Richard Bleier

Richard Bleier
Bleier with the Yankees in 2016
Baltimore Orioles – No. 48
Pitcher
Born: (1987-04-16) April 16, 1987 (age 29) Davie, Florida
Bats: Left Throws: Left
MLB debut
May 30, 2016, for the New York Yankees
MLB statistics (through 2016 season)
Win–loss record	0–0
Earned run average	1.96
Strikeouts	13
Teams
New York Yankees (2016)

Richard Sidney Bleier (born April 16, 1987) is an American professional baseball pitcher for the Baltimore Orioles of Major League Baseball (MLB).

Used as both a starting pitcher and a relief pitcher in his career, the left-hander throws a fastball that hits the low 90s, a changeup, a curveball, and a slider. His approach is to "pitch to contact," and use excellent control.

Bleier was born in Davie, Florida. Bleier's father, Lawrence, is from the Bronx, in New York City, and grew up playing stickball in Brownsville, Brooklyn; his mother is Kathy Bleier. Bleier has a brother and a sister, and is Jewish. His wife is Brett Bleier.

Bleier played baseball at South Plantation High School in Plantation, Florida, from which he graduated in 2005. As a freshman, he was 5 feet 6 inches (1.68 m) tall, and weighed 117 pounds (53 kg). He was chosen for the county and state All Star games in 2005.

Bleier played college baseball at Florida Gulf Coast University for the Florida Gulf Coast Eagles in Fort Myers, Florida on a partial scholarship. By 2008, Bleier had grown to 6 feet 4 inches (1.93 m) and 210 pounds (95 kg), and was throwing 90 miles per hour (140 km/h). In his junior year of college he was selected unanimously as the Atlantic Sun Conference Pitcher of the Year and First Team All Sun Conference after he had a 7–1 win-loss record and a 2.09 earned run average (ERA), leading the conference in wins, ERA, complete games, and innings pitched. In his three years at the university, he had a 2.70 ERA (2nd-best all-time in school history), 17 wins (7th), and 181 strikeouts (7th).