Kirk Rueter
Encyclopedia
Kirk Wesley Rueter is a former left-handed
pitcher
in Major League Baseball
, and is the winningest left-hander in San Francisco Giants
history. Rueter played for the Montreal Expos
and the Giants and made most of his career appearances as a starter
. Rueter attended and played for Murray State University
. He is nicknamed "Woody
" after his resemblance to a character in the animated movie Toy Story
. Rueter was born in Centralia, Illinois
, but grew up in Hoyleton, Illinois
.
in after playing in the Cape Cod League, he broke into the majors in and posted an 8-0 record in 14 games. His years with the Expos were uneven after his breakout year, with a reasonable performance followed by a solid and a mediocre .
That year, the San Francisco Giants traded Mark Leiter
, then the organization's most prominent starting pitcher, to the Expos for Rueter and Tim Scott. Scott was a disappointment, posting an 8.24 ERA with the Giants, but Rueter blossomed into one of the Giants' most dependable starters and was with the team for nine seasons. For many fans, Rueter's defining moment as a Giant was his gutsy bullpen performance in Game 2 of the NLDS, where he relieved starter Shawn Estes
after Estes sprained his ankle on a horrible baserunning play. Rueter proved far more effective in relief than Estes did starting.
, the year of a Giants World Series
appearance, was statistically Rueter's best year. He went 14-8 with a 3.23 ERA
. Rueter was the winning pitcher in Game 4 of the 2002 World Series
; he went 6 innings surrendering 3 earned run
s. Rueter also pitched shut out ball in relief of Liván Hernández
in Game 7 of the 2002 World Series, but the Giants failed to score enough runs to come back.
He began to struggle in with a 9-12 record and a 4.73 ERA. In , after posting a 2-7 record and 5.95 ERA the Giants designated him for assignment. His nine year tenure in San Francisco ended with some controversy. Rueter complained about having to pitch out of the bullpen and only pitching 3 times in his last 41 days as a Giant.
Throughout his career, Rueter was primarily a control and changeup
pitcher. His fastball
rarely hit 90 mph. He threw changeups, fastballs, sinker
s, curveball
s, cut fastballs, and slider
s. Some credited the effects of the QuesTec
umpiring system to his decline, because Rueter's success came mostly from being able to "paint the corners" of the strike zone and the system effectively took that ability away from him because it which encouraged umpires to call a tighter strike zone. Rueter was never a strikeout
pitcher
; he struck out more than a hundred batters in a season only twice in his career.
In 2000, Rueter was the first pitcher to start a major league game at Pacific Bell Park in San Francisco.
Rueter's trademarks were his fast-paced pitching style and his large ears. Rueter resides in Nashville, Illinois
, with his wife and two daughters and his home is famous for its "Shed", a large recreational facility filled with games and sports memorabilia. Rueter also resided at the Shed during the off-seasons of his playing career. When the Giants made trips to St. Louis during the baseball season, Rueter invited the team to relax at his Shed.
On March 6, 2006, Rueter announced his retirement from the game after 13 seasons. He retired as the winningest left-handed pitcher in San Francisco Giants history, with 105 of his 130 career wins in a Giants uniform. Rueter is the 20th winningest pitcher in all-time Giants franchise history. He is the 3rd winningest pitcher in San Francisco Giants history. He made the third most career starts in San Francisco Giants history. Only Juan Marichal
and Gaylord Perry
had more career starts and wins. The Giants honored Rueter's career during pregame ceremonies on "Kirk Rueter Day" at SBC Park on August 19, 2006, by giving Rueter a lifesize bobblehead of his likeness and giving him and his family a trip to Hawaii
.
, he is an avid fan of the Tar Heels basketball
.
Left-handed
Left-handedness is the preference for the left hand over the right for everyday activities such as writing. In ancient times it was seen as a sign of the devil, and was abhorred in many cultures...
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...
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...
, and is the winningest left-hander in 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....
history. Rueter played for the Montreal Expos
Montreal Expos
The Montreal Expos were a Major League Baseball team located in Montreal, Quebec from 1969 through 2004, holding the first MLB franchise awarded outside the United States. After the 2004 season, MLB moved the Expos to Washington, D.C. and renamed them the Nationals.Named after the Expo 67 World's...
and the Giants and made most of his career appearances as a starter
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....
