Richard Stanley Such (born October 15, 1944) is an American former
pitcher
In baseball, the pitcher is the player who throws ("Pitch (baseball), pitches") the Baseball (ball), baseball from the pitcher's mound toward the catcher to begin each play, with the goal of out (baseball), retiring a batter (baseball), batter, ...
and
coach
Coach may refer to:
Guidance/instruction
* Coach (sport), a director of Athletes' training and activities
* Coaching, the practice of guiding an individual through a process
** Acting coach, a teacher who trains performers
Transportation
* Coac ...
in
Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball (MLB) is a professional baseball league composed of 30 teams, divided equally between the National League (baseball), National League (NL) and the American League (AL), with 29 in the United States and 1 in Canada. MLB i ...
(MLB). A right-handed hurler who batted left-handed, Such stood tall and weighed .
Playing career
Born in
Sanford, North Carolina
Sanford is a city in Lee County, North Carolina, United States. The population was 30,261 at the 2020 census. It is the county seat of Lee County. The geographic center of North Carolina is located northwest of the city, in Chatham County.
His ...
, Such attended
Elon College
Elon University is a private university in Elon, North Carolina, United States. Founded in 1889 as Elon College, the university is organized into six schools, most of which offer bachelor's degrees and several of which offer master's degrees or ...
and pitched on the
baseball
Baseball is a bat-and-ball games, bat-and-ball sport played between two team sport, teams of nine players each, taking turns batting (baseball), batting and Fielding (baseball), fielding. The game occurs over the course of several Pitch ...
team. On June 8, 1965, he was drafted by the
New York Yankees
The New York Yankees are an American professional baseball team based in the Boroughs of New York City, New York City borough of the Bronx. The Yankees compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) Am ...
in the 40th round of the
1965 Major League Baseball draft, but did not sign. Drafted by the
Washington Senators in the 8th round of the 1966 MLB draft (January secondary phase), Such would sign his first professional contract later that spring and would pitch in 14 games for the
Burlington Senators in the single-A
Carolina League
The Carolina League is a Minor League Baseball league which has operated along the Atlantic Coast of the United States since 1945. Having been classified at various levels throughout its existence, it operated at Class A-Advanced from 1990 unti ...
, finishing with a respectable 6-8 record and 3.13 ERA.
In his second season in
minor league baseball
Minor League Baseball (MiLB) is a professional baseball organization below Major League Baseball (MLB), constituted of teams affiliated with MLB clubs. It was founded on September 5, 1901, in response to the growing dominance of the National Le ...
, 1967 with the
York White Roses
The York White Roses was the name of a minor league baseball team based in the city of York, Pennsylvania, US, that existed between 1894 and 1969.
History
Early years
The York White Roses began as members of the short-lived Keystone Associati ...
, Washington's Double-A
Eastern League affiliate, Such allowed only 108
hits
Hits or H.I.T.S. may refer to:
Arts, entertainment, and media Music
* '' H.I.T.S.'', 1991 album by New Kids on the Block
* ''...Hits'' (Phil Collins album), 1998
* ''Hits'' (compilation series), 1984–2006; 2014, a British compilation album s ...
in 128
innings pitched
In baseball, the statistic innings pitched (IP) is the number of innings a pitcher has completed, measured by the number of Batter (baseball), batters and baserunners that have been put out while the pitcher is on the Baseball field#Pitcher's mou ...
, hurled eight complete games, and compiled an excellent 2.81
earned run average
In baseball statistics, earned run average (ERA) is the average of earned runs allowed by a pitcher per nine innings pitched (i.e. the traditional length of a game). It is determined by dividing the number of earned runs allowed by the number ...
(ERA) — but he also amassed a frustrating 0–16
win–loss record Win–loss may refer to:
* Win–loss analytics, analysis of the reasons why a visitor to a website was or wasn't persuaded to engage in a desired action
* Win–loss record, also winning percentage
* Win–loss record (pitching), the number of ...
.
Such would return to Burlington in 1968 and, while toiling for another last-place team, Such would lose 17 games while winning only 10. After starting the season with Washington's AAA
Denver Bears
Denver ( ) is a consolidated city and county, the capital and most populous city of the U.S. state of Colorado. It is located in the Western United States, in the South Platte River Valley on the western edge of the High Plains east of th ...
, he would receive his only major league duty in 1970. Such’s big league career consisted of 21 games (starting five) while compiling a won-lost mark of 1-5 in 50 innings pitched with a 7.56 earned-run average.
Such would be back at Denver in 1971, but would take a step backward (finishing with a 6.12 ERA in 24 games). Such spent the next two years in the Washington/
Texas Rangers organization, returning to single-A Burlington in 1972, before calling it a career during the 1973 season after laboring to a 1-1 record and 7.71 ERA in 8 games at AA
Pittsfield
Pittsfield is the most populous city and the county seat of Berkshire County, Massachusetts, United States. It is the principal city of the Pittsfield, Massachusetts Metropolitan Statistical Area which encompasses all of Berkshire County. Pittsf ...
.
Coaching career
Following his retirement, Such would become a pitching coach and roving pitching instructor in the Ranger's
farm system
In sports, a farm team (also referred to as farm system, developmental system, feeder team, or nursery club) is generally a team or club whose role is to provide experience and training for young players, with an agreement that any successful pl ...
from 1975 through 1982. From 1983 through the midseason of 1985, he was the Rangers' Major League pitching coach, serving on the staff of skipper
Doug Rader
Douglas Lee Rader (born July 30, 1944), nicknamed "the Red Rooster", is an American former manager, coach, and third baseman in Major League Baseball (MLB) who was known primarily for his defensive ability, winning five straight Gold Glove Awards ...
