Bill Mueller was a professional baseball player who played in the Major Leagues for 11 seasons. He was primarily a third baseman, but also played some second base and first base throughout his career. Mueller was known for his solid defensive skills and consistent hitting.
Mueller was drafted by the San Francisco Giants in the 15th round of the 1993 MLB draft. He made his Major League debut with the Giants in 1996, but only played in 10 games that season. He was traded to the Chicago Cubs in 1997, where he played for two seasons before being traded to the Boston Red Sox in 1999.
Mueller had his best season in 2003 with the Red Sox, when he won the American League batting title with a .326 batting average. He also hit 19 home runs and had 85 RBIs that season. Mueller was named to the All-Star team that year and helped lead the Red Sox to the playoffs.
In 2004, Mueller played a key role in the Red Sox winning their first World Series championship in 86 years. He hit .429 in the World Series against the St. Louis Cardinals and had the game-winning hit in Game 4. Mueller finished the postseason with a .429 batting average and 8 RBIs.
Mueller played one more season with the Red Sox in 2005 before being traded to the Los Angeles Dodgers for the 2006 season, which would be his last in the Major Leagues. He retired at the end of the season with a career batting average of .291, 85 home runs, and 493 RBIs.
After retiring from playing, Mueller worked as a hitting coach for several teams, including the Dodgers, Red Sox, and Chicago Cubs. He also served as the assistant hitting coach for the St. Louis Cardinals in 2019.
Overall, Bill Mueller had a successful career in the Major Leagues, highlighted by his batting title and World Series championship with the Red Sox. He was known for his consistency at the plate and solid defensive skills, and has continued to contribute to the game as a coach.
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