Dick Ruthven
Encyclopedia
Richard David Ruthven is a former Major League Baseball
pitcher
with a 14-year career from 1973 to 1986. He played for the Philadelphia Phillies
, Atlanta Braves
and Chicago Cubs
all of the National League
. During his career, Ruthven had a record of 123-127, an ERA of 4.14, and 1145 career strikeouts. His Phillies teams won the National League East title in 1978 and the World Series
in 1980, and his Cubs team won the National League East title in 1984.
He attended Irvington High School (Fremont, California)
and California State University, Fresno
. He has three children, Erik, Sean and Tyler Ruthven
.
in the secondary phase of the 1973 amateur draft
, and made his major league debut on April 17 of the same year. He had been drafted earlier by the Baltimore Orioles
(20th round, 1969) and by the Minnesota Twins
(1st round, 1972), but did not sign with either team.
In his rookie season of 1973, Ruthven pitched 25 games, starting 23. He finished the season 6-9 with a 4.21 earned run average for a team that finished in last place in the National League Eastern Division with a 71-91 record.
In 1974, Ruthven started 35 games and pitched over 200 innings for the first time (212 2/3). He had a record of 9-13 with a 4.02 ERA, as the Phillies improved their overall record to 80-82, good enough for third place. He also set his career record for strikeouts with 153.
In 1975, injuries limited Ruthven to 11 games and seven starts. He went 2-2 with a 4.20 ERA.
and pitcher Roy Thomas to the Chicago White Sox
for pitcher Jim Kaat
and infielder Mike Buskey. Two days later, the White Sox traded Ruthven to the Atlanta Braves
with outfielder Ken Henderson
and pitcher Danny Osborn for outfielder Ralph Garr
and infielder Larvell Blanks
.
With the Braves, Ruthven had a solid 1976 season. He made the National League All-Star team for the first time before fading in the latter part of the season. He finished the season 14-17 with a 4.19 ERA in 36 starts. The 17 losses and 36 starts were both career highs. However, the Braves finished last in the National League Western Division, going 70-92.
In 1977, Ruthven again battled injuries, pitching in 25 games (23 starts). Even though his ERA didn't change much (rising to 4.23), Ruthven finished with only a 7-13 record for a Braves team that lost 101 games.
to Atlanta. Ruthven was stellar with the Phillies, going 13-5 from June 15 to the end of the regular season, with a 2.99 ERA. For the entire season, Ruthven's record was 15-11 with a 3.38 ERA. His contributions helped the Phillies win 90 games and capture the Eastern Division title, the team's third division in a row. He pitched one game against the Los Angeles Dodgers in the 1978 National League Championship Series
, losing game 2 of a series the Phillies lost in four games.
1979 started great for Ruthven, who sprinted out to a 6-0 record and a 1.65 ERA as of May 9. Unfortunately, injuries would plague Ruthven for the rest of the season, and he would only win one more game the rest of the season, finishing 7-5 with a 4.27 ERA. Injuries hit other Phillies pitcher, and the three-time Division Champs fell to fourth place in the National League East, 14 games behind the eventual World Champion Pittsburgh Pirates.
His best season may have been in 1980, a year he did not make the All-Star team. He finished the season with a career-high 17 wins, and had a 3.55 ERA in 33 games started. Ironically, though he started every game during the season, Ruthven came in as a relief pitcher in the pivotal 5th game of the National League Championship Series, pitching two shutout innings to earn the victory in the 10th inning, capping a Phils comeback in a game that the team faced a 5-2 deficit in the 8th inning against Nolan Ryan
. Ruthven pitched the third game of the 1980 World Series
, won by the Royals, without a decision. The Phillies won that Series in six games.
