Rick Langford
Pitcher · Career Stats, Bio & Records (1976-1986)
Rick Langford was a pitcher who played in Major League Baseball from 1976 to 1986 for the Pittsburgh Pirates and the Athletics, a span of 11 seasons. Across 260 career appearances, he went 73-106 with a 4.01 ERA and 671 strikeouts.
- W (Wins):
- Games credited to a pitcher whose team took a lead it never surrendered while he was the pitcher of record.
- ERA (Earned Run Average):
- Earned runs allowed per nine innings pitched: (ER × 9) ÷ IP. The primary measure of pitching effectiveness.
- SO (Strikeouts):
- For a batter, times retired on a third strike; for a pitcher, batters retired on a third strike.
- WHIP (Walks and Hits per Inning Pitched):
- Baserunners allowed per inning: (BB + H) ÷ IP. Under 1.00 is elite.
Data updated
- Position
- Pitcher
- Bats / Throws
- R / R
- Height / Weight
- 6'0" / 180 lb
- MLB Debut
- 1976-06-13
- Last Game
- 1986-07-13
Full name: James Rick Langford
Season-by-Season Pitching
Click a stat to plot it across every season.
| Year | Team | Lg | W | L | G | GS | CG | SHO | SV | IP | H | ER | BB | SO | ERA | Lg ERA | Pitcher PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1976 | PIT | NL | 0 | 1 | 12 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 23.0 | 27 | 16 | 14 | 17 | 6.26 | 3.51 (-78%) | -343.1 |
| 1977 | OAK | AL | 8 | 19 | 37 | 31 | 6 | 1 | 0 | 208.1 | 223 | 93 | 73 | 141 | 4.02 | 4.00 (avg) | 2231.7 |
| 1978 | OAK | AL | 7 | 13 | 37 | 24 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 175.2 | 169 | 67 | 56 | 92 | 3.43 | 3.69 (+7%) | 145.2 |
| 1979 | OAK | AL | 12 | 16 | 34 | 29 | 14 | 1 | 0 | 218.2 | 233 | 104 | 57 | 101 | 4.28 | 4.00 (-7%) | 278.9 |
| 1980 | OAK | AL | 19 | 12 | 35 | 33 | 28 | 2 | 0 | 290.0 | 276 | 105 | 64 | 102 | 3.26 | 3.84 (+15%) | -1301.5 |
| 1981 | OAK | AL | 12 | 10 | 24 | 24 | 18 | 2 | 0 | 195.1 | 190 | 65 | 58 | 84 | 2.99 | 3.58 (+16%) | -123.4 |
| 1982 | OAK | AL | 11 | 16 | 32 | 31 | 15 | 2 | 0 | 237.1 | 265 | 111 | 49 | 79 | 4.21 | 3.86 (-9%) | -3798.3 |
| 1983 | OAK | AL | 0 | 4 | 7 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 20.0 | 43 | 27 | 10 | 2 | 12.15 | 3.87 (-214%) | -1541.3 |
| 1984 | OAK | AL | 0 | 0 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 8.2 | 15 | 8 | 2 | 2 | 8.31 | — | 0.0 |
| 1985 | OAK | AL | 3 | 5 | 23 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 59.0 | 60 | 23 | 15 | 21 | 3.51 | 3.89 (+10%) | -891.5 |
| 1986 | OAK | AL | 1 | 10 | 16 | 11 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 55.0 | 69 | 45 | 18 | 30 | 7.36 | 3.97 (-85%) | -2498.0 |
| Career · 11 seasons | 73 | 106 | 260 | 196 | 85 | 10 | 0 | 1,491.0 | 1,570 | 664 | 416 | 671 | 4.01 | — | -7,841 | ||
Lg columns show the league average for that season, with the player's figure as a percentage above or below it. Career totals the seasons listed above.
Career Batting Statistics
| G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | BB | SO | AVG | OBP | SLG | OPS | PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 265 | 6 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | .167 | .167 | .333 | .500 | 0 |
Career AVG .167 vs. league average .260 across their career seasons — 35.9% below league average.
