Ronald Richard Schueler (born April 18, 1948) is an American former professional

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 ...

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, ...

pitching coach In baseball, a number of coaches assist in the smooth functioning of a team. They are assistants to the manager, who determines the starting lineup and batting order, decides how to substitute players during the game, and makes strategy decision ...

, executive and

scout Scout may refer to: Youth movement *Scout (Scouting), a child, usually 10–18 years of age, participating in the worldwide Scouting movement ** Scouts (The Scout Association), section for 10-14 year olds in the United Kingdom ** Scouts BSA, sect ...

. Over the course of his eight-year playing career 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 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 ...

), Schueler played for the

Atlanta Braves The Atlanta Braves are an American professional baseball team based in the Atlanta metropolitan area. The Braves compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (baseball), National League (NL) National League Eas ...

Philadelphia Phillies The Philadelphia Phillies are an American professional baseball team based in Philadelphia. The Phillies compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) East Division. Since 2004, the team's home stadium has ...

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 ...

and

Chicago White Sox The Chicago White Sox are an American professional baseball team based in Chicago. The White Sox compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) American League Central, Central Division. The club plays its ...

. Schueler then spent nearly four decades as a

, and front office executive. From 1991 to 2000, he served as

general manager A general manager (GM) is an executive who has overall responsibility for managing both the revenue and cost elements of a company's income statement, known as profit & loss (P&L) responsibility. A general manager usually oversees most or all of ...

of the White Sox, with his teams compiling regular season win–loss totals of 817–729, while winning two division championships; they had a 2–7 record in their two postseason appearances.

Early life and career

Born in Catharine in

Ellis County, Kansas Ellis County is a county located in the U.S. state of Kansas. Its county seat and most populous city is Hays. As of the 2020 census, the county population was 28,934. The county was named for George Ellis, a first lieutenant of the Twelfth ...

, Schueler graduated from

Hays High School Hays High School is a coeducational public secondary school located in Hays, Kansas operated by Unified School District 489. History Early beginnings Hays High School was founded as a school in 1872. A school library was built in 1886 and the ...

, where he played

and

basketball Basketball is a team sport in which two teams, most commonly of five players each, opposing one another on a rectangular Basketball court, court, compete with the primary objective of #Shooting, shooting a basketball (ball), basketball (appro ...

, then went on to attend

Fort Hays State University Fort Hays State University (FHSU) is a public university in Hays, Kansas, United States. It is the largest university in western Kansas, and the fourth largest of the six state universities governed by the Kansas Board of Regents, with a total ...

. A right-handed pitcher listed as tall and , he was first drafted by the

Pittsburgh Pirates The Pittsburgh Pirates are an American professional baseball team based in Pittsburgh. The Pirates compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (baseball), National League (NL) National League Central, Central ...

(but did not sign), in the

1966 Events January * January 1 – In a coup, Colonel Jean-Bédel Bokassa takes over as military ruler of the Central African Republic, ousting President David Dacko. * January 3 – 1966 Upper Voltan coup d'état: President Maurice Yaméogo i ...

; he was then selected by the Braves (and signed) following the 1967 lottery. On September 7, 1970, at 22 years old, Schueler tossed a

no-hitter In baseball, a no-hitter or no-hit game is a game in which a team does not record a hit (baseball), hit through conventional methods. Major League Baseball (MLB) officially defines a no-hitter as a completed game in which a team that batted in ...

for Double-A Shreveport.

Major leagues

Schueler was called up at the start of the 1972 season at twenty-three years old. On April 16, 1972, two days before his twenty-fourth birthday, Schueler made his major league debut as a reliever in a game against the

San Diego Padres The San Diego Padres are an American professional baseball team based in San Diego. The Padres compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (baseball), National League (NL) National League West, West Division. ...

San Diego Stadium San Diego Stadium was a multi-purpose stadium in San Diego, California, United States. Opened in 1967 as San Diego Stadium; it was renamed Jack Murphy Stadium for sportswriter Jack Murphy (sportswriter), Jack Murphy from 1981 to 1997. From 1997 t ...

. He pitched two innings and only gave up one hit in that game, but despite his efforts, the Braves lost. Schueler went on to start thirty-eight games over two years with the Braves. Schueler was dealt from the

Braves The Atlanta Braves are an American professional baseball team based in the Atlanta metropolitan area. The Braves compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) East Division. The club was founded in Boston, ...

to the

Phillies The Philadelphia Phillies are an American professional baseball team based in Philadelphia. The Phillies compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) East Division. Since 2004, the team's home stadium has ...

for Craig Robinson and Barry Lersch at the

Winter Meetings Representatives of all 30 Major League Baseball teams and their 120 Minor League Baseball affiliates convene for four days each December in the Winter Meetings to discuss league business and conduct off-season trades and transactions. Attendees in ...

on December 3, 1973. After a mediocre season as a starter, the Phillies converted Schueler to a

relief pitcher In baseball and softball, a relief pitcher or reliever is a pitcher who pitches in the game after the starting pitcher or another relief pitcher has been removed from the game due to fatigue (medical), fatigue, injury, ineffectiveness, ejection ...

