Rick Honeycutt

{{short description|American baseball player and coach (born 1954)}}

{{Infobox baseball biography

|name = Rick Honeycutt

|image = Rick Honeycutt.jpg

|image_size = 240px

|caption = Honeycutt with the Los Angeles Dodgers

|position = Pitcher

|bats = Left

|throws = Left

|birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1954|6|29}}

|birth_place = Chattanooga, Tennessee, U.S.

|team =

|number =

|debutleague = MLB

|debutdate= August 24

|debutyear=1977

|debutteam=Seattle Mariners

|finalleague = MLB

|finaldate=May 2

|finalyear=1997

|finalteam=St. Louis Cardinals

|statleague = MLB

|stat1label=Win–loss record

|stat1value=109–143

|stat2label=Earned run average

|stat2value=3.72

|stat3label=Strikeouts

|stat3value=1,038

|teams=

As player

Seattle Mariners ({{Baseball year|1977}}–{{Baseball year|1980}})
Texas Rangers ({{Baseball year|1981}}–{{Baseball year|1983}})
Los Angeles Dodgers ({{Baseball year|1983}}–{{Baseball year|1987}})
Oakland Athletics ({{Baseball year|1987}}–{{Baseball year|1993}})
Texas Rangers ({{Baseball year|1994}})
Oakland Athletics ({{Baseball year|1995}})
New York Yankees ({{Baseball year|1995}})
St. Louis Cardinals ({{Baseball year|1996}}–{{Baseball year|1997}})

As coach

Los Angeles Dodgers ({{Baseball year|2006}}–{{Baseball year|2019}})

|highlights=

2× All-Star (1980, 1983)
World Series champion ({{wsy|1989}})
AL ERA leader (1983)

}}

Frederick Wayne Honeycutt (born June 29, 1954), nicknamed "Honey",{{cite web|url=https://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/21209065/los-angeles-dodgers-ace-clayton-kershaw-leans-pitching-coach-rick-honeycutt |title=The long friendship of Kersh and Honey |publisher=ESPN |first=Steve |last=Wulf |date=October 29, 2017 |access-date=February 11, 2024}} is an American former professional baseball coach and pitcher. Honeycutt pitched in Major League Baseball (MLB) for six different teams over 21 years, from 1977 to 1997. He pitched in 30 post-season games, including 20 League Championship Series games and seven World Series games, and never lost a game, going 3–0. Honeycutt gave up no runs in the 1988 and 1990 post-seasons, and was a member of the Oakland Athletics' 1989 World Series championship team. He was also the pitching coach for the Los Angeles Dodgers from 2006 through 2019.

Playing career

Honeycutt was born in Chattanooga, Tennessee, and graduated from Lakeview Fort Oglethorpe High School in Fort Oglethorpe, Georgia. He was drafted in the 14th round (336th overall) of the 1972 Major League Baseball draft by the Baltimore Orioles, but did not sign.{{Cite web |title=14th Round of the 1972 MLB June Amateur Draft |url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/draft/?year_ID=1972&draft_round=14&draft_type=junreg&query_type=year_round |access-date=March 17, 2023 |website=Baseball-Reference.com |language=en}}

Honeycutt played for the Tennessee Volunteers baseball team from 1973–1976, where he was an All-American first baseman-pitcher and won the Southeastern Conference batting title with a .404 mark. He played summer ball in Liberal, Kansas, in the Jayhawk League, for Bob Cerv.{{Cite web |last= |first= |date=August 16, 2011 |title=Former BJ Coach Treated as Royalty |url=https://www.kscbnews.net/former-bj-coach-treated-as-royalty/ |access-date=March 17, 2023 |website=KSCB |language=en-US}}