. Rueter attended and played for Murray State University
Murray State University
Murray State University, located in the city of Murray, Kentucky, is a four-year public university with approximately 10,400 students. The school is Kentucky’s only public university to be listed in the U.S.News & World Report regional university top tier for the past 20 consecutive years...
. He is nicknamed "Woody
Sheriff Woody
Sheriff Woody Pride, or simply Woody, is a fictional character and the main protagonist of the Toy Story franchise . He is voiced by Tom Hanks in the films, and by Jim Hanks in most other media.-Toy Story:...
" after his resemblance to a character in the animated movie Toy Story
Toy Story
Toy Story is a 1995 American computer-animated film released by Walt Disney Pictures. It is Pixar's first feature film as well as the first ever feature film to be made entirely with CGI. The film was directed by John Lasseter and featuring the voices of Tom Hanks and Tim Allen...
. Rueter was born in Centralia, Illinois
Centralia, Illinois
Centralia is a town located in Marion, Washington, Clinton, and Jefferson Counties in the U.S. state of Illinois. The population was 13,032 at the 2010 census. The town was founded because it was the point where the two original branches of the Illinois Central Railroad, built in 1853, converged....
, but grew up in Hoyleton, Illinois
Hoyleton, Illinois
Hoyleton is a village in Washington County, Illinois, United States. The population was 531 at the 2010 census. It is the home town of former Montréal Expos and San Francisco Giants left-handed pitcher Kirk Rueter.-Geography:...
.
Professional career
Drafted by the Montreal ExposMontreal Expos
The Montreal Expos were a Major League Baseball team located in Montreal, Quebec from 1969 through 2004, holding the first MLB franchise awarded outside the United States. After the 2004 season, MLB moved the Expos to Washington, D.C. and renamed them the Nationals.Named after the Expo 67 World's...
in after playing in the Cape Cod League, he broke into the majors in and posted an 8-0 record in 14 games. His years with the Expos were uneven after his breakout year, with a reasonable performance followed by a solid and a mediocre .
That year, the San Francisco Giants traded Mark Leiter
Mark Leiter
Mark Edward Leiter is a former right-handed pitcher in Major League Baseball who had an 11-year career from -, . Leiter grew up in Toms River, New Jersey.-Career:...
, then the organization's most prominent starting pitcher, to the Expos for Rueter and Tim Scott. Scott was a disappointment, posting an 8.24 ERA with the Giants, but Rueter blossomed into one of the Giants' most dependable starters and was with the team for nine seasons. For many fans, Rueter's defining moment as a Giant was his gutsy bullpen performance in Game 2 of the NLDS, where he relieved starter Shawn Estes
Shawn Estes
Aaron Shawn Estes is a former Major League Baseball pitcher. After he attended Douglas High School in Minden, Nevada, he was offered a scholarship by Stanford University...
after Estes sprained his ankle on a horrible baserunning play. Rueter proved far more effective in relief than Estes did starting.
, the year of a Giants 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...
appearance, was statistically Rueter's best year. He went 14-8 with a 3.23 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...
. Rueter was the winning pitcher in Game 4 of the 2002 World Series
2002 World Series
The 2002 World Series was a best-of-seven playoff series to determine the champion of Major League Baseball for the 2002 season. It was the 98th such contest between the champions of the American League and National League , and featured the AL champion Anaheim Angels against the NL champion San...
; he went 6 innings surrendering 3 earned run
Earned run
In baseball, an earned run is any run for which the pitcher is held accountable . Any runner who tags his base and reaches home plate is scored against the pitcher as an earned run...
s. Rueter also pitched shut out ball in relief of Liván Hernández
Liván Hernández
Eisler Liván Hernández Carrera is a Cuban professional baseball pitcher. He is the half-brother of pitcher Orlando "El Duque" Hernández.-Playing career:...
in Game 7 of the 2002 World Series, but the Giants failed to score enough runs to come back.
He began to struggle in with a 9-12 record and a 4.73 ERA. In , after posting a 2-7 record and 5.95 ERA the Giants designated him for assignment. His nine year tenure in San Francisco ended with some controversy. Rueter complained about having to pitch out of the bullpen and only pitching 3 times in his last 41 days as a Giant.