. He pitched two more seasons in Philadelphia as a reliever and spot starter, and developed a reputation as being dour during interviews. Just days before the 1977 season began, the

purchased Schueler from the Phillies. With the Twins, he pitched as a reliever and spot starter, as he did in Philadelphia. Schueler's stay with the Twins lasted only one season, as he became a free agent after the 1977 season. A month after becoming a free agent, Schueler was signed by the

to be a reliever and spot starter. He played the 1978 season and the first half of 1979 with the White Sox. Over the course of his

career, he posted a won–lost mark of 40–48 and an

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 ...

of 4.08. In 291 career

games pitched In baseball statistics, games pitched (denoted by Games G in tables of only pitching statistics) is the number of games in which a player appears as a pitcher. The statistic is also referred to as appearances, especially to refer to the number of ...

, including 86 as a

starting pitcher In baseball (hardball or softball), a starting pitcher or starter is the first pitcher in the game for each team. A pitcher is credited with a game started if they throw the first pitch to the opponent's first batter of a game. Starting pit ...

, he threw 13 complete games and two

shutouts In team sports, a shutout ( US) or clean sheet ( UK) is a game in which the losing team fails to score. While possible in most major sports, they are highly improbable in some sports, such as basketball. Shutouts are usually seen as a result of ...

, with 11 saves out of the

bullpen In baseball, the bullpen (or simply the pen) is the area where relief pitchers warm up before entering a game. A team's roster of relief pitchers is also metonymically referred to as "the bullpen". These pitchers usually wait in the bullpen if ...

. He allowed 861

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 ...

and 393

bases on balls A base on balls (BB), better known as a walk, occurs in baseball when a batter receives four pitches during a plate appearance that the umpire calls '' balls'', and is in turn awarded first base without the possibility of being called out. The bas ...

, with 563

strikeout In baseball or softball, a strikeout (or strike-out) occurs when a batter accumulates three strikes during a time at bat. It means the batter is out, unless the third strike is not caught by the catcher and the batter reaches first base safe ...

s, in 912

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 ...

Pitching coach

Schueler ended his active career at age 31 to become

of the White Sox in the middle of the 1979 season, after the illness and death of veteran instructor Fred Martin. He remained with the ChiSox through the 1981 season. In 1982, Schueler was hired by the

Oakland Athletics The Oakland Athletics (frequently referred to as the Oakland A's) were an American Major League Baseball (MLB) team based in Oakland, California from 1968 to 2024. The Athletics were a member club of the American League (AL) American League We ...

to be their pitching coach. Schueler worked for three seasons in Oakland. Schueler joined the

in 1986 after a year out of the majors.

Front office

He only stayed with the Pirates for a year before returning to Oakland, this time in the front office as a special assistant to general manager

Sandy Alderson Richard Lynn "Sandy" Alderson (born November 22, 1947) is an American baseball executive. He was the president of various Major League Baseball teams, including the New York Mets. He previously served as the general manager of the New York Mets f ...

. Schueler worked in the Athletics' front office for four seasons, including the 1989 season in which the Athletics won the

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- ...

. In 1991, Schueler returned to the White Sox as their general manager. As the general manager, Schueler was responsible for acquiring veterans such as

Ellis Burks Ellis Rena Burks (born September 11, 1964) is an American former outfielder. Burks played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for 18 seasons from 1987 to 2004 with the Boston Red Sox, Chicago White Sox, Colorado Rockies, San Francisco Giants, and Cle ...

Tim Raines Timothy Raines Sr. (born September 16, 1959), nicknamed "Rock",Raines received this nickname at an Expo rookie camp when he was seventeen, based on his physique. is an American professional baseball coach and former player. He played as a left ...

Bo Jackson Vincent Edward "Bo" Jackson (born November 30, 1962) is an American former professional baseball and American football, football player. He is the only professional athlete in history to be named an All-star#Sports, All-Star in Major professio ...

