Intro

Rick Reuschel didn't look like a major league pitcher, but he parlayed his mastery of a nasty sinker and the split-finger pitch, which he learned from Roger Craig, into a 19-year career and 214 wins. At 40 years old, he started the 1989 All-Star Game, surrendering back-to-back homers to Bo Jackson and Wade Boggs to begin the contest. The right-handed Illinois-native won 20 games in 1977 for the Cubs, and as many as 14 games in a season eight times.

Unform Number

#48 (1972-1981, 1984-1991), #36 (1981 Yankees), #47 (1984-1984 Cubs)

Quotes From

"I know a lot pf players don't like this weather, but it makes me feel good." — Rick Reuschel on why he liked to pitch at cool and windy Wrigley Field.

Replaced By

Trevor Wilson took his slot in the Giants starting rotation, in 1990

Best Season

Reuschel was 20-10 with a 2.79 ERA. Over the stretch of eight starts from June 6 through July 7, Reuschel allowed just three earned runs in 57 1/3 innings (0.47 ERA). At one point in the season he was 15-3, and at the end of August he was 19-5 before losing five of his last six decisions.

Factoid 1

Rick Reuschel was 75-57 with a 3.64 ERA in Chicago's Wrigley Field, as compared to 140-134, 3.22 elsewhere... After leaving the Cubs, Reuschel posted an 11-3 record against his old team, with an amazing 1.66 ERA in 18 games.

Transition

June 4, 1970: Drafted by the Chicago Cubs in the 3rd round of the 1970 amateur draft; June 12, 1981: Traded by the Chicago Cubs to the New York Yankees for a player to be named later, Doug Bird, and $400000 cash. The New York Yankees sent Mike Griffin (August 5, 1981) to the Chicago Cubs to complete the trade; June 9, 1983: Released by the New York Yankees; June 28, 1983: Signed as a Free Agent with the Chicago Cubs; November 8, 1984: Granted Free Agency; February 28, 1985: Signed as a Free Agent with the Pittsburgh Pirates; August 21, 1987: Traded by the Pittsburgh Pirates to the San Francisco Giants for Jeff Robinson and Scott Medvin; June 19, 1991: Released by the San Francisco Giants.

Strengths

His sinkerball and split-finger.

Weaknesses

No glaring weakness.