Paul Giel, baseball player, 1954-1961

Paul Giel

Born: 9/29/1932 in Winona, MN, USA

Died: 5/22/2002 in Minneapolis, MN, USA

MLB Debut: 1954-07-10 | Final Game: 1961-06-02

Bats: R | Throws: R | Height: 5'11" | Weight: 185 lbs

Full name: Paul Robert Giel

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Biography

Paul Giel was a professional baseball pitcher who played in Major League Baseball from July 10, 1954, to June 2, 1961. Born in 1932, Giel's career unfolded during a transformative era in baseball, characterized by the transition from the post-war years into a more competitive modern game. He played for the Minnesota Twins and was known for his versatility on the mound, contributing to his team's pitching staff with a blend of determination and skill. Over the course of his career, Giel compiled a record of 11-9 with an earned run average (ERA) of 5.39. He recorded a total of 145 strikeouts, showcasing his ability to miss bats, although he did not register any saves. While his statistics may not reflect the dominance of some contemporary pitchers, Giel's contributions to the game during his playing years were marked by his resilience and competitive spirit. His time in the league coincided with significant developments in baseball, including the rise of powerful hitters and the increasing importance of specialized pitching roles. Despite a relatively brief career, Paul Giel remains a memorable figure from a pivotal time in baseball history.

Career Pitching Statistics

W L G GS CG SHO SV IP H ER HR BB SO ERA Pitcher PIV
11 9 102 11 0 0 0 240.3 249 144 30 148 145 5.39 0

Career ERA 5.39 vs. league average 3.92 across their career seasons — 37.6% 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
1954 NY1 NL 0 0 6 0 0 0 0 4.3 8 4 2 4 8.31 — 0.0
1955 NY1 NL 4 4 34 2 0 0 0 82.3 70 31 50 47 3.39 4.00 (+15%) -808.2
1958 SFG NL 4 5 29 9 0 0 0 92.0 89 48 55 55 4.70 3.86 (-22%) -
1959 PIT NL 0 0 4 0 0 0 0 7.7 17 12 6 3 14.09 — 0.0
1960 PIT NL 2 0 16 0 0 0 0 33.0 35 21 15 21 5.73 3.82 (-50%) 14.5
1961 MIN AL 1 0 12 0 0 0 0 19.3 24 21 17 14 9.78 4.03 (-143%) -1830.3
1961 KC1 AL 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 1.7 6 7 3 1 37.80 — 0.0

Career Batting Statistics

G AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI SB BB SO AVG OBP SLG OPS PIV
105 55 2 4 1 0 0 1 0 1 17 0.073 0.105 0.091 0.196 0.0

Career AVG .073 vs. league average .258 across their career seasons — 71.8% below league average.

Career OBP .105 vs. league average .328 across their career seasons — 67.9% below league average.

Career SLG .091 vs. league average .393 across their career seasons — 76.9% below league average.

Career OPS 0.196 vs. league average 0.721 across their career seasons — 72.8% 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
1954 NY1 NL 6 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000 — — — — 0.0
1955 NY1 NL 34 19 2 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 6 0.053 — — — — 0.0
1958 SFG NL 29 27 0 2 0 0 0 1 0 1 8 0.074 — — — — 0.0
1959 PIT NL 4 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000 — — — — 0.0
1960 PIT NL 16 7 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 0.000 — — — — 0.0
1961 MIN AL 15 2 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0.500 — — — — 0.0
1961 KC1 AL 1 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 102 11 15 38 3 3

Season-by-Season Fielding

Year Team Pos G GS PO A E DP
1954 NY1 P 6 0 0 0 0 0
1955 NY1 P 34 2 4 10 0 1
1958 SFN P 29 9 8 18 0 2
1959 PIT P 4 0 0 2 0 0
1960 PIT P 16 0 2 3 1 0
1961 MIN P 12 0 1 5 2 0
1961 KC1 P 1 0 0 0 0 0

Career Games by Position

Position Games
Pitcher 102

College History

School Name City State Years Attended
University of Minnesota Minneapolis MN 1952, 1953, 1954