Rich Folkers, baseball player, 1970-1977

Rich Folkers

Born: 10/17/1946 in Waterloo, IA, USA

MLB Debut: 1970-06-10 | Final Game: 1977-06-08

Bats: L | Throws: L | Height: 6'2" | Weight: 180 lbs

Full name: Richard Nevin Folkers

📊 Compare This Player 📈 View Career Timeline

Biography

Rich Folkers was a professional baseball pitcher born in 1946, who made his mark in Major League Baseball from 1970 to 1977. Over the course of his career, he played for multiple teams, showcasing his skills on the mound during a time when the game was evolving with a greater emphasis on pitching stability and strategy. Folkers finished his career with a record of 19-23 and an earned run average (ERA) of 4.11, reflecting the competitive nature of the era in which he played. Known for his ability to strike batters out, Folkers recorded a total of 242 strikeouts and contributed to his teams with 7 saves throughout his time in the league. His playing style emphasized a solid mix of control and power, characteristics that were essential for pitchers during the transitional period of the 1970s. Although not among the most celebrated pitchers of his time, Folkers left a lasting impression on those who witnessed his performances on the field, embodying the determination that defined many players of his generation.

Career Pitching Statistics

W L G GS CG SHO SV IP H ER HR BB SO ERA Pitcher PIV
19 23 195 28 5 0 7 423.0 416 193 40 170 242 4.11 0

Career ERA 4.11 vs. league average 3.68 across their career seasons — 11.5% worse than league average.

Season-by-Season Pitching

Year Team Lg W L G GS CG SHO SV IP H ER BB SO ERA Lg ERA Pitcher PIV
1970 NYN NL 0 2 16 1 0 0 2 29.3 36 21 25 15 6.44 3.89 (-66%) -2173.2
1972 STL NL 1 0 9 0 0 0 0 13.3 12 5 5 7 3.38 3.26 (-3%) -
1973 STL NL 4 4 34 9 1 0 3 82.3 74 33 34 44 3.61 3.75 (+4%) -
1974 STL NL 6 2 55 0 0 0 2 90.0 65 30 38 57 3.00 3.63 (+17%) -
1975 SDP NL 6 11 45 15 4 0 0 142.0 155 66 39 87 4.18 3.71 (-13%) -
1976 SDP NL 2 3 33 3 0 0 0 59.7 67 35 25 26 5.28 3.51 (-50%) -
1977 ATL AL 0 1 3 0 0 0 0 6.3 7 3 4 6 4.26 — -

Career Batting Statistics

G AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI SB BB SO AVG OBP SLG OPS PIV
195 77 3 11 1 0 0 5 0 4 28 0.143 0.183 0.156 0.339 0.0

Career AVG .143 vs. league average .256 across their career seasons — 44.1% below league average.

Career OBP .183 vs. league average .323 across their career seasons — 43.4% below league average.

Career SLG .156 vs. league average .375 across their career seasons — 58.5% below league average.

Career OPS 0.339 vs. league average 0.699 across their career seasons — 51.5% below league average.

Season-by-Season Batting

Year Team Lg G AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI SB BB SO AVG Lg AVG Lg OBP Lg SLG Lg OPS PIV
1970 NYN NL 16 6 1 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 4 0.333 — — — — 0.0
1972 STL NL 9 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.000 — — — — 0.0
1973 STL NL 34 20 0 2 0 0 0 1 0 0 6 0.100 — — — — 0.0
1974 STL NL 55 10 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 3 0.100 — — — — 0.0
1975 SDP NL 45 36 2 6 1 0 0 4 0 4 14 0.167 — — — — 0.0
1976 SDP NL 33 4 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0.000 — — — — 0.0
1977 ATL AL 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000 — — — — 0.0

Fielding Statistics

Career Fielding Totals by Position

Position G GS PO A E DP
P 195 28 21 59 5 5

Season-by-Season Fielding

Year Team Pos G GS PO A E DP
1970 NYN P 16 1 0 10 0 2
1972 SLN P 9 0 0 2 0 0
1973 SLN P 34 9 4 11 1 1
1974 SLN P 55 0 3 7 1 2
1975 SDN P 45 15 10 20 3 0
1976 SDN P 33 3 4 8 0 0
1977 ML4 P 3 0 0 1 0 0

Career Games by Position

Position Games
Pitcher 195

College History

School Name City State Years Attended
Ellsworth College Iowa Falls IA 1965, 1966
Parsons College Fairfield IA 1967