. Such then moved to the
Minnesota Twins
The Minnesota Twins are an American professional baseball team based in Minneapolis. The Twins compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) American League Central, Central Division. The team is named afte ...
, where he would serve as pitching coach under skippers
Ray Miller and
Tom Kelly for the next 16 years (1986–2001), including the team's
World Series
The World Series is the annual championship series of Major League Baseball (MLB). It has been contested since between the champion teams of the American League (AL) and the National League (NL). The winning team, determined through a best- ...
victories in
1987
Events January
* January 1 – Bolivia reintroduces the Boliviano currency.
* January 2 – Chadian–Libyan conflict – Battle of Fada: The Military of Chad, Chadian army destroys a Libyan armoured brigade.
* January 3 – Afghan leader ...
and
1991
It was the final year of the Cold War, which had begun in 1947. During the year, the Soviet Union Dissolution of the Soviet Union, collapsed, leaving Post-soviet states, fifteen sovereign republics and the Commonwealth of Independent State ...
. Following the retirement of Kelly after the 2001 season, new Twins manager
Ron Gardenhire
Ronald Clyde Gardenhire (born October 24, 1957) is an American former professional baseball player, coach, and manager. He played as a shortstop in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the New York Mets from 1981 to 1985. After another year playing i ...
would replace Such with his longtime friend
Rick Anderson.
In 2007, after taking off time from baseball, Such was named the pitching coach of the
Camden Riversharks
The Camden Riversharks were an United States, American professional baseball team based in Camden, New Jersey, from 2001 to 2015. They were a member of the Liberty Division of the Atlantic League of Professional Baseball, then unaffiliated with ...
of the
independent
Independent or Independents may refer to:
Arts, entertainment, and media Artist groups
* Independents (artist group), a group of modernist painters based in Pennsylvania, United States
* Independentes (English: Independents), a Portuguese artist ...
Atlantic League
The Atlantic League of Professional Baseball (ALPB) is a professional independent baseball league in the United States. It is an official MLB Partner League based in the Mid-Atlantic and Southeastern United States, and the headquarters are loc ...
.
He would stay with the team through the 2008 season. Such was then the pitching coach of the
Salem Red Sox
The Salem Red Sox are a Minor League Baseball affiliate of the Boston Red Sox of Major League Baseball (MLB), based in Salem, Virginia, Salem, an independent city adjacent to Roanoke, Virginia. The team competes at the Single-A level in the Car ...
, the
Class A-Advanced
High-A, officially Class High-A, formerly known as Class A-Advanced, and sometimes abbreviated "A+" in writing, is the third-highest level of play in Minor League Baseball in the United States and Canada, below Triple-A (baseball), Triple-A and D ...
Carolina League
The Carolina League is a Minor League Baseball league which has operated along the Atlantic Coast of the United States since 1945. Having been classified at various levels throughout its existence, it operated at Class A-Advanced from 1990 unti ...
affiliate of the
Boston Red Sox
The Boston Red Sox are an American professional baseball team based in Boston. The Red Sox compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) American League East, East Division. Founded in as one of the Ameri ...
, in 2009 and 2010.
On December 22, 2010, he was named as pitching coach for the
Single-A
Single-A, formerly known as Class A and sometimes as Low-A, is the fourth-highest level of play in Minor League Baseball in the United States, below Triple-A (baseball), Triple-A, Double-A (baseball), Double-A, and High-A. There are 30 teams cl ...
Greenville Drive
The Greenville Drive are a Minor League Baseball team based in Greenville, South Carolina. They are the High-A affiliate of the Boston Red Sox and are a member of the South Atlantic League. They play their home games at Fluor Field at the West E ...
, Boston's
South Atlantic League
The South Atlantic League, often informally called the Sally League, is a Minor League Baseball league with teams predominantly in states along the Atlantic coast of the United States from New York to Georgia. A Class A league for most of its h ...
farm club; Such served in that role for the 2011 and 2012 seasons.
Starting in 2013, he was pitching coach with the
rookie league
Minor League Baseball (MiLB) is a professional baseball organization below Major League Baseball (MLB), constituted of teams affiliated with MLB clubs. It was founded on September 5, 1901, in response to the growing dominance of the National L ...
GCL Red Sox
The Florida Complex League Red Sox are a professional baseball team competing in the rookie-level Florida Complex League (FCL) of Minor League Baseball. The team is owned and operated by the Boston Red Sox of Major League Baseball (MLB). Prior t ...
.
, Such’s role is to provide "seasonal" assistance to the GCL pitching staff.
Sources
*''1982 Texas Rangers Organizational Record Book.'' St. Petersburg, Florida: Baseball Blue Book, 1982.
References
External links
:
{{DEFAULTSORT:Such, Dick
1944 births
Living people
Baseball players from North Carolina
Buffalo Bisons (minor league) players
Burlington Rangers players
Burlington Senators players
Denver Bears players
Elon Phoenix baseball players
Florida Instructional League Astros/Senators players
Florida Instructional League Senators players
Major League Baseball pitchers
Major League Baseball pitching coaches
Minnesota Twins coaches
Minor league baseball coaches
People from Sanford, North Carolina
Pittsfield Rangers players
Savannah Senators players
Texas Rangers coaches
Washington Senators (1961–1971) players
20th-century American sportsmen
York White Roses players