Honeycutt was drafted again in the 17th round (405th overall) of the 1976 MLB draft by the Pittsburgh Pirates.{{Cite web |title=17th Round of the 1976 MLB June Amateur Draft |url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/draft/ |access-date=March 17, 2023 |website=Baseball-Reference.com |language=en}} After {{frac|1|1|2}} seasons in their minor league system, the Pirates traded him to the Seattle Mariners in August 1977 to complete an earlier trade for Dave Pagan.{{Cite news |date=August 23, 1977 |title=Major League Box Scores |language=en-US |work=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1977/08/23/archives/major-league-box-scores.html |access-date=March 17, 2023 |issn=0362-4331}}

Honeycutt made his major league debut on August 24, 1977, against the Toronto Blue Jays. He pitched two scoreless innings of relief, struck out three, and allowed two hits.{{Cite web |date=August 24, 1977 |title=Toronto Blue Jays vs Seattle Mariners Box Score: August 24, 1977 |url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/SEA/SEA197708241.shtml |access-date=March 17, 2023 |website=Baseball-Reference.com |language=en}} His first start was against the New York Yankees on August 31. He pitched {{frac|7|1|2}} innings in that start, allowing three earned runs in a no-decision.{{Cite web |date=August 31, 1977 |title=Seattle Mariners vs New York Yankees Box Score: August 31, 1977 |url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/NYA/NYA197708310.shtml |access-date=March 17, 2023 |website=Baseball-Reference.com |language=en}} He finished the season 0–1 with a 4.34 ERA in 10 games (three starts).{{Cite web |title=Rick Honeycutt Stats, Height, Weight, Position, Rookie Status & More |url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/h/honeyri01.shtml |access-date=March 17, 2023 |website=Baseball-Reference.com |language=en}}

Honeycutt earned his first career win in his first start the following year, beating the Minnesota Twins on April 7, 1978. In the game, he allowed three earned runs and four walks in seven innings as the Mariners won 6–3.{{Cite web |date=April 7, 1978 |title=Minnesota Twins vs Seattle Mariners Box Score: April 7, 1978 |url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/SEA/SEA197804070.shtml |access-date=March 17, 2023 |website=Baseball-Reference.com |language=en}} In 26 games (24 starts) during the 1978 season, he posted a 5–11 record and a 4.89 ERA.

Honeycutt matured into a control pitcher, being selected to the 1980 All-Star Game. While he was pitching on September 30, 1980, he was caught using a thumbtack to illegally cut the ball. He was ejected and suspended for 10 games.{{Cite web |title=Biggest cheaters in baseball |url=https://www.espn.com/page2/s/list/cheaters/ballplayers.html |access-date=January 2, 2012 |publisher=ESPN}} On December 18, 1980, Honeycutt was traded along with Willie Horton, Leon Roberts, Mario Mendoza and Larry Cox from the Mariners to the Texas Rangers for Richie Zisk, Jerry Don Gleaton, Rick Auerbach, Ken Clay, Brian Allard and minor-league right-handed pitcher Steve Finch in an 11-player blockbuster deal.{{Cite web |date=December 18, 1980 |title=The Texas Rangers Thursday completed an 11-player trade with... |url=https://www.upi.com/Archives/1980/12/18/The-Texas-Rangers-Thursday-completed-an-11-player-trade-with/4772345963600/ |access-date=October 22, 2022 |agency=UPI |language=en}} In 1983, Honeycutt represented the Rangers in the All-Star Game. On August 19, 1983, Honeycutt was traded from the Rangers to the Los Angeles Dodgers for Dave Stewart and Ricky Wright.{{Cite news |date=August 20, 1983 |title=SPORTS PEOPLE; Honeycutt to Dodgers |language=en-US |work=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1983/08/20/sports/sports-people-honeycutt-to-dodgers.html |access-date=March 17, 2023 |issn=0362-4331}} Honeycutt led the American League in ERA in 1983 with 2.42, although he was traded to the Dodgers late in the season.

