Rick Waits
Born: 5/15/1952 in Atlanta, GA, USA
MLB Debut: 1973-09-17 | Final Game: 1985-10-06
Bats: L | Throws: L | Height: 6'3" | Weight: 194 lbs
Full name: Michael Richard Waits
Biography
Rick Waits, born in 1952, was a professional baseball pitcher who played from 1973 until his retirement on October 6, 1985. Over the course of his career, he made a mark in Major League Baseball with a record of 79 wins and 92 losses, an earned run average (ERA) of 4.25, and a total of 659 strikeouts. Known for his durability and versatility on the mound, Waits contributed to his teams both as a starter and reliever, accumulating 8 saves throughout his career.
Waits navigated the competitive landscape of the 1970s and early 1980s, a period marked by significant changes in the game, including the transition from the deadball era to a more offense-driven approach. He showcased a competitive spirit and a solid pitching repertoire, which allowed him to hold his own against some of the era's most formidable hitters. Though he may not have reached the stardom of some contemporaries, Waits' contributions and persistence on the mound earned him respect among peers and fans alike, solidifying his place in baseball history.
Career Pitching Statistics
| W | L | G | GS | CG | SHO | SV | IP | H | ER | HR | BB | SO | ERA | Pitcher PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 79 | 92 | 317 | 190 | 47 | 10 | 8 | 1427.0 | 1514 | 674 | 110 | 568 | 659 | 4.25 | 0 |
Season-by-Season Pitching
| Year | Team | Lg | W | L | G | GS | CG | SHO | SV | IP | H | ER | BB | SO | ERA | Pitcher PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1973 | TEX | AL | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1.0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 9.00 | 0.0 |
| 1975 | CLE | AL | 6 | 2 | 16 | 7 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 70.3 | 57 | 23 | 25 | 34 | 2.94 | 761.5 |
| 1976 | CLE | AL | 7 | 9 | 26 | 22 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 123.7 | 143 | 55 | 54 | 65 | 4.00 | -358.3 |
| 1977 | CLE | AL | 9 | 7 | 37 | 16 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 135.3 | 132 | 60 | 64 | 62 | 3.99 | -113.5 |
| 1978 | CLE | AL | 13 | 15 | 34 | 33 | 15 | 2 | 0 | 230.3 | 206 | 82 | 86 | 97 | 3.20 | -632.2 |
| 1979 | CLE | AL | 16 | 13 | 34 | 34 | 8 | 3 | 0 | 231.0 | 230 | 114 | 91 | 91 | 4.44 | -3867.1 |
| 1980 | CLE | AL | 13 | 14 | 33 | 33 | 9 | 2 | 0 | 224.3 | 231 | 111 | 82 | 109 | 4.45 | -538.8 |
| 1981 | CLE | AL | 8 | 10 | 22 | 21 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 126.3 | 173 | 69 | 44 | 51 | 4.92 | 5.6 |
| 1982 | CLE | AL | 2 | 13 | 25 | 21 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 115.0 | 128 | 69 | 57 | 44 | 5.40 | -3152.1 |
| 1983 | CLE | AL | 0 | 1 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 19.7 | 23 | 10 | 9 | 13 | 4.58 | 200.2 |
| 1983 | ATL | AL | 0 | 2 | 10 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 30.0 | 39 | 17 | 11 | 20 | 5.10 | - |
| 1984 | ATL | AL | 2 | 4 | 47 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 73.0 | 84 | 29 | 24 | 49 | 3.58 | - |
| 1985 | ATL | AL | 3 | 2 | 24 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 47.0 | 67 | 34 | 20 | 24 | 6.51 | - |
Career Batting Statistics
| G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | BB | SO | AVG | OBP | SLG | OPS | PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 329 | 1 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0.000 | 0.000 | 0.000 | 0.000 | 0.0 |
Season-by-Season Batting
| Year | Team | Lg | G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | BB | SO | AVG | PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1973 | TEX | AL | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 | 0.0 |
| 1975 | CLE | AL | 16 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 | 0.0 |
| 1976 | CLE | AL | 36 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 | 0.0 |
| 1977 | CLE | AL | 38 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 | 0.0 |
| 1978 | CLE | AL | 35 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 | 0.0 |
| 1979 | CLE | AL | 34 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 | 0.0 |
| 1980 | CLE | AL | 33 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 | 0.0 |
| 1981 | CLE | AL | 22 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 | 0.0 |
| 1982 | CLE | AL | 25 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 | 0.0 |
| 1983 | CLE | AL | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 | 0.0 |
| 1983 | ATL | AL | 10 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 | 0.0 |
| 1984 | ATL | AL | 47 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 | 0.0 |
| 1985 | ATL | AL | 24 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0.000 | 0.0 |
Fielding Statistics
Career Fielding Totals by Position
| Position | G | GS | PO | A | E | DP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| P | 317 | 190 | 91 | 252 | 8 | 10 |
Season-by-Season Fielding
| Year | Team | Pos | G | GS | PO | A | E | DP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1973 | TEX | P | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1975 | CLE | P | 16 | 7 | 5 | 12 | 1 | 1 |
| 1976 | CLE | P | 26 | 22 | 10 | 20 | 2 | 2 |
| 1977 | CLE | P | 37 | 16 | 4 | 24 | 2 | 1 |
| 1978 | CLE | P | 34 | 33 | 19 | 49 | 1 | 1 |
| 1979 | CLE | P | 34 | 34 | 15 | 43 | 0 | 2 |
| 1980 | CLE | P | 33 | 33 | 10 | 30 | 1 | 0 |
| 1981 | CLE | P | 22 | 21 | 12 | 28 | 0 | 2 |
| 1982 | CLE | P | 25 | 21 | 6 | 23 | 0 | 1 |
| 1983 | CLE | P | 8 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| 1983 | ML4 | P | 10 | 2 | 0 | 4 | 1 | 0 |
| 1984 | ML4 | P | 47 | 1 | 2 | 12 | 0 | 0 |
| 1985 | ML4 | P | 24 | 0 | 8 | 4 | 0 | 0 |
Career Games by Position
| Position | Games |
|---|---|
| Pitcher | 317 |
| Designated Hitter | 10 |
Awards & Honors
| Year | Award | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 1979 | Player of the Week | Week of 1979-04-06 |
Salary History
| Year | Team | League | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1985 | ML4 | AL | $460,000 |
| Total Career Earnings | $460,000 | ||