Dutch Ruether, baseball player, 1917-1927

Dutch Ruether

Born: 9/13/1893 in Alameda, CA, USA

Died: 5/16/1970 in Phoenix, AZ, USA

MLB Debut: 1917-04-13 | Final Game: 1927-09-29

Bats: L | Throws: L | Height: 6'1" | Weight: 180 lbs

Full name: Walter Henry Ruether

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Biography

Dutch Ruether, born in 1893, was a notable Major League Baseball pitcher who had a successful career spanning from 1917 to 1927. He was recognized for his solid performance on the mound, finishing his career with a record of 137 wins and 95 losses. Ruether maintained an earned run average (ERA) of 3.5, showcasing his ability to limit scoring opportunities for opposing teams. Over his decade-long career, he struck out 708 batters and recorded 8 saves, reflecting his versatility and effectiveness as a pitcher during a time when the game was evolving. Ruether was particularly prominent in an era that was marked by changes in pitching styles and strategies. His contributions helped shape the way pitchers approached their craft, and he was known for his ability to control the game from the mound. As a member of several teams, including the Cincinnati Reds and the Brooklyn Robins, Ruether's impact was felt in various ballparks across the country. His legacy remains as a testament to the skill and tenacity of early 20th-century baseball players, making him a significant figure in the sport's history.

Career Pitching Statistics

W L G GS CG SHO SV IP H ER HR BB SO ERA Pitcher PIV
137 95 309 272 155 18 8 2124.7 2244 826 54 739 708 3.50 0

Career ERA 3.50 vs. league average 3.81 across their career seasons — 8.2% better 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
1917 CHC NL 2 0 10 4 1 0 0 36.3 37 10 12 23 2.48 2.69 (+8%) -
1917 CIN NL 1 2 7 4 1 1 0 35.7 43 14 14 12 3.53 2.69 (-31%) -237.5
1918 CIN NL 0 1 2 2 1 0 0 10.0 10 3 3 10 2.70 2.83 (+5%) 334.8
1919 CIN NL 19 6 33 29 20 3 0 242.7 195 49 83 78 1.82 3.09 (+41%) 359.3
1920 CIN NL 16 12 37 33 23 5 3 265.7 235 73 96 99 2.47 3.45 (+28%) 797.6
1921 BRO NL 10 13 36 27 12 1 2 211.3 247 100 67 78 4.26 4.02 (-6%) 615.8
1922 BRO NL 21 12 35 35 26 2 0 267.3 290 105 92 89 3.53 4.18 (+15%) 110.0
1923 BRO NL 15 14 34 34 20 0 0 275.0 308 129 86 87 4.22 4.03 (-5%) 786.5
1924 BRO NL 8 13 30 21 13 2 3 168.0 190 73 45 63 3.91 4.13 (+5%) 2039.8
1925 WSN AL 18 7 30 29 16 1 0 223.3 241 96 105 68 3.87 4.55 (+15%) -
1926 WSN AL 12 6 23 23 9 0 0 169.3 214 91 66 48 4.84 4.11 (-18%) -
1926 NYY AL 2 3 5 5 1 0 0 36.0 32 14 18 8 3.50 4.11 (+15%) -
1927 NYY AL 13 6 27 26 12 3 0 184.0 202 69 52 45 3.38 4.08 (+17%) -

Career Batting Statistics

G AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI SB BB SO AVG OBP SLG OPS PIV
488 969 83 250 30 12 7 111 3 77 129 0.258 0.314 0.335 0.649 -1369.9

Career AVG .258 vs. league average .277 across their career seasons — 6.8% below league average.

Career OBP .314 vs. league average .339 across their career seasons — 7.3% below league average.

Career SLG .335 vs. league average .379 across their career seasons — 11.4% below league average.

