Jim Essian

Born: 1/2/1951 in Detroit, MI, USA

MLB Debut: 1973-09-15 | Final Game: 1984-09-30

Bats: R | Throws: R | Height: 6'2" | Weight: 195 lbs

Full name: James Sarkis Essian

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Biography

Jim Essian, born in 1951, was a versatile position player who made his mark in Major League Baseball from 1973 to 1984. Over the course of his career, he played in 710 games, demonstrating a reliable presence on the field. Essian recorded 453 hits, contributing 33 home runs and 207 RBIs, and he finished his career with a batting average of .244. Known for his gritty playing style, he also showcased some speed on the base paths, totaling 9 stolen bases. Throughout his career, Essian played during a transformative era in baseball that saw the game evolve with a focus on power-hitting and increased athleticism. He was part of a generation of players who experienced the shift away from the traditional small-ball tactics that had characterized earlier decades. His contributions to the teams he played for, including the Chicago White Sox and the Oakland Athletics, highlighted his adaptability and determination, making him a memorable figure in the annals of baseball history.

Career Batting Statistics

G	AB	R	H	2B	3B	HR	RBI	SB	BB	SO	AVG	OBP	SLG	OPS	PIV
710	1855	194	453	85	3	33	207	9	231	171	0.244	0.327	0.347	0.673	-1277.5

Career AVG .244 vs. league average .260 across their career seasons — 6.1% below league average.

Career OBP .327 vs. league average .325 across their career seasons — near league average.

Career SLG .347 vs. league average .382 across their career seasons — 9.3% below league average.

Career OPS 0.673 vs. league average 0.707 across their career seasons — near 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
1973	PHI	NL	2	3	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	1	0.000	—	—	—	—	0.0
1974	PHI	NL	17	20	1	2	0	0	0	0	0	2	1	0.100	—	—	—	—	0.0
1975	PHI	NL	2	1	1	1	0	0	0	1	0	1	0	1.000	—	—	—	—	0.0
1976	CHW	AL	78	199	20	49	7	0	0	21	2	23	28	0.246	.255 (-4%)	.320 (+2%)	.360 (-22%)	.681 (-11%)	-293.1
1977	CHW	AL	114	322	50	88	18	2	10	44	1	52	35	0.273	.264 (+3%)	.329 (+14%)	.401 (+8%)	.730 (+11%)	816.0
1978	OAK	AL	126	278	21	62	9	1	3	26	2	44	22	0.223	.257 (-14%)	.323 (+1%)	.378 (-22%)	.702 (-12%)	-485.1
1979	OAK	AL	98	313	34	76	16	0	8	40	0	25	29	0.243	.265 (-9%)	.329 (-11%)	.397 (-7%)	.727 (-8%)	-600.6
1980	OAK	AL	87	285	19	66	11	0	5	29	1	30	18	0.232	.264 (-12%)	.326 (-8%)	.387 (-17%)	.714 (-13%)	-626.6
1981	CHW	AL	27	52	6	16	3	0	0	5	0	4	5	0.308	.255 (+20%)	.320 (+12%)	.368 (-1%)	.688 (+5%)	49.0
1982	SEA	AL	48	153	14	42	8	0	3	20	2	11	7	0.275	.261 (+5%)	.324 (+1%)	.388 (-1%)	.712 (avg)	11.0
1983	CLE	AL	48	93	11	19	4	0	2	11	0	16	8	0.204	.260 (-22%)	.324 (-3%)	.389 (-20%)	.714 (-12%)	-171.4
1984	OAK	AL	63	136	17	32	9	0	2	10	1	23	17	0.235	.259 (-9%)	.322 (+8%)	.384 (-10%)	.707 (-2%)	23.3

Fielding Statistics

Career Fielding Totals by Position

Position	G	GS	PO	A	E	DP
1B	11	7	63	3	0	6
2B	1	0	1	0	0	0
3B	18	10	16	23	3	3
C	642	524	2834	377	52	51
OF	4	3	2	0	0	0

Season-by-Season Fielding

Year	Team	Pos	G	GS	PO	A	E	DP
1973	PHI	C	1	0	0	0	0	0
1974	PHI	1B	1	0	1	0	0	0
1974	PHI	3B	1	0	0	1	0	1
1974	PHI	C	15	5	37	3	1	1
1975	PHI	C	2	0	1	1	0	0
1976	CHA	1B	2	0	1	0	0	0
1976	CHA	3B	1	0	0	0	0	0
1976	CHA	C	77	64	319	53	10	10
1977	CHA	3B	2	0	1	0	0	0
1977	CHA	C	111	104	592	62	9	8
1978	OAK	1B	3	3	20	1	0	2
1978	OAK	2B	1	0	1	0	0	0
1978	OAK	C	119	84	431	78	10	12
1979	OAK	1B	4	4	35	2	0	4
1979	OAK	3B	10	10	15	20	1	2
1979	OAK	C	70	66	348	57	8	5
1979	OAK	OF	4	3	2	0	0	0
1980	OAK	1B	1	0	6	0	0	0
1980	OAK	C	68	66	333	46	5	5
1981	CHA	3B	2	0	0	0	1	0
1981	CHA	C	25	17	92	9	1	0
1982	SEA	C	48	43	282	26	2	1
1983	CLE	3B	1	0	0	0	0	0
1983	CLE	C	47	31	170	14	2	3
1984	OAK	3B	1	0	0	2	1	0
1984	OAK	C	59	44	229	28	4	6