Richard Lambert Rundles was a Major League Baseballrelief pitcher who played for the Cleveland Indians in 2008 and 2009. From 1999 to 2007, Rundles played in minor league baseball with six different organizations. He served as a pitching coach for the Lancaster Barnstormers of the Atlantic League of Professional Baseball and for the University of West Alabama baseball team. Through 836 minor-league innings, Rundles compiled a 3.39 ERA. He always showed good control, since being a third-round pick out of high schoolin 1999. As a starter in Class A ball a year later, he walked 13 while fanning 114 in 132 innings. Various injuries stalled his development—until signing with the Indians as a minor-league free agent in January 2007. The Tribe moved Rundles to the bullpen in an attempt to avoid his durability issues. Sent to the Double-A Akron Aeros in 2007, Rundles went 3-0 with a 1.83 ERA and two saves in 23 games, 21 of which were out of the bullpen. That earned him his first call to Triple-A, where he was 2-4 with a 2.70 ERA in 17 relief outings at Buffalo. Rundles then went to the 2007 Arizona Fall League to continue his transition to relief. In limited work, he allowed one run in 8 innings over eight outings. On July 2,, Rundles was named to the 2008 Triple-A All-Star Game as the Buffalo Bisons lone representative. He was called up to the majors on September 1,, and made his debut on September 3, walking the only batter he faced. During his stint in the majors, Rundles had a total of 6 strikeouts, 2 walks, and gave up 1 earned run through 4 innings of work from the bullpen. Rundles appeared in 7 games for the Tribe in that season therein, compiling a 2.08 ERA. Rundles was then returned to the Triple-A Columbus Clippers on March 15, 2009. Rundles was released by the St. Louis Cardinals organization on May 31, 2011. On June 7, 2012, the Baltimore Orioles purchased Rundles contract from the Lancaster Barnstormers. The Orioles released him in April 2013. Rundles died on December 16, 2019, from natural causes at the age of 38.