Julio Franco Julio César Franco Robles (born August 23, 1958)Franco's birth date is in question. Many of his early bios and cards have his birthday listed in 1954, and on the roster of the Quintana Roo Tigres, his birthday is listed in 1961. is a Dominic ...

and

José Valentín José Antonio Valentín (born October 12, 1969) is a Puerto Rican former professional baseball infielder. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Milwaukee Brewers (–), Chicago White Sox (–), Los Angeles Dodgers (), and New Y ...

. The White Sox won the

American League West The American League West is one of Major League Baseball's six divisions. The division has five teams as of the 2013 season, but had four teams from 1994 to 2012, and had as many as seven teams before the 1994 realignment. Although its teams cu ...

title in

1993 The United Nations General Assembly, General Assembly of the United Nations designated 1993 as: * International Year for the World's Indigenous People The year 1993 in the Kwajalein Atoll in the Marshall Islands had only 364 days, since its ...

and had the circuit's best record at 67–46 before a players' strike prematurely ended the 1994 season. Schueler gradually dismantled the ballclub after the

work stoppage Strike action, also called labor strike, labour strike in British English, or simply strike, is a work stoppage caused by the mass refusal of employees to work. A strike usually takes place in response to employee grievances. Strikes became c ...

ended, beginning with the departures of Franco,

Jack McDowell Jack Burns McDowell (born January 16, 1966) is an American former baseball player. A right-handed pitcher, McDowell played for the Chicago White Sox, New York Yankees, Cleveland Indians, and Anaheim Angels of the Major League Baseball (MLB). ...

and Joey Cora and the dismissal of manager Gene Lamont 31 games into the 1995 campaign. The White Flag Trade was his most controversial transaction with the team. He was their general manager for ten years, stepping down on October 24, 2000 to become senior vice president of the franchise, a scout, a special consultant to chairman

Jerry Reinsdorf Jerry Michael Reinsdorf (born February 25, 1936) is an American sports executive and businessman who is the owner of the NBA's Chicago Bulls and MLB's Chicago White Sox. He started his professional life as a tax attorney with the Internal Re ...

, and an adviser to general manager Ken Williams. He worked in this new position through the 2002 season. Before the 2003 season, he was hired by the

Chicago Cubs The Chicago Cubs are an American professional baseball team based in Chicago. The Cubs compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (baseball), National League (NL) National League Central, Central Division. Th ...

as a special assistant to the president and general manager. Two years later, the

St. Louis Cardinals The St. Louis Cardinals are an American professional baseball team based in St. Louis. The Cardinals compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (baseball), National League (NL) National League Central, Centra ...

hired Schueler to be the special assistant to the general manager. He was part of the 2006 Cardinals organization that won the World Series. In 2008, the

San Francisco Giants The San Francisco Giants are an American professional baseball team based in San Francisco. The Giants compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (baseball), National League (NL) National League West, West Div ...

hired Schueler to be a scout and evaluate major and minor league players and acquisitions. In November 2009, The

Washington Nationals The Washington Nationals are an American professional baseball team based in Washington, D.C. The Nationals compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) East Division. They play their home games at Na ...

hired Schueler as special adviser to GM Mike Rizzo. Then, in 2014, he joined the

Baltimore Orioles The Baltimore Orioles (also known as the O's) are an American professional baseball team based in Baltimore. The Orioles compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) East Division. As one of the America ...

as a professional scout, serving through the 2018 campaign.

Personal life

Schueler has a wife, Linda, and two stepchildren, Jennifer and Christina. They live in

Paradise Valley, Arizona Paradise Valley is a desert and mountain town in Arizona east of state capital Phoenix. The town is known for its golf courses, spectacular mountain views, numerous upscale resorts and restaurants, natural beauty with desert landscaping and gor ...

. Schueler has three children from a previous marriage, Jeffery, Kacey and Carey. Carey was the first woman to be drafted by a

team when the White Sox picked her in the 43rd round (1208th pick overall) in 1993. Prior to Schueler's drafting, the MLB had a ban in place on signing contracts for women.

References

External links

Chicago White Sox front office biographyGiants front office biography
{{DEFAULTSORT:Schueler, Ron 1948 births Living people Atlanta Braves players Baltimore Orioles scouts Baseball players from Kansas Chicago White Sox coaches Chicago White Sox executives Chicago White Sox players Greenwood Braves players Kinston Eagles players Major League Baseball bench coaches Major League Baseball general managers Major League Baseball pitchers Major League Baseball pitching coaches Minnesota Twins players Philadelphia Phillies players Oakland Athletics coaches Oakland Athletics scouts Pittsburgh Pirates coaches Richmond Braves players St. Louis Cardinals scouts San Francisco Giants scouts Savannah Braves players Shreveport Braves players Washington Nationals scouts 20th-century American sportsmen