Ruthven charged from the gate in 1981, compiling an 8-3 record before the 1981 baseball strike
began on June 12. Because of his record, Ruthven was named to the National League All-Star team for the second time. However, when play resumed on August 10, Ruthven struggled for the remainder of the season, going 4-4 the rest of the way. For the season, Ruthven finished 12-7 with a high 5.15 ERA. Because of the strike, major league baseball split the 1981 season, and two teams from each division made an extra round of playoffs. The Phillies "won" the first-half title, but lost the 1981 National League Division Series
to the Montreal Expos
in five games. Ruthven lost Game 2 to the Expos.
In 1982, Ruthven pitched in 33 games (31 starts), and pitched over 200 innings for the fifth time. Though he had a decent ERA (3.79), Ruthven was a .500 pitcher that season, finishing with an 11-11 record. The Phillies finished second in the division, three games behind the eventual World Champion St. Louis Cardinals.
, along with minor league pitcher Bill Johnson, for relief pitcher Willie Hernandez
. While the Phillies won the National League pennant that season, the Cubs would finish fifth with a 71-91 record, 19 games behind the Phillies. Ruthven pitched better for the Cubs, going 12-9 with a 4.10 ERA. 1983 would be the last season in which Ruthven would win ten or more games.
In 1984, Ruthven began a downward slide in his effectiveness. He started the season as the opening day starter for the Cubs, winning on April 3 against the San Francisco Giants
. Even though the Cubs would win the division with 96 victories, Ruthven would win only six games against ten losses, compiled in 23 games (22 starts). His ERA also ballooned, rising to 5.04. It was his lowest win total since 1975. Ruthven did not appear in the 1984 National League Championship Series
, which the Cubs lost in five games to the San Diego Padres.
In 1985, the Cubs slid to 77-84, and Ruthven only made fifteen starts and five relief appearances. He finished with a 4-7 record, with a 4.53 ERA.
In 1986, Ruthven lost his starting spot in the Cubs' rotation. He made just six relief appearances, and his ERA had risen to 5.06. On May 6, 1986, he was released by the Cubs, ending Ruthven's major league career.
Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League...
pitcher
Pitcher
In baseball, the pitcher is the player who throwsthe baseball from the pitcher's mound toward the catcher to begin each play, with the goal of retiring a batter, who attempts to either make contact with the pitched ball or draw a walk. In the numbering system used to record defensive plays, the...
with a 14-year career from 1973 to 1986. He played for the Philadelphia Phillies
Philadelphia Phillies
The Philadelphia Phillies are a Major League Baseball team. They are the oldest continuous, one-name, one-city franchise in all of professional American sports, dating to 1883. The Phillies are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League...
, Atlanta Braves
Atlanta Braves
The Atlanta Braves are a professional baseball club based in Atlanta, Georgia. The Braves are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League. The Braves have played in Turner Field since 1997....
and Chicago Cubs
Chicago Cubs
The Chicago Cubs are a professional baseball team located in Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the Central Division of Major League Baseball's National League. They are one of two Major League clubs based in Chicago . The Cubs are also one of the two remaining charter members of the National...
all of the National League
National League
The National League of Professional Baseball Clubs, known simply as the National League , is the older of two leagues constituting Major League Baseball, and the world's oldest extant professional team sports league. Founded on February 2, 1876, to replace the National Association of Professional...
. During his career, Ruthven had a record of 123-127, an ERA of 4.14, and 1145 career strikeouts. His Phillies teams won the National League East title in 1978 and the World Series
World Series
The World Series is the annual championship series of Major League Baseball, played between the American League and National League champions since 1903. The winner of the World Series championship is determined through a best-of-seven playoff and awarded the Commissioner's Trophy...
in 1980, and his Cubs team won the National League East title in 1984.
He attended Irvington High School (Fremont, California)
Irvington High School (Fremont, California)
Irvington High School is an American public high school located in Fremont, California. It is one of five public high schools in the Fremont Unified School District.-Campus:...
and California State University, Fresno
California State University, Fresno
California State University, Fresno, often referred to as Fresno State University and synonymously known in athletics as Fresno State , is one of the leading campuses of the California State University system, located at the northeast edge of Fresno, California, USA.The campus sits at the foot of...
