Mike Roesler showed nasty stuff with Reds, 2 majors seasons

Mike Roesler joined his new team in spring 1990 and one of his new teammates, Tom Prince, offered praise. Prince faced Roesler previously in the minors, according to The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.

"He has nasty stuff," Prince told The Post-Gazette. "He's got a good fastball and a pretty good slider and forkball."

Roesler joined the Pirates that year after seeing 17 outings the previous season with the Reds. He went on to see five relief appearances with the Pirates in 1990. Those appearances would be his last in the bigs.

Roesler's career began in 1985, taken by the Reds in the 17th round of the draft out of Ball State University.

Roesler started with the Reds at rookie Billings. He went 8-2, with a 2.33 ERA over 13 starts.

He made single-A Cedar Rapids for 1986, then AA Vermont for part of 1987. He then hit AAA Nashville in 1988. He went 3-2 over 32 relief outings at Nashville in 1988, with a 5.01 ERA.

For 1989, he returned to Nashville. Then, in August, he made Cincinnati. In his 17 relief outings, he picked up one loss and a 3.96 ERA.

His loss came in an August game as he gave up an extra-inning home run to the Cubs' Andre Dawson.

"I just made a bad pitch on an 0-2 count," Roesler told reporters afterward. "It was my job to get the ball inside to Dawson and I got it right over the plate."

Roesler then got into his five games with the Pirates in 1990. He gave up two earned runs in six innings. He also picked up his only major league win. All five of his appearances came that April.

Roesler then played out the season at AAA Buffalo and AA Harrisburg. He then played 1991 between Buffalo and AA Harrisburg.

He played 1992 between Buffalo and AAA Omaha in the Royals system. His time in the Pirates organization ended in frustration as he responded to a taunting fan with an obscene remark and gesture, according to The Buffalo News.

Roesler played out 1992 at Omaha then saw seven final outings in 1993 between Omaha and AA Memphis to end his career.

• New Castle News, wire, Aug. 16, 1989: Reds
• Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, April 5, 1990: Roesler has a shot at a spot on staff
• Buffalo News, July 26, 1992: Bisons release Roesler for remark to fan

More: The 1990 Buffalo Bisons

1990 Minor League Tally
Players/Coaches Featured:3,202
Made the Majors:1,158-36.2%-X
Never Made Majors:2,044-63.8%
5+ Seasons in the Majors: 480
10+ Seasons in the Minors:283