Robert Lane Miller (February 18, 1939 – August 6, 1993) was an American professional baseball player. He played in Major League Baseball as a right-handed pitcher from to . Miller played for three World Series champions: the 1963 Los Angeles Dodgers, 1965 Los Angeles Dodgers and the 1971 Pittsburgh Pirates—five league champions (the above three plus the 1966 Los Angeles Dodgers and the 1973 New York Mets) and four division winners, as well as for four teams that lost 100 or more games in a season.

Miller played for ten teams during his major league career, tying a modern-day record (since 1900) with Dick Littlefield that has since been broken.Staff. "People in Sports; Davis Joins Angels, Ninth Club of Career", The New York Times, June 3, 1976; accessed October 1, 2008."Most Franchises Played For", Baseball-Reference. Accessed October 6, 2008. He played with three teams in each of three seasons: the Cleveland Indians, Chicago White Sox and Chicago Cubs in 1970; the Cubs, San Diego Padres and Pittsburgh Pirates in 1971; and the Padres, Detroit Tigers and New York Mets in 1973.

Steve Treder of the Hardball Times described Miller as a "whatever-is-needed utility pitcher". Former teammate Roy Hartsfield, who managed the Toronto Blue Jays when Miller was the team's pitching coach, called him "The Christian", a nickname he earned "because he suffers so much", noting that Miller was a part-time reliever with a sore arm, but that "when we came up with some other sore arms on the staff he would come in and suffer a few innings."

His 12 consecutive losses at the start of the season with the Mets stood as a club record until it was broken by Anthony Young in 1993.

Before professional baseball Miller was born in St. Louis, Missouri, as Robert Lane Gemeinweiser and later changed his last name to "Miller"; the circumstances of the name change are unknown. He attended Beaumont High School in St. Louis, where he had a 22–1 record pitching for the school's baseball team, including a perfect 12–0 record in his senior year. In the 1956 American Legion Baseball championships, Miller won all three games for the St. Louis Stockhams to lead the team to the national title.via Associated Press. "Cardinals Sign Bonus Pitcher Third On Staff", St. Petersburg Times, June 22, 1957. Accessed October 6, 2008.

Major League Baseball career

St. Louis Cardinals (1957–61) After graduating from high school as an 18-year-old, Miller was pursued by 15 major league teams and chose to sign as a "bonus baby" amateur free agent with the hometown St. Louis Cardinals on June 20, 1957, receiving a signing bonus estimated at $20,000. As required by the Bonus Rule as it existed when he was signed, the Cardinals had to immediately place Miller on their 40-man roster and keep him there for two years.Treder, Steve. "Not Just Any Bob Miller", The Hardball Times, September 6, 2005. Accessed September 29, 2008.Bob Miller, Baseball-Reference. Accessed September 29, 2008. Miller made his major league debut on June 26, less than a week after being signed to the team, pitching the final inning of an 11–3 loss to the Philadelphia Phillies, with Miller giving up three hits, three walks and three runs.June 26, 1957, Phillies at Cardinals Play by Play and Box Score, Baseball-Reference. Accessed September 29, 2008. Miller pitched in four more games in the season, seeing a total of nine innings of work, all in relief, ending with an earned run average (ERA) of 7.00.

With changes made to the Bonus Rule after the 1957 season, the Cardinals sent Miller down to the minor leagues. He began the season at the Triple-A Rochester Red Wings, but was sent down to the Double-A Houston Buffaloes, finishing the season there with an 8–11 record and an ERA of 3.54. He started the season in Rochester, pitching to an 8–12 record and a 3.50 ERA. He was promoted back to the Cardinals and appeared in 11 games, all but one as a starter, finishing with a 4–3 record and an ERA of 3.31 and threw three complete games.

In 15 games for the Cardinals in (starting seven), Miller ended the season with the same 4–3 record as the previous year, this time with an ERA of 3.42. He spent a brief injury-related stint with the Double-A Memphis Chicks of the Southern Association, where he had a 1–0 record and a 2.45 ERA in three games.Bob Miller , The Baseball Cube. Accessed October 6, 2008. Once being called back to the Cardinals, he was in the majors for the rest of his career.

He spent most of the season as a relief pitcher for the Cardinals, appearing in 34 games, all but five in relief, and ending the year with a 1–3 record and three saves, with a 4.24 ERA. Miller earned the first save of his career on September 20, 1961, pitching the final 2-innings of an 11–2 win by the Cardinals against the Los Angeles Dodgers at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, called into the game with one out and bases loaded in the bottom of the seventh inning and getting Frank Howard to ground into a double play to end the inning and then pitching two perfect innings to earn the save.April 20, 1961, Cardinals at Dodgers Play by Play and Box Score, Baseball-Reference. Accessed October 6, 2008.

New York Mets (1962) In the 1961 MLB Expansion Draft held on October 10, 1961, the New York Mets picked Miller as one of three players they selected from the Cardinals, joining catcher Chris Cannizzaro and outfielder Jim Hickman. Miller was one of four players selected by the team from a premium pool of players at the top $125,000 draft price.Bjarkman, Peter C. "The New York Mets Encyclopedia", via Google Books, p. 1958. Accessed September 29, 2008. One of two pitchers on the team's inaugural squad sharing the name Bob Miller, Mets manager Casey Stengel would call this Bob Miller by the name "Nelson", either out of confusion or in order to distinguish him from Bob G. Miller.Vecsey, George. "Sports of The Times; What's-His-Name Helps To Win Another Game", The New York Times, May 19, 2004. Accessed September 29, 2008. "The Old Man called Bob Miller Nelson and he tried to send up Blanchard to pinch-hit only to be reminded that Johnny Blanchard was still across the river with the Yankees, where Casey managed two years earlier."

