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GREENSBORO -- The 2,500 Guilford County students at Wednesday's Grasshoppers game hadn't seen the inside of a pre-K classroom when Colby Miller made his first professional start in 2000.

As for Greensboro's pitcher, he has been up, down, around and back, and at the age of 26, he's making another try at graduation through somebody's farm system.

Miller absorbed a 3-1 loss to the Kannapolis Intimidators and officially fell to 0-4 for the season, but his seven-inning effort was the longest by any Hoppers pitcher this season and his second straight solid outing.

Seeking to rebound from a 2006 season lost to injury and a 2007 campaign in the American Association, an independent league stretching from Pensacola, Fla., to St. Paul, Minn., Miller allowed two runs on four hits and walked away as the loser when five Intimidators pitchers held the Hoppers to three hits.

"I'd always like to go seven innings, but with pitch counts early in the season, you have to try to get as many (pitches) in as you can," the Oklahoma native said. "You try to get through hitters on three pitches or less and let the defense do the work."

Miller signed to attend the University of Oklahoma out of high school, but he took the Minnesota Twins up on their draft offer and made it to Double-A New Britain in three straight seasons. He was making a good impression on Terry Ryan, the Twins' general manager at the time, when he hurt his throwing shoulder in 2005.

Less than two years later, he was out of a job when the organization let him go after spring training. He hooked on -- somewhat reluctantly at first -- with the Shreveport Sports of the American Association.

"My initial thought when I got released was that I was not going to play in an independent league," Miller said. "But there are a lot of guys there who aren't playing for a major league organization and you don't know why. There are some good lineups in that league."

And a few success stories. Before becoming a World Series hero for the 2004 Boston Red Sox, Kevin Millar was an undrafted free agent who got his start with the St. Paul Saints.

George Sherrill logged 230 innings in parts of five indie seasons until the Seattle Mariners signed him. He's the Baltimore Orioles' closer these days.

Miller threw to a 3.18 ERA for Shreveport, and shortly after the season ended, the Marlins called. One of their scouts, former OU pitching coach Ray Hayward, had recommended Miller nearly eight years after recruiting him for the Sooners. A prospect again, Miller went to spring training this year and wound up here.

He's getting acclimated to his new level and team, having walked five in 22 innings. He might not be in Greensboro much longer; he's ancient by South Atlantic League standards and probably suitable for a promotion in the Florida Marlins' system.

"I didn't care where I went," he said of his assignment to Greensboro. "If you have a jersey, you have a chance."

Contact Rob Daniels at 373-7028 or rob.daniels@news-record.com