Career OBP .167 vs. league average .325 across their career seasons — 48.7% below league average.
Career SLG .333 vs. league average .387 across their career seasons — 13.8% below league average.
Career OPS .500 vs. league average .711 across their career seasons — 29.7% below league average.
Season-by-Season Batting
Click a stat to plot it across every season.
| Year | Team | Lg | G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | BB | SO | AVG | Lg AVG | Lg OBP | Lg SLG | Lg OPS | PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1976 | PIT | NL | 12 | 5 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | .200 | — | — | — | — | 0.0 |
| 1977 | OAK | AL | 37 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 | — | — | — | — | 0.0 |
| 1978 | OAK | AL | 40 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 | — | — | — | — | 0.0 |
| 1979 | OAK | AL | 34 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 | — | — | — | — | 0.0 |
| 1980 | OAK | AL | 35 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 | — | — | — | — | 0.0 |
| 1981 | OAK | AL | 24 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 | — | — | — | — | 0.0 |
| 1982 | OAK | AL | 33 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 | — | — | — | — | 0.0 |
| 1983 | OAK | AL | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 | — | — | — | — | 0.0 |
| 1984 | OAK | AL | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 | — | — | — | — | 0.0 |
| 1985 | OAK | AL | 23 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 | — | — | — | — | 0.0 |
| 1986 | OAK | AL | 17 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 | — | — | — | — | 0.0 |
| Career · 11 seasons | 265 | 6 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | .167 | — | — | — | — | 0 | ||
Lg columns show the league average for that season, with the player's figure as a percentage above or below it. Career totals the seasons listed above.
Game Log & Splits
View full game log (525 games) →Per-game data from Retrosheet (regular season, through 2025).
Batting — Home / Away
| Split | G | AB | R | H | HR | RBI | AVG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Home | 119 | 5 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | .200 |
| Away | 146 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 |
Pitching — Home / Away
| Split | G | IP | H | ER | BB | SO | ERA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Home | 117 | 732.2 | 745 | 301 | 196 | 299 | 3.70 |
| Away | 143 | 758.1 | 825 | 363 | 220 | 372 | 4.31 |
Last 10 Games — Pitching
| Date | Tm | Opp | Dec | IP | H | R | ER | BB | SO | HR |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1986-07-13 | OAK | TOR | — | 0.1 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 1986-07-10 | OAK | TOR | — | 1.0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1986-07-08 | OAK | BOS | L | 0.1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 1986-07-01 | OAK | CLE | L | 2.0 | 4 | 5 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 2 |
| 1986-06-26 | OAK | KCR | L | 1.0 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 1 | 2 | 1 |
| 1986-06-21 | OAK | TEX | L | 7.0 | 9 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 4 | 2 |
| 1986-06-16 | OAK | KCR | — | 6.1 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 0 |
| 1986-06-11 | OAK | CLE | L | 4.2 | 6 | 4 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 2 |
| 1986-06-06 | OAK | CHW | L | 3.0 | 4 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 0 |
| 1986-06-04 | OAK | DET | — | 3.2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 1 |
Fielding Statistics
Career Fielding Totals by Position
| Position | G | GS | PO | A | E | DP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| OF | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| P | 260 | 196 | 145 | 211 | 6 | 17 |
Season-by-Season Fielding
| Year | Team | Pos | G | GS | PO | A | E | DP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1976 | PIT | P | 12 | 1 | 2 | 4 | 0 | 1 |
| 1977 | OAK | P | 37 | 31 | 23 | 29 | 0 | 3 |
| 1978 | OAK | P | 37 | 24 | 27 | 23 | 0 | 2 |
| 1979 | OAK | P | 34 | 29 | 26 | 36 | 0 | 3 |
| 1980 | OAK | P | 35 | 33 | 28 | 45 | 1 | 1 |
| 1981 | OAK | P | 24 | 24 | 16 | 23 | 3 | 3 |
| 1982 | OAK | OF | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1982 | OAK | P | 32 | 31 | 15 | 39 | 2 | 3 |
| 1983 | OAK | P | 7 | 7 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| 1984 | OAK | P | 3 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1985 | OAK | P | 23 | 3 | 2 | 9 | 0 | 1 |
| 1986 | OAK | P | 16 | 11 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
Career Games by Position
Circle size = games played at each position.
