Dave Rozema – Baseball Player Biography, Career, Net Worth Information

Dave Rozema’s baseball career fizzled out quietly on April 30, 1986, when the Texas Rangers let him go after just four appearances that season. The right-hander from Grand Rapids, Michigan, struggled with a 5.91 ERA in his last stint. That marked the end of a ten-year journey through Major League Baseball that started with so much promise back in 1977.

Rozema played ten seasons in the majors, putting up a 60-53 record with a 3.47 ERA while pitching for the Detroit Tigers and Texas Rangers. His story really captures both the excitement of a young rising star and the tough realities that injuries and off-field mishaps can bring to a pro athlete’s career.

From his eye-catching rookie season—he earned American League Rookie Pitcher of the Year honors—to that infamous karate kick incident that changed everything, Rozema’s time in baseball was never boring. His journey from promising young starter to his final release says a lot about just how unpredictable pro sports can be, and how one player’s story can stick in the game’s folklore.

Early Life and Path to the Majors

Dave Rozema started his path to Major League Baseball in Grand Rapids, Michigan, where he honed his pitching at Central High School. Scouts noticed him, and he eventually made his way to the Detroit Tigers organization through the draft after he turned down another team’s offer.

Youth and High School Baseball

David Scott Rozema was born on August 5, 1956, in Grand Rapids. He grew up in the same city where he’d later stand out as a high school pitcher.

At Central High, Rozema dominated the mound. He picked up All-City pitcher honors in both his junior and senior years. His junior year, he went 11-3, and in his senior season, he posted an 11-5 record.

Rozema racked up some wild individual stats in high school. In one game, he struck out 20 batters in seven innings. Back in ninth grade, he threw six no-hitters.

“I used to blow ’em down in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Fourteen K’s a game,” Rozema later said about his high school days. His fastball was a lot faster back then than it ever was in the pros.

Draft and Signing with the Detroit Tigers

After graduating in 1974, Rozema got drafted by the San Francisco Giants in the 22nd round. But that first shot at pro ball didn’t work out.

Giants scout Herm Hannah came by Rozema’s house to talk about signing. The meeting left Rozema unimpressed. “The way he explained it to me, it didn’t sound like any fun at all,” Rozema admitted.

The Giants didn’t offer a signing bonus, which really bothered Rozema considering his high school success. “He didn’t offer me any money at all. Not a dime. So I said, ‘See ya later.’ I felt I deserved to get something,” he recalled.

Rozema skipped signing and enrolled at Grand Rapids Junior College for a semester. He tried out courses like American history, English, speed reading, bowling, football theory, and sports officiating.

The Detroit Tigers picked Rozema in the fourth round in January 1975. This time, he got a $2,500 signing bonus and officially joined the Tigers on January 21, 1975.

MLB Career Overview

Dave Rozema pitched ten seasons in Major League Baseball from 1977 to 1986, ending up with a 60-53 record and a 3.47 ERA over 248 games. He spent most of his career with the Detroit Tigers, then finished with the Texas Rangers. His best days came as a rookie, and he helped Detroit’s 1984 World Series championship team.

Major League Debut and Rookie Season

Rozema made his MLB debut on April 11, 1977, with the Tigers at just 20 years old. He shined during spring training as a nonroster invitee under manager Ralph Houk, making the big-league roster without ever pitching in Triple-A.

Only ten days after his debut, Rozema tossed a four-hit shutout against the Boston Red Sox. He missed the last three weeks of the season with a shoulder injury, but still finished with a 15-7 record and a 3.09 ERA.

His rookie year led the Tigers in several categories:

  • Wins: 15
  • ERA: 3.09
  • Complete games: 16
  • Innings pitched: 218

Rozema’s debut season earned him American League Rookie Pitcher of the Year and Tigers rookie of the year. He finished fourth in Rookie of the Year voting and ninth for the Cy Young Award.

Tenure with the Detroit Tigers

After his big rookie year, Rozema never won more than nine games in a season for Detroit. From 1978 through 1984, he battled injuries and inconsistent results.

His most infamous moment came on May 14, 1982, against the Minnesota Twins. During a bench-clearing brawl, Rozema went for a flying karate kick at John Castino, missed, and tore eight ligaments in his knee. He left on a stretcher and needed surgery, missing the rest of 1982.

Rozema came back to post an 8-3 record with a 3.43 ERA in 1983. In 1984, he helped the Tigers win the World Series with a 7-6 record and 3.74 ERA in the regular season, but he didn’t pitch in the postseason.

