Kirk Rueter

Kirk Wesley Rueter
(Woody)

• Bats Left, Throws Left
• Height 6' 3", Weight 195 lb.
• School Murray State University
• High School Nashville (IL) High School
• Debut July 7, 1993
• Final Game July 29, 2005
• Born December 1, 1970 in Hoyleton, IL USA

BR page

Biographical Information

Kirk Rueter is the winningest left-handed pitcher in San Francisco Giants history, with 105 wins with the team - until passed by Madison Bumgarner in 2018. He also won his first 10 career decisions, in 1993 and 1994 with the Montreal Expos.

Although Rueter never won a Gold Glove, there is strong evidence that he was the best-fielding pitcher in baseball history. He ranks among the top pitchers of all time in all key fielding measures such as fielding percentage, range factor, double plays and double play to error ratio, placing ahead of his closest competitors Greg Maddux and Bobby Shantz, both winners of multiple Gold Gloves whose fielding prowess was widely acknowledged during their playing careers. Rueter had the misfortune of being a contemporary of Maddux, who already had a choke hold on the National League Gold Glove Award before Rueter became an established starter, and of amassing his amazing numbers without being spectacular. For example, in 2001, he fielded 1.000 and turned 11 double plays - the most in a quarter century.

Notable Achievements

• 15 Wins Seasons: 2 (1998 & 1999)
• 200 Innings Pitched Seasons: 1 (2002)

Further Reading

• John A. Knox: "The 100 Top-Fielding MLB Pitchers, circa 1900-2008", in The Baseball Research Journal, SABR, Volume 38, Number 1 (Summer 2009), pp. 49-58.