▁pitch er , ▁and ▁current ▁coach ▁in ▁the ▁Minnesota ▁Tw ins ▁organization . ▁ ▁Career ▁ ▁Early ▁years ▁Born ▁Harold ▁Ralph ▁R asm ussen , ▁he ▁leg ally ▁changed ▁his ▁name ▁to ▁Eric ▁during ▁the ▁– ▁off season . ▁The ▁right ▁hand er ▁was ▁originally ▁selected ▁by ▁the ▁Boston ▁Red ▁So x ▁in ▁the ▁fourth ▁round ▁of ▁the ▁January ▁ 1 9 7 1 ▁Major ▁League ▁Baseball ▁draft , ▁but ▁opt ed ▁instead ▁to ▁attend ▁the ▁University ▁of ▁New ▁Orleans , ▁where ▁he ▁was ▁named ▁first ▁team ▁All - America . ▁The ▁St . ▁Louis ▁Card inals ▁then ▁selected ▁him ▁in ▁the ▁ 3 2 nd ▁round ▁of ▁the ▁ 1 9 7 3 ▁Major ▁League ▁Baseball ▁draft . ▁ ▁St . ▁Louis ▁Card inals ▁R asm ussen ▁moved ▁through ▁the ▁Card inals ' ▁organization ▁rapidly , ▁reaching ▁Tri ple - A ▁with ▁the ▁Tul sa ▁O ilers ▁in ▁just ▁his ▁second ▁full ▁season ▁in ▁. ▁He ▁was ▁called ▁up ▁to ▁the ▁maj ors ▁that ▁July , ▁and ▁hur led ▁a ▁seven ▁hit ▁shut out ▁( 7 ▁strike outs , ▁ 1 ▁walk ) ▁of ▁the ▁San ▁Diego ▁Pad res ▁in ▁his ▁major ▁league ▁debut . ▁He ▁also ▁collected ▁his ▁first ▁major ▁league ▁hit ▁and ▁drove ▁in ▁the ▁second ▁run ▁of ▁the ▁game ▁with ▁a ▁fifth ▁in ning ▁single . ▁He ▁w ound ▁up ▁starting ▁ 1 3 ▁games ▁for ▁the ▁Card inals ▁over ▁the ▁rest ▁of ▁the ▁season , ▁going ▁ 5 - 5 ▁with ▁a ▁ 3 . 7 8 ▁earned