Mike Lieberthal

Verified Timeline

Lore & Background

Lieberthal's high school career at Westlake High School in Glendale, California, was legendary before he even turned professional. In a single game, he hit four home runs: a solo shot, a two-run homer, a three-run blast, and a grand slam. This performance propelled his team to the number one ranking in the USA Today top 3 list within days. The Phillies drafted him immediately after graduation in 1990 as the third overall pick, despite him weighing only 155 pounds at age 17. His professional journey began in the minors from 1990 to 1995, progressing through Martinsville, Spartanburg, Clearwater, Reading, and Scranton/Wilkes-Barre before his 1994 debut.

In Their Own Story

Lieberthal's defining moment arrived in 1999. He posted a .300 batting average with 31 home runs and 96 RBIs, earning his first All-Star selection and the Gold Glove Award with a .997 fielding percentage—a new Phillies record for catchers. This performance made him one of only eight major league catchers to hit 30 homers while batting .300 in the same season, joining legends like Johnny Bench and Iván Rodríguez. On April 27, 2003, he caught Kevin Millwood's no-hitter. His career was not without physical toll; he underwent knee surgery in 1996 for torn cartilage, battled a pelvic stress fracture in 1997, and suffered a torn ACL and MCL in May 2001 after being picked off at first base. Despite these injuries, he won the Sporting News NL Comeback Player of the Year award in 2002.

Reader's Guide

Fans should note Lieberthal's specific prowess against left-handed pitching, where he held a .310 batting average, .381 on-base percentage, and .510 slugging percentage. While his time with the Phillies ended before their 2007 postseason run, he signed with the Los Angeles Dodgers as a free agent in December 2006 for a $1.15 million contract. He played 38 games in 2007, hitting .234, before the Dodgers declined his option and bought out his contract for $100,000. In January 2008, he announced retirement, stating, "I just didn't want to go through what I have to go through with my body." He returned to Philadelphia on June 1, 2008, signing a one-day contract to throw out the ceremonial first pitch before officially retiring.

Did You Know?

• Lieberthal hit four home runs in a single high school game: a solo shot, a two-run homer, a three-run blast, and a grand slam.
• He is Jewish by Reform Judaism standards, with his father Dennis being a former MLB scout who signed Gabe Kapler.
• In 2001, Lieberthal appeared in the movie Summer Catch alongside teammates Doug Glanville and Pat Burrell.
• A bobblehead of Lieberthal appears as an unexplained background prop in the TV show The Office, likely a nod to his first name 'Michael' matching the character Michael Scott.