Mike Rochford
Encyclopedia
Michael Joseph Rochford is a former relief pitcher
in Major League Baseball
who played from through for the Boston Red Sox
. He also pitched for the Yakult Swallows
at the end of the 1990 season.
A 6' 4, 205 lbs. left-handed specialist
, Rochford was selected by the Red Sox in the first round of the 1982 January draft out of Santa Fe (Fla.) Community College. Prior to college, he was an outstanding three-sport athlete at South Burlington High School
graduating in 1981. In high school he led the Rebels to Vermont state championships in baseball and football (quarterback) and was one of best basketball players in the state scoring over 1,000 career points as a four-year starter. He is the first and only product of a Vermont high school to be selected in the Major League Baseball Amateur Draft and go on to reach the major leagues.
He spent six years in the Boston minor league system before joining the big club late in 1988.
In a three-season big league career, Rochford posted a 0-1 record with a 9.58 ERA
in eight appearances, giving up 17 runs (11 unearned) on 18 hits and nine walks
while striking out
two without a save
in 10 ⅓ innings of work. In part of nine minor league seasons, he went 75-64 with a 3.53 ERA in 250 games, including 161 starts
. Pitching for Winston-Salem in 1983, he was named to the Carolina League All-Star Team and he led Pawtucket of the AAA International League in victories (11) in 1986. He made his major league debut on September 3, 1988 against the California Angels at Anaheim Stadium.
He currently is a golf pro in southern Florida.
Relief pitcher
A relief pitcher or reliever is a baseball or softball pitcher who enters the game after the starting pitcher is removed due to injury, ineffectiveness, fatigue, ejection, or for other strategic reasons, such as being substituted by a pinch hitter...
in Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League...
who played from through for the Boston Red Sox
Boston Red Sox
The Boston Red Sox are a professional baseball team based in Boston, Massachusetts, and a member of Major League Baseball’s American League Eastern Division. Founded in as one of the American League's eight charter franchises, the Red Sox's home ballpark has been Fenway Park since . The "Red Sox"...
. He also pitched for the Yakult Swallows
Tokyo Yakult Swallows
is a professional baseball team in Japan's Central League.The Swallows are named after their corporate owners, the Yakult Corporation. From 1950 to 1965, the team was owned by the former Japanese National Railways and called the Kokutetsu Swallows; the team was then owned by the newspaper Sankei...
at the end of the 1990 season.
A 6' 4, 205 lbs. left-handed specialist
Left-handed specialist
In baseball, a left-handed specialist is a left-handed relief pitcher who specializes in pitching to left-handed batters, or to switch-hitters who bat poorly right-handed...
, Rochford was selected by the Red Sox in the first round of the 1982 January draft out of Santa Fe (Fla.) Community College. Prior to college, he was an outstanding three-sport athlete at South Burlington High School
South Burlington High School
South Burlington High School is a public secondary school located in South Burlington, Vermont. The school's mascot is the Rebels and the colors are blue and grey. The school is one of the largest public secondary schools in Chittenden County, Vermont...
graduating in 1981. In high school he led the Rebels to Vermont state championships in baseball and football (quarterback) and was one of best basketball players in the state scoring over 1,000 career points as a four-year starter. He is the first and only product of a Vermont high school to be selected in the Major League Baseball Amateur Draft and go on to reach the major leagues.
He spent six years in the Boston minor league system before joining the big club late in 1988.
In a three-season big league career, Rochford posted a 0-1 record with a 9.58 ERA
Earned run average
In baseball statistics, earned run average is the mean of earned runs given up by a pitcher per nine innings pitched. It is determined by dividing the number of earned runs allowed by the number of innings pitched and multiplying by nine...
in eight appearances, giving up 17 runs (11 unearned) on 18 hits and nine walks
Base on balls
A base on balls is credited to a batter and against a pitcher in baseball statistics when a batter receives four pitches that the umpire calls balls. It is better known as a walk. The base on balls is defined in Section 2.00 of baseball's Official Rules, and further detail is given in 6.08...
while striking out
Strikeout
In baseball or softball, a strikeout or strike-out occurs when a batter receives three strikes during his time at bat. A strikeout is a statistic recorded for both pitchers and batters....
two without a save
Save (sport)
In baseball, a save is credited to a pitcher who finishes a game for the winning team under certain prescribed circumstances. The number of saves, or percentage of save opportunities successfully converted, is an oft-cited statistic of relief pitchers...
in 10 ⅓ innings of work. In part of nine minor league seasons, he went 75-64 with a 3.53 ERA in 250 games, including 161 starts
Starting pitcher
In baseball or softball, a starting pitcher is the pitcher who delivers the first pitch to the first batter of a game. A pitcher who enters the game after the first pitch of the game is a relief pitcher....
. Pitching for Winston-Salem in 1983, he was named to the Carolina League All-Star Team and he led Pawtucket of the AAA International League in victories (11) in 1986. He made his major league debut on September 3, 1988 against the California Angels at Anaheim Stadium.
He currently is a golf pro in southern Florida.