. He has three children, Erik, Sean and Tyler Ruthven
Tyler Ruthven
Tyler Ruthven is an American soccer player, currently playing for Atlanta Silverbacks in the North American Soccer League.-College and Amateur:...
.
Draft and Early Philly Years
He was the first pick of the Philadelphia PhilliesPhiladelphia Phillies
The Philadelphia Phillies are a Major League Baseball team. They are the oldest continuous, one-name, one-city franchise in all of professional American sports, dating to 1883. The Phillies are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League...
in the secondary phase of the 1973 amateur draft
1973 Major League Baseball Draft
-First round selections:The following are the first round picks in the 1973 Major League Baseball draft.* Did not sign- Background :Four dominating players of the late 70s and 80s were selected in the June regular phase...
, and made his major league debut on April 17 of the same year. He had been drafted earlier by the Baltimore Orioles
Baltimore Orioles
The Baltimore Orioles are a professional baseball team based in Baltimore, Maryland in the United States. They are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's American League. One of the American League's eight charter franchises in 1901, it spent its first year as a major league...
(20th round, 1969) and by the Minnesota Twins
Minnesota Twins
The Minnesota Twins are a professional baseball team based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. They play in the Central Division of Major League Baseball's American League. The team is named after the Twin Cities area of Minneapolis and St. Paul. They played in Metropolitan Stadium from 1961 to 1981 and the...
(1st round, 1972), but did not sign with either team.
In his rookie season of 1973, Ruthven pitched 25 games, starting 23. He finished the season 6-9 with a 4.21 earned run average for a team that finished in last place in the National League Eastern Division with a 71-91 record.
In 1974, Ruthven started 35 games and pitched over 200 innings for the first time (212 2/3). He had a record of 9-13 with a 4.02 ERA, as the Phillies improved their overall record to 80-82, good enough for third place. He also set his career record for strikeouts with 153.
In 1975, injuries limited Ruthven to 11 games and seven starts. He went 2-2 with a 4.20 ERA.
Atlanta Braves
In December, 1975, Ruthven was traded twice. On December 10, Ruthven was traded by the Phillies along with position player Alan BannisterAlan Bannister
Alan Bannister is a retired professional baseball player who played for the Philadelphia Phillies , Chicago White Sox , Cleveland Indians , Houston Astros and Texas Rangers...
and pitcher Roy Thomas to the Chicago White Sox
Chicago White Sox
The Chicago White Sox are a Major League Baseball team located in Chicago, Illinois.The White Sox play in the American League's Central Division. Since , the White Sox have played in U.S. Cellular Field, which was originally called New Comiskey Park and nicknamed The Cell by local fans...
for pitcher Jim Kaat
Jim Kaat
James Lee "Jim" Kaat , nicknamed "Kitty", is a former pitcher in Major League Baseball for the Washington Senators/Minnesota Twins , Chicago White Sox , Philadelphia Phillies , New York Yankees , and St...
and infielder Mike Buskey. Two days later, the White Sox traded Ruthven to the Atlanta Braves
Atlanta Braves
The Atlanta Braves are a professional baseball club based in Atlanta, Georgia. The Braves are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League. The Braves have played in Turner Field since 1997....
with outfielder Ken Henderson
Ken Henderson
Kenneth Joseph Henderson was an outfielder for the San Francisco Giants , Chicago White Sox , Atlanta Braves , Texas Rangers , New York Mets , Cincinnati Reds and Chicago Cubs .He helped the Giants to win the National League Western Division in 1971 and the Reds to win the NL West in...
and pitcher Danny Osborn for outfielder Ralph Garr
Ralph Garr
Ralph Allen Garr is a former Major League Baseball player who played outfield for the Atlanta Braves, Chicago White Sox and California Angels. He batted left-handed and threw right...
and infielder Larvell Blanks
Larvell Blanks
Larvell Blanks is a retired American Major League Baseball infielder.Drafted by the Atlanta Braves in the 3rd round of the 1969 MLB amateur draft, Blanks would make his Major League Baseball debut with the Atlanta Braves on July 19, 1972, and appeared in his final game on August 3, 1980.Blanks'...
