Former East Ridge High
Former East Ridge standout ready for role as Tigers’ closer
standout Shane Greene has overcome injuries and a trade to become the Detroit Tigers closer.
Coming off reconstructive elbow surgery after his only season at the University of West Florida, Shane Greene was a man without a team.
The Clermont resident had lost his scholarship. He had transferred to what is now Daytona State College, but he was not on the baseball team in 2009 while he rehabilitated.
When Greene worked out for a scout that May in hopes of trying to land with another college program, he had not thrown in a game in more than a year.
“A month prior to [the draft], you had no idea whether you were going to get a scholarship again,’’ Greene said. “It was pretty crazy.’’
Greene went from not having a uniform to wear anywhere to being part of the most successful organization in major-league history when the New York Yankees drafted him in the 15th round.
Greene, 29, reached the majors with the Yankees in 2014, his only season in the Bronx before the Detroit Tigers acquired him. As the Tigers’ season opener against the Pittsburgh Pirates on March 29 at Comerica Park approaches, Greene is preparing to become a full-time closer for the first time.
“They’re a few roles where we know what we have,’’ Detroit manager Ron Gardenhire said. “He’s one of them.’’
Greene lived in Orlando before he attended fourth and fifth grade in North Carolina. His family returned to Central Florida, settling in Lake County.
He graduated from East Ridge High School before heading to Pensacola for college. Greene’s college résumé consisted of 12 games (four starts) with the Argonauts before he injured his right elbow.
After Greene’s arm healed, his
big break came when he threw in front of a Yankees scout at Bishop Field in Clermont three weeks before the draft nine years ago. That eventually led to an opportunity at an extended springtraining game in Tampa.
The draft was 11⁄2 weeks away.
“I texted him before the draft and said, ‘Hey, should I pay attention to this thing?’ ’’ Greene said. “He said, ‘Start paying attention after the 10th round.’ ’’
Greene made his majorleague debut in relief against the Boston Red Sox, walking three and allowing three unearned runs in a third of an inning at Fenway Park.
He eventually settled down and soaked in whatever knowledge he could from his more acclaimed teammates. Derek Jeter, for one. “Whatever I saw him do, I did,’’ Greene said. “If he wasn’t at his locker, I made sure I wasn’t at my locker. If he was sitting at his locker, relaxing, then I thought it was OK for me to sit at my locker and relax.’’
Greene, who will earn $1.95 million this season, is coming off his best season (4-3, 2.66 ERA, nine saves in 71 appearances). He has allowed one run in five innings this spring after a scoreless outing Monday in the Tigers’ 4-2 spring-training loss to the Baltimore Orioles in Lakeland.
“He’s always been a guy who wants to force it in there, work ahead and get those strikeouts at the end of the game,’’ Tigers reliever Alex Wilson said.
Said catcher James McCann: “He’s a bulldog. No situation is too big for him.’’
Greene became the closer after the Tigers traded Justin Wilson (no relation to Alex) to the Chicago Cubs last July.
After the Tigers moved Greene to the bullpen in 2016, he credited Wilson with giving him some valuable advice.
“I didn’t really know what to do,’’ Greene said. “[He] said, ‘I don’t really care what you do, but get a routine and do it every day.’ I finally got it down at this point.’’
Greene realizes that familiarity will be tested by a baseball truism.
Few things are routine when a closer tries to navigate the combustible elements of the ninth inning.