Years with the Texas Rangers

On December 27, 1984, Rozema signed with the Texas Rangers as a free agent, reportedly for $500,000 to $600,000. His Texas stint marked the end of his MLB run.

In 1985, Rozema pitched in 34 games for the Rangers—only four as a starter. He put up a 4.19 ERA over 88 innings, settling into a reliever role.

The 1986 season ended his career. After a rough start with a 5.91 ERA, the Rangers released him midseason. The Chicago White Sox picked him up as a free agent on May 20, 1986, but he never played for them.

His last MLB appearance came on April 30, 1986, against Cleveland. Rozema’s career totals: 448 strikeouts and 258 walks across 1,106 innings.

Pitching Style and Strengths

Dave Rozema didn’t blow hitters away with speed. Instead, he relied on pinpoint control and a nasty changeup to get outs in the majors. His fastball barely touched 85 mph, but his ability to mix speeds and hit his spots made him effective as both a starter and reliever.

Repertoire and Approach

Rozema’s pitching arsenal featured three main pitches: a changeup, slider, and sinking fastball. He learned the changeup from Tigers minor-league instructor John Grodzicki, and it became his go-to pitch.

His approach on the mound was more about smarts than power. “Because I’m big and tall, people think I should gun the ball. But I don’t. That’s not my style,” Rozema said. “Basically, I throw a lot of changeups and rely on groundballs.”

Rozema’s control stood out right away. Tigers manager Ralph Houk once said Rozema had “the best control of any young pitcher I’ve ever seen.”

Milwaukee Brewers outfielder Von Joshua summed up Rozema’s style: “He throws slow, slower, and slowest.” That approach frustrated hitters who expected heat from his 6-foot-4 frame.

Performance as a Starting Pitcher

Rozema’s rookie season in 1977 showed just how good he could be as a starter. He went 15-7 with a 3.09 ERA in 28 starts, finishing 16 complete games and walking only 34 batters in 218 innings.

His ground ball approach worked wonders. In his first big-league win at Fenway Park, Rozema got the Red Sox to hit 17 ground balls in a complete-game shutout.

He kept his WHIP (walks plus hits per inning pitched) low. Even in 1978, while dealing with shoulder issues, he posted a 1.175 WHIP over 209 innings.

Cleveland manager Frank Robinson called Rozema “a hell of a pitcher” and thought he could be “a 30-game winner.” Changing speeds kept hitters off balance, especially against teams like Milwaukee—he went 4-0 with four complete games against them in 1977.

Transition to Relief Pitching

Shoulder injuries forced Rozema to adjust his role later in his career. By 1985 with the Rangers, he pitched in 34 games but started only four times, posting a 4.19 ERA in 88 innings.

His control stayed sharp in relief. The changeup that made him successful as a starter still worked well in shorter outings.

Rozema’s last season in 1986 saw him pitch only in relief for Texas. He appeared in just six games, threw 10 innings, and got released after an ejection for arguing with an umpire.

The move to relief showed his adaptability, but his physical limitations caught up with him. While his ERA climbed in relief compared to his starting days, his command of the strike zone remained steady through his decade in the majors.

Statistical Performance and Milestones

Dave Rozema wrapped up his ten-year career with a 3.47 ERA and 1.250 WHIP over 1,106 innings. His control got better with time, and he posted a standout 1.4 walks per nine innings as a rookie.

Career ERA and WHIP

Rozema’s career ERA of 3.47 put him 18% above league average, as shown by his 118 ERA+. His best year was 1982, when he posted a 1.63 ERA over 27.2 innings and a 252 ERA+.

His WHIP (walks plus hits per inning pitched) of 1.250 showed solid control throughout his career. The stat stayed pretty consistent—1.230 with Detroit, 1.459 with Texas.

Season-by-Season ERA:

  • 1977: 3.09 (139 ERA+)
  • 1978: 3.14 (123 ERA+)
  • 1979: 3.51 (124 ERA+)
  • 1980: 3.92 (105 ERA+)

Strikeout and Walk Rates

Rozema’s strikeout rate (SO9) was 3.6 per nine innings—not flashy by today’s standards, but pretty normal for his time. His walk rate (BB9) of 2.1 per nine innings showed off his excellent control.

His best control year came in 1977, walking just 1.4 batters per nine innings. That low walk rate helped him get some Cy Young consideration that season.

His strikeout-to-walk ratio sat at 1.74 overall. He peaked at 2.71 in his rookie year and hit 2.67 in 1984.

