Greg Runser, former baseball player question

[CheeseDonkey]

Here's a question I'm not sure anyone is going to be able to answer. It's about former minor leaguer Greg Runser.

Greg Runser was a promising young prospect in the Texas Rangers minor league system. He led the league in saves and 2001 and 2002. Yet, by 2003, he was playing for the Pennsylvania Road Warriors in the independent Atlantic League. And he was with the Road Warriors, where the detritus that even the other Atlantic League teams aren't willing to sign goes.

So, my question is, does anyone know what happened between 2002 and 2003 that caused the Rangers to part ways with Runser? He appeared to be a solid prospect, but they got rid of him. Why?

[Munch]

It would appear that he was a terrible pitcher, which may have had something to do with it. He walked too many players, gave up too many hits, and wasn't good at striking people out. Look at 2002 - his WHIP of 1.69 is horrendously bad. And over 61 innings, you can't really claim small sample size. He also walked more batters then he struck out - that's absurdly bad for a 23 year old pitcher in AA ball.

[RickJay]

Originally Posted by CheeseDonkey

So, my question is, does anyone know what happened between 2002 and 2003 that caused the Rangers to part ways with Runser? He appeared to be a solid prospect, but they got rid of him. Why?

As Munch points out, Runser really wasn't a good pitcher from the looks of it. His 2002 numbers were extremely lucky, and the Rangers' decision to let him go was proven correct by his performance in independent ball.

Runser was a fifth round draft pick out of college, which kind of makes him a B prospect at best. By his 2002 season he was already 23, which I know doesn't sound old but is middle aged for an AA pitcher. By that age and level, you want a pitcher to be one of three things:

1. Absolutely destroying AA hitters, or
2. Being possessed of the kind of devastating stuff you can still mold into something, and/or
3. Not relief pitchers. Relief pitching in the minors isn't where your better prospects usually are.

He certainly was not (1) or (3) so we'd have to assume he lacked (2), and the Rangers decided they wanted the roster spot used for someone else. I can't find any old scouting reports on him, unfortunately.

[Boozahol Squid, P.I.]

Originally Posted by CheeseDonkey

He led the league in saves and 2001 and 2002.

I think this sentence might be your problem. The save is an awful stat.

[Munch]

Originally Posted by Boozahol Squid, P.I.

I think this sentence might be your problem. The save is an awful stat.

Yup. Not only is the save itself a horrible statistic, but leading a minor league in saves is even more meaningless, as players who are good tend to be promoted at some point in the year.

Oddly enough, b-r.com seems to omit Runser from the leaderboard in each of those leagues:

2001
2002

[Hawkeyeop]

Originally Posted by Munch

Yup. Not only is the save itself a horrible statistic, but leading a minor league in saves is even more meaningless, as players who are good tend to be promoted at some point in the year.

That and even guys who end up as top relievers usually start in the minors. It is rare fr any minor league closer to be a legitimate prospect.

[CheeseDonkey]

I was actually looking for a definitive news article that stated why the Rangers dropped him, however your conjecture seems reasonable enough. I was enamored by his save numbers (though yes, saves are worthless) and didn't really note his less-than-stellar other statistics.

Minor league closers rare get much respect, it seems. Lee Gronkiewicz posted a 2.41 ERA with 159 saves in the minors, yet pitched in only one big league game. Bobby Korecky has 167 minor league saves and a 3.06 ERA, yet he has only 21 major league games to his name.

[Wheelz]

Was I the only one expecting some sort of shaggy-dog punchline to the OP? Just the fact that I'd never heard of the guy and he has a somewhat unusual last name that might play into a baseball pun.

Maybe something about a contract dispute that pushed him to the Earned Runser Verge? I dunno, needs work...

[Marley23]

You mean a pun like "He musta given up too many Runser something?"

[Munch]

Originally Posted by Wheelz

Just the fact that I'd never heard of the guy and he has a somewhat unusual last name that might play into a baseball pun.

<inserts Grant Balfour joke here>

[mhendo]

From Lexis/Nexis:

Elsewhere: The independent Northern League's Gary Southshore (Ind.) Railcats will be managed by former Tulsa SS Garry Templeton, whose son, Garry II, was signed last week as an infielder for the team. Gary also signed ex-Oklahoma Baptist P Todd George. . .

Greg Runser, who tied a Drillers record and led the TL with 25 saves last season, was released by the Texas Rangers.

Tulsa World (Oklahoma), April 21, 2003, p. B2.

That's all i could find about the Rangers' decision to let him go.

Two subsequent articles give a sense of Runser's struggles:

Reliever Greg Runser walked Willis Otanez with the bases loaded to force in the winning run as the Bluefish [5-7] recorded their fourth come-from-behind victory.

Connecticut Post (Bridgeport, CT), May 15, 2003.

and

An inning later, he lined a two-out, two-run double into the gap in right-center off right-hander Greg Runser [0-3].

Connecticut Post (Bridgeport, CT), June 23, 2003.

[RealityChuck]

Maybe he just didn't look like a ballplayer.

He seems to be working in the Twins organization as a scout.