Charles Mark "Chuck" Ricci (born November 20, 1968) is an American former professional

baseball Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each, taking turns batting and fielding. The game occurs over the course of several plays, with each play generally beginning when a player on the fielding tea ...

player. During an 11-season professional career, Ricci appeared in

Major League Baseball Major League Baseball (MLB) is a professional baseball organization and the oldest major professional sports league in the world. MLB is composed of 30 total teams, divided equally between the National League (NL) and the American League (AL), ...

(MLB) during one year, pitching for the

National League The National League of Professional Baseball Clubs, known simply as the National League (NL), is the older of two leagues constituting Major League Baseball (MLB) in the United States and Canada, and the world's oldest extant professional team s ...

Philadelphia Phillies The Philadelphia Phillies are an American professional baseball team based in Philadelphia. They compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member of the National League (NL) National League East, East division. Since 2004, the team's home sta ...

in 1995. He was listed as standing and weighing . Having played for eleven different minor league teams affiliated with five major league franchises (

Baltimore Orioles The Baltimore Orioles are an American professional baseball team based in Baltimore. The Orioles compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) American League East, East division. As one of the American L ...

, Phillies,

Boston Red Sox The Boston Red Sox are an American professional baseball team based in Boston. The Red Sox compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) East division. Founded in as one of the American League's eight ...

Oakland Athletics The Oakland Athletics (often referred to as the A's) are an American professional baseball team based in Oakland, California. The Athletics compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) West division. The te ...

, and

Montreal Expos The Montreal Expos (french: link=no, Les Expos de Montréal) were a Canadian professional baseball team based in Montreal, Quebec. The Expos were the first Major League Baseball (MLB) franchise located outside the United States. They played in t ...

), Ricci also appeared as a member of the

Cleveland Indians The Cleveland Guardians are an American professional baseball team based in Cleveland. The Guardians compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) Central division. Since , they have played at Progressive F ...

in the 1994 film

Major League II ''Major League II'' is a 1994 American sports comedy film and sequel to the 1989 film '' Major League'' and it is the second installment in the ''Major League'' film series. The film stars most of the same cast from the original, including Charl ...

; although he never played for the Indians, he worked for the franchise as a scout after retiring as a player.

High school and draft

Ricci graduated in 1987 from Shawnee High School in

Medford, New Jersey Medford is a township in Burlington County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey. As of the 2020 U.S. census, the township's population was 24,497, an increase of 1,464 (+6.4%) from the 2010 census count of 23,033, In the

1987 Major League Baseball draft The Major League Baseball Draft is the process by which Major League Baseball (MLB) teams select athletes to play for their organization. High school seniors, college juniors and seniors, and anyone who had never played under a professional cont ...

, he was selected in the fourth round by the

, the first player drafted by a Major League Baseball club in Shawnee's history. Ricci was offered a full scholarship to the University of Hawaii, but chose to begin his professional career.

Early career

1987–1990

The Orioles assigned Ricci to the rookie-league

Bluefield Orioles Bluefield may refer to: *Bluefield, Virginia, US *Bluefield, West Virginia, US *Nvidia BlueField, a line of computer hardware See also *Bluefields Bluefields is the capital of the South Caribbean Coast Autonomous Region, South Caribbean Autonomo ...

West Virginia West Virginia is a state in the Appalachian, Mid-Atlantic and Southeastern regions of the United States.The Census Bureau and the Association of American Geographers classify West Virginia as part of the Southern United States while the Bur ...

, where he began his career by playing two seasons. For the

Appalachian League The Appalachian League is a collegiate summer baseball league that operates in the Appalachian regions of Tennessee, Virginia, West Virginia, and North Carolina. Designed for rising freshmen and sophomores using wood bats, its season runs from ...

club, he collected a 5–5

win–loss record In sports, a winning percentage is the fraction of games or matches a team or individual has won. The statistic is commonly used in standings or rankings to compare teams or individuals. It is defined as wins divided by the total number of match ...

, averaging 6.50 earned runs per game in his 13

appearances Appearance may refer to: * Visual appearance, the way in which objects reflect and transmit light * Human physical appearance, what someone looks like * ''Appearances'' (film), a 1921 film directed by Donald Crisp * Appearance (philosophy), or p ...

(12 starts). His five victories were tied for the second-highest total on the team, and he allowed a team-high 11

home run In baseball, a home run (abbreviated HR) is scored when the ball is hit in such a way that the batter is able to circle the bases and reach home plate safely in one play without any errors being committed by the defensive team. A home run i ...

s in his appearances. He

struck out In baseball or softball, a strikeout (or strike-out) occurs when a batter accumulates three strikes during a time at bat. It usually means that the batter is out. A strikeout is a statistic recorded for both pitchers and batters, and is denot ...

