Steve Ratzer

Steven Wayne Ratzer (born September 9, 1953) is an American former Major League Baseball (MLB) player pitching for the Montreal Expos in 1980 and 1981.

Early years Ratzer was born in Paterson, New Jersey, and is Jewish. He attended John Bowne High School in Flushing, New York. In 1971, he pitched a no-hitter against George Washington High School to win the Public Schools Athletic League championship. He played college baseball at St. Johns University in Queens, New York.

He was signed as a minor league free agent by the Expos on June 11, 1975. He began playing immediately at the rookie league level, and by 1977 he had worked his way up to the Expos' AAA affiliate in the American Association, the Denver Bears, where he remained through the 1980 season.

Montreal Expos Ratzer made his Major League debut on the final day of the 1980 season

In 1981, Ratzer appeared in 12 games, all in relief. On April 28 at the Philadelphia Phillies, he relieved starter Charlie Lea, pitching a three up, three down fifth inning. Because the starting pitcher did not pitch the requisite five innings to earn the victory, the official scorer awarded the win to Ratzer, which proved to be the only win of his major league career. On May 14 at the Los Angeles Dodgers, he relieved Bill Gullickson pitching another 1–2–3 eighth inning. However, he recorded his only loss when he surrendered a lead-off, walk-off home run to Pedro Guerrero in the next inning. Three days later Ratzer was sent back down to the minors. He also pitched for the Dominican Republic's Leones del Escogido in the winter of 1981, and in Game 9 of the 1982 Caribbean Series.