Miller was the starting pitcher on the losing end of a no-hitter pitched by Sandy Koufax of the Dodgers on June 30, 1962, a 5–0 Mets loss.Lipsyte, Robert M. "Southpaw Fans 13; Koufax Gives 5 Walks --Dodgers Score 4 Runs in First Single Sends In Run Daviault Has Problems Koufax is Victor With a No-Hitter It Began in the First One Short of Record", The New York Times, July 1, 1962. Accessed October 9, 2008. Miller took the loss, his sixth of the season, after giving up four runs (all earned) on five hits and a walk in only of an inning.June 30, 1962, Mets at Dodgers Box Score and Play by Play, Baseball-Reference. Accessed October 9, 2008. In losing his first 12 decisions with the Mets, Miller tied a then-Major League record for losses by a pitcher at the start of the season. He ended the season with a 1–12 record in 33 games (21 as a starter), and a 4.89 ERA. Miller's only win that season came in a 2–1 victory over the Chicago Cubs at Wrigley Field on September 29 in the team's second from last game of the season, with Miller pitching his only complete game of the season, scattering seven hits and a walk, the only run scoring on a home run by Cubs first baseman Ernie Banks.Effrat, Louis. "R.L. Miller Pitches First Victory After 12 Defeats as Mets Top Cubs, 2-1; Throneberry Hit Decides Contest Seventh-Inning Double Wins for Mets—Banks Smashes 37th Homer for Cubs", The New York Times, September 30, 1962. Accessed September 29, 2008.September 29, 1962, Mets at Cubs Box Score and Play by Play, Baseball-Reference. Accessed September 29, 2008. His 12 wild pitches that season ranked him fifth in the National League, one ahead of Bob Gibson.1962 National League Expanded Leaderboards , Baseball-Reference. Accessed September 29, 2008.

Los Angeles Dodgers (1963–67) Miller was acquired by the Los Angeles Dodgers from the Mets for Larry Burright and Tim Harkness on 1 December 1962."Mets Trade Miller, Get Two Dodgers," United Press International (UPI), Saturday 1 December 1962. Retrieved 18 March 2026. On May 8, 1963, Stan Musial of the Cardinals hit a home run off of Miller in the fourth inning, giving Musial the 1,357th extra base hit of his career, breaking the major league record that had been held by Babe Ruth.Staff. "Dodgers Conquer Cardinals, 11-5; Musial Tops Ruth's Mark W. Davis Hits 2 Homers", The New York Times, May 9, 1963. Accessed October 9, 2008.May 8, 1963, Dodgers at Cardinals Play by Play and Box Score, Baseball-Reference. Accessed October 9, 2008. In a game against the Milwaukee Braves on August 13, Warren Spahn struck out Miller for the 2,832nd strikeout of Spahn's career, setting a record for strikeouts by a left-handed pitcher that had been held by Rube Waddell since .Staff. "At Twice 21", Time, August 23, 1963. Accessed October 9, 2008. "Milwaukee Braves Pitcher Warren Spahn, slipping a fast ball past Los Angeles Relief Pitcher Bob Miller, got his 2,382nd strikeout, setting a new major-league record for a lefthander. The old record, held by Rube Waddell, had stood since 1910."August 13, 1963, Dodgers at Braves Play by Play and Box Score, Baseball-Reference. Accessed October 9, 2008. Miller finished the season with a 10–8 record and two saves in 42 appearances, an ERA of 2.89 and 125 strikeouts, the most wins in a season in his major league career and the only time he exceeded 100 strikeouts. His 23 games as starter represented the majority of his appearances and was his only season with the Dodgers in which he was primarily a starter; Miller was used primarily as a reliever and had only seven starts in his remaining four seasons with the team. Miller did not play in the Dodgers four-game sweep of the New York Yankees in the 1963 World Series.

He had a 7–7 record and nine saves in 74 appearances (all but two in relief) and a 2.62 ERA in . His 74 appearances in 1964 were the most of any pitcher in the National League that season.1964 National League Expanded Leaderboards , Baseball-Reference. Accessed October 1, 2008.

He had a 6–7 record and nine saves in 61 appearances and a 2.97 ERA in . His first postseason appearance came in relief in two games as part of the Dodgers' 1965 World Series victory in seven games over the Minnesota Twins. Miller pitched in the eighth inning of the second and sixth games of the series, both of which were 5–1 losses to the Twins., Baseball-Reference. Accessed September 29, 2008.

Miller had a 4–2 record and five saves in 45 relief appearances and a 2.77 ERA in . In the 1966 World Series, in which the Baltimore Orioles swept the Dodgers in four games, Miller appeared in the fifth inning of the first game and pitched three innings in relief after starter Don Drysdale gave up four runs in the game's first two innings.October 5, 1966, World Series Game 1 Box Score, Baseball-Reference. Accessed September 29, 2008.

In the season, Miller had a 2–9 record with no saves in 52 appearances, with his ERA climbing to 4.31.

Miller gave up no runs in any of his World Series appearances with the Dodgers.

Minnesota Twins (1968–69) The Dodgers traded Miller on November 28, 1967, to the Minnesota Twins, together with Ron Perranoski and John Roseboro, in exchange for Mudcat Grant and Zoilo Versalles, in a trade made at baseball's winter meeting held in Mexico City.Durso, Joseph. "Dodgers Send Roseboro, Perranoski and Miller to Twins for Versalles, Grant; Key Figures in First Major Baseball Trade for 1968", The New York Times, November 28, 1968. Accessed September 29, 2008. Miller had an 0–3 record and two saves in 45 appearances (all in relief) and an ERA of 2.74 in the season.