Bill Dawley, baseball player, 1983-1989

Bill Dawley

Born: 2/6/1958 in Norwich, CT, USA

MLB Debut: 1983-04-15 | Final Game: 1989-07-04

Bats: R | Throws: R | Height: 6'5" | Weight: 235 lbs

Full name: William Chester Dawley

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Biography

Bill Dawley, born in 1958, was a professional baseball pitcher whose career spanned from 1983 to 1989. He showcased his talents primarily in Major League Baseball, where he played for several teams, including the Houston Astros and the St. Louis Cardinals. Over the course of his career, Dawley compiled a win-loss record of 27-30 and maintained an earned run average (ERA) of 3.42. His ability to strike out batters was notable, as he recorded 292 strikeouts alongside achieving 25 saves. Dawley's performance on the mound earned him an All-Star selection, highlighting his contributions to the game during his active years. Dawley's playing style was characterized by his reliability as a relief pitcher, and he was known for his ability to navigate high-pressure situations. As baseball evolved through the 1980s, transitioning from the deadball era and moving towards a more offensive game, Dawley remained a formidable presence on the field. His accomplishments, while perhaps overshadowed by some contemporaries, solidified his place in baseball history as a skilled pitcher who made significant contributions to his teams and the sport overall. After retiring on July 4, 1989, Dawley left behind a legacy that continues to be remembered by fans and historians alike.

Career Pitching Statistics

W L G GS CG SHO SV IP H ER HR BB SO ERA Pitcher PIV
27 30 275 0 0 0 25 470.7 420 179 49 166 292 3.42 0

Career ERA 3.42 vs. league average 3.90 across their career seasons — 12.2% better 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
1983 HOU NL 6 6 48 0 0 0 14 79.7 51 25 22 60 2.82 3.87 (+27%) 584.8
1984 HOU NL 11 4 60 0 0 0 5 98.0 82 21 35 47 1.93 3.81 (+49%) 668.0
1985 HOU NL 5 3 49 0 0 0 2 81.0 76 32 37 48 3.56 3.89 (+9%) -204.8
1986 CHW AL 0 7 46 0 0 0 2 97.7 91 36 28 66 3.32 3.97 (+16%) -
1987 STL NL 5 8 60 0 0 0 2 96.7 93 48 38 65 4.47 4.29 (-4%) -
1988 PHI NL 0 2 8 0 0 0 0 8.7 16 13 4 3 13.50 — 0.0
1989 OAK AL 0 0 4 0 0 0 0 9.0 11 4 2 3 4.00 3.71 (-8%) 0.0

Career Batting Statistics

G AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI SB BB SO AVG OBP SLG OPS PIV
275 42 4 9 0 1 0 5 0 3 11 0.214 0.267 0.262 0.529 0.0

Career AVG .214 vs. league average .258 across their career seasons — 17.0% below league average.

Career OBP .267 vs. league average .324 across their career seasons — 17.6% below league average.

Career SLG .262 vs. league average .390 across their career seasons — 32.8% below league average.

Career OPS 0.529 vs. league average 0.713 across their career seasons — 25.9% 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
1983 HOU NL 48 9 0 2 0 0 0 1 0 0 3 0.222 — — — — 0.0
1984 HOU NL 60 9 2 3 0 1 0 3 0 0 3 0.333 — — — — 0.0
1985 HOU NL 49 10 1 2 0 0 0 0 0 1 3 0.200 — — — — 0.0
1986 CHW AL 46 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.000 — — — — 0.0
1987 STL NL 60 12 1 2 0 0 0 1 0 2 2 0.167 — — — — 0.0
1988 PHI NL 8 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000 — — — — 0.0
1989 OAK AL 4 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000 — — — — 0.0

Fielding Statistics

Career Fielding Totals by Position

Position G GS PO A E DP
P 275 0 32 56 3 5

Season-by-Season Fielding

Year Team Pos G GS PO A E DP
1983 HOU P 48 0 2 5 0 1
1984 HOU P 60 0 6 11 1 0
1985 HOU P 49 0 6 13 1 2
1986 CHA P 46 0 8 8 1 0
1987 SLN P 60 0 10 17 0 2
1988 PHI P 8 0 0 1 0 0
1989 OAK P 4 0 0 1 0 0

Career Games by Position

Position Games
Pitcher 275

Salary History

Year Team League Salary
1987 SLN NL $275,000
1986 HOU NL $325,000
1985 HOU NL $295,000
Total Career Earnings $895,000