THE NEIL ALLEN FILE
Age: 56 (born Jan. 24, 1958 in Kansas City, Kan.)
As a coach: Has been a minor league pitching coach for 20 seasons, beginning in 1995 with Mobile of the independent Texas-Louisiana League before spending 1996 to 1998 with the Blue Jays. He joined the Yankees in 2009 and was promoted to coaching Class AAA coaching Columbus, then the Yankees' top affiliate, in 2003. Served as the bullpen coach for the AL East champion Yankees in 2005 before returning to Columbus as pitching coach in 2006. … Switched organizations to the Rays in 2007, serving as the pitching coach at Class AA Montgomery for three years, at Class A Charlotte for one and the past four at Class AAA Durham.
As a player: A 6-3 righthander, he went 58-70 with a 3.88 ERA and 75 saves in 434 appearances — 375 out of the bullpen — over 11 seasons with the Mets, Cardinals, Yankees, White Sox and Indians. An 11th-round pick by the Mets in 1976 out of Bishop Ward High School in Kansas City, Kan., he made his major league debut in 1979. In June 1983, he was dealt to St. Louis along with fellow pitcher Rick Ownbey for star first baseman Keith Hernandez, who had battled Cardinals management but went on to help New York win the 1986 World Series title. With the White Sox on July 20, 1986, Allen pitched a two-hit shutout at Yankee Stadium, a game in which he did not strike any batters out or issue any walks. Allen improved to 7-1 at the time, but he injured his tricep in his next start and didn't pitch again in the majors until the final week of the season.
