Bob Rauch

Robert John Rauch

• Bats Right, Throws Right
• Height 6' 4", Weight 200 lb.
• School San Bernardino Valley College
• High School Eisenhower High School (Rialto)
• Debut June 29, 1972
• Final Game September 30, 1972
• Born June 16, 1949 in Brookings, SD USA

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Biographical Information

Bob Rauch was signed by the Los Angeles Dodgers in 1967, and he began his professional career with the Ogden Dodgers that year. His performance was lackluster, as he went 1-1 with a 9.45 ERA in 20 innings, allowing 25 hits and 26 walks. On a positive note, he did strike out 24 batters.

The following year, 1968, again with the Ogden Dodgers, Rauch went 1-2 with a 4.66 ERA in 29 innings. In 1969, playing for the Rogue Valley Dodgers and Bakersfield Dodgers, Rauch went a combined 6-4 with a 4.55 ERA. With Rogue Valley, he struck out 72 batters in 62 innings, although with Bakersfield, he struck out only 19 batters in 31 innings.

Pitching for Bakersfield again in 1970, he went 4-4 with a 2.82 ERA and 91 strikeouts in 83 innings of work. On November 30th, he was drafted by the Mets in the minor league draft. In his first year in their minor league system - 1971 - he had perhaps the best season of his career when he went a combined 9-5 with a 2.10 ERA while splitting time between the Memphis Blues and Tidewater Tides. His numbers would have been better if he had not pitched for the Tides that year: while with the Blues, he went 9-4 with a 1.48 ERA. With the Tides, his record was 1-0 and his ERA was 4.76.

In 1972, Rauch had another impressive year, pitching for the Tides and earning a call-up to the Mets. In 21 games with the Tides, he went 1-2 with a 2.72 ERA. He made his big league debut on June 29th, at the age of 22. Facing the Philadelphia Phillies, he pitched one inning, allowing 2 hits, 2 walks and a run. The Mets overall did poorly that game, losing 9-4. The opposing pitcher - Steve Carlton - pitched a complete game, striking out 13 batters. In his one and only big league season, Rauch went 0-1 with a 5.00 ERA in 19 relief appearances. He played in his final big league game on October 2nd. The final game in which Rauch appeared, against the Montreal Expos, was also Bill Stoneman's second career no-hitter.

On November 27, 1972, he was traded with Brent Strom to the Cleveland Indians for Phil Hennigan. He never actually appeared in an Indians uniform.

Rauch spent four more years in the minors (1973-1976), going 18-28 in three different AAA leagues in that period.