Tommy Milone
A crafty left-handed pitcher who carved out a 12-year MLB career through pinpoint control and adaptability, defying conventional scouting.
Born 1987 (age 39)·American baseball player·Birthday: February 16·Millennials
Biography
Tommy Milone is the archetype of the pitcher who outsmarts you. Without a blazing fastball, the soft-tossing lefty built his entire major league journey on command, changeups, and sheer guile. Drafted by the Washington Nationals, he made his mark after a trade to Oakland, where in 2012 he became a reliable rotation piece for the 'pitching factory' Athletics, logging over 190 innings. His career became a map of MLB, featuring stops with nine different teams as he evolved into a valued swingman—a spot starter and long reliever who could eat innings with efficiency. Milone's peak was a masterclass in precision: in 2015 with Minnesota, he walked only 1.5 batters per nine innings, one of the best rates in the league. His longevity is a testament to a specific, repeatable craft, proving that in an era of velocity, there remains a place for a pitcher who knows exactly where the ball is going.
Millennials
1981–1996
The first digital natives. Grew up with the internet, came of age during 9/11 and the 2008 crash. Highly educated, deeply indebted, slower to marry and buy houses. Redefined work, identity, and what it means to be an adult.
Tommy was born in 1987, placing them squarely in the Millennials. The events that shaped this generation — the internet revolution, 9/11, and the 2008 financial crisis — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Tommy Was Born
The biggest hits of 1987
#1 Movie
Three Men and a Baby
Best Picture
The Last Emperor
#1 TV Show
The Cosby Show
Tommy's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1987Born
Black Monday stock market crash
Gas: $0.90/galHome: $72,400Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Walk Like an Egyptian" — The BanglesBest Picture: The Last Emperor
1992Started school
LA riots after Rodney King verdict
Gas: $1.13/galHome: $84,300Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"End of the Road" — Boyz II MenBest Picture: Unforgiven
2000Became a teenager
Y2K passes without incident; contested Bush-Gore election
Gas: $1.51/galHome: $119,600Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Breathe" — Faith HillBest Picture: Gladiator
2003Could drive
US invades Iraq; Human Genome Project completed
Gas: $1.59/galHome: $146,000Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"In Da Club" — 50 CentBest Picture: The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King
2005Could vote
Hurricane Katrina devastates New Orleans; YouTube launches
Gas: $2.30/galHome: $167,500Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"We Belong Together" — Mariah CareyBest Picture: Crash
2008Turned 21
Barack Obama elected first Black US president; financial crisis
Gas: $3.27/galHome: $153,100Min wage: $6.55/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Low" — Flo RidaBest Picture: Slumdog Millionaire
2017Turned 30
#MeToo movement; solar eclipse crosses the US
Gas: $2.42/galHome: $195,000Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Donald Trump"Shape of You" — Ed SheeranBest Picture: The Shape of Water
2026Age 39 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Pitched a complete-game, three-hit shutout for the Oakland Athletics against the Texas Rangers in July 2012.
- Finished 4th in American League Rookie of the Year voting in 2012 after posting a 13-10 record with a 3.74 ERA for Oakland.
- Led the American League in fewest walks per nine innings in 2015 with a rate of 1.5 while with the Minnesota Twins.
- Appeared in MLB games for nine different franchises across a 12-year career.
Did You Know?
He is one of only a handful of major league pitchers to hit a home run in both the American and National Leagues.
He was traded three times in a span of just over two years between 2014 and 2016.
He attended the University of Southern California (USC) and played college baseball for the Trojans.
His first major league hit was a home run off Tim Lincecum of the San Francisco Giants in 2011.
“I've always had to pitch with my brain, not my arm.”
