Joe Rudi

From BR Bullpen

Joseph Oden Rudi

Bats Right, Throws Right
Height 6' 2", Weight 200 lb.

Debut April 11, 1967
Final Game October 3, 1982
Born September 7, 1946 in Modesto, CA USA

[edit] Biographical Information

Joe Rudi played sixteen years in the major leagues and was a key part of the Oakland Athletics teams that continually won their division in the early 1970's (and won the World Series in 1972-74). Rudi finished # 2 in the All Star voting in both 1972 and in 1974, and won three Gold Gloves in 1974-76.

Rudi was signed as a free agent in 1964 and came to the majors with the Kansas City Athletics in 1967. He stayed with the A's for ten years, becoming a regular in 1971. His best season with the bat was probably 1972, when he hit .305 with 19 home runs (in a year when the American League as a whole hit only .239 and slugged .343). He led the league in hits and triples. In 1974, another good year for Rudi, he led the league in doubles, total bases, and extra base hits.

He became a free agent after the 1976 season and signed with the California Angels. He helped the Angels win the division in 1979, although his batting average went down each year from 1974 to 1981. He finished out his career playing for the 1981 Red Sox and the 1982 Athletics.

The similarity scores method shows the most similar player (through 2007) as Kevin McReynolds, although McReynolds never won a Gold Glove.

As of 2002, he was a real estate agent in Oregon.
Homered 13 times off of these Hall of Famers: Dennis Eckersley, Rollie Fingers, Jim Palmer, Gaylord Perry and Nolan Ryan.