Rick Auerbach – Baseball Player Biography, Career, Net Worth Information

Rick Auerbach’s story feels pretty familiar if you follow baseball. He was a promising shortstop trying to carve out a spot in the big leagues during the 1970s and early 1980s. Born in Woodland Hills, California in 1950, Auerbach spent eleven seasons in Major League Baseball before he finally hung up his cleats in 1981.

He played for four different teams during his MLB career: the Milwaukee Brewers, Los Angeles Dodgers, Cincinnati Reds, and Seattle Mariners. Over 624 games, he put up a .220 batting average, hit 9 home runs, and drove in 86 runs. His climb from the minors to the majors really shows just how much grit it takes to stick around at the top level.

Let’s take a look at Auerbach’s journey from high school standout to professional player. His career included some memorable trades and plenty of team changes, plus all the weird challenges that come with being a utility player in an era of baseball that felt pretty different from today’s game.

From his early days as an amateur to his last season with Seattle, Auerbach’s path gives you a glimpse into what life was like for journeyman players who helped keep Major League Baseball running.

Early Life and Amateur Career

Rick Auerbach was born on February 15, 1950, in Woodland Hills, California, to Esther and Jack Auerbach. His baseball journey started at Taft High School, where pro scouts noticed him. The California Angels drafted him in 1968, but he decided to play college ball at Los Angeles Pierce College instead.

Birthplace and Family Background

Frederick Steven “Rick” Auerbach grew up in Woodland Hills, California, out in the San Fernando Valley. His parents, Esther and Jack, raised him in a neighborhood where baseball was just part of life.

The area’s mild weather meant kids could play baseball almost all year. That definitely helped Auerbach develop his skills early.

California’s baseball culture surrounded him from the start. With so many youth leagues and high school teams, talented players always had a chance to move up.

Education and High School Achievements

Auerbach went to Taft High School in Woodland Hills, where he stood out as a shortstop. His senior year in 1968 really turned heads, and pro scouts started watching him closely.

The California Angels liked what they saw and picked him in the 13th round of the 1968 MLB draft. That alone showed he had the raw skills to go pro.

Even though he could’ve jumped straight into professional baseball, Auerbach turned down the Angels’ offer. He wanted to keep learning and get better at the college level first.

Collegiate Baseball Experience

Auerbach chose Los Angeles Pierce College, which kept him close to home and let him keep chasing his baseball dreams. Pierce had a solid athletic program and gave him room to sharpen his game.

That call paid off. Community college ball often gives players a second shot to prove themselves or boost their draft stock before going pro.

His stay at Pierce College was short but productive. After just one season, he got drafted again, this time in the secondary phase of the 1969 amateur draft. The expansion Seattle Pilots picked him up, kicking off his pro baseball journey.

Major League Baseball Debut

Rick Auerbach’s road to the majors really started when the Seattle Pilots drafted him in 1969. He made his MLB debut with the Milwaukee Brewers on April 13, 1971. Before that, he worked his way up through the minors, slowly earning his shot at shortstop.

Entrance Into Professional Baseball

Auerbach started his pro career after graduating from Taft High in 1968. The California Angels drafted him, but he decided to go to Los Angeles Pierce College.

College ball ended up helping him a lot. The Seattle Pilots picked him in the 1969 draft, and that’s when his pro career really started.

During his first year in the Pilots’ system, Auerbach split his time between the Billings Mustangs in the Pioneer League and the Clinton Pilots in the Midwest League. He hit .238, knocked out four home runs, and drove in 29 runs.

In 1970, he made a big leap. He started with Clinton, which had become a Brewers affiliate, and batted .325 in the first month. That earned him a promotion to Triple-A, where he kept things rolling with a .300 average.

MLB Debut with Milwaukee Brewers

Auerbach made his MLB debut on April 13, 1971, with the Milwaukee Brewers. He was just 21 at the time, becoming the 13,111th player in big league history. He faced the Oakland Athletics, got two at-bats, but didn’t manage a hit.

The Brewers put him in as their starting shortstop to kick off the 1971 season. That was a huge jump from the minors, and it showed they believed in him.

But that first season was rough. His average stayed under .200 most of the year. He struck out 30 times and only had 28 hits.

When the Brewers traded for Bob Heise from the Giants on June 1, Auerbach lost his starting spot. The team sent him down to Triple-A at the end of June because his bat just wasn’t working.