Throughout his career, Rueter was primarily a control and changeup
Changeup
A changeup is a type of pitch in baseball. Other names include change-of-pace, Bugs Bunny change-up, the dreaded equalizer, and simply change. The changeup is sometimes called an off-speed pitch, although that term can also be used simply to mean any pitch that is slower than a fastball...
pitcher. His fastball
Fastball
The fastball is the most common type of pitch in baseball. Some "power pitchers," such as Nolan Ryan and Roger Clemens, have thrown it at speeds of 95–106 mph and up to 108.1 mph , relying purely on speed to prevent the ball from being hit...
rarely hit 90 mph. He threw changeups, fastballs, sinker
Sinker (baseball)
In baseball, a sinker , is a type of fastball pitch which has significant downward and horizontal movement. The sinker is known for inducing a lot of ground balls...
s, curveball
Curveball
The curveball is a type of pitch in baseball thrown with a characteristic grip and hand movement that imparts forward spin to the ball causing it to dive in a downward path as it approaches the plate. Its close relatives are the slider and the slurve. The "curve" of the ball varies from pitcher to...
s, cut fastballs, and slider
Slider
In baseball, a slider is a pitch that breaks laterally and down, with a speed between that of a curveball and that of a fastball....
s. Some credited the effects of the QuesTec
QuesTec
QuesTec is a digital media company that pioneered virtual replay from real-time measurement data for baseball and tennis. Years before competitors introduced similar products, QuesTec had established a reputation for accuracy and reliability...
umpiring system to his decline, because Rueter's success came mostly from being able to "paint the corners" of the strike zone and the system effectively took that ability away from him because it which encouraged umpires to call a tighter strike zone. Rueter was never a strikeout
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....
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...
; he struck out more than a hundred batters in a season only twice in his career.
In 2000, Rueter was the first pitcher to start a major league game at Pacific Bell Park in San Francisco.
Rueter's trademarks were his fast-paced pitching style and his large ears. Rueter resides in Nashville, Illinois
Nashville, Illinois
Nashville is a city in Washington County, Illinois, in the United States. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 3,258. It is the county seat of Washington County.-Geography:Nashville is located at ....
, with his wife and two daughters and his home is famous for its "Shed", a large recreational facility filled with games and sports memorabilia. Rueter also resided at the Shed during the off-seasons of his playing career. When the Giants made trips to St. Louis during the baseball season, Rueter invited the team to relax at his Shed.
On March 6, 2006, Rueter announced his retirement from the game after 13 seasons. He retired as the winningest left-handed pitcher in San Francisco Giants history, with 105 of his 130 career wins in a Giants uniform. Rueter is the 20th winningest pitcher in all-time Giants franchise history. He is the 3rd winningest pitcher in San Francisco Giants history. He made the third most career starts in San Francisco Giants history. Only Juan Marichal
Juan Marichal
Juan Antonio Marichal Sánchez is a former right-handed pitcher in Major League Baseball. Playing for the San Francisco Giants most of his career, Marichal was known for his high leg kick, pinpoint control and intimidation tactics, which included aiming pitches directly at the opposing batters'...
and Gaylord Perry
Gaylord Perry
Gaylord Jackson Perry is a former Major League Baseball right-handed pitcher. He pitched from 1962-1983 for eight different teams in his career. During a 22-year baseball career, Perry compiled 314 wins, 3,534 strikeouts, and a 3.11 earned run average...
had more career starts and wins. The Giants honored Rueter's career during pregame ceremonies on "Kirk Rueter Day" at SBC Park on August 19, 2006, by giving Rueter a lifesize bobblehead of his likeness and giving him and his family a trip to Hawaii
Hawaii
Hawaii is the newest of the 50 U.S. states , and is the only U.S. state made up entirely of islands. It is the northernmost island group in Polynesia, occupying most of an archipelago in the central Pacific Ocean, southwest of the continental United States, southeast of Japan, and northeast of...
.
Personal
Although Rueter never attended the University of North CarolinaUniversity of North Carolina
Chartered in 1789, the University of North Carolina was one of the first public universities in the United States and the only one to graduate students in the eighteenth century...
, he is an avid fan of the Tar Heels basketball
North Carolina Tar Heels men's basketball
The North Carolina Tar Heels men's basketball program is the intercollegiate men's basketball of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, and is considered one of the most successful programs in NCAA history...
.