Frank Riccelli, baseball player, 1976-1979

Frank Riccelli

Born: 2/24/1953 in Syracuse, NY, USA

MLB Debut: 1976-09-11 | Final Game: 1979-06-17

Bats: L | Throws: L | Height: 6'3" | Weight: 205 lbs

Full name: Frank Joseph Riccelli

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Biography

Frank Riccelli, born in 1953, was a professional baseball pitcher who played in the Major Leagues from 1976 until 1979. Throughout his career, Riccelli showcased his skills primarily with a fastball that reflected the hard-throwing nature of the era. He finished his time in the majors with a record of 3-3 and an earned run average (ERA) of 4.39, demonstrating the competitive landscape of pitching during the late 1970s, when many pitchers battled through the transition from the deadball era to a more homer-friendly environment. In addition to his overall win-loss record, Riccelli recorded 32 strikeouts over the course of his career, highlighting his ability to overpower batters despite not being known as a dominant closer, as evidenced by his zero saves. His contributions to his teams were recognized during a period when pitching depth was crucial, and while he may not have achieved superstar status, his role as a reliable arm in the bullpen was significant. Riccelli's career, spanning just a few seasons, is a testament to the challenges faced by pitchers in the highly competitive Major League landscape of the time.

Career Pitching Statistics

W L G GS CG SHO SV IP H ER HR BB SO ERA Pitcher PIV
3 3 17 5 0 0 0 41.0 39 20 1 23 32 4.39 0

Career ERA 4.39 vs. league average 3.74 across their career seasons — 17.4% 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
1976 SFG NL 1 1 4 3 0 0 0 16.0 16 10 5 11 5.62 3.51 (-60%) -
1978 HOU NL 0 0 2 0 0 0 0 3.0 1 0 0 1 0.00 — 0.0
1979 HOU NL 2 2 11 2 0 0 0 22.0 22 10 18 20 4.09 4.00 (-2%) 350.0

Career Batting Statistics

G AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI SB BB SO AVG OBP SLG OPS PIV
17 12 1 3 1 0 0 3 0 0 4 0.250 0.250 0.333 0.583 0.0

Career AVG .250 vs. league average .260 across their career seasons — near league average.

Career OBP .250 vs. league average .325 across their career seasons — 23.0% below league average.

Career SLG .333 vs. league average .380 across their career seasons — 12.2% below league average.

Career OPS 0.583 vs. league average 0.704 across their career seasons — 17.2% 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
1976 SFG NL 4 6 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 3 0.167 — — — — 0.0
1978 HOU NL 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000 — — — — 0.0
1979 HOU NL 11 6 1 2 1 0 0 3 0 0 1 0.333 — — — — 0.0

Fielding Statistics

Career Fielding Totals by Position

Position G GS PO A E DP
P 17 5 0 7 0 1

Season-by-Season Fielding

Year Team Pos G GS PO A E DP
1976 SFN P 4 3 0 1 0 1
1978 HOU P 2 0 0 0 0 0
1979 HOU P 11 2 0 6 0 0

Career Games by Position

Position Games
Pitcher 17