.
With the Braves, Ruthven had a solid 1976 season. He made the National League All-Star team for the first time before fading in the latter part of the season. He finished the season 14-17 with a 4.19 ERA in 36 starts. The 17 losses and 36 starts were both career highs. However, the Braves finished last in the National League Western Division, going 70-92.
In 1977, Ruthven again battled injuries, pitching in 25 games (23 starts). Even though his ERA didn't change much (rising to 4.23), Ruthven finished with only a 7-13 record for a Braves team that lost 101 games.
Second Time with Phillies
In 1978, Ruthven struggled coming out of the gate, starting with only a 2-6 record for the Braves, though his ERA had actually improved some (4.10), when he was re-acquired by the Phillies on June 15. For Ruthven, the Phillies sent popular relief pitcher Gene GarberGene Garber
Henry Eugene Garber is a former sidearm relief pitcher in Major League Baseball. He was selected by the Pittsburgh Pirates in the 20th round of the amateur draft, and pitched for the Pirates, the Kansas City Royals, the Philadelphia Phillies, and the Atlanta Braves.Upon his retirement in , his...
to Atlanta. Ruthven was stellar with the Phillies, going 13-5 from June 15 to the end of the regular season, with a 2.99 ERA. For the entire season, Ruthven's record was 15-11 with a 3.38 ERA. His contributions helped the Phillies win 90 games and capture the Eastern Division title, the team's third division in a row. He pitched one game against the Los Angeles Dodgers in the 1978 National League Championship Series
1978 National League Championship Series
-Game 1:Wednesday, October 4, 1978 at Veterans Stadium in Philadelphia, PennsylvaniaBecause of having to start an NL East-clinching game a few days earlier, Phillies ace Steve Carlton wasn't available for the start of the series, leaving the task to Larry Christenson...
, losing game 2 of a series the Phillies lost in four games.
1979 started great for Ruthven, who sprinted out to a 6-0 record and a 1.65 ERA as of May 9. Unfortunately, injuries would plague Ruthven for the rest of the season, and he would only win one more game the rest of the season, finishing 7-5 with a 4.27 ERA. Injuries hit other Phillies pitcher, and the three-time Division Champs fell to fourth place in the National League East, 14 games behind the eventual World Champion Pittsburgh Pirates.
His best season may have been in 1980, a year he did not make the All-Star team. He finished the season with a career-high 17 wins, and had a 3.55 ERA in 33 games started. Ironically, though he started every game during the season, Ruthven came in as a relief pitcher in the pivotal 5th game of the National League Championship Series, pitching two shutout innings to earn the victory in the 10th inning, capping a Phils comeback in a game that the team faced a 5-2 deficit in the 8th inning against Nolan Ryan
Nolan Ryan
Lynn Nolan Ryan, Jr. , nicknamed "The Ryan Express", is a former Major League Baseball pitcher. He is currently principal owner, president and CEO of the Texas Rangers....
. Ruthven pitched the third game of the 1980 World Series
1980 World Series
-Game 1:Tuesday, October 14, 1980 at Veterans Stadium in Philadelphia, PennsylvaniaThe Royals jumped on Philly rookie starter Bob Walk early with a pair of two run bombs—one by Amos Otis in the second and another by Willie Aikens in the third...
, won by the Royals, without a decision. The Phillies won that Series in six games.