Home Runs and Hits Allowed per Nine Innings

Rozema gave up 9.2 hits per nine innings over his career. His home run rate (HR9) was 0.9 per nine innings, which was solid for that era.

In 1982, he had his best year for hits allowed—just 5.5 per nine innings. His last season in 1986 was rough, with 16.0 hits per nine in limited work.

He kept home runs in check throughout his career. He never gave up more than 1.2 home runs per nine innings in any season where he pitched a significant number of innings.

1986 Season and Retirement

Dave Rozema’s last season in Major League Baseball was a tough one with the Texas Rangers. The team released him in May 1986 after he put up a 5.91 ERA in a handful of early-season appearances.

Performance in Final MLB Season

Rozema signed with the Texas Rangers as a free agent after the 1985 season, wrapping up a long stint with the Detroit Tigers. For him, Texas felt like a chance to hit reset.

He struggled right out of the gate in 1986. Rozema pitched in just 6 Major League games that year, which ended up being his last.

That tiny number of appearances really showed how little the Rangers used him.

Key 1986 Statistics:

  • Games appeared: 6
  • ERA: 5.91
  • Season ended: May 6, 1986 (released)

His ERA ballooned to 5.91, so it’s clear Rozema couldn’t get hitters out the way he used to. That’s a big drop-off from his earlier days.

He only lasted with Texas for less than two months in the regular season. The Rangers let him go on May 6, 1986, deciding he just wasn’t getting the job done.

Retirement from Professional Baseball

When the Rangers released Rozema on May 6, 1986, that pretty much closed the book on his 10-year Major League career. He was only 29, but no other team picked him up.

He finished with a record of 60 wins and 53 losses over 248 games, all with the Tigers and Rangers. Rozema’s MLB story had started back in 1977 with Detroit.

He peaked early, really, winning AL Rookie Pitcher of the Year in 1977 with 15 wins.

After hanging up his cleats, Rozema moved back to Michigan. He took a job as a salesman for a waste disposal company and kept a hand in the Detroit baseball scene.

His career lasted exactly a decade, from 1977 to 1986. That last stint with Texas was just a blip compared to his time in Detroit.

Legacy and Life After Baseball

Dave Rozema definitely made an impression on the Detroit Tigers and the game itself, even if injuries cut his career short. People still remember his electric rookie year, and he’s kept close to baseball since retiring in 1986.

Impact on the Detroit Tigers

Rozema spent eight of his ten MLB seasons with Detroit, so he’s pretty much woven into the team’s history. He made a big mark during the 1984 World Series championship season, helping the Tigers win their first title since 1968.

He brought his own flair to the Tigers’ pitching staff. That changeup of his, plus his control, really set him apart. In 1977, Rozema led the team with 15 wins—no one else on the staff topped that.

His rookie year in 1977 came at a perfect time for Detroit. The Tigers had just enjoyed Mark “The Bird” Fidrych’s breakout in 1976, and Rozema kept the excitement going. That 15-7 record and 3.09 ERA gave fans something to believe in.

Career Statistics with Detroit Tigers:

  • Years played: 1977-1984
  • Record: Contributed to 60-53 overall career record
  • Notable achievement: Part of 1984 World Series championship team

Recognition and Honors

Rozema picked up a bunch of awards during his eye-catching rookie season in 1977. The Sporting News named him the top rookie pitcher in the American League, which was no small feat.

He also landed on the Topps All-Rookie team and was named Tigers rookie of the year by the Detroit Sports Broadcasters Association. He finished fourth in the AL Rookie of the Year race, according to the Baseball Writers Association of America.

He even grabbed eighth place in Cy Young Award balloting. Not bad for a 20-year-old just getting started.

The Tigers saw his potential and rewarded him with a three-year contract after that first season. They clearly believed he could be a big part of their future.

Post-Retirement Activities

After he retired from MLB in 1986, Rozema made a quick return to pro baseball in 1990. He joined the St. Petersburg Pelicans in the Senior Professional Baseball Association, picked up a 2-0 record in just three games, and then, well, the league folded.

Rozema kept close to his Michigan roots. As a Grand Rapids native, he’s shown up at local events and libraries, talking baseball with kids and sharing stories from his career.

He settled in St. Clair Shores, Michigan, and he’s been there since hanging up his glove. Now at 66, Rozema still connects with baseball fans and young people around Detroit, chatting often about his days with the Tigers.

There’s also a fun bit about his personal life. Rozema and Kirk Gibson married sisters, so their friendship from the Tigers days has stuck around long after their playing careers ended.

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