Full name is Michael Seth Maness (pronounced: MAYniss)¡resides in Wilmington, N.C... Graduated from Pinecrest (N.C.) High School in 2007¡ earned first team all-state and Mid Southeastern Conference Player of the Year honors in baseball as a sophomore... earned three letters in baseball and one in basketball in high school... Attended East Carolina University, where he was named All-Conference USA for four-straight seasons (2008-11)¡ also named the conference's Pitcher of the Year in 2010¡ tops in school history in wins (38), strikeouts (334), starts (61) and innings (411.2)¡graduated with a degree in accounting in 2011.
2017
Spent most of the season at Omaha (AAA), where he went 2-2 with a 6.13 ERA (32 ER in 47.0 IP) in 24 appearances... Made his first three appearances with Omaha from May 1-7, before having his contract selected on May 10... Was on the Royals' Major League roster from May 10- June 5, going 1-0 with a 3.72 ERA (4 ER in 9.2 IP) in eight appearances, allowing a run in half of those outings... Earned the win in his first appearance as a Royal on May 13 vs. Baltimore... Optioned on June 5 to Omaha, where he made seven appearances before being designated for assignment on July 1…cleared waivers and was outrighted back to the minors on July 7... Recorded more than three outs in 18 of his 24 appearances with Omaha, including a season-high 4.0 scoreless innings with five strikeouts in a 4-3 win on Aug. 30 at Nashville... Had 14.2 consecutive scoreless innings from the seventh inning on Aug. 14 through the eighth inning on Sept. 4.
2015
Appeared in a career-high 76 games, T5th in the National League…Tied for the N.L. lead with 59 inherited runners (J. Lopez, SF), allowing 14 of those to score, T4th most among N.L. relievers…Matched his season-high with three saves, all coming before 5/26. Also had 20 holds, T11th in the N.L…Induced 11 double plays, T4th among National League relief pitchers…Had four appearances of 2.0 innings, all scoreless. Has 17 appearances of 2.0 innings or more in his three-year career, with 16 scoreless including the last 14 straight (7/11/13-present)…His 4 wins were T2nd most among Cardinals relievers…In 12 June games (9.2 IP) was 1-0 with an 0.93 ERA (1R)…Had a string of 10.0 scoreless innings from 5/17-6/18 (13 games) in which he went 1-0 with a save. Followed that up with five games and 4.1 scoreless innings 6/24-6/30 after allowing a single run on 6/21.
2014
Led the team in relief appearances with 73, ranking T9th in the National League...Led the N.L. with 65 inherited runners, allowing 17 to score...Only permitted one inherited runner to score of 19 inherited from 8/19 through the end of the season (19 IR/1 IRS, 5.3%)...Pitched 2.0+ innings nine times, all scoreless, and has 13 career 2.0+ scoreless relief outings...Tied his career high with 2.1 scoreless IP on 6/27 at LAD, his 3rd win on the year...Earned six relief wins, T10th in the N.L., and picked up three saves. His first save was 1.1 IP as he came in with the bases loaded in the 8th 6/16 vs. NYM and stranded all three...Opponents grounded into 12 double plays, T3rd in the N.L. among relievers, while his 1.34 DP/9.0 IP ranked 8th in the league...Was on the receiving end of a triple play at TOR on 6/6; after loading the bases got Jose Bautista to line out to second leading to force outs at second and first...Had sub-2.00 ERAs with 1.84 in June (3ER/14.2 IP, 12 Gs) and 1.98 in August (3ER/13.2, 13 Gs)...Posted a season-high 13.0 inning scoreless streak from 8/30-9/26, before allowing three runs at ARI (9/27) in a loss...Made six postseason relief appearances, all scoreless, with one win...was the only non-Giants pitcher to make six or more scoreless relief appearances in the 2014 postseason...appeared in two National League Division Series games with the Cardinals winning both games, Game 1 at LA (10/3) and the DS clinching Game 4 (10/7 at STL)...pitched in each of the first four games of the NLCS against San Francisco...earned his first career postseason win in relief in Game 2 of the NLCS vs. SF (10/12) inducing a bases loaded ground out in the top of the 9th against Pablo Sandoval...threw 2.0 scoreless innings in Game 1 of NLCS and 1.1 scoreless in Game 4 of NLCS.
2013
Rookie was purchased from Memphis on 4/29 and remained with the Cardinals the remainder of the season. A starter in the minors, he pitched out of the bullpen for St. Louis... Made 66 apperances for STL, 2nd on the team; 6th among National League rookies... Ranked 3rd among NL pitchers with 58 Inherited Runners and 2nd with a 12.1 IRS percentage... Had 5 relief wins and earned 17 Holds. Was T2nd among all MLB pitchers with 4 wins in May, the most among relievers.. Earned wins in 3 of his first 5 appearances... Had a 14.2 IP scoreless streak from 7/30-8/24, covering 15 appearances... Earned first professional save 9/28 vs. CHI. Last save was 2010 in college at East Carolina (3 career NCAA saves)... At Memphis (AAA) was 2-2 with a 4.32 ERA in four starts before joining St. Louis.
2012
Honored as the Cardinals 2012 Minor League Pitcher of the Year...named Cardinals Minor League Pitcher of the Month for April posting a 3-0 record with an 0.67 ERA in four starts covering 27.0 IP with zero walks and 21 strikeouts...selected to the Florida State League All-Star team but was promoted to Springfield (AA) before the game...his 169.2 innings pitched ranked 6th in all of Minor League Baseball, and led all Cardinals minor leaguers...also ranked among Cardinals minor league leaders in wins (14, 1st), strikeouts (112, 7th), games started (27, T2nd), ERA (2.97, 4th), opponent BA (.253, 7th), strikeout/walk ratio (11.2, 3rd) and WHIP (1.04, 2nd)...made 27 starts between Palm Beach (A) and Springfield (AA), with 20 starts of 6.0 or more innings and 17 quality starts...each of his seven starts at Palm Beach lasted 6.0 innings or more with six quality starts...of his 20 starts in Springfield, 13 were 6.0 innings or more with 11 quality starts...walked one batter in 46.0 innings at Palm Beach...led the Texas League with a 1.06 WHIP (walks+hits/innings pitched), had the lowest walk/9 IP ratio (0.65) and fewest baserunners/9 IP (9.97)...ranked among Texas League leaders in ERA (3.27, 3rd) and wins (11, 2nd)...made two starts in the Texas League playoffs, posting an 0-1 record with a 2.08 ERA in 13.0 innings with one walk and eight strikeouts... held Major League rehabs Troy Tulowitzki (Rockies, 1-3) and Mike Napoli (Rangers, 0-3) to 1-for-6 at the plate.
2011
Played at three different levels beginning at Batavia (SS), before finishing the season with three relief apperances at Advanced-A Palm Beach and two appearances at Class-A Quad Cities...made 10 appearances with seven starts at Batavia; had three quality starts and was 0-1 with an 0.79 ERA in his starts... made three playoff appearances going 0-0 with a 6.00 ERA and seven strikeouts in 6.0 IP, helping Quad Cities to the Midwest
League Championship .
