Rickard Reimer

From BR Bullpen

Rickard Reimer

  • Bats Right, Throws Right

Biographical Information[edit]

Rickard Reimer has spent a decade and a half with the Swedish national team.

Reimer helped Sweden win Bronze at the 1993 European Championship, earning them their first Baseball World Cup appearance. He hit .263/.317/.447 with 9 runs and ten RBI in nine games in the 1993 Euros, while fielding .975 at short. He led the event in fielding at short (.028 ahead of José Arza), tied for 4th in RBI (with Javier Diez, Guglielmo Trinci and Jeffrey Cranston), tied for first with four doubles (even with Johan Hasselström, Olof Lindfors, Marcel Joost and Cranston) and tied for 8th with 17 total bases (even with Johnny Balentina, Jurjan Koenen and Arnaud Fau). In the 1994 Baseball World Cup, he hit .208/.321/.208 and fielded .958 as Sweden's main shortstop. He also was Sweden's most-used pitcher, working 15 innings. He allowed 19 hits and 7 walks and went 1-1 with a 7.80 ERA. He picked up Sweden's first World Cup win ever with a marathon game, going 10 innings and allowing 3 runs to beat Canada; the opposing starter was future MLB All-Star Jeff Zimmerman.

In the 1995 European Championship, Reimer hit .444/.542/.667 to lead Sweden's offense. He had nine RBI in six games. On the mound, he gave up 3 unearned runs in two innings and took a loss. He hit .200/.304/.200 in the 1999 European Championship, fielded .824 at shortstop and went 0-1 with six runs allowed in nine innings.

Rickard batted .250/.364/.321 in the 2003 European Championship and made four errors in eight games at short. 2003 is the first season for which Elitserien stats are presently available online - that season, Reimer hit .355/.429/.504 for the Sundbyberg Heat and fielded .968 at short. On the mound, he was 5-0 with three saves and a 2.26 ERA. He was third in the Elitserien in average, tied Rickard Ljung for third in slugging, was fourth in OBP and was third in RBI (32). He led in saves, was third in ERA (behind Johan Tisell and Magnus Pilegård) and was second with a .209 opponent average (behind Pilegård). He was third in wins as well.

In 2004, Reimer hit .259/.397/.481 and had a 4-2, 3.37 record. During 2005, he batted .310/.450/.396 while fielding .885 at third base for Sundbyberg. He only pitched six innings that season.

Reimer was with Sweden for the 2005 European Championship, producing at a .345/.459/.586 clip and fielding .900 at short. He led Sweden's regulars in slugging and led the team with 7 walks; his 10 hits tied Tony Dermendziev for the team lead. For Sweden in the 2005 Baseball World Cup, hitting .208/.321/.250 with 12 strikeouts in 24 at-bats and a .907 fielding percentage at shortstop. His OPS was above the team average of 520.

In 2006, Reimer moved to the Leksand Lumberjacks and posted a batting line of .361/.492/.509 with 40 runs and 34 RBI. He fielded .904 at shortstop and was 1-0 with a 3.25 ERA. He finished among the leaders in OBP (4th), slugging (5th), runs (tied for third), average (6th) and RBI (4th).

Reimer did not play in the Elitserien in 2007. He still appeared for Sweden in the 2007 European Championship, hitting .308/.424/.423 and tossed one shutout inning.

Reimer joined the Rättvik Butchers in 2008 and hit .313/.460/.500 while going 1-1 with a 4.50 ERA at age 37.

Rickard was put on Sweden's roster for the 2009 Baseball World Cup.

Reimer was a player-coach for the Swedish team in the 2010 European Championship.