Eli Cates

Born: 1/26/1877 in Greens Fork, IN, USA

Died: 5/29/1964 in Anderson, IN, USA

MLB Debut: 1908-04-20 | Final Game: 1908-09-29

Bats: R | Throws: R | Height: 5'9" | Weight: 175 lbs

Full name: Eli Eldo Cates

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Biography

Eli Cates was a professional baseball pitcher born in 1877, who played in the Major Leagues during the early 20th century. His career spanned from April 20, 1908, to September 29, 1908, a brief but notable tenure in a period marked by the transition from the deadball era to a more modern style of play. Cates finished his career with a record of 4-8 and an impressive earned run average (ERA) of 2.53, showcasing his ability to limit runs and maintain a competitive edge on the mound. Throughout his time in the league, Cates recorded a total of 33 strikeouts, demonstrating his capability as a strikeout pitcher, although he did not register any saves during his career. His performance contributed to the evolving landscape of baseball pitching, as players began to develop more specialized roles, setting the stage for future generations. Despite the brevity of his career, Eli Cates remains a part of baseball history, reflecting the challenges and dynamics of the sport in the early 1900s.

Career Pitching Statistics

W	L	G	GS	CG	SHO	SV	IP	H	ER	HR	BB	SO	ERA	Pitcher PIV
4	8	19	10	7	0	0	113.7	112	32	3	32	33	2.53	0

Career ERA 2.53 vs. league average 2.40 across their career seasons — 5.6% worse than league average.

Season-by-Season Pitching

Year	Team	Lg	W	L	G	GS	CG	SHO	SV	IP	H	ER	BB	SO	ERA	Lg ERA	Pitcher PIV
1908	WSN	AL	4	8	19	10	7	0	0	113.7	112	32	32	33	2.53	2.40 (-6%)	-

Career Batting Statistics

G	AB	R	H	2B	3B	HR	RBI	SB	BB	SO	AVG	OBP	SLG	OPS	PIV
40	59	5	11	1	1	0	3	0	6	14	0.186	0.273	0.237	0.510	-122.5

Career AVG .186 vs. league average .241 across their career seasons — 22.5% below league average.

Career OBP .273 vs. league average .298 across their career seasons — 8.6% below league average.

Career SLG .237 vs. league average .307 across their career seasons — 22.6% below league average.

Career OPS 0.510 vs. league average 0.605 across their career seasons — 15.7% below 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
1908	WSN	AL	40	59	5	11	1	1	0	3	0	6	14	0.186	.240 (-22%)	.298 (-9%)	.306 (-23%)	.605 (-16%)	-122.5

Fielding Statistics

Career Fielding Totals by Position

Position	G	GS	PO	A	E	DP
2B	3	1	4	3	1	0
P	19	10	8	41	5	1

Season-by-Season Fielding

Year	Team	Pos	G	GS	PO	A	E	DP
1908	WS1	2B	3	1	4	3	1	0
1908	WS1	P	19	10	8	41	5	1

Career Games by Position

Position	Games
Pitcher	19
Second Base	3