Rick is in his fourth season as pitching coach of the Oakland A's. In 2000, baseball's best young throwing staff propelled the team to the American League West title and post-season playoffs. In Peterson's first season, A's pitchers posted a 4.81 ERA, more than half a point better than a 5.48 mark in 1997. In 1999, the young A's staff improved even more, posting an ERA of 4.69. This will be Peterson's sixth season as a major league coach as he was also a bullpen coach with the Pittsburgh Pirates from 1984-85 and the Chicago White Sox from 1994-95.

Peterson coached in the Pittsburgh farm system before taking over as the Pirates' bullpen coach in 1984. After two seasons with Pittsburgh, he spent three years with the Cleveland Indians organization. Peterson then spent six years as a pitching coach in the White Sox farm system. He was honored with the Charles W. Lubin Award by the White Sox organization in 1989 and his 1993 Nashville Sounds pitching staff led the American Association with a 3.88 ERA. Peterson was promoted to bullpen coach with the White Sox major league team on June 21, 1994, and remained there until June 2 of next season when manager Gene Lamont was replaced. Prior to joining the A's, Peterson was the minor league pitching coordinator for the Toronto Blue Jays from 1996-97.

Peterson's playing career spanned four seasons in the Pirates organization from 1976-79 although he did make several appearances as a player-coach in 1980, 82, 83 and 88. Peterson was drafted in the 21st round of the June, 1976, free-agent draft.

Rick graduated from Mt. Lebanon (PA) High and attended Gulf Coast Junior College in Panama City, Fla., before graduating from Jacksonville University with a degree in psychology. He and his wife, Betsy, reside in Sarasota, Fla. Rick has three children, Sean (10/25/87), Derek (3/6/91) and Dylan (11/18/92).