Earl Battey

Born: 1/5/1935 in Los Angeles, CA, USA

Died: 11/15/2003 in Ocala, FL, USA

MLB Debut: 1955-09-10 | Final Game: 1967-09-27

Bats: R | Throws: R | Height: 6'1" | Weight: 205 lbs

Full name: Earl Jesse Battey

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Biography

Earl Battey was a prominent American baseball player whose career spanned from 1955 to 1967. Born in 1935, Battey established himself as a key figure in Major League Baseball during a time when the game was evolving with the introduction of more dynamic playing styles. He played a total of 1,141 games, amassing 969 hits and achieving a batting average of .270. Known for his strong offensive contributions, he hit 104 home runs and drove in 449 runs throughout his career. His skill on the field was further highlighted by his ability to steal bases, totaling 13 over his time in the league. Battey was a five-time All-Star, a testament to his excellence and consistency as a position player. His career unfolded primarily with the Chicago White Sox and the Minnesota Twins, where he became known for his solid defensive skills as well as his hitting prowess. As a catcher, he was instrumental in shaping the defensive strategies of his teams during the era, which was marked by a transition towards more aggressive offensive play. Battey's legacy remains significant in the annals of baseball history, exemplifying the talent and determination of players in the mid-20th century.

Career Batting Statistics

G	AB	R	H	2B	3B	HR	RBI	SB	BB	SO	AVG	OBP	SLG	OPS	PIV
1141	3586	393	969	150	17	104	449	13	421	470	0.270	0.349	0.409	0.757	6524.9

Career AVG .270 vs. league average .253 across their career seasons — +6.9% above league average.

Career OBP .349 vs. league average .319 across their career seasons — +9.2% above league average.

Career SLG .409 vs. league average .384 across their career seasons — +6.4% above league average.

Career OPS 0.757 vs. league average 0.703 across their career seasons — +7.7% above league average.

Season-by-Season Batting

Year	Team	Lg	G	AB	R	H	2B	3B	HR	RBI	SB	BB	SO	AVG	Lg AVG	Lg OBP	Lg SLG	Lg OPS	PIV
1955	CHW	AL	5	7	1	2	0	0	0	0	0	1	1	0.286	—	—	—	—	0.0
1956	CHW	AL	4	4	1	1	0	0	0	0	0	1	1	0.250	—	—	—	—	0.0
1957	CHW	AL	48	115	12	20	2	3	3	6	0	11	38	0.174	.257 (-32%)	.323 (-24%)	.391 (-18%)	.715 (-21%)	-435.6
1958	CHW	AL	68	168	24	38	8	0	8	26	1	24	34	0.226	.257 (-12%)	.324 (avg)	.394 (+6%)	.719 (+3%)	102.9
1959	CHW	AL	26	64	9	14	1	2	2	7	0	8	13	0.219	.256 (-15%)	.323 (-6%)	.392 (avg)	.715 (-3%)	-34.5
1960	WSN	AL	137	466	49	126	24	2	15	60	4	48	68	0.270	.255 (+6%)	.323 (+7%)	.387 (+10%)	.711 (+9%)	849.5
1961	MIN	AL	133	460	70	139	24	1	17	55	3	53	66	0.302	.258 (+17%)	.328 (+15%)	.399 (+18%)	.727 (+16%)	1615.6
1962	MIN	AL	148	522	58	146	20	3	11	57	0	57	48	0.280	.257 (+9%)	.326 (+7%)	.393 (avg)	.719 (+3%)	394.4
1963	MIN	AL	147	508	64	145	17	1	26	84	0	61	75	0.285	.246 (+16%)	.308 (+19%)	.371 (+28%)	.680 (+24%)	2533.5
1964	MIN	AL	131	405	33	110	17	1	12	52	1	51	49	0.272	.250 (+8%)	.312 (+11%)	.377 (+8%)	.690 (+9%)	800.2
1965	MIN	AL	131	394	36	117	22	2	6	60	0	50	23	0.297	.245 (+21%)	.310 (+21%)	.371 (+10%)	.682 (+15%)	1234.8
1966	MIN	AL	115	364	30	93	12	1	4	34	4	43	30	0.255	.248 (+3%)	.309 (+9%)	.376 (-13%)	.685 (-3%)	-36.4
1967	MIN	AL	48	109	6	18	3	1	0	8	0	13	24	0.165	.242 (-32%)	.306 (-17%)	.357 (-41%)	.663 (-30%)	-499.6

Postseason Statistics

Playoff Career Batting

G	AB	R	H	2B	3B	HR	RBI	BB	SO	AVG
7	25	1	3	0	1	0	2	0	5	0.120

Playoff Batting by Year

Year	Round	Team	G	AB	R	H	2B	3B	HR	RBI	BB	SO	AVG
1965	WS	MIN	7	25	1	3	0	1	0	2	0	5	0.120

Fielding Statistics

Career Fielding Totals by Position

Position	G	GS	PO	A	E	DP
C	1087	1016	6176	501	69	73

Season-by-Season Fielding

Year	Team	Pos	G	GS	PO	A	E	DP
1955	CHA	C	5	2	19	2	0	0
1956	CHA	C	3	1	4	0	1	0
1957	CHA	C	43	31	165	19	2	2
1958	CHA	C	49	41	220	27	3	6
1959	CHA	C	20	16	92	10	1	1
1960	WS1	C	136	131	749	65	15	10
1961	MIN	C	131	127	812	60	6	9
1962	MIN	C	147	143	872	82	9	9
1963	MIN	C	146	142	861	66	6	11
1964	MIN	C	125	121	813	52	9	4
1965	MIN	C	128	115	652	56	10	10
1966	MIN	C	113	113	705	45	4	9
1967	MIN	C	41	33	212	17	3	2