Rich Sauveur was a left-handed pitcher who played for several Major League Baseball (MLB) teams during his career. He was born on November 23, 1963, in Arlington, Virginia, and attended Bishop O'Connell High School in Arlington. Sauveur was drafted by the Pittsburgh Pirates in the 18th round of the 1984 MLB draft.
Sauveur made his MLB debut with the Pirates on June 11, 1989, and played for them until 1992. He then played for the Chicago White Sox in 1993, the Oakland Athletics in 1994, and the Seattle Mariners in 1995. Sauveur returned to the Pirates in 1996 and played for them until 1998. He then played for the Kansas City Royals in 1999 and the Cincinnati Reds in 2000.
Sauveur was primarily used as a relief pitcher during his career. He had a career record of 17 wins and 14 losses, with an earned run average (ERA) of 4.45. Sauveur pitched in 294 games, with 3 starts, and recorded 2 saves. He struck out 276 batters and walked 166 in 406 innings pitched.
Sauveur's best season was in 1993 with the White Sox, where he had a record of 6 wins and 2 losses, with an ERA of 2.21 in 51 games. He struck out 54 batters and walked 26 in 61 innings pitched. Sauveur also had a strong season in 1996 with the Pirates, where he had a record of 4 wins and 1 loss, with an ERA of 2.70 in 50 games. He struck out 47 batters and walked 22 in 50 innings pitched.
Sauveur was known for his ability to pitch effectively against left-handed batters. During his career, left-handed batters hit only .218 against him, while right-handed batters hit .282. Sauveur also had a reputation for being a good teammate and a positive influence in the clubhouse.
After retiring from baseball, Sauveur became a pitching coach. He worked as a pitching coach for the Gulf Coast League Pirates in 2003 and the Williamsport Crosscutters in 2004. Sauveur also worked as a pitching coach for the independent Atlantic League's Lancaster Barnstormers in 2005 and 2006.
In conclusion, Rich Sauveur was a left-handed relief pitcher who played for several MLB teams during his career. He had a career record of 17 wins and 14 losses, with an ERA of 4.45. Sauveur was known for his ability to pitch effectively against left-handed batters and was a positive influence in the clubhouse. After retiring from baseball, he became a pitching coach.
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