| Dennis Rasmussen | |
|---|---|
| Billings Mustangs | |
| Pitcher / Coach | |
| Born: (1959-04-18)April 18, 1959 (age 66) Los Angeles, California, U.S. | |
Batted: Left Threw: Left | |
| MLB debut | |
| September 16, 1983, for the San Diego Padres | |
| Last MLB appearance | |
| July 1, 1995, for the Kansas City Royals | |
| MLB statistics | |
| Win–loss record | 91–77 |
| Earned run average | 4.15 |
| Strikeouts | 835 |
Stats atBaseball Reference  | |
| Teams | |
Dennis Lee Rasmussen (born April 18, 1959) is an American former professionalbaseballpitcher. He played inMajor League Baseball for theSan Diego Padres (1983 and 1988–91),New York Yankees (1984–87),Cincinnati Reds (1987–88),Chicago Cubs (1992), andKansas City Royals (1992–93 and 1995). He batted and threw left-handed.
Rasmussen was born inLos Angeles on April 18, 1959,[1] and grew up inSan Clemente, California. He nearly lost his left foot at the age of 14, when a speeding car knocked him from his bicycle onLabor Day in 1973, and the fall severed his foot, which was hanging by theAchilles tendon. Anemergency room doctor said they would need to amputate, but anorthopedic surgeon was able to save the foot. As a result, he has no cartilage in his left ankle.[2]
Rasmussen attendedSan Clemente High School. Six months after the injury, he recovered sufficiently to play in the final two games of the season for thejunior varsity basketball team.[2] After one year at San Clemente High School, his family moved toBoise, Idaho, and he attendedMeridian High School inMeridian, Idaho, for two years.[3][4] His family moved toDenver,Colorado, and he went toBear Creek High School inLakewood, Colorado, for his senior year.[2][5] He was named All-State in baseball and basketball, and was a member of the Number 1 Tennis Doubles team with fellow Basketball teammate, Ed Bartlett that won a State Championship.[6]
ThePittsburgh Pirates selected Rasmussen in the 18th round of the1977 Major League Baseball draft,[7] but he did not sign with the Pirates.[8] As he wanted to playcollege basketball, he enrolled atCreighton University, which offered him a scholarship to play for theCreighton Bluejays men's basketball team.[2][6] The arrangement with Creighton also allowed him to playcollege baseball for theCreighton Bluejays baseball team.[9] For the basketball team, he was aforward who played as thesixth man off the bench.[6][10] For the baseball team, he had a 3–6win–loss record and a 3.38earned run average (ERA) with Creighton in his junior year, with 84strikeouts, a school record, in61+2⁄3innings pitched.[11][12] He was named to the All-Missouri Valley Conference's First Team.[12]
TheCalifornia Angels selected Rasmussen in the first round, with the 17th overall selection, of the1980 Major League Baseball draft.[12] He signed with the Angels[11] and made his professional debut with theSalinas Angels of theClass ACalifornia League.[13] In 1981, he pitched for theHolyoke Millers of theClass AAEastern League. He set a team record with 16 strikeouts on August 18.[14] In 1981, Rasmussen pitched for theSpokane Indians of theClass AAAPacific Coast League (PCL). He had a 11–8 record and 5.03 ERA with Spokane, and was second in the PCL with 162 strikeouts. After the 1982 season, the Angels sent Rasmussen to theNew York Yankees as theplayer to be named later in the August 31 trade that sentTommy John to the Angels.[15] Rasmussen played for theColumbus Clippers of the Class AAAInternational League in 1983, leading the league with 13 wins and 187 strikeouts.[2] The Yankees traded him to theSan Diego Padres on September 12, 1983, withEdwin Rodríguez, to complete an earlier trade forJohn Montefusco.[16] He made his major league debut with the Padres on September 16, and made his first start on October 1.[17]