40 batters in

innings pitched In baseball, innings pitched (IP) are the number of innings a pitcher has completed, measured by the number of batters and baserunners that are put out while the pitcher is on the pitching mound in a game. Three outs made is equal to one innin ...

walking Walking (also known as ambulation) is one of the main gaits of terrestrial locomotion among legged animals. Walking is typically slower than running and other gaits. Walking is defined by an 'inverted pendulum' gait in which the body vaults o ...

38. The next season, Ricci amassed a 4–6 record and a 6.66 earned run average (ERA), the club's second-worst mark. He played in 14 games, all starts, and struck out 73 batters in a like number of innings, allowing 48 bases on balls. In 1989, Ricci was promoted to the A-level

Waterloo Diamonds Located in Waterloo, Iowa, the Waterloo Diamonds was a baseball team that formed in 1989 and lasted until 1993. A member of the Midwest League, they were affiliated with two teams in 1989-the Baltimore Orioles and San Diego Padres and the franchise ...

, an unaffiliated team at the time. He increased his number of appearances from the previous year more than twofold, starting 25 of his 29 games and completing 9 of those contests. Ricci pitched a career-high innings that season, posting a 10–12 record; his loss total was tied for the team high in that category. He was third on the team, and tops among the regular starters, in ERA, with a 2.98 mark, and walked 59 batters while striking out 89. After advancing to the Frederick Keys for the 1990 season, Ricci again led that team with 12 defeats, as compared to his 7 victories. His ERA rose to 4.41, but his

strikeout-to-walk ratio In baseball statistics, strikeout-to-walk ratio (K/BB) is a measure of a pitcher's ability to control pitches, calculated as strikeouts divided by bases on balls. A hit by pitch is not counted statistically as a walk, and therefore not counted ...

improved to 97:49. In June of that year, Ricci pitched a complete-game

shutout In team sports, a shutout ( US) or clean sheet ( UK) is a game in which one team prevents the other from scoring any points. While possible in most major sports, they are highly improbable in some sports, such as basketball. Shutouts are usuall ...

of the

Prince William Cannons A prince is a male ruler (ranked below a king, grand prince, and grand duke) or a male member of a monarch's or former monarch's family. ''Prince'' is also a title of nobility (often highest), often hereditary, in some European states. Th ...

, winning 5–0.

1991–1993

The 1991 season saw Ricci continue with the Keys, when he earned a 12–14 record, leading the team in both wins and losses. His innings pitched were the team's highest total—as were his 90 runs allowed—and his 144 strikeouts were second to Kip Yaughn. Ricci split the 1992 season between Frederick and the AA-level Hagerstown Suns, spending more time at the latter. He began to transition to the bullpen with Hagerstown, making only 6 starts in 20 appearances. Ricci pitched innings for the Suns, amassing a 5.77 ERA and a 1–4 record. The

Bowie Baysox The Bowie Baysox are a Minor League Baseball team located in Bowie, Maryland. They are the Double-A affiliate of the Baltimore Orioles, and play in the Eastern League. Their home ballpark is Prince George's Stadium. History From 1989 to 1992, ...

became the Orioles' Eastern League affiliate in 1993, and Ricci played most of that season with them; he won seven games and lost four, amassing a 3.20 ERA. He struck out 83 batters against 20 walks in innings, but was granted free agency in October of that year.

Later years

1994–1995

On April 7, 1994, the

signed Ricci to a contract, assigning him to the double-A

Reading Phillies Reading is the process of taking in the sense or meaning of Letter (alphabet), letters, symbols, etc., especially by Visual perception, sight or Somatosensory system, touch. For educators and researchers, reading is a multifaceted process invo ...

. He recorded one victory for Reading, allowing no runs in 14 innings pitched. Earning a promotion to Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, Ricci earned four more wins against three losses, collecting a 4.04 ERA. On the season, he amassed six saves, striking out 95 batters while walking 26 of the 345 he faced that year. During the 1994 season, Ricci also appeared in the film

as one of the

baseball players. Ricci duplicated his Red Barons record the next season, posting a 4–3 mark in 1995. His 2.49 ERA was the best on the team among players making more than 10 appearances, and he led all

International League The International League (IL) is a Minor League Baseball league that operates in the United States. Along with the Pacific Coast League, it is one of two leagues playing at the Triple-A level, which is one grade below Major League Baseball ...

pitchers with 68 games played. Striking out 66 batters in 65 innings, Ricci finished 48 games for Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, saving 25 of them, by far the team's highest total that season. After the International League season concluded, Ricci was promoted to the major league club.

Major league career

Ricci began his Phillies career with his longest appearance, pitching three innings against the

Houston Astros The Houston Astros are an American professional baseball team based in Houston, Texas. The Astros compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) West division, having moved to the division in 2013 after ...

on September 8, 1995. In his debut, he walked two batters (

John Cangelosi John Anthony Cangelosi (born March 10, 1963) is an American former professional baseball outfielder. He played in Major League Baseball for the Chicago White Sox, Pittsburgh Pirates, Texas Rangers, New York Mets, Houston Astros, Florida Marlins a ...

and

Andy Stankiewicz Andrew Neal Stankiewicz (born August 10, 1964), is the head coach of the USC Trojans baseball team in Los Angeles and is a retired Major League Baseball middle-infielder. Stankiewicz had a seven-year MLB playing career spanning four clubs and 429 ...

