Mike Easler was from Cleveland and went to high school at Benedictine, an all-male Catholic high school, where he starred on the perennially powerful Benedictine Bengals baseball team. After graduating in 1969, Mike was drafted by the Houston Astros in the June amateur draft. He signed with the Astros in exchange for tuition money which enabled him to attend Cleveland State University during the offseason.

Mike then embarked on a decade-long minor-league odyssey. As the early 1970s turned into the mid-1970s, Mike was stuck in Triple-A, putting up excellent batting numbers year after year but receiving nothing more than September call-ups from the Astros.

Iin 1975, he was placed on the Astros’ Opening Day roster, but again struggled for the third time at the big-league level and was sent back to Triple-A where he had another outstanding season, hitting .313 with 15 home runs.

In June 1975, he was traded to the St. Louis Cardinals and spent the remainder of 1975 and the 1976 minor-league season in the minors. Mike continued to dominate Triple-A pitching in 1976, batting a league-leading .352 with 26 home runs and finished second in the race for American Association MVP.

Despite his success at the highest level of the minors, Mike did not get a shot at the big leagues with the Cardinals. The Cardinals’ strong outfield regulars, Lou Brock, Bake McBride, and Reggie Smith, kept him in Triple-A.

In September 1976, the Cardinals traded Mike to the California Angels and then in April of 1977, two days before Opening Day, the Angels traded him to the Pittsburgh Pirates where he spent virtually all of the 1977 and 1978 seasons back in Triple-A. Once more he excelled, batting over .300 both years, but again, the Pirates starting outfield of Al Oliver, Bill Robinson, Dave Parker, and Omar Moreno, kept him out of the majors.

After the 1978 season, the Red Sox purchased his contract, only to trade him back to Pittsburgh during the next year’s spring training.

Finally, for the first time in 1979, Mike spent an entire season in the major leagues. Serving almost exclusively as a pinch-hitter, he had 62 plate appearances for the world champion Pirates and made his only career playoff appearances, going 0-for-2 in three plate appearances during the NLCS and World Series.

In 1980 Mike earned a place in the Pirates’ outfield. He platooned with Lee Lacy as a replacement for the aging Bill Robinson. The two excelled, proving to be one of the few bright spots on the disappointing Pirates club. Mike hit .338 with 21 home runs and hit for the cycle against Cincinnati on June 12th, after which he was named National League Player of the Week for the week.

Both Mike and Lacy batted for significantly higher averages than 1980 NL batting champion Bill Buckner (.324), but neither managed the required number of plate appearances to qualify for the award.

It was then that Mike earned the nickname “The Hit Man” for his prowess at the plate, his graceful hitting stroke, and his quiet demeanor. People saw his success and had no idea of how much it took him to get there.

He began to play most of the time in left field during the 1981 season and continued to excel at the plate. At the time the players’ strike suspended play on June 12th, he was batting .317 and was named as a reserve to the NL All-Star Team.

The 1981 All-Star Game was his only All-Star appearance or selection to the team. He entered the game in the top of the sixth inning, replacing his Pirates teammate Dave Parker in right field.

Mike continued to post strong offensive numbers in 1982 and 1983, but became a defensive liability, often taken out for late-in-the game replacements.

After the 1983 season, the Pirates traded Mike back to the Red Sox for pitcher John Tudor. The change of venue helped him enjoy a career year in 1984, when he hit .313 with 27 home runs and 91 RBIs. He benefited from being in a lineup with home run hitters like Tony Armas (43), Dwight Evans (32), Jim Rice (28), and Rich Gedman (24).

Like the rest of the Red Sox, Mike’s power numbers dipped considerably in 1985 and after the season, the Red Sox and Yankees swapped designated hitters. Mike headed for the Bronx while Don Baylor was Fenway-bound.