Dave Rucker, baseball player, 1981-1988

Dave Rucker

Born: 9/1/1957 in San Bernardino, CA, USA

MLB Debut: 1981-04-12 | Final Game: 1988-10-02

Bats: L | Throws: L | Height: 6'1" | Weight: 185 lbs

Full name: David Michael Rucker

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Biography

Dave Rucker, born in 1957, was a professional baseball pitcher who had a career spanning from 1981 to 1988. He played during a transitional period in Major League Baseball, moving away from the dominant pitching styles of the late 1970s into an era that increasingly favored offensive play. Rucker was known for his solid left-handed pitching, showcasing a competitive spirit on the mound that earned him recognition among his peers. Over the course of his career, Rucker compiled a win-loss record of 16-20 and maintained an earned run average (ERA) of 3.94. His ability to strike out batters was evident in his total of 170 strikeouts, although he recorded only 1 save throughout his time in the majors. Rucker's contributions to his teams were often highlighted by his resilience and ability to compete in high-pressure situations, marking him as a reliable option in the pitching rotation during his tenure. After retiring in 1988, Rucker left a legacy as a dedicated athlete who played through a dynamic and evolving landscape in baseball.

Career Pitching Statistics

W L G GS CG SHO SV IP H ER HR BB SO ERA Pitcher PIV
16 20 206 10 1 0 1 319.7 337 140 19 147 170 3.94 0

Career ERA 3.94 vs. league average 3.83 across their career seasons — near 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
1981 DET AL 0 0 2 0 0 0 0 4.0 3 3 1 2 6.75 — 0.0
1982 DET AL 5 6 27 4 1 0 0 64.0 62 24 23 31 3.38 3.86 (+13%) 211.9
1983 DET AL 1 2 4 3 0 0 0 9.0 18 17 8 6 17.00 3.87 (-339%) 0.0
1983 STL NL 5 3 34 0 0 0 0 37.0 36 10 18 22 2.43 3.87 (+37%) -
1984 STL NL 2 3 50 0 0 0 0 73.0 62 17 34 38 2.10 3.81 (+45%) -
1985 PHI NL 3 2 39 3 0 0 1 79.3 83 38 40 41 4.31 3.89 (-11%) -662.5
1986 PHI NL 0 2 19 0 0 0 0 25.0 34 16 14 14 5.76 3.97 (-45%) -903.7
1988 PIT NL 0 2 31 0 0 0 0 28.3 39 15 9 16 4.76 3.73 (-28%) 159.2

Career Batting Statistics

G AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI SB BB SO AVG OBP SLG OPS PIV
208 26 2 5 1 0 0 0 0 1 11 0.192 0.222 0.231 0.453 0.0

Career AVG .192 vs. league average .258 across their career seasons — 25.5% below league average.

Career OBP .222 vs. league average .323 across their career seasons — 31.2% below league average.

Career SLG .231 vs. league average .386 across their career seasons — 40.2% below league average.

Career OPS 0.453 vs. league average 0.709 across their career seasons — 36.1% 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
1981 DET AL 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000 — — — — 0.0
1982 DET AL 27 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000 — — — — 0.0
1983 DET AL 4 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000 — — — — 0.0
1983 STL NL 34 4 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0.000 — — — — 0.0
1984 STL NL 50 7 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 3 0.143 — — — — 0.0
1985 PHI NL 41 12 2 4 1 0 0 0 0 1 5 0.333 — — — — 0.0
1986 PHI NL 19 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.000 — — — — 0.0
1988 PIT NL 31 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 0.000 — — — — 0.0

Fielding Statistics

Career Fielding Totals by Position

Position G GS PO A E DP
P 206 10 22 51 10 6

Season-by-Season Fielding

Year Team Pos G GS PO A E DP
1981 DET P 2 0 1 0 0 0
1982 DET P 27 4 4 10 3 2
1983 DET P 4 3 1 3 0 0
1983 SLN P 34 0 5 5 1 1
1984 SLN P 50 0 4 10 5 1
1985 PHI P 39 3 5 14 0 1
1986 PHI P 19 0 1 5 0 1
1988 PIT P 31 0 1 4 1 0

Career Games by Position

Position Games
Pitcher 206

Salary History

Year Team League Salary
1985 PHI NL $220,000
Total Career Earnings $220,000

College History

School Name City State Years Attended
University of La Verne La Verne CA 1978
University of California - Los Angeles Los Angeles CA 1976, 1977