Rick Raether

Eric Harold Raether (Spiderman)

• Bats Right, Throws Right
• Height 6' 4", Weight 193 lb.
• School University of Miami

• Born May 30, 1964

BR minors page

Biographical Information

Rick Raether set records in NCAA Division I and the College World Series but peaked at AA professionally.

Raether saved 20 games in 1985, winning All-American honors from Baseball America. The California Angels took him in the 18th round of the 1985 amateur draft but he did not sign. A sidearmer, he saved 17 more in 1986, winning All-American nods from both Baseball America and the American Baseball Coaches Association (Mike Loynd and Greg Swindell were the only other two hurlers picked by both publications. He tied the College World Series record of five appearances in both 1985 (when Miami won it all) and 1986. His 37 saves were a career record for NCAA Division I; he led Division I in 1985 and tied for the most in '86. The Texas Rangers chose him in the 6th round of the 1986 amateur draft.

Rick debuted in AA with the Tulsa Drillers in '86, going 3-1 with 4 saves and a 3.21 ERA. Among hurlers with 20+ innings, he led the staff in ERA; teammates included Kenny Rogers, Efrain Valdez and Steve Wilson. In 1987, Raether was with the Charlotte Rangers (2-1, 15 Sv, 1.11) and Tulsa (3-3, 8 Sv, 4.76).

Raether was amazing for the 1988 Drillers, going 4-1 with 16 saves, 0.96 ERA and only 35 hits in 56 1/3 IP. He was ready to quit baseball in 1989 after failing to make the MLB club out of spring training. The Rangers dealt him to the Montréal Expos, though. Assigned to the Jacksonville Expos, he had six saves and a 3.35 ERA in 33 games.

Raether's professional pitching line looks very good - 12-6, 22 Sv, 2.48, making it hard to understand why he did not get more of a chance.

Sources

• College World Series records
• University of Miami Hall of Fame
• Sun Sentinel article on Raether from 1989