Mike Robbins began playing organized baseball at the age of 7 in his hometown of Oakland, California.  Over the next 18 years of his life, baseball was his primary focus and passion.  Making his way through the local youth baseball leagues, Mike became a standout pitcher, first baseman, and outfielder in Oakland's extremely talent-rich environment.  By the age of 15, Mike was a one of the top players for his age in the state of California and he had helped lead his Oakland Base Ruth All Star teams to the state finals three years running (1987 - 1989).

Mike entered Skyline High School in 1990 and went on to become one of the most successful baseball players in Skyline High School history, a school that produced Major League players Bip Roberts, Brian Johnson, and Marcus Jensen.  Mike was a three-year all-league selection and led the Skyline Titans to three consecutive league and section championships.  In 1991 and 1992, Mike was named Player of the Year in the Oakland Athletic League.  As a Senior, in 1992, Mike was named Northern California Player of the Year and was voted to the All State Team.  While in high school, Mike's summer league team, Bercovich, played in the Connie Mack World Series, in Farmington, NM.  Mike was chosen to pitch the opening game of that World Series.

The New York Yankees drafted Mike in June of 1992.  Earlier that same year, he received a baseball scholarship from Stanford University.  Mike decided to turn down the offer from the Yankees and to attend Stanford.  That summer, he was selected to represent his country as a member of the US Junior National Team.  Mike was the starting pitcher for Team USA in the gold medal game against Cuba that summer in the World Championships in Mexico.

Mike entered Stanford University in the fall of 1992 as a member of the top college recruiting class in the country that year.  He was unable to pitch during the 1993 season due to an injury to his left (pitching) elbow.  After much hard work and a minor operation, Mike made his collegiate debut in 1994. 

He became one of Stanford's top pitchers over the next two seasons.  Mike helped lead the Cardinal to a Pac-10 Conference Championship in 1994 and to an appearance in the College World Series in 1995.  He spent the summer of 1994 as member of the famed Anchorage Bucks in the Alaskan Collegiate Baseball summer league.

While in college, Mike had many highlights.  In 1994 he won his first three starts against Pacific, Arizona State, and UCLA.  He was named Pac-10 'Pitcher of the Week' at the end of that impressive run.  In 1995 Mike was the # 2 starter on Stanford's College World Series Team.  He pitched a complete-game, 6-hitter in the NCAA Regional Tournament and was the starting pitcher in the opening game of the College World Series.

After the 1995 season (his Junior year at Stanford), Mike was named to the All-Conference team, was nominated as an Academic All-American, and was voted the team's "'Most Inspirational Player."  Mike was drafted in the 9th round by the Kansas City Royals that year, and signed a pro contract with the Royals in June of 1995.

Mike went into the Minor Leagues with the Royals and spent the 1995 season in as a member of two teams - the Spokane Indians (Spokane, WA - the Northwest League) and the Sultans of Springfield (Springfield, IL - Midwest League).  Mike then played for the Lansing Lugnuts (Lansing, MI - Midwest League) in 1996 and the Wilmington Blue Rocks (Wilmington, DE - Carolina League) in 1997.

He helped lead the Lugnuts to the 1996 Midwest League playoffs.  Mike ended that season by winning 5 of his last 6 starts and finished the year with 10 wins.  Overall, he had a successful run in the Minor Leagues and he was promoted to the next level each of the three years that he played in the Royals organization.

On June 4th, 1997 Mike threw his last pitch as a professional baseball player.  Tests revealed a severely torn ligament in Mike's left (pitching) elbow.  He was sent to L.A. to have reconstructive elbow surgery (known as "Tommy John Surgery").  This operation was performed in July of 1997.  Mike returned to spring training with the Royals the following March; eight months into his twelve-month rehabilitation process.  The Royals decided to release Mike in spring training that year.  He returned home to California and had two more surgeries, one on his elbow and one on his shoulder, in June of 1998.