Kirk Rueter was born in Centralia, Illinois, grew up in Hoyleton, Illinois, and graduated from Nashville Community High School District 99 in Nashville, Illinois, in 1988.
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19 Facts About Kirk Rueter
2.
Kirk Rueter blossomed into one of the Giants' most dependable starters.
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3.
In 1998, despite achieving a career high 16 victories, Kirk Rueter's ERA rose from the previous season, finishing with a 4.
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4.
In 2000, Kirk Rueter was the first pitcher to start a major league game at Pacific Bell Park in San Francisco.
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5.
For many fans, Kirk Rueter's defining moment as a Giant was his gutsy bullpen performance in Game 2 of the 2000 NLDS, where he relieved starter Shawn Estes after Estes sprained his ankle on a baserunning play.
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6.
Kirk Rueter was the pitcher in Game 4 of the 2002 World Series; he went six innings, allowing three earned runs.
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7.
Kirk Rueter pitched shutout ball in relief of Livan Hernandez in Game 7 of the 2002 Series, but the Giants failed to score enough runs to come back.
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8.
Kirk Rueter's trademarks were his fast-paced pitching style and his large ears.
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9.
Kirk Rueter resided at the Shed during the off-seasons of his playing career.
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10.
On March 6,2006, Kirk Rueter announced his retirement from the game after 13 seasons.
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11.
Kirk Rueter retired as the Giants franchise record holder for career wins by a left-handed pitcher in the San Francisco Era, with 105 of his 130 career wins in a Giants uniform.
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12.
Kirk Rueter has the 20th most wins all-time in Giants franchise history.
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13.
Kirk Rueter is the third all-time in wins during the San Francisco Era.
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14.
Kirk Rueter made the third most career starts in San Francisco Giants history.
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15.
Kirk Rueter threw changeups, fastballs, sinkers, curveballs, cut fastballs, and sliders.
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16.
Kirk Rueter was an exceptional fielder, ranking highly in defensive metrics throughout his career.
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17.
Some credited the effects of the QuesTec umpiring system to his decline, because Kirk Rueter's success came mostly from being able to "paint the corners" of the strike zone and the system effectively took that ability away from him because it encouraged umpires to call a tighter strike zone.
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18.
Kirk Rueter was never a strikeout pitcher; he struck out more than a hundred batters in a season only twice in his career.
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