Transition to Full-Time Major Leaguer

Auerbach needed time to adjust to big league pitching. He got called back up for a quick three-game stretch in August 1971, then returned for good in September.

That September, he hit .229, showing a bit more patience at the plate. On September 24, he finally hit his first big league home run off Oakland’s Diego Segui—actually, it was the only run in a 1-0 Brewers win.

By 1972, Auerbach finally stuck as a full-time big leaguer. He played in a career-high 153 games, usually hitting leadoff or eighth in the lineup.

His numbers changed a lot depending on where he hit. Leading off, he batted just .198 with 28 runs scored. In the eighth spot, he jumped to .303 with 21 RBIs. He finished the year with a .218 average, two homers, and 30 RBIs.

Playing Career and Team Contributions

Rick Auerbach played eleven seasons in Major League Baseball, from 1971 to 1981, and finished with a .220 batting average across four teams. He had his best years with the Cincinnati Reds, where he worked as a steady utility infielder and helped them win a division title.

Key Seasons and Statistical Highlights

Auerbach’s peak season was 1972 with the Milwaukee Brewers. He played in 153 games and split his time between the top and bottom of the batting order.

Batting in different lineup positions:

• Leadoff: .198 average, 28 runs
• Eighth: .303 average, 21 RBIs

For the year, he hit .218 with two home runs and 30 RBIs.

He went on a crazy hot streak in 1978 with Cincinnati. After hitting just .167 through July, he suddenly went 12-for-19 and finished the season at .327.

Career totals over 11 seasons:

• 624 games
• .220 average
• 9 home runs
• 86 RBIs
• 309 hits

Role and Performance as an Infielder

Auerbach mostly played shortstop but could fill in at second and third base. He ended up with a .956 fielding percentage, which is pretty solid.

He started out as Milwaukee’s shortstop in 1971, but his hitting woes cost him the job after the team brought in Bob Heise.

Throughout his career, Auerbach mostly worked as a backup infielder and pinch hitter. He was the guy teams relied on to fill gaps when regulars got hurt.

His best defensive years came with Cincinnati, backing up Dave Concepcion at shortstop. He played in 182 games with the Reds from 1977 to 1980.

Impact with Los Angeles Dodgers

Auerbach landed with the Los Angeles Dodgers in 1973 after a trade from Milwaukee for Tim Johnson. He spent most of his time backing up Bill Russell at shortstop and Davey Lopes at second.

His best stretch with the Dodgers came in 1974, when he hit .342 in limited action. That run got him onto the postseason roster.

He made his playoff debut in the 1974 National League Championship Series and doubled in his only at-bat.

When Russell got hurt early in 1975, Auerbach took over as starter for most of the first half. He struggled at first, batting under .200, but eventually worked his average up to .209 by the time Russell returned.

The Dodgers appreciated Auerbach’s versatility and steady glove during his three years with the team from 1973 to 1976.

Notable Trades and Team Changes

Rick Auerbach bounced around quite a bit during his 11-year MLB career. His most important moves were his trade to the Cincinnati Reds in 1977 and his stint with the Seattle Mariners. The Texas Rangers also bought his contract in 1980, but he never actually played for them.

Move to Cincinnati Reds

Auerbach joined the Cincinnati Reds in 1977, which was a big step in his career. The Reds were one of the National League’s top teams back then.

He played alongside Dave Concepcion, the team’s regular shortstop, so Auerbach mostly filled in as a utility guy. He provided depth and was always ready to step in when needed.

Over four seasons with the Reds, he appeared in 182 games. In 1980, he hit .333 in 24 games before another team bought his contract.

He played in the 1979 National League Championship Series against the Pirates, though he went hitless in two at-bats. Still, just getting to the postseason was a highlight for him.

Tenure with Seattle Mariners

After his run with the Reds, Auerbach wrapped up his MLB career with the Seattle Mariners in 1981. That was his fourth and final stop in the majors.

The Mariners were still a pretty new team, having started up in 1977. Auerbach brought some veteran experience to their infield.

His time in Seattle marked the end of his 11-year MLB career. The 1981 season was his last before he retired.

Other Team Transactions

One of the oddest moments in Auerbach’s career happened on July 19, 1980. The Texas Rangers bought his contract from the Reds—on his wedding day, no less.

