shoulder surgeries toward the end of his time in MLB, Mulder, a Scottsdale, Ariz., resident and former MSU baseball player, said he no longer was able to throw the baseball to his potential and retired from the game this past year.
“The hardest part was the last couple years — I started to dislike the game,” Mulder said. “It was the helpless feeling going to the field and knowing, whatever exercise I did, that it wasn’t going to work.”
In retirement, Mulder said he is living the ultimate family-man life, dividing his time between the links of an Arizona golf course and spending time with his wife and two children.
Don’t want to miss a thing
Mulder said most big-league players don’t have the opportunity to spend much time with their family and friends because of their constant travel demands.
Gregg Clifton, Mulder’s friend and former agent, said he gives a lot of credit to Mulder’s wife and his children for helping him make the transition away from professional baseball.
“Anytime a player suffers a career-ending injury, it’s always a difficult transition,” Clifton said. “When you have that nexus of people around you, supporting you, it makes the adjustment easier to handle.”
For Mulder, retirement means being able to take his son to and from school every day and not missing out on the moments he would have missed if not for retirement.
“The day I had my son (was) six days after my first shoulder surgery,” Mulder said. “I haven’t had to have my wife tell me on the phone he’s taken his first steps — it almost turned out as a blessing in a way.”
Growing up a Spartan
Mulder was drafted out of high school by the Detroit Tigers in the 55th round of the 1995 amateur draft. Instead of signing, Mulder decided to attend MSU and play under former head coach Ted Mahan.
For Mulder, attending MSU was a growing experience and critical to his big-league success.
“I grew up (at MSU),” Mulder said. “I wasn’t ready to go off on my own as far as baseball. I matured, got stronger and became a better ballplayer.”
Jake Boss Jr., the current MSU baseball head coach, said he first met Mulder several years ago and has seen him help with the program and its players.
“Mark was one of those guys out of high school who wasn’t as polished as he was when he left MSU,” Boss said. “His velocity was in the mid 80s when he got here, and it was in the low to mid 90s when he left. … His accomplishments speak for themselves.”
Big leagues and beyond
After his junior season at MSU, Mulder was drafted No. 2 overall in the first round of the 1998 amateur draft by the Oakland Athletics.
After a 9-10 rookie season, he bounced back to win 21 games in 2001 and advanced to the American League Championship Series where the Athletics fell to the New York Yankees.
During the 2004 season, he was named the starting pitcher for the American League All-Stars for the 2004 MLB All-Star Game in Houston.
Mulder said playing in Oakland was fun because the team was so young and talented.
“We all kind of grew up together, and I think that’s why we remain so close to this day,” Mulder said.
He won at least 15 games in four of his five seasons in Oakland before he was traded to the St. Louis Cardinals in December of 2004. But after a 16-win season in 2005, Mulder experienced shoulder injuries and spent the second half of 2006 on the disabled list and eventually had surgery.
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After another shoulder surgery and multiple rehab stints, Mulder began to lose his interest in the game and announced his retirement from baseball.
Clifton said Mulder has combined an incredible talent with an aptitude to handle life after baseball.
“The one thing that makes Mark special is he never had superstar-itis,” Clifton said. “(He is) not only an incredible athlete but an incredible person.”
