Kirk Rueter

Kirk Wesley Rueter (born December 1, 1970) is a former left-handed pitcher in Major League Baseball, and is the most successful left-hander in San Francisco Giants history. Rueter played for the Montreal Expos and the Giants and made most of his career appearances as a starter. Rueter attended and played for Murray State University. He is nicknamed "Woody" after his resemblance to a character in the animated movie Toy Story, although during his time in Montreal he was often referred to as "Captain Kirk". Rueter was born in Centralia, Illinois, grew up in Hoyleton, Illinois and graduated from Nashville Community High School District 99 in Nashville, Illinois in 1988.

Professional career

Drafted by the Montreal Expos in 1991, Rueter broke into the majors in 1993 and posted an 8-0 record in 14 games. His years with the Expos were uneven after his breakout year, with a reasonable 1994 performance followed by a solid 1995 and a mediocre 1996.

That year, the San Francisco Giants traded Mark Leiter, then the organization's most prominent starting pitcher, to the Expos for Rueter and Tim Scott. Scott posted an 8.24 ERA with the Giants, but Rueter blossomed into one of the Giants' most dependable starters and was with the team for nine seasons. For many fans, Rueter's defining moment as a Giant was his gutsy bullpen performance in Game 2 of the 2000 NLDS, where he relieved starter Shawn Estes after Estes sprained his ankle on a baserunning play.