Rick Reuschel

Big Daddy: The deceptive right-hander who won 214 games.

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Rickey Eugene Reuschel (born May 16, 1949) is an American former professional baseball player. He played in Major League Baseball as a right-handed pitcher from 1972 to 1991, winning 214 games with a career 3.37 ERA. His nickname was 'Big Daddy' because his speed belied his portly physique. He was known for his deceptive style of pitching, which kept hitters off balance by constantly varying the speeds of his pitches.

Quick Facts

Position: Pitcher
Bats: Right
Born: 16 May 1949
Birthplace: Quincy, Illinois, U.S.
Debut league: MLB
Debut date: June 19
Debut year: 1972
Debut team: Chicago Cubs

Lore & Background

Reuschel was listed as 6-foot-4 and 225 pounds. He could run surprisingly well for his size (logging four triples in his batting career) and he was 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. His older brother Paul Reuschel also pitched for the Cubs from 1975 to 1978, as Rick's teammate. The Reuschel brothers are the only siblings to combine on a shutout. On August 21, 1975, Rick started and went innings against the Los Angeles Dodgers, followed by Paul, who pitched the final innings for the Cubs' 7–0 win.

Reader's Guide

Reuschel attended Central High School in Camp Point, Illinois, and played at Western Illinois University. He was the Cubs' 3rd Round pick (#67) in the 1970 Amateur Draft. In 1970, he went 9-2 with a 3.53 ERA for the Class A Huron Cubs. In 1971, he went 8-4 with a 2.31 ERA for the Class AA San Antonio Missions, where he was teammates with his brother Paul.

With the Class AAA Wichita Aeros, he was 9-2 with a 1.32 ERA before his MLB debut on June 19, 1972. He played for the Chicago Cubs (1972–1981), New York Yankees (1981), Cubs again (1983–1984), Pittsburgh Pirates (1985–1987), and San Francisco Giants (1987–1991). His best season was 1977 with the Cubs, when he won twenty games and finished third in Cy Young Award voting. He was traded to the Yankees in 1981, made his first World Series appearance, and did not pitch in 1982 due to a rotator-cuff injury.

He returned to the Cubs in 1983–1984 and was on the 1984 playoff roster but not named to the playoff roster. With the Pirates in 1985, he won the National League's Comeback Player of the Year award. With the Giants, he led the NL with twelve complete games and four shutouts in 1987, won nineteen games in 1988, was selected to the 1988 All-Star team but declined due to his wedding, and started the 1989 All-Star Game. He was the losing pitcher in Game 2 of the 1989 World Series.

In twelve total seasons with the Cubs, he was 135-127 with a 3.50 ERA. Overall, he compiled a record of 214–191, 102 complete games, 26 shutouts, 2,015 strikeouts, and a 3.37 ERA. He won two Gold Glove Awards and was a three-time All-Star. He won the Hutch Award in 1985 and The Sporting News Comeback Player of the Year Award. He was named to the Baseball Digest 1972 Rookie All-Star team.