Rick Aponte
From BR Bullpen
Carmen Ricardo Aponte
- Bats Right, Throws Right
- Height 6' 1", Weight 175 lb.
- Born April 3, 1956 in El Seibo, El Seibo, Dominican Republic
Rick Aponte spent 30 years in the Houston Astros organization as a player, manager, scout and coach. When Manny Acta became skipper of the Washington Nationals in 2006, he named Aponte the club's bullpen coach. Aponte had discovered Acta and coached him when he first came up.
Rick debuted professionally in 1976 with the Covington Astros, pitching 7 games in relief with no decision and a 5.25 ERA. In 1977, he moved up to the Cocoa Astros. He went 1-5 with a 4.88 ERA, allowing 63 hits and 23 walks in 48 innings. The next year, Aponte was with the Daytona Beach Astros (2-0, 5 Sv, 1.42 in 28 games) and the Charleston Charlies (0-1, 7.50) in two games.
In 1979, Aponte was 3-3 with 3 saves and a 3.83 ERA in 25 games for the Columbus Astros. He walked 31 in 47 IP. In 16 outings for Daytona Beach, Rick was 2-0 with 2 saves and a 1.80 ERA. In his fifth season, Rick split time between Columbus (1-1, 3.60 in 9 games) and the Tucson Toros (1-1, 3.86 in 13 games).
Aponte was with the same clubs in 1981, going 2-5 with one save and a 3.88 ERA in 21 games for Columbus and 1-3 with a 6.55 ERA in 20 games for Tucson. With the Toros, he walked 20 and allowed 63 hits while striking out just nine in 44 innings.
In 1981, Aponte became a coach with the GCL Astros. He coached for numerous Astros affiliates including the 1992 Burlington Astros. In 1993, Ricardo moved to the DSL Astros, coaching and managing through the years there.
In 2009, Aponte will return to the Astros organization as a coach for the GCL Astros.
Sources include 1977-1982 Baseball Guides, MOP (Mitchell O. Page) Enterprise Website
