Rick Burleson
Shbortstop Rick Burleson once said, "What I can do for a club is play every day and hit .275 and hustle all the time." He was spot on. The little guy nicknamed "Rooster" hit .273 in his 13-year career, winning a Gold Glove and making the All-Star team four times. What he lacked in power (he hit just 50 homers) and basestealing (he was a 50% stealer for his career), Burleson made up for with his sharp baseball instincts. Red Sox manager Darrell Johnson called him the heart of the Boston team that won the 1975 American League pennant. Burleson batted just .252 that season but he shoed amazing range at shortstop and gathered enough support to finish 13th in Most Valuable Player voting. After the 1980 season he was traded to the California Angels along with Butch Hobson for three coveted players: reliever Mark Clear, center fielder Rick Miller, and third baseman Carney Lansford. That the Halos gave up so much to get Burleson underscored his value. The fact that California shortstops had averaged 44 errors the previous two seasons was sufficent motivation as well.
Played For
Boston Red Sox (1974-1980)
California Angels (1981-1986)
Baltimore Orioles (1987)
Best Season: 1979
He committed just 10 errors for a .980 fielding percentage, led the league in putouts and assists, and scored a career-high 93 runs. He won his only Gold Glove.
As a Manager
Burleson managed in the minor leagues from 1997 through 2008, in several different leagues and organizations.
Born
Richard Paul Burleson was born on April 29, 1951, in Lynwood, CA.
Batted: Right
Threw: Right
Primary Position: SS
Primary Team: BOS
College: Cerritos JC
Major League Debut
May 4, 1974
Nine Other Players Who Debuted in 1974
Robin Yount
Gary Carter
Jim Rice
Keith Hernandez
Fred Lynn
Jim Sundberg
Kent Tekulve
Dennis Leonard
John Montefusco
Nicknames
Rooster
| Hall of Fame Voting |
| Year |
Election |
Votes |
Pct |
| 1993 |
BBWAA |
0 |
% |
|
Post-Season Appearances
1975 American League Championship Series
1975 World Series
1986 American League Championship Series
Awards and Honors
1979 AL Gold Glove
Notes
In 1980, Burleson turned down a $400,000 multi-year contract offer from the Red Sox. Burleson cited the $700,000 that Garry Templeton was getting from the Cardinals as evidence that he was worth more per season.
Hitting Streaks
16 games (1980)
15 games (1981)
All-Star Selections
1977 AL
1978 AL
1979 AL
1981 AL
Best Strength as a Player
His throwing arm. In a poll of American League managers during the 1979 season, Burleson was voted as having the best throwing arm of any infielder.
Learn More about Rick Burleson
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