Rick Reed (pitcher)
Encyclopedia
Richard Allen Reed is a former starting pitcher
in Major League Baseball
who played for the Pittsburgh Pirates
(1988–1991), Kansas City Royals
(1992–1993), Texas Rangers
(1993–1994), Cincinnati Reds
(1995), New York Mets
(1997–2001) and Minnesota Twins
(2001–2003). He batted and threw right-handed.
After playing for Marshall University
, Reed was drafted by the Pittsburgh Pirates in the 26th round of the 1986 Major League Baseball Draft
. He made his major league debut for Pittsburgh in 1988, but saw only limited playing time each year through 1991. After 1991, he spent several years in the minors. 1995 was his tenth year of pro ball and he agreed to be a replacement player for the Cincinnati Reds during the 1994 Major League Baseball strike. After the strike, he was recalled by Cincinnati to the consternation of several of his teammates who had gone on strike. Reed did not pitch well and was released.
In 1997, Reed found his major league stride with the New York Mets, going 13-9 and ending sixth in the National League
with a 2.89 ERA
for the New York Mets. His most productive season came in 1998, when he won 16 games and held a 3.48 ERA, striking out
153 batters while walking
just 29. An All-Star in 1998 and 2001, he also was a member of the Mets team that faced the New York Yankees
in the Subway Series
.
Reed was traded by the Mets to the Minnesota Twins for outfielder
Matt Lawton
in the 2001 midseason. He won 15 games for Minnesota in 2002 and retired in 2003 after going 6-12.
In a 15-season career, Reed posted a 93-76 record with 970 strikeouts and a 4.03 ERA.
In 2005, Reed returned to Marshall University as the pitching coach
for the Thundering Herd's baseball team.
Starting pitcher
In baseball or softball, a starting pitcher is the pitcher who delivers the first pitch to the first batter of a game. A pitcher who enters the game after the first pitch of the game is a relief pitcher....
in Major League Baseball
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...
who played for the Pittsburgh Pirates
Pittsburgh Pirates
The Pittsburgh Pirates are a Major League Baseball club based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. They play in the Central Division of the National League, and are five-time World Series Champions...
(1988–1991), Kansas City Royals
Kansas City Royals
The Kansas City Royals are a Major League Baseball team based in Kansas City, Missouri. The Royals are a member of the Central Division of Major League Baseball's American League. From 1973 to the present, the Royals have played in Kauffman Stadium...
(1992–1993), Texas Rangers
Texas Rangers (baseball)
The Texas Rangers are a professional baseball team in the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex, based in Arlington, Texas. The Rangers are a member of the Western Division of Major League Baseball's American League, and are the reigning A.L. Western Division and A.L. Champions. Since , the Rangers have...
(1993–1994), Cincinnati Reds
Cincinnati Reds
The Cincinnati Reds are a Major League Baseball team based in Cincinnati, Ohio. They are members of the National League Central Division. The club was established in 1882 as a charter member of the American Association and joined the National League in 1890....
(1995), New York Mets
New York Mets
The New York Mets are a professional baseball team based in the borough of Queens in New York City, New York. They belong to Major League Baseball's National League East Division. One of baseball's first expansion teams, the Mets were founded in 1962 to replace New York's departed National League...
(1997–2001) and 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...
(2001–2003). He batted and threw right-handed.
After playing for Marshall University
Marshall University
Marshall University is a coeducational public research university in Huntington, West Virginia, United States founded in 1837, and named after John Marshall, the fourth Chief Justice of the United States....
, Reed was drafted by the Pittsburgh Pirates in the 26th round of the 1986 Major League Baseball Draft
1986 Major League Baseball Draft
The 1986 Major League Baseball Draft was the 22nd MLB draft that took place in 1986. During this draft, five all-stars were drafted in five different teams.-First round selections:...
. He made his major league debut for Pittsburgh in 1988, but saw only limited playing time each year through 1991. After 1991, he spent several years in the minors. 1995 was his tenth year of pro ball and he agreed to be a replacement player for the Cincinnati Reds during the 1994 Major League Baseball strike. After the strike, he was recalled by Cincinnati to the consternation of several of his teammates who had gone on strike. Reed did not pitch well and was released.
In 1997, Reed found his major league stride with the New York Mets, going 13-9 and ending sixth in 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...
with a 2.89 ERA
Earned run average
In baseball statistics, earned run average is the mean of earned runs given up by a pitcher per nine innings pitched. It is determined by dividing the number of earned runs allowed by the number of innings pitched and multiplying by nine...
for the New York Mets. His most productive season came in 1998, when he won 16 games and held a 3.48 ERA, striking out
Strikeout
In baseball or softball, a strikeout or strike-out occurs when a batter receives three strikes during his time at bat. A strikeout is a statistic recorded for both pitchers and batters....
153 batters while walking
Base on balls
A base on balls is credited to a batter and against a pitcher in baseball statistics when a batter receives four pitches that the umpire calls balls. It is better known as a walk. The base on balls is defined in Section 2.00 of baseball's Official Rules, and further detail is given in 6.08...
just 29. An All-Star in 1998 and 2001, he also was a member of the Mets team that faced the New York Yankees
New York Yankees
The New York Yankees are a professional baseball team based in the The Bronx, New York. They compete in Major League Baseball in the American League's East Division...
in the Subway Series
2000 World Series
-Game 1:Saturday, October 21, 2000 at Yankee Stadium in Bronx, New YorkThe opener fell on two anniversaries. Twenty-five years prior, Boston Red Sox's catcher Carlton Fisk ended Game 6 of the 1975 World Series with his famous home run off the left field foul pole in Fenway Park in Boston to beat...
.
Reed was traded by the Mets to the Minnesota Twins for outfielder
Outfielder
Outfielder is a generic term applied to each of the people playing in the three defensive positions in baseball farthest from the batter. These defenders are the left fielder, the center fielder, and the right fielder...
Matt Lawton
Matt Lawton
Matthew "Matt" Lawton, Jr. is a retired professional baseball whose career spanned 15 seasons, including 12 seasons in Major League Baseball. Lawton, an outfielder, made his major league debut September 5, 1995, with the Minnesota Twins, who signed him four years prior...
in the 2001 midseason. He won 15 games for Minnesota in 2002 and retired in 2003 after going 6-12.
In a 15-season career, Reed posted a 93-76 record with 970 strikeouts and a 4.03 ERA.
In 2005, Reed returned to Marshall University as the pitching coach
Coach (baseball)
In baseball, a number of coaches assist in the smooth functioning of a team. They are assistants to the manager, or head coach, who determines the lineup and decides how to substitute players during the game...
for the Thundering Herd's baseball team.