Career OPS 0.649 vs. league average 0.717 across their career seasons — 9.5% 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
1917 CHC NL 31 44 3 12 1 3 0 11 0 8 11 0.273 — — — — 199.1
1917 CIN NL 19 24 1 5 2 0 0 1 1 3 6 0.208 — — — — 199.1
1918 CIN NL 2 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 0.000 — — — — 0.0
1919 CIN NL 42 92 8 24 2 3 0 6 1 4 18 0.261 .262 (-1%) .322 (-10%) .347 (avg) .670 (-5%) -102.7
1920 CIN NL 45 104 3 20 4 0 0 10 0 5 24 0.192 .271 (-29%) .331 (-31%) .363 (-36%) .694 (-34%) -596.2
1921 BRO NL 49 97 12 34 5 2 2 13 1 4 9 0.351 .286 (+22%) .344 (+9%) .395 (+28%) .739 (+19%) 299.6
1922 BRO NL 67 125 12 26 6 1 2 20 0 12 11 0.208 .285 (-27%) .345 (-18%) .397 (-19%) .743 (-19%) -446.5
1923 BRO NL 49 117 6 32 1 0 0 10 0 12 12 0.274 .282 (-3%) .344 (-1%) .390 (-28%) .734 (-15%) -267.5
1924 BRO NL 34 62 5 15 1 1 0 4 0 5 2 0.242 .283 (-15%) .345 (-14%) .389 (-25%) .734 (-20%) -211.5
1925 WSN AL 55 108 18 36 3 2 1 15 0 10 8 0.333 .288 (+16%) .349 (+12%) .407 (+5%) .756 (+8%) 171.3
1926 WSN AL 47 92 6 23 2 0 1 11 0 6 10 0.250 .279 (-11%) .345 (-14%) .390 (-22%) .735 (-18%) -296.9
1926 NYY AL 13 21 2 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0.095 — — — — -296.9
1927 NYY AL 35 80 7 21 3 0 1 10 0 8 15 0.263 .282 (-7%) .344 (-4%) .392 (-14%) .736 (-9%) -118.7

Postseason Statistics

Playoff Career Batting

G AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI BB SO AVG
7 11 2 4 1 2 0 4 1 1 0.364

Playoff Batting by Year

Year Round Team G AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI BB SO AVG
1926 WS NYA 3 4 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.000
1925 WS WS1 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0.000
1919 WS CIN 3 6 2 4 1 2 0 4 1 0 0.667

Playoff Career Pitching

W L G GS SV IP H ER BB SO ERA
1 1 3 3 0 18.3 19 6 6 2 2.95

Playoff Pitching by Year

Year Round Team W L G GS SV IP H ER BB SO ERA
1926 WS NYA 0 1 1 1 0 4.3 7 2 2 1 4.15
1919 WS CIN 1 0 2 2 0 14.0 12 4 4 1 2.57

Fielding Statistics

Career Fielding Totals by Position

Position G GS PO A E DP
1B 8 0 50 2 0 5
P 309 0 60 494 17 30

Season-by-Season Fielding

Year Team Pos G GS PO A E DP
1917 CHN 1B 5 0 41 2 0 2
1917 CHN P 10 0 2 11 0 1
1917 CIN P 7 0 0 10 2 0
1918 CIN P 2 0 0 2 0 0
1919 CIN P 33 0 10 57 2 1
1920 CIN 1B 1 0 5 0 0 0
1920 CIN P 37 0 5 74 4 6
1921 BRO P 36 0 6 51 2 3
1922 BRO P 35 0 9 56 0 6
1923 BRO 1B 1 0 2 0 0 2
1923 BRO P 34 0 7 53 2 5
1924 BRO P 30 0 5 46 1 3
1925 WS1 1B 1 0 2 0 0 1
1925 WS1 P 30 0 5 46 2 1
1926 WS1 P 23 0 2 36 1 2
1926 NYA P 5 0 2 5 1 0
1927 NYA P 27 0 7 47 0 2

Career Games by Position

Position Games
Pitcher 309
First Base 8

Awards & Honors

Year Award Notes
1922 Baseball Magazine All-Star P3