), struck out one (

Jeff Bagwell Jeffrey Robert Bagwell (born May 27, 1968) is an American former professional baseball first baseman and coach who spent his entire 15-year Major League Baseball (MLB) playing career with the Houston Astros. Originally a Boston Red Sox fourth- ...

), and allowed one earned run and two hits, with the score coming on a

sacrifice fly In baseball, a sacrifice fly (sometimes abbreviated to sac fly) is defined by Rule 9.08(d): "Score a sacrifice fly when, before two are out, the batter hits a ball in flight handled by an outfielder or an infielder running in the outfield in fair o ...

by Ricky Gutiérrez. Ricci's next appearance also came against the Astros, when he threw a perfect inning two days later. Against the rival New York Mets on September 15, Ricci was chosen to complete the game in a 4–1 Phillies defeat; he allowed two hits and struck out one batter, lowering his ERA to 1.93. In a 13–10 victory over the Florida Marlins on September 18, Ricci pitched a portion of the third inning and all of the fourth, striking out three of the five batters he faced and hitting one. Ricci earned his only major league victory on September 23 against the

Cincinnati Reds The Cincinnati Reds are an American professional baseball team based in Cincinnati. They compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) National League Central, Central division and were a charter member of ...

, becoming the beneficiary of three ninth-inning walks by Xavier Hernandez, including the winning run walked in from the bases loaded with two outs. The next night, he faced the Reds again, allowing a run on a

Hal Morris William Harold Morris III (born April 9, 1965) is an American former Major League Baseball (MLB) first baseman who played for several teams from 1988 to 2000, including an eight-year stint with the Cincinnati Reds. From until 2016, he was the dir ...

double in the ninth inning of a 6–4 loss. His final appearance came against the Marlins in Florida, when he allowed two hits and a walk in two innings pitched, striking out three batters on October 1. Despite finishing his short stint with an undefeated record and a 1.80 ERA, Ricci was released into free agency at the end of the 1995 season.

1996–1997

In 1996, Ricci began play with the Pawtucket Red Sox of the International League, posting a career-best .667

winning percentage In sports, a winning percentage is the fraction of games or matches a team or individual has won. The statistic is commonly used in standings or rankings to compare teams or individuals. It is defined as wins divided by the total number of match ...

(8–4 record). His 3.01 ERA was best among the PawSox pitchers with more than 15 appearances, and his 13 saves were a team high. Ricci pitched innings that season, walking 32 and striking out 79. In 1997, he split his appearances between the

-affiliated Edmonton Trappers, where he notched a 16.88 ERA in four games, and the

Ottawa Lynx The Ottawa Lynx were a Minor League Baseball team that competed in the Triple-A International League (IL) from 1993 to 2007. The team's home field was Lynx Stadium in Ottawa, Ontario. Over 15 seasons, the team was an affiliate of the Montreal ...

, a

affiliate, for whom he won 2 games and lost 2 in 22 appearances. For Ottawa, Ricci pitched 27 innings, striking out 27, walking 25, and allowing 22

hits Hits or H.I.T.S. may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Music * ''H.I.T.S.'', 1991 album by New Kids on the Block * ''...Hits'' (Phil Collins album), 1998 * ''Hits'' (compilation series), 1984–2006; 2014 - a British compilation album se ...

After retirement

After leaving baseball as a player, Ricci worked for the Indians as a

scout Scout may refer to: Youth movement *Scout (Scouting), a child, usually 10–18 years of age, participating in the worldwide Scouting movement **Scouts (The Scout Association), section for 10-14 year olds in the United Kingdom **Scouts BSA, sectio ...

from 2000 to 2003. He later co-founded The Athlete's Edge, an organization offering baseball clinics for private and group instruction. , Ricci was the Indians' national cross-checker in their scouting department and he lived in Greencastle, Pennsylvania. Ricci now works for the

Tampa Bay Rays The Tampa Bay Rays are an American professional baseball team based in St. Petersburg, Florida. The Rays compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) American League East, East division. Since its inception ...

as a national cross checker. On October 28, 2022, Ricci was promoted to the role of director of amateur scouting.

References

External links

{{DEFAULTSORT:Ricci, Chuck 1968 births Living people American expatriate baseball players in Canada American male film actors Baseball players from Burlington County, New Jersey Baseball players from Franklin County, Pennsylvania Bluefield Orioles players Bowie Baysox players Edmonton Trappers players Frederick Keys players Hagerstown Suns players Ottawa Lynx players Pawtucket Red Sox players Philadelphia Phillies players Reading Phillies players Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Red Barons players Shawnee High School (New Jersey) alumni Waterloo Diamonds players American expatriate baseball players in Australia Perth Heat players