| Rick Reuschel | |
|---|---|
 Reuschel with the Chicago Cubs in 1973 | |
| Pitcher | |
| Born: (1949-05-16)May 16, 1949 (age 75) Quincy, Illinois, U.S. | |
Batted: Right Threw: Right | |
| MLB debut | |
| June 19, 1972, for the Chicago Cubs | |
| Last MLB appearance | |
| April 22, 1991, for the San Francisco Giants | |
| MLB statistics | |
| Win–loss record | 214–191 |
| Earned run average | 3.37 |
| Strikeouts | 2,015 |
Stats atBaseball Reference  | |
| Teams | |
| Career highlights and awards | |
Rickey Eugene Reuschel (RUSH-el, born May 16, 1949) is anAmerican former professionalbaseball player. He played inMajor League Baseball as a right-handedpitcher from 1972 to 1991, winning 214 games with a career 3.37 ERA.[1][2] His nickname was "Big Daddy" because his speed belied his portly physique.[3] He was known for his deceptive style of pitching, which kepthitters off balance by constantly varying the speeds of his pitches.[4]
Reuschel was listed as 6-foot-4 and 225 pounds. Reuschel could run surprisingly well for his size (logging four triples in his batting career) and he was frequently used as a pinch runner on days he was not pitching. He was also a fair—though awkward-looking—hitter, batting well over .200 several times.[1] His older brotherPaul Reuschel also pitched for the Cubs from 1975 to 1978, as Rick's teammate. Paul's career ended with the Cleveland Indians in 1979.[5] The Reuschel brothers were Illinois farm boys, with strong physiques and plain-spoken ways. The two are the only siblings to combine on ashutout.[3] On August 21,1975, Rick started and went 6⅓innings against theLos Angeles Dodgers, followed by Paul, who pitched the final 2⅔ innings for the Cubs' 7–0 win.[6]
Reuschel attendedCentral High School inCamp Point, Illinois. After high school he played atWestern Illinois University inMacomb, Illinois. Rueschel was the Cubs 3rd Round pick (#67) in the 1970 Amateur Draft out of Western Illinois, after he went 10-0 with a 1.29 ERA as a junior in 1969.[7][8]
In 1970, Reuschel went 9-2 with a 3.53 ERA in fourteen starts for the Class AHuron Cubs of the Northern League. In 1971, Reuschel went 8-4 with a 2.31 ERA in sixteen starts for the Class AASan Antonio Missions of the Dixie Association, where he was teammates with his older brother, pitcherPaul Reuschel.[9][7]
With the Class AAAWichita Aeros of the American Association, Reuschel was 9-2 in twelve starts with a 1.32 ERA, before being called up by the Chicago Cubs to make his major league debut on June 19, 1972.[1]
Reuschel began hisMajor League Baseball career when he was drafted in the third round of the1970 Major League Baseball draft by theChicago Cubs,[3][10] at a time when they were declining in the post-Durocher era, and provided a strong arm for the Cubs' increasingly mediocre staff. After spending two years in theminor leagues, he joined the Cubs' major league team in1972.[2] His best season was in1977, when the Cubs made a brief run at thepennant. Reuschel won twenty games and finished third in theCy Young Award voting behindSteve Carlton andTommy John.[1][11] In addition, Reuschel pitched in a memorable game for Cub fans on July 28, 1977, when making a rare relief appearance on two days' rest, he entered the 13th inning of a 15–15 tie between the Cubs and theCincinnati Reds atWrigley Field. Reuschel retired two batters to end the top of the 13th. Then, he singled and scored the game-winning run in the bottom of the 13th, also picking up the victory in the 16–15 contest.[12]
Reuschel was traded to theNew York Yankees in1981.[10] Reuschel was 4-4 with a 2.67 ERA in eleven starts with the Yankees, pitched six innings, giving up two runs against theMilwaukee Brewers in theAL Division Series, and made his firstWorld Series appearance, with a 4.91 ERA in two games.[13] The 1981 World Series marked the last chapter of the Dodgers-Yankees trilogy of that era, this one won by the Dodgers. Reuschel was ineffective in that Series, and it appeared his career might be finished.[13][1]
Reuschel did not pitch in 1982 due to a rotator-cuff injury. He returned to the Cubs and went 6-6 combined in 1983 and 1984, spending a good portion of 1983 rehabbing in the minor leagues.[7][14]
He returned to the Cubs and was on the roster in1984 when they won theNational League Eastern Division and made the playoffs,[15] but, somewhat controversially, he was not named to the playoff roster.[citation needed]
In twelve total seasons with the Cubs, Reuschel was 135-127 with a 3.50 ERA in 388 games, with 343 starts with 65 complete games.[16]
Reuschel was signed by thePittsburgh Pirates in1985 as afree agent,[10] and had a 14–8 win–loss record with the last-place Pirates,[1] earning him the National League'sComeback Player of the Year award.[17][18]
Reuschel was 31-30 with a 3.04 ERA in 91 games with the Pirates.[16]
The Pirates traded Reuschel to theSan Francisco Giants in late1987 forJeff Robinson andScott Medvin.[10]
Reuschel, finally back with a contender, became the ace of the Giants' staff and helped them make a late run to the National League Western Division title, their first division title since1971, as well as leading the National League with twelve complete games and four shutouts. He followed that season by winning nineteen games for the Giants in 1988.[1][4]
In1989 at the age of 40, Reuschel was selected as the starting pitcher for the National League in the1989 All-Star Game, and gave up back-to-backhome runs, toBo Jackson andWade Boggs, to start the game.[19] Reuschel finished the1989 season with seventeen wins for the Giants as he helped lead them to theWorld Series (their first since1962).[20] In the1989 World Series, Reuschel was the losing pitcher in Game 2 with an 11.25ERA, five earned runs, and five hits given up against theOakland Athletics.[21]
With the Giants, Reuschel was 44-30 with a 3.29 ERA in 96 games.[16]
Reuschel is one of only two pitchers in MLB history (along withFrank Tanana) to give up a home run to bothHank Aaron andBarry Bonds, two of the most prolific home run hitters in baseball history. This is notable because Aaron retired nearly a decade before Barry Bonds reached the major leagues.[22]
| W | L | PCT | ERA | G | GS | CG | SHO | SV | IP | H | ER | R | HR | BB | SO | WP | HBP |
| 214 | 191 | .528 | 3.37 | 557 | 529 | 102 | 26 | 5 | 3548.1 | 3588 | 1494 | 1330 | 221 | 935 | 2015 | 89 | 88 |
In a nineteen-year major league career, Reuschel compiled a record of 214–191 in 557 games (529 starts).[1] He had 102 careercomplete games and 26 of those wereshutouts. He allowed 1,330earned runs and 2,015strikeouts in 3,548.1innings pitched.[1]
Reuschel was a two-timeGold Glove Award winner and a three-time All-Star.[23] Reuschel is tied for 91st withMark Buehrle on theall-time wins list. Reuschel won theHutch Award in1985,[24] and was also a winner ofThe Sporting News Comeback Player of the Year Award.[17] Reuschel was named to theBaseball Digest 1972 Rookie All-Star team.[25]