Even though the Rangers acquired him, Auerbach never reported. He decided to sit out the rest of the 1980 season instead of joining Texas.

MLB rules allow teams to void trades within ten days if a player fails a physical, but since this was a contract purchase, that didn’t really apply.

Auerbach played for four organizations: the Brewers, Dodgers, Reds, and Mariners. Each move brought new challenges and opportunities.

Career Achievements and Records

Rick Auerbach put together some solid stats during his 11 years in the big leagues, especially when it came to stolen bases and a few clutch postseason moments. His batting average reflected the kind of defensive-minded, do-whatever’s-needed utility role he played from 1971 to 1981.

Seasonal Batting Averages

Auerbach really shined at the plate in 1974 with the Los Angeles Dodgers. He hit a .342 batting average over 45 games.

That year stood out as the best single-season mark of his career.

He had another strong year in 1978 with the Cincinnati Reds. Auerbach batted .327 in 63 games and put up a .545 slugging percentage.

Most of the time, Auerbach played as a defensive specialist. Over 624 games, his career batting average landed at .220.

His roughest full season came in 1976 with the Dodgers. He managed just a .128 average in 36 games.

Auerbach’s offense changed depending on the team. He hit .241 during his National League years, but only .207 in the American League.

Stolen Bases Distinction

Rick Auerbach swiped 36 stolen bases during his MLB career. He stole the most bases early on.

His best year for stealing bases came in 1972 with the Milwaukee Brewers. That season, he stole 24 bases in 153 games.

That single season made up almost two-thirds of his career total. Over his career, he got caught stealing 21 times, so his success rate sat at about 63 percent.

His speed really helped his value as a utility player. Teams used him as both a starter and a pinch runner.

After 1975, his stolen base numbers dropped off. In his last six seasons, he managed just 5 stolen bases.

Postseason Appearances

Auerbach got to play in the 1974 World Series with the Los Angeles Dodgers. They faced the Oakland Athletics in a five-game showdown.

His World Series moment was short, but honestly, perfect. He notched one hit in one at-bat, giving him a 1.000 batting average for the series.

That hit was a double, so his slugging percentage hit 2.000.

The Dodgers lost the series to Oakland, four games to one. Auerbach barely played, but that’s just how it goes sometimes when you’re on the bench during a playoff run.

That postseason was his only trip to the playoffs. Even though he played on some good Reds teams in the late ‘70s, he never made it back to October baseball.

Retirement and Life After Baseball

Rick Auerbach’s final season came in 1981, wrapping up an 11-year Major League Baseball career across four teams. After he hung up his cleats, he switched gears completely and became a farrier, working with horses and settling down in California.

Retirement in 1981

Auerbach’s baseball journey ended in 1981 with the Seattle Mariners. That last season was tough, and he hit just .155 at the plate.

He managed only one home run and six RBIs in his final year. His last MLB game happened on August 12, 1981, against the Seattle Mariners.

Auerbach started out with the Milwaukee Brewers in 1971 and moved through several teams. By the time he retired, he’d played 624 games over 11 seasons.

Even with the struggles at the end, he reached his childhood dream of playing professional baseball at the top level.

Career Outside of Baseball

After baseball, Rick Auerbach picked a completely different path and started working with his hands. He became a farrier, specializing in caring for horses’ hooves and putting on their shoes.

This move was a big change from pro sports. Farriers need a lot of training and skill to trim, balance, and shoe horses’ feet properly.

The job takes physical strength and precision, which probably came pretty naturally to him after years as an athlete. By 2012, Auerbach was still at it, showing real commitment to his new career.

His switch from Major League Baseball to working with horses proves that former athletes really can reinvent themselves, sometimes in ways you’d never expect.

Personal Life and Legacy

Rick Auerbach settled down in Calabasas, California after he retired. As of 2012, he still called the area home.

He got married, and in a twist of timing, the Texas Rangers purchased his contract on July 19, 1980—his wedding day, of all days.

But he never showed up for the Rangers after that. Instead, he decided to sit out the rest of the season, which kind of says a lot about where his head was at.

People remember him as a utility player who spent more than a decade in the majors. Sure, his career batting average sat at .220, but sticking around that long in pro baseball? That’s not nothing.

Auerbach’s journey really captures what a lot of journeyman players go through—dedicating years to the game, even if the stats don’t always tell the whole story.