February 15, 2020

By Danny Gallagher

Canadian Baseball Network

When Randy Lerch began his first season of minor-league ball, he couldn't understand what the word 'rent' meant.

A teammate of his wanted to rent an apartment so he approached Lerch to see if he wanted to be a tenant with him. But it would mean Lerch would have to dole out money to pay for the apartment.

"Rent?'' I thought I was here to play baseball,'' the former Expos pitcher wrote in his fascinating book God in the Bullpen: A Big Leaguer's battle with drug and alcohol addiction and cirrhosis.

Lerch eventually got the hang of paying rent and went on to a decent big-league career that saw him also pitch for the Milwaukee Brewers, Philadelphia Phillies and San Francisco Giants. He pitched for the Expos in 1982-83 and developed a great admiration for fellow pitcher Steve Rogers.

Booze and amphetamines led to Lerch's downfall. It got so bad that he almost died from cirrhosis of the liver. He said he took greenies prior to every start but not prior to a relief appearance.

"Cirrhosis almost killed me,'' Lerch said in an interview. "I started out with beer and then the hard stuff, mostly tons and tons of vodka. With alcohol, my life just got worse and worse. By the grace of God, he gave me another chance. I quit drinking three years ago. I've never felt so good in my life. Everything is so great.''

Lerch's book came out last year and he hopes it's an inspiration to those who get caught up in the spiral of drugs and booze and that they get straightened out. Lerch has had two hip replacements and has developed arthritis but is on a path to a much better lifestyle.

The book is co-authored by Hal Lerch, who is no relation. But there's some connection because Hal did some family-tree research and found out both of their families ended up in Pennsylvania back in 1738 after an ocean voyage aboard the Queen Elizabeth ship.

After finding out about Randy, Hal decided to contact the former pitcher and that is how the book came about.

On Jan. 25, Randy Lerch was inducted into the Sacramento Sports Hall of Fame in California and his award was presented to him by new Astros manager Dusty Baker.

"It was a great honour for me, especially coming from my hometown folks,'' Lerch said of the hall induction.

Lerch's book is available at Google Books, on the Barnes and Noble website and on Amazon.

Danny Gallagher's new Expos book of memories from 1969-2004 is called Always Remembered. It's due for release in mid-March in Chapters/Indigo stores. Copies will also be available for sale at Exposfest in Laval, Quebec March 22.