Randy Lerch - #47 - LHP

Born – Sacramento, Calif., 10/9/1954

B-L, T-L… 6-3, 190

 

Randy Lerch, who was a mainstay for several years on the division-winning teams of the late 1970s, came upon hard times in 1980. Lerch struggled throughout the season, finishing 4-14 with an astronomical (for 1980 standards) 5.16 ERA. It was due to Nino Espinosa's injuries and Lerch's ineffectiveness that Bob Walk, and later Marty Bystrom, were brought up from AAA and ultimately placed on the post season roster. 

1980 Statistics

 

 

IP

 W

 L

Ks

ERA

1980

150.0

4

14

57

5.16

Lifetime Statistics

Year

Team

IP

W

  L

  S

   K

ERA

1975

Phillies

7.0

0

0

0

8

6.43

1976

Phillies

3.0

0

0

1

0

3.00

1977

Phillies

168.2

10

6

0

81

5.07

1978

Phillies

184.0

11

8

0

96

3.96

1979

Phillies

214.0

10

13

0

92

3.74

1980

Phillies

150.0

4

14

0

57

5.16

1981

Brewers

110.2

7

9

0

53

4.31

1982

Brewers

108.2

8

7

0

33

4.97

1982

Expos

23.2

2

0

0

4

3.42

1983

Expos

38.2

1

3

0

24

6.75

1983

Giants

10.2

1

0

0

6

3.38

1984

Giants

72.1

5

3

2

48

4.23

1986

Phillies

8.0

1

1

0

5

7.88

TOTALS

 

1099.1

60

64

3

507

4.53

Phillies Publications

From The Phillies 1980 Media Guide:

 

How Obtained:  Phillies No. 8 selection, June 1973 draft; signed by Eddie Bockman.

 

1979 Season:  Like many Philadelphia pitchers last year, his season also was injury plagued…  Fractured his right wrist in 7/3 and pitched with a cast and especially well under Dallas Green… Had a 3.19 ERA in August and 2.47 ERA in September…  Best game was a 2-1 complete game win over the Pirates on 9/20 @ the Vet in which he struck out a career high nine batters…  Pitched his first career shutout blanking the Mets 4-0 on 9/12 @ Shea with a seven-hit, eight strikeout performance…  Blasted his 4th career HR on 5/17 @ Wrigley Field.

 

Career:  Was the winning pitcher in the Phillies Division clincher at Pittsburgh in 1978 as he hit two HR…  Led majors in HR for pitcher in 1978 (3); was second to Steve Carlton in ’78 for best batting average pitchers (.250)…  1979 was his first losing season in professional baseball… won 10 games in his rookie year in 1977… Progressed in the minors from rookie league to Triple-A in four years posting a 45-25 record… Topped Eastern League in wins with 16 in 1975.

 

Personal/Misc:  1973 Cordova (Cal.) High School Graduate…  Played Little League, Babe Ruth League and American Legion Baseball…  Now makes his permanent home in the South Jersey area.

From The Phillies 1981 Media Guide:

 

How Obtained:  Phillies No. 8 selection, June 1973 draft; signed by Eddie Bockman.

 

1980 Season:  Had a disappointing season as he never could get untracked from a disastrous 0-6 start…  Won his first game on 5/28 vs. Pitts. @ Vet, then won on game in June, July, August…  Still one of baseball’s best hitting pitchers; he hit .267 to raise his lifetime batting average to .207…  Was involved in a number of low scoring games early in the season as the Phils offense failed to produce many runs while he was on the mound.

 

Career:  Had strong second half in 1979 including his first big league shutout on 9/12 @ Shea beating the Mets 4-0… Was the winning pitcher in the Phils division clincher over Pittsburgh in 1978 a game in which he hit 2 HR…  Has hit four career HR and led the majors in HR for a pitcher (3) in 1978…  1979 and 1980 were his first losing seasons since entering professional baseball…  Won 10 games in his rookie season (1977)…  Topped Eastern League in wins with 16 in 1975…  Fractured right wrist on 7/3/79 and pitched with a cast most of the season.

 

Personal/Misc:  1979 Cordova (Cal.) High School Graduate…  Played Little League, Babe Ruth League and American Legion Baseball…  Makes his permanent home in South Jersey…  Likes to hunt during the off season.

From The 1980 Phillies Yearbook:

  • Favorite Color:  Blue
  • Favorite Singer/Group:  Cat Stevens, Elton John
  • Favorite Song:  Harmony
  • Favorite City:  Denver – I love the mountains
  • Least Favorite City:  Rocky Mount, N.C. – I didn’t have much luck there in the minors
  • Person You'd Most Like To Meet:  Ayatollah Khomeini
  • Boyhood Idol(s):  Willie Mays
  • Biggest Turn-On:  Watching my children play
  • Biggest Turn-Off:  One of my neighbors
  • Favorite Subject in School:  Auto Mechanics
  • Favorite TV Show:  Three’s Company
  • Favorite Book:  The Exodus
  • Person You Most Admire:  My Father
  • Greatest Achievement:  Making the major leagues
  • Most Memorable Moment:  Hitting two home runs and winning the game against the Pirates that clinched the 1978 Division title for us
  • Hobbies:  Hunting, fishing and wood cutting
  • Toughest Batter You’ve Faced:  Ken Griffey