| Position | Games |
|---|---|
| Pitcher | 260 |
| Left Field | 1 |
| Center Field | 1 |
Awards & Honors
| Year | Award | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 1979 | Pitcher of the Month | August |
Salary History
Rick Langford's recorded salaries total $1,108,333 over 2 seasons, 1985 to 1986. This total is partial: the salary data covers 1985 to 2016, and Langford's career ran from 1976 to 1986. His seasons before 1985 are not included.
| Year | Team | League | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1986 | OAK | AL | $500,000 |
| 1985 | OAK | AL | $608,333 |
| Total recorded salary (partial) | $1,108,333 | ||
College History
| School Name | City | State | Years Attended |
|---|---|---|---|
| State College of Florida - Manatee-Sarasota | Bradenton | FL | 1971, 1972 |
| Florida State University | Tallahassee | FL | 1973 |
Most Similar Players
Career comps based on counting + rate stats and primary position. Score is relative — closest peer anchors at ~98%.
Rick Langford (highlighted) compared to peers across the same era.
Rick Langford: the record in brief
Between the debut on June 13, 1976 and the final game on July 13, 1986, Rick Langford built the record summarized on this page. Club by club, the record runs the Pittsburgh Pirates (1976) and the Oakland Athletics (1977 through 1986). Langford played primarily as a pitcher and threw and hit right-handed. Born on March 20, 1952, in Farmville, VA, USA, Langford was listed at 6-foot-0 and 180 pounds. Langford's full given name, per the bio, is James Rick Langford.
Across 260 games (196 starts), Langford recorded 73 wins against 106 losses with a 4.01 ERA. The totals include 671 strikeouts, 85 complete games, and 10 shutouts. Langford's 4.01 ERA was close to the 3.83 league figure for those seasons. Langford won 19 games in 1980, the most of any season listed. Langford struck out 141 batters in 1977, a career high. In 1981, one of the busiest seasons, Langford posted a 2.99 ERA; the league figure that year was 3.58.
Langford's awards table lists Pitcher of the Month (1979).
Frequently Asked Questions about Rick Langford
- What years did Rick Langford play?
- Rick Langford played in Major League Baseball from 1976 to 1986.
- Was Rick Langford a pitcher?
- Yes. Rick Langford pitched in the major leagues, recording 73 wins and 671 strikeouts.
- How many home runs did Rick Langford hit?
- Rick Langford hit 0 career home runs with 1 hit.
- What teams did Rick Langford play for?
- Rick Langford played for 2 teams: the Pittsburgh Pirates (1976) and the Oakland Athletics (1977–1986).
- What were Rick Langford's career stats?
- In 260 games, Rick Langford went 73-106 with a 4.01 ERA, 671 strikeouts, and 1,491.0 innings pitched.
- How much did Rick Langford earn in his career?
- Rick Langford's recorded salaries total $1,108,333 over 2 seasons, 1985 to 1986. This total is partial: the salary data covers 1985 to 2016, and Langford's career ran from 1976 to 1986. His seasons before 1985 are not included.
- What was Rick Langford's salary?
- Rick Langford's last recorded salary was $500,000, in 1986. His highest recorded salary was $608,333, in 1985, and his lowest was $500,000, in 1986. The Salary History table lists each season from 1985 to 1986.
- What position did Rick Langford play?
- Rick Langford played primarily as a pitcher, the position where he appeared in the most games.
- How tall was Rick Langford and how much did he weigh?
- Rick Langford was listed at 6 feet and 180 pounds.
- What was Rick Langford's career ERA?
- Rick Langford finished with a 4.01 career ERA, going 73-106 with 671 strikeouts.
- How many strikeouts did Rick Langford have?
- Rick Langford recorded 671 career strikeouts.
- Is Rick Langford in the Hall of Fame?
- No. Rick Langford has not been inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame.