Ray Searage
Searage with the Pittsburgh Pirates in 2012
Pitcher
Born: (1955-05-01) May 1, 1955
Freeport, New York, U.S.
Batted: Left
Threw: Left
MLB debut
June 11, 1981, for the New York Mets
Last MLB appearance
September 30, 1990, for the Los Angeles Dodgers
MLB statistics
Win–loss record11–13
Earned run average3.50
Strikeouts193
Teams
As player

As coach

Raymond Mark Searage (born May 1, 1955) is an American professional baseball relief pitcher and coach. Searage played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the New York Mets (1981), Milwaukee Brewers (1984–1986), Chicago White Sox (1986–1987), and Los Angeles Dodgers (1989–1990). He was also the pitching coach for the Pittsburgh Pirates from 2010 through 2019.

Playing career

Searage is from Deer Park, New York. He graduated from Deer Park High School in 1973,[1] and then attended Suffolk Community College for one year, before he transferred to West Liberty State College, where he played college baseball for the West Liberty Hilltoppers in the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics.[2]

The St. Louis Cardinals selected Searage in the 22nd round of the 1976 Major League Baseball draft.[3] In December 1979, the Cardinals traded Searage to the New York Mets for Jody Davis.[4] He made his MLB debut with the Mets on June 11, 1981, just hours before the start of the 1981 MLB strike.[5][6] In his brief tenure with the Mets in 1981, he had a 1–0 win–loss record and a 3.65 earned run average across 26 games played.[3] He also went 1-for-1 in his only at bat, making him the only Met in history to have a 100% winning percentage and a 1.000 batting average.

In January 1982, the Mets traded Searage to the Cleveland Indians for Tom Veryzer.[7] He spent two years in the minor leagues for the Cleveland organization before he signed with the Milwaukee Brewers after the 1983 season.[3]

While with the Brewers, Searage had a streak of 28 consecutive scoreless innings pitched from 1984 to 1985, which tied a team record.[8] He struggled in 1985, and was demoted to the minor leagues on June 14. The Brewers recalled him in August.[9] He began the 1986 season with Milwaukee, but again struggled and was sent to the minor leagues, before being recalled in June.[10] In July 1986, the Brewers traded Searage to the Chicago White Sox for Al Jones and Tom Hartley.[11] Searage signed with the Los Angeles Dodgers in April 1988. After spending the 1988 season in the minor leagues, he made the Dodgers' major league team in 1989.[12] After pitching for the Dodgers in 1990, Searage finished his playing career with the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Red Barons in 1991 and the Edmonton Trappers in 1992.[13][1]

In seven major league seasons, Searage had an 11–13 win–loss record with a 3.50 ERA. He appeared in 254 games, pitched 287+2⁄3 innings, finished 101 games, and garnered 11 saves. Searage allowed 267 hits, 120 runs, 112 earned runs, 22 home runs, 137 walks (23 intentional), 193 strikeouts, hit three batters, made 14 wild pitches, faced 1,242 batters, and balked twice.[1]

Coaching career

In 1994, Searage rejoined the Cardinals' organization as a minor league pitching coach, assigned to the Madison Hatters of the Class A Midwest League.[2][14] He coached the Peoria Chiefs of the Midwest League in 1995 and 1996 and the Prince William Cannons of the Class A-Advanced Carolina League in 1997. Searage worked for the Tampa Bay Devil Rays organization as the pitching coach for the Orlando Rays of the Class AA Southern League from 1998 through 2000. The Florida Marlins hired Searage as their minor league pitching coordinator in 2000.[1] In 2001, he served as interim pitching coach for the Calgary Cannons of the Class AAA Pacific Coast League, substituting for Britt Burns.[15] He joined the Pittsburgh Pirates organization, and served as the pitching coach for the Williamsport Crosscutters of the Class A-Short Season New York-Penn League in 2003 and 2004,[16] the Hickory Crawdads of the Class A South Atlantic League in 2005,[17] the Altoona Curve of the Class AA Eastern League in 2006 and 2007,[18] and for the Indianapolis Indians of the Class AAA International League in 2008 and 2009.[2]

On October 17, 2009, he was promoted to the Pittsburgh Pirates as the assistant pitching coach.[19] When John Russell, the manager of the Pirates, initiated the firing of Joe Kerrigan, the Pirates' pitching coach, in August 2010, Searage was named interim pitching coach for the Pirates.[20] After Clint Hurdle was named manager, Searage was named full-time pitching coach. In 2015, the Pirates had 98 wins and a 3.21 team ERA, both second-best in MLB. As the Pirates' pitching coach, Searage was credited with rejuvenating the careers of Francisco Liriano, Edinson Vólquez, Charlie Morton, J. A. Happ, and A. J. Burnett.[21][22][23] He held that position until October 3, 2019, when he was dismissed shortly after Hurdle.[24]

Personal life

Searage has three sons. His son Ryan played professional baseball for the Pirates organization.[25]

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 "Coach Bio | MLB.com". M.mlb.com. Archived from the original on October 11, 2019. Retrieved October 12, 2019.
  2. 1 2 3 Segal, Matt. "Sitting down w/ Pitching Coach Ray Searage". Milb.com. Retrieved October 3, 2019.
  3. 1 2 3 "2 Apr 1985, Page 18 - The Sheboygan Press at". Newspapers.com. April 2, 1985. Retrieved October 6, 2019.
  4. ↑ "Ray Searage Statistics and History". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved March 23, 2014.
  5. ↑ "15 Jun 1981, 38 - The Gazette at". Newspapers.com. June 15, 1981. Retrieved October 6, 2019.
  6. ↑ "5 Jul 1981, 65 - The Record at". Newspapers.com. July 5, 1981. Retrieved October 10, 2019.
  7. ↑ Jane Gross (January 9, 1982). "Mets Get Veryzer for Searage - The New York Times". The New York Times. Retrieved October 3, 2019.
  8. ↑ "Ray Searage". Baseballbiography.com. Retrieved March 23, 2014.
  9. ↑ "13 Aug 1985, 30 - The Post-Crescent at". Newspapers.com. August 13, 1985. Retrieved October 6, 2019.
  10. ↑ "10 Jun 1986, Page 21 - The Oshkosh Northwestern at". Newspapers.com. June 10, 1986. Retrieved October 10, 2019.
  11. ↑ Sherman, Ed (July 23, 1986). "White Sox Option Davis to Buffalo". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved October 10, 2019.
  12. ↑ "Dodger Notebook : Searage Stakes Claim to a Spot in Bullpen". Los Angeles Times. March 28, 1989.
  13. ↑ "16 Aug 1992, 24 - Edmonton Journal at". Newspapers.com. August 16, 1992. Retrieved October 6, 2019.
  14. ↑ "27 Apr 1994, 13 - Wisconsin State Journal at". Newspapers.com. April 27, 1994. Retrieved October 10, 2019.
  15. ↑ "18 Aug 2001, 36 - Calgary Herald at". Newspapers.com. August 18, 2001. Retrieved October 12, 2019.
  16. ↑ "Phillies & Pirates Filled with Cutters Alumni | Crosscutters". Milb.com. July 16, 2014. Retrieved October 12, 2019.
  17. ↑ "Forty Former Crawdads in Major/ Minor League Positions | Crawdads". Milb.com. February 9, 2011. Retrieved October 12, 2019.
  18. ↑ "Pirates make Minor changes in farm system | New York-Penn League". Milb.com. November 29, 2006. Retrieved October 6, 2019.
  19. ↑ "Pirates announce Perry Hill won't return; hire Searage | Pittsburgh Post-Gazette". Post-gazette.com. Retrieved October 10, 2019.
  20. ↑ "Pirates fire coaches Kerrigan, Varsho | Pittsburgh Post-Gazette". Post-gazette.com. Retrieved October 10, 2019.
  21. ↑ Verducci, Tom (March 28, 2016). "Ray Searage, the Pirates' pitch doctor, is their secret to success". SI.com. Retrieved October 10, 2019.
  22. ↑ "Crasnick: Volquez could be Pirates' new rescue". ESPN.com. April 5, 2014. Retrieved October 10, 2019.
  23. ↑ Berry, Adam (March 9, 2016). "Ray Searage is the Pirates pitcher whisperer". MLB.com. Retrieved October 12, 2019.
  24. ↑ "Pirates fire pitching coach Ray Searage, bench coach Tom Prince". Wtae.com. October 3, 2019. Retrieved October 3, 2019.
  25. ↑ "29 Jun 2005, 17 - The Daily Item at". Newspapers.com. June 29, 2005. Retrieved October 6, 2019.
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