On August 29, 1987, the Dodgers traded Honeycutt to the Oakland Athletics for a player to be named later,{{Cite web |last= |first= |date=August 30, 1987 |title=Dodgers Trade Honeycutt to A's for Unnamed Player |url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1987-08-30-sp-5033-story.html |access-date=March 17, 2023 |website=Los Angeles Times |language=en-US}} who would be Tim Belcher. Converted from a starting pitcher to relief in 1988 by Oakland, he became a set-up man to Dennis Eckersley, posting a series of sub-3.7 ERAs from 1988 through 1993. He was the oldest major league player in both 1996 and 1997.{{Cite web |title=Yearly League Leaders & Records for Oldest |url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/leaders/Oldest_leagues.shtml |access-date=2025-02-01 |website=Baseball-Reference.com |language=en}}

Honeycutt made 268 starts and 529 relief appearances in his career, logging 2,160 innings pitched and compiling 109 wins and 38 saves.

Coaching career

Following his playing career, Honeycutt spent a year coaching his kids' teams before joining the Dodgers as their minor league pitching coordinator.{{Cite web |title=The Official Site of The Los Angeles Dodgers: Team: Manager and Coaches |url=http://losangeles.dodgers.mlb.com/team/coach_staff_bio.jsp?c_id=la&coachorstaffid=116118 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080327182737/http://losangeles.dodgers.mlb.com/team/coach_staff_bio.jsp?c_id=la&coachorstaffid=116118 |archive-date=March 27, 2008 |website=Los Angeles Dodgers |publisher=MLB.com}}

Honeycutt joined the Dodgers' coaching staff as pitching coach for the 2006 season.{{Cite web |date=January 11, 2006 |title=Eddie Murray hired as Dodgers' hitting coach |url=https://www.espn.com/mlb/news/story?id=2287564 |access-date=March 17, 2023 |website=ESPN |language=en |agency=Associated Press}} He also launched a sporting goods and apparel business in Chattanooga, Tennessee.

Honeycutt and Mariano Duncan were the only holdovers from Grady Little's 2007 coaching staff to return on new Dodgers' manager Joe Torre's 2008 coaching staff.{{Cite web |last=Nadel |first=John |date=November 16, 2007 |title=Dodgers add 4 more coaches to Joe Torre's staff |url=https://usatoday30.usatoday.com/sports/baseball/2007-11-16-2937100569_x.htm |access-date=March 17, 2023 |website=USA Today |agency=Associated Press}} Honeycutt also remained as pitching coach when Don Mattingly replaced Torre after the 2010 season.{{Cite web |date=November 22, 2010 |title=Dodgers announce 2011 coaching staff |url=http://losangeles.dodgers.mlb.com/news/press_releases/press_release.jsp?ymd=20101122&content_id=16174440&vkey=pr_la&fext=.jsp&c_id=la |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101126050435/http://losangeles.dodgers.mlb.com/news/press_releases/press_release.jsp?ymd=20101122&content_id=16174440&vkey=pr_la&fext=.jsp&c_id=la |archive-date=November 26, 2010 |access-date=March 17, 2023 |website=Los Angeles Dodgers |publisher=MLB.com}} When Mattingly left the team after the 2015 season, Honeycutt was the only coach to remain on the staff for new manager Dave Roberts.{{cite web |last=Weisman |first=Jon |date=December 17, 2015 |title=Dodgers name coaches for 2016 |url=http://dodgers.mlblogs.com/2015/12/17/dodgers-name-coaches-for-2016/ |access-date=December 17, 2015 |work=Los Angeles Dodgers |publisher=MLBlogs}}

Due to a back injury, Honeycutt stepped down as pitching coach for the Dodgers after the 2019 season to take a new role as a special assistant to the team. Honeycutt's 14 years as the Dodgers pitching coach (under four different managers) tied Ron Perranoski for the longest tenure in that role in the organization's history.{{cite web |last=Calcatera |first=Craig |date=October 14, 2019 |title=Dodgers to reassign pitching coach Rick Honeycutt, Mark Prior to take over |url=https://mlb.nbcsports.com/2019/10/14/dodgers-to-reassign-pitching-coach-rick-honeycutt-mark-prior-to-take-over/ |access-date=October 14, 2019 |work=NBC Sports}}