On March 30, 1984, the Padres traded Rasmussen and a player to be named later to the Yankees forGraig Nettles.[18] He began the 1984 season with Columbus, and was promoted to the major leagues in May, earning his first major league win on May 23, his first major league start of the 1984 season.[19] Rasmussen competed for the fifth spot in the Yankees' rotation in 1986.[20] Though originally slated to start the season in Columbus, he was named to theOpening Day starting rotation after John was plagued by back spasms.[21][22] In 1986, Rasmussen won 18 games.[23] Hisbatting average against of .217 was the second best in theAmerican League. In 1987, he was named Opening Day starter atDetroit againstJack Morris; the Yankees won in 10 innings. Rasmussen had a 9–7 record and a 4.75 ERA with the Yankees before they traded him to theCincinnati Reds forBill Gullickson on August 27.[24]
Rasmussen began the 1988 season pitching to a 2–6 record with a 5.75 ERA for Cincinnati. On June 8, the Reds traded Rasmussen to the Padres forCandy Sierra.[2] He went 14–4 with a 2.55 ERA in 20 starts for the Padres, finishing the year with an overall 16–10 record and a 3.43 ERA. After the season, Rasmussen re-signed with the Padres on a two-year contract reportedly worth $1.3 million.[25] In 1990, Rasmussen had a 11–15 record,[26] but led the National League inhome runs allowed with 28.[27] He re-signed with the Padres for the 1991 season, receiving a $805,000 salary.[28] He had a 6–13 record and a 3.74 ERA with San Diego in 1991.[29]
Rasmussen signed a minor league contract with theBaltimore Orioles organization for the 1992 season, and was assigned to theRochester Red Wings of the International League.[30] He was 0–7 with a 5.67 ERA in nine starts for Rochester, and they released him on June 2.[31] A few days later, theChicago Cubs signed Rasmussen and assigned him to theIowa Cubs of the Class AAAAmerican Association.[29] The Cubs promoted him to the major leagues a week later, following an injury toDave Smith,[32] On July 13, the Cubs put Rasmussen on the disabled list due totendinitis in his left shoulder,[33] and they released him on July 21, having pitched five innings for the Cubs.[34] TheKansas City Royals then signed Rasmussen and assigned him to theOmaha Royals of the American Association.[35] They promoted him to the major leagues on September 10.[36] On September 29, Rasmussen pitched acomplete game one-hitter against the Angels.[37][38]
In February 1994, Rasmussen signed a minor league contract worth $125,000 with theSan Francisco Giants for the 1994 season.[39] The Giants assigned him to thePhoenix Firebirds of the PCL. He was released on May 2 to make room forTony Menéndez on the roster. He had a 4.20 ERA and led the team with 30 innings pitched at the time.[40] He signed with the Royals on May 27, and was assigned to Omaha.[41] He re-signed with the Royals for the 1995 season, and started the year with Omaha, pitching to a 6–3 record with a 2.89 ERA with Omaha before Kansas City promoted him to the major leagues on June 4.[42] Rasmussen pitched in five games, to a 0–1 record and a 9.00 ERA, before the Royals designated him for assignment. He refused an assignment to Omaha, and was released on July 7.[43] In 1996, he received no offers from major league teams, so he signed with theRimini Baseball Club of theItalian Baseball League.[44] He had a 2–1 record and a 2.30 ERA, but pulled a hamstring and returned to the United States to rehabilitate.[45]
While he was rehabilitating his pulled hamstring, theTampa Bay Devil Rays hired Rasmussen to be theirpitching coach for theButte Copper Kings for the 1996 season.[45] They assigned him to coach for theCharleston RiverDogs in 1997.[46] In 1998, he was hired by theBoston Red Sox to be the pitching coach for theLowell Spinners.[47] Rasmussen stepped away from coaching professional baseball to spend more time with his family. In 2021, he resumed his coaching career withBluefield Ridge Runners in theAppalachian League and later coached theFrederick Keys andBillings Mustangs.[9] He continues to coach inLittle League Baseball.[48]
Rasmussen's grandfatherBill Brubaker played in the major leagues with the Pittsburgh Pirates (1932–1940) and theBoston Braves (1943).[9] Rasmussen resides inTrenton, Michigan, with his wife Renee (née Hayden) and son, Hayden. He is the father of four daughters, Ashley, Stephanie, Brynn and Michelle. He owns and operates Charlevoix Dairy Grille with his wife Renee inCharlevoix, Michigan.[49][50]