Today continues our countdown to the start of Indians pitchers and catchers reporting to Goodyear, Arizona on February 20. We’ll count down the days, profiling a former Indian who wore the corresponding number. Some players will be memorable, others just our favorites and some, the only one we could find who wore that number. Today, we chronicle the career of relief pitcher, Rudy Seanez.
By Mike Brandyberry
Sometimes it isn’t where you finish, but where you start. That start, is what lands Rudy Seanez on our countdown, as he wore #64 during his major league debut with the Indians in 1989.
Seanez was the Indians’ fourth round draft pick in the 1986 amateur draft at just 17-years old. In just more than three years after being drafted, Seanez was in the big leagues, making his debut on September 7, 1989. He pitched in five games that month, allowing only one hit, four walks and two runs. Seanez would pitch in 24 games for the Tribe in 1990 and five more in 1991 before being traded on December 10 of that year to the Los Angeles Dodgers for Mike Christopher and Dennis Cook.
Once leaving the Tribe, Seanez’s career was just beginning. He pitched for nine different teams, including the Atlanta Braves, San Diego Padres and Dodgers. Seanez finished his career in 2008, pitching out of the Philadelphia Phillies bullpen and winning a World Series ring, defeating the Tampa Bay Rays, four games to one.
Seanez retired with a 41-30 career record and 4.10 earned run average in 17 seasons. He is the only Cleveland Indian to wear #64 in a major league contest.
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