Denny Neagle was a left-handed pitcher who played in Major League Baseball for 13 seasons. He was born on September 13, 1968, in Gambrills, Maryland, and attended the University of Minnesota. Neagle was drafted by the Minnesota Twins in the third round of the 1989 MLB draft and made his debut with the team in 1991.
Neagle played for several teams during his career, including the Twins, Pittsburgh Pirates, Atlanta Braves, Cincinnati Reds, and Colorado Rockies. He was known for his control and ability to pitch deep into games. Neagle was a two-time All-Star and won 124 games in his career.
One of Neagle's best seasons was in 1997 when he played for the Braves. He had a record of 20-5 with a 2.97 ERA and finished third in the National League Cy Young Award voting. Neagle also helped the Braves reach the World Series that year, although they lost to the Cleveland Indians.
In 1999, Neagle signed a five-year, $51 million contract with the Colorado Rockies, which was at the time the largest contract ever given to a pitcher. However, Neagle struggled with injuries and inconsistency during his time with the Rockies. He was eventually traded to the Cincinnati Reds in 2000.
Neagle's career came to an abrupt end in 2004 when he was arrested for soliciting a prostitute in Atlanta. He was released by the Tampa Bay Devil Rays, who had signed him to a minor league contract earlier that year. Neagle pleaded guilty to the charges and was sentenced to probation and community service.
Despite the end of his career being marred by controversy, Neagle was a successful pitcher who had a long and productive career in Major League Baseball. He finished his career with a record of 124-92 and a 4.24 ERA.
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