Vern Ruhle
Born: 1/25/1951 in Coleman, MI, USA
Died: 1/20/2007 in Houston, TX, USA
MLB Debut: 1974-09-09 | Final Game: 1986-10-04
Bats: R | Throws: R | Height: 6'1" | Weight: 185 lbs
Full name: Vernon Gerald Ruhle
Biography
Vern Ruhle was a professional baseball pitcher whose career spanned from 1974 to 1986. Born in 1951, Ruhle made his mark in Major League Baseball during a competitive era characterized by powerful hitters and evolving pitching styles. Over the course of his career, he compiled a record of 67 wins and 88 losses, showcasing his resilience on the mound. Ruhle finished with an earned run average (ERA) of 3.73, a testament to his ability to effectively manage opposing batters. He struck out 582 hitters and recorded 11 saves, demonstrating versatility as both a starting pitcher and a reliable relief option.
Ruhle played for several teams, most notably the Detroit Tigers and the Houston Astros, where he developed a reputation for his tough-minded approach and effective pitch selection. His career unfolded during a time when the game was transitioning, with the introduction of new training methods and an increased focus on pitcher performance. Although he may not have achieved superstar status, Ruhle's contributions to his teams and the way he navigated the challenges of his playing era solidified his legacy in the annals of baseball history.
Career Pitching Statistics
| W | L | G | GS | CG | SHO | SV | IP | H | ER | HR | BB | SO | ERA | Pitcher PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 67 | 88 | 327 | 188 | 29 | 12 | 11 | 1411.3 | 1483 | 585 | 119 | 348 | 582 | 3.73 | 0 |
Season-by-Season Pitching
| Year | Team | Lg | W | L | G | GS | CG | SHO | SV | IP | H | ER | BB | SO | ERA | Pitcher PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1974 | DET | AL | 2 | 0 | 5 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 33.0 | 35 | 10 | 6 | 10 | 2.73 | 519.0 |
| 1975 | DET | AL | 11 | 12 | 32 | 31 | 8 | 3 | 0 | 190.0 | 199 | 85 | 65 | 67 | 4.03 | -2325.4 |
| 1976 | DET | AL | 9 | 12 | 32 | 32 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 199.7 | 227 | 87 | 59 | 88 | 3.92 | -2185.7 |
| 1977 | DET | AL | 3 | 5 | 14 | 10 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 66.3 | 83 | 42 | 15 | 27 | 5.70 | -846.1 |
| 1978 | HOU | NL | 3 | 3 | 13 | 10 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 68.0 | 57 | 16 | 20 | 27 | 2.12 | 1671.7 |
| 1979 | HOU | NL | 2 | 6 | 13 | 10 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 66.3 | 64 | 30 | 8 | 33 | 4.07 | 81.9 |
| 1980 | HOU | NL | 12 | 4 | 28 | 22 | 6 | 2 | 0 | 159.3 | 148 | 42 | 29 | 55 | 2.37 | 2493.8 |
| 1981 | HOU | NL | 4 | 6 | 20 | 15 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 102.0 | 97 | 33 | 20 | 39 | 2.91 | 951.9 |
| 1982 | HOU | NL | 9 | 13 | 31 | 21 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 149.0 | 169 | 65 | 24 | 56 | 3.93 | 1103.0 |
| 1983 | HOU | NL | 8 | 5 | 41 | 9 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 114.7 | 107 | 47 | 36 | 43 | 3.69 | -1839.4 |
| 1984 | HOU | NL | 1 | 9 | 40 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 90.3 | 112 | 46 | 29 | 60 | 4.58 | 1354.7 |
| 1985 | CLE | AL | 2 | 10 | 42 | 16 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 125.0 | 139 | 60 | 30 | 54 | 4.32 | -1150.2 |
| 1986 | LAA | AL | 1 | 3 | 16 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 47.7 | 46 | 22 | 7 | 23 | 4.15 | - |
Career Batting Statistics
| G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | BB | SO | AVG | OBP | SLG | OPS | PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 327 | 182 | 12 | 27 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 9 | 0 | 22 | 96 | 0.148 | 0.244 | 0.176 | 0.420 | -115.1 |
Season-by-Season Batting
| Year | Team | Lg | G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | BB | SO | AVG | PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1974 | DET | AL | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 | 0.0 |
