Ron Schueler

Ronald Richard Schueler (born April 18, 1948, in Catharine, Kansas) is a former Major League pitcher, pitching coach, general manager and scout. Schueler graduated from Hays High School where he played baseball and basketball, then went on to attend Fort Hays State University before being drafted in 1966.^[1] From 1991 to 2000, Schueler's White Sox went 817–729 in the regular season, and with a 2–7 total record in two postseason appearances.

Minor leagues

Schueler was selected in the twelfth round of the 1966 Major League Baseball Draft by the Pittsburgh Pirates, but never signed a contract to play with the team. The following season, he was selected by the Atlanta Braves in the third round of the 1967 draft (secondary phase) and signed a contract shortly thereafter. On September 7, 1970, only twenty-two years old, Schueler tossed a no-hitter for Double-A Shreveport.^[2]

Major leagues

Schueler was called up at the start of the 1972 season, 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 at San Diego Stadium. 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.^[3]

After the 1973 season ended, Schueler was dealt to the Philadelphia Phillies for infielder Craig Robinson and pitcher Barry Lersch. After a mediocre season as a starter, the Phillies converted Schueler to a relief pitcher. He pitched two more seasons in Philadelphia as a reliever and spot starter.

Just days before the 1977 season began, the Minnesota Twins 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 Chicago White Sox to be a reliever and spot starter. He played the 1978 season and the first half of the 1979 season with the White Sox, but retired mid-season to become the team's pitching coach upon the death of veteran instructor Fred Martin.

Pitching coach

Schueler ended his active career to become pitching coach of the White Sox in the middle of the 1979 season, after the illness and death of Fred Martin. He remained with the ChiSox through the 1981 season. In 1982, Schueler was hired by the Oakland Athletics to be their pitching coach. Schueler worked for three seasons in Oakland. Schueler joined the Pittsburgh Pirates in 1986 after a year out of the majors.^[4]

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. Schueler worked in the Athletics' front office for four seasons, including the 1989 season in which the Athletics won the World Series.^[1]

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, Tim Raines, Bo Jackson, Julio Franco, and José Valentín. 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, and an adviser to general manager Ken Williams.^[1] He worked in this new position through the 2002 season.

Before the 2003 season, he was hired by the Chicago Cubs as a special assistant to the president and general manager. Two years later, the St. Louis Cardinals 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 hired Schueler to be a scout and evaluate major and minor league players and acquisitions.^[4] In November 2009, The Washington Nationals hired Schueler as special adviser to GM Mike Rizzo.^[5]

Personal life

Schueler has a wife, Linda, and two children, Jennifer and Christina. They live in Paradise Valley, Arizona. Schueler has two children Kacey and Carey from a previous marriage.

References

External links

• Career statistics and player information from MLB, or ESPN, or Baseball-Reference, or Fangraphs, or The Baseball Cube, or Baseball-Reference (Minors)
• Chicago White Sox front office biography
• Giants front office biography