Born: July 8, 1977

High School: Big Bear High School, Big Bear Lake, CA

College: Cerritos Junior College, CA & California State University, Northridge

Michael attended Big Bear High School in Big Bear Lake, California. He was a three sport athlete in high school lettering in football, basketball and baseball. Michael was an all state selection in both baseball and football where he was selected to play in the California vs. Hawaii All-Star Football Classic.

Michael attended Cerritos Junior College where he played both baseball and football. He was selected as a first team all South Coast Conference outfielder both his freshman and sophomore years. During the summer months, Michael played for the Outer Banks DareDevils of the Coastal Plains Summer League and the Santa Maria Indians in Central California. Michael then attended Cal State Northridge on a baseball scholarship where he majored in Kinesiology with a teaching and coaching emphasis. He started in center and right field for the Matadors, rebuilding the baseball program in one of the most competitive conferences in the country, the Big West Conference. While attending Northridge, Michael played two summers for Athletes in Action Summer Baseball team in Kansas City. It was there where a few scouts felt like he should try pitching. After taking some pitching lessons at Mac-N-Seitz Baseball Academy, Michael tried out for some Major League teams. The San Diego Padres signed Michael to a minor league contract as a pitcher in the Spring of 2001.

Michael played eight seasons in the minor leagues reaching “Tripe A” for four of those seasons. He played with the San Diego Padres, Seattle Mariners, Texas Rangers and the Newark Bears. Michael pitched in every role in his career from a starting pitcher, middle and long relief, to setup man and closer.

2008 – Newark Bears Pitcher of the Year, League Leader in Wins, 2nd in Strikeouts, 2nd in innings pitched, Newark Bears Fans Favorite Player of the Year
2006 - Team leader in ERA for Frisco Rough Riders (Rangers AA)
2003 - Mobile Bay Bears Community Service Award, team leader for ERA (Padres AA)
2002 - Team leader in wins and innings pitched for Lake Elsinore Storm (Padres A)
2001 - Team leader in saves for Fort Wayne (Padres A), Midwest League All Star, awarded by Padres Organization for “Efforts and Achievements on the baseball field and in the community.”
1997 & 1998 - All South Coast Conference Selection, Dallas Moon Award Winner and Team Captain for Cerritos Junior College as an Outfielder

Michael and his wife Christin reside in Mobile, Alabama, and are expecting their first child in June of 2010.