Sam Fisher
Banned
The Tampa Bay Times reported on Friday that Major League Baseball pitcher Justin Miller, 35, was found dead Wednesday night in Palm Harbor, FL.
The Pinellas County Sheriff's Office confirmed Miller's death on Friday and a sheriff's spokeswoman stated that while authorities are investigating, no cause of death has been determined. The sheriff's office also would not reveal where his body was found.
Miller played baseball professionally for 15 years, most recently pitching for the Los Angeles Dodgers in 2010. He also logged time in the majors with the Toronto Blue Jays, Florida (now Miami) Marlins and San Francisco Giants, appearing in 216 games. The majority of his time was spent as a reliever, but he did make 33 big league starts.
The most notable part of his career came in 2004 and had nothing to do with his performance on the field. After opposing hitters began complaining about the amount of colorful tattoos Miller had on his arms and how they served as a distraction, MLB ruled that Miller had to begin wearing long sleeves on the mound to keep them covered up. That rule would become known as the "Justin Miller Rule" around baseball and remained a topic of conversation until his retirement.
According to his wife of 15 years, Jessica Miller, Justin Miller had turned to coaching since stepping away from the game and even founded Justin Miller's Legacy Baseball/Softball and Personal Training in Clearwater, FL. in 2012.
"He was gifted at putting things in a language that kids could understand. That was something he was really proud of," she said.
In addition to his wife, Jessica, Miller also leaves behind two sons Joseph, 18, and Johnnie, 7. "I think he'd want the world to know that he always did his best at work and at being a dad," his wife said. "He always tried."
