Rick Williams (baseball)
Encyclopedia
Richard Anthony Williams (born November 21, 1956 in Fort Worth, Texas
) is a former Minor League Baseball
pitcher
and Major League Baseball
coach.
. He attended the University of South Alabama
.
out of college. Williams went 3-1 with a 2.90 ERA for the 1977 GCL Expos
(completing 3 of 4 starts) and 1-0 in four innings for the Jamestown Expos
. In 1978, Williams pitched for the Double-A Memphis Chicks
, as he went 7-4 with three saves and a 1.78 ERA. He was promoted to the Triple-A Denver Bears, where he struggled, going 1-1 with a 9.41 ERA.
Williams returned to Memphis in 1979 and went 5-7 with five saves and a 3.31 ERA, allowing 46 hits but 44 walks in 68 innings. He made 28 relief appearances and five starts. An arm injury derailed his career. In 1980, Williams was just 1-2 with one save and an ERA of 8.61 for Memphis, allowing 39 hits and 15 walks in 23 innings. In four games for the Class-A West Palm Beach Expos
, he allowed 9 hits and five runs in four innings.
for the Florida Marlins
and Tampa Bay Devil Rays. He later served as special assistant to the general manager for the Devil Rays and is currently a member of the professional scouting corps of the New York Yankees
.
Fort Worth, Texas
Fort Worth is the 16th-largest city in the United States of America and the fifth-largest city in the state of Texas. Located in North Central Texas, just southeast of the Texas Panhandle, the city is a cultural gateway into the American West and covers nearly in Tarrant, Parker, Denton, and...
) is a former Minor League Baseball
Minor league baseball
Minor league baseball is a hierarchy of professional baseball leagues in the Americas that compete at levels below Major League Baseball and provide opportunities for player development. All of the minor leagues are operated as independent businesses...
pitcher
Pitcher
In baseball, the pitcher is the player who throwsthe baseball from the pitcher's mound toward the catcher to begin each play, with the goal of retiring a batter, who attempts to either make contact with the pitched ball or draw a walk. In the numbering system used to record defensive plays, the...
and 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...
coach.
Early life
Williams is the son of Dick WilliamsDick Williams
Richard Hirschfeld "Dick" Williams was an American left fielder, third baseman, manager, coach and front office consultant in Major League Baseball. Known especially as a hard-driving, sharp-tongued manager from 1967–69 and 1971–88, he led teams to three American League pennants, one National...
. He attended the University of South Alabama
University of South Alabama
The University of South Alabama is a public, doctoral-level university in Mobile, Alabama, USA. It was created by the Alabama Legislature in 1963, and replaced existing extension programs operated in Mobile by the University of Alabama. No other areas of the state were willing to support such a...
.
Playing career
Williams was signed by the Montréal ExposMontreal Expos
The Montreal Expos were a Major League Baseball team located in Montreal, Quebec from 1969 through 2004, holding the first MLB franchise awarded outside the United States. After the 2004 season, MLB moved the Expos to Washington, D.C. and renamed them the Nationals.Named after the Expo 67 World's...
out of college. Williams went 3-1 with a 2.90 ERA for the 1977 GCL Expos
GCL Expos
The GCL Expos was a Gulf Coast League baseball team that was based in multiple cities throughout its history: Sarasota, Florida, USA , Bradenton, Florida , West Palm Beach, Florida , Jupiter, Florida and Melbourne, Florida...
(completing 3 of 4 starts) and 1-0 in four innings for the Jamestown Expos
Jamestown Expos
The Jamestown Expos were a minor league baseball franchise of the Montreal Expos, located in Jamestown, New York. The team lasted from 1977 to 1993, although Jamestown was affiliated with Montreal in 1970 and 1971, at the time the team was called the Falcons...
. In 1978, Williams pitched for the Double-A Memphis Chicks
Memphis Chicks
The Memphis Chicks were an American minor league baseball team based in Memphis, Tennessee. The Chicks were charter members of the Southern Association from 1901 until November 18, 1960, when the club folded and was transferred to Macon, Georgia for 1961.The Chicks suffered a...
, as he went 7-4 with three saves and a 1.78 ERA. He was promoted to the Triple-A Denver Bears, where he struggled, going 1-1 with a 9.41 ERA.
Williams returned to Memphis in 1979 and went 5-7 with five saves and a 3.31 ERA, allowing 46 hits but 44 walks in 68 innings. He made 28 relief appearances and five starts. An arm injury derailed his career. In 1980, Williams was just 1-2 with one save and an ERA of 8.61 for Memphis, allowing 39 hits and 15 walks in 23 innings. In four games for the Class-A West Palm Beach Expos
West Palm Beach Expos
The West Palm Beach Expos were a Florida State League minor league baseball team that existed from 1969 to 1997. Located in West Palm Beach, Florida, they were affiliated with the Montreal Expos and they played their home games at West Palm Beach Municipal Stadium. They were one of the longest...
, he allowed 9 hits and five runs in four innings.
Coaching career
Williams was the first pitching coachCoach (baseball)
In baseball, a number of coaches assist in the smooth functioning of a team. They are assistants to the manager, or head coach, who determines the lineup and decides how to substitute players during the game...
for the Florida Marlins
Florida Marlins
The Miami Marlins are a professional baseball team based in Miami, Florida, United States. Established in 1993 as an expansion franchise called the Florida Marlins, the Marlins are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League. The Marlins played their home games at...
and Tampa Bay Devil Rays. He later served as special assistant to the general manager for the Devil Rays and is currently a member of the professional scouting corps of the New York Yankees
New York Yankees
The New York Yankees are a professional baseball team based in the The Bronx, New York. They compete in Major League Baseball in the American League's East Division...
.