Ruthven charged from the gate in 1981, compiling an 8-3 record before the 1981 baseball strike
1981 baseball strike
The 1981 Major League Baseball strike was the fifth work stoppage in Major League Baseball since the 1972 Major League Baseball strike. The strike began on June 12 and forced the cancellation of 713 games in the middle of the regular season.An estimated $146 million was lost in player salaries,...
began on June 12. Because of his record, Ruthven was named to the National League All-Star team for the second time. However, when play resumed on August 10, Ruthven struggled for the remainder of the season, going 4-4 the rest of the way. For the season, Ruthven finished 12-7 with a high 5.15 ERA. Because of the strike, major league baseball split the 1981 season, and two teams from each division made an extra round of playoffs. The Phillies "won" the first-half title, but lost the 1981 National League Division Series
1981 National League Division Series
-Philadelphia Phillies vs. Montreal Expos:-Game 1, October 6:Astrodome in Houston, TexasFernando Valenzuela faced Nolan Ryan, a matchup worthy of a pitcher's duel. The game remained scoreless until the bottom of the sixth. Tony Scott singled home Terry Puhl to score the game's first run, but Steve...
to the Montreal Expos
1981 Montreal Expos season
The Montreal Expos made it to the postseason for the only time in franchise history. The season was separated into two halves due to the 1981 Major League Baseball strike.- Offseason :...
in five games. Ruthven lost Game 2 to the Expos.
In 1982, Ruthven pitched in 33 games (31 starts), and pitched over 200 innings for the fifth time. Though he had a decent ERA (3.79), Ruthven was a .500 pitcher that season, finishing with an 11-11 record. The Phillies finished second in the division, three games behind the eventual World Champion St. Louis Cardinals.
Traded to Cubs and Retirement
1983 started out terribly for Ruthven. He started the season with a 1-3 record and a 5.61 ERA for the Phillies. On May 22, the Phillies traded Ruthven to the Chicago CubsChicago Cubs
The Chicago Cubs are a professional baseball team located in Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the Central Division of Major League Baseball's National League. They are one of two Major League clubs based in Chicago . The Cubs are also one of the two remaining charter members of the National...
, along with minor league pitcher Bill Johnson, for relief pitcher Willie Hernandez
Willie Hernández
Guillermo "Willie" Hernández Villanueva is a former relief pitcher for the Chicago Cubs , Philadelphia Phillies , and the Detroit Tigers . He threw and batted left-handed.-Career:...
. While the Phillies won the National League pennant that season, the Cubs would finish fifth with a 71-91 record, 19 games behind the Phillies. Ruthven pitched better for the Cubs, going 12-9 with a 4.10 ERA. 1983 would be the last season in which Ruthven would win ten or more games.
In 1984, Ruthven began a downward slide in his effectiveness. He started the season as the opening day starter for the Cubs, winning on April 3 against the San Francisco Giants
San Francisco Giants
The San Francisco Giants are a Major League Baseball team based in San Francisco, California, playing in the National League West Division....
. Even though the Cubs would win the division with 96 victories, Ruthven would win only six games against ten losses, compiled in 23 games (22 starts). His ERA also ballooned, rising to 5.04. It was his lowest win total since 1975. Ruthven did not appear in the 1984 National League Championship Series
1984 National League Championship Series
-Game 1:Tuesday, October 2, 1984 at Wrigley Field in Chicago, IllinoisBob Dernier led off the game for the Cubs with a homer, and things went steadily downhill for the Padres as Chicago romped to a crushing 13–0 win in their first postseason game since 1945. Gary Matthews also homered in the first...
, which the Cubs lost in five games to the San Diego Padres.
In 1985, the Cubs slid to 77-84, and Ruthven only made fifteen starts and five relief appearances. He finished with a 4-7 record, with a 4.53 ERA.
In 1986, Ruthven lost his starting spot in the Cubs' rotation. He made just six relief appearances, and his ERA had risen to 5.06. On May 6, 1986, he was released by the Cubs, ending Ruthven's major league career.