| 1975 | DET | AL | 32 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 | 0.0 |
| 1976 | DET | AL | 32 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 | 0.0 |
| 1977 | DET | AL | 14 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 | 0.0 |
| 1978 | HOU | NL | 13 | 18 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 14 | 0.056 | 0.0 |
| 1979 | HOU | NL | 13 | 19 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 11 | 0.053 | 0.0 |
| 1980 | HOU | NL | 28 | 49 | 7 | 12 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 4 | 15 | 0.245 | -115.1 |
| 1981 | HOU | NL | 20 | 24 | 1 | 6 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 6 | 11 | 0.250 | 0.0 |
| 1982 | HOU | NL | 31 | 41 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 27 | 0.098 | 0.0 |
| 1983 | HOU | NL | 41 | 19 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 11 | 0.105 | 0.0 |
| 1984 | HOU | NL | 40 | 12 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 7 | 0.083 | 0.0 |
| 1985 | CLE | AL | 42 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 | 0.0 |
| 1986 | LAA | AL | 16 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 | 0.0 |
Postseason Statistics
Playoff Career Batting
| G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | BB | SO | AVG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0.000 |
Playoff Batting by Year
| Year | Round | Team | G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | BB | SO | AVG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1986 | ALCS | CAL | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 |
| 1981 | NWDIV | HOU | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0.000 |
| 1980 | NLCS | HOU | 1 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0.000 |
Playoff Career Pitching
| W | L | G | GS | SV | IP | H | ER | BB | SO | ERA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0 | 1 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 15.7 | 14 | 6 | 3 | 4 | 3.45 |
Playoff Pitching by Year
| Year | Round | Team | W | L | G | GS | SV | IP | H | ER | BB | SO | ERA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1986 | ALCS | CAL | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0.7 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 13.50 |
| 1981 | NWDIV | HOU | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 8.0 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 2.25 |
| 1980 | NLCS | HOU | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 7.0 | 8 | 3 | 1 | 3 | 3.86 |
Fielding Statistics
Career Fielding Totals by Position
| Position | G | GS | PO | A | E | DP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| P | 327 | 188 | 111 | 174 | 13 | 9 |
Season-by-Season Fielding
| Year | Team | Pos | G | GS | PO | A | E | DP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1974 | DET | P | 5 | 3 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 1975 | DET | P | 32 | 31 | 15 | 19 | 5 | 1 |
| 1976 | DET | P | 32 | 32 | 14 | 28 | 0 | 1 |
| 1977 | DET | P | 14 | 10 | 5 | 7 | 1 | 1 |
| 1978 | HOU | P | 13 | 10 | 4 | 7 | 0 | 0 |
| 1979 | HOU | P | 13 | 10 | 3 | 5 | 0 | 0 |
| 1980 | HOU | P | 28 | 22 | 15 | 17 | 2 | 2 |
| 1981 | HOU | P | 20 | 15 | 4 | 9 | 0 | 2 |
| 1982 | HOU | P | 31 | 21 | 9 | 23 | 2 | 1 |
| 1983 | HOU | P | 41 | 9 | 12 | 19 | 0 | 0 |
| 1984 | HOU | P | 40 | 6 | 4 | 18 | 2 | 1 |
| 1985 | CLE | P | 42 | 16 | 15 | 13 | 0 | 0 |
| 1986 | CAL | P | 16 | 3 | 7 | 8 | 1 | 0 |
Career Games by Position
| Position | Games |
|---|---|
| Pitcher | 327 |
Salary History
| Year | Team | League | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1986 | CAL | AL | $60,000 |
| 1985 | CLE | AL | $295,000 |
| Total Career Earnings | $355,000 | ||
College History
| School Name | City | State | Years Attended |
|---|---|---|---|
| Olivet College | Olivet | MI | 1970, 1971, 1972 |