Joe Grzenda

Born: 6/8/1937 in Scranton, PA, USA

Died: 7/12/2019 in Covington Township, PA, USA

MLB Debut: 1961-04-26 | Final Game: 1972-09-23

Bats: R | Throws: L | Height: 6'2" | Weight: 180 lbs

Full name: Joseph Charles Grzenda

📊 Compare This Player 📈 View Career Timeline

Biography

Joe Grzenda, born in 1937, was a professional baseball pitcher who played in Major League Baseball from 1961 until his final game on September 23, 1972. Over the course of his career, Grzenda compiled a record of 14 wins and 13 losses, showcasing his ability to compete effectively on the mound. With an earned run average (ERA) of 4.0, he contributed significantly to his teams, striking out a total of 173 batters and securing 14 saves. His playing style was characterized by a solid mix of control and resilience, which allowed him to perform in high-pressure situations throughout his tenure in the league. Grzenda's career unfolded during a transformative era in baseball, marked by the emergence of more powerful hitters and the increasing importance of relief pitching. His ability to adapt to these changes made him a valuable asset to the teams he played for. Although not a household name, Grzenda's contributions to the game exemplified the dedication and tenacity that defined many players of his generation, earning him a respected place in baseball history.

Career Pitching Statistics

W	L	G	GS	CG	SHO	SV	IP	H	ER	HR	BB	SO	ERA	Pitcher PIV
14	13	219	3	0	0	14	308.0	323	137	20	120	173	4.00	0

Career ERA 4.00 vs. league average 3.58 across their career seasons — 11.9% worse than league average.

Season-by-Season Pitching

Year	Team	Lg	W	L	G	GS	SV	IP	H	ER	BB	SO	ERA	Lg ERA	Pitcher PIV
1961	DET	AL	1	0	4	0	0	5.7	9	5	2	0	7.94	—	0.0
1964	KC1	AL	0	2	20	0	0	25.0	34	15	13	17	5.40	3.58 (-51%)	-241.5
1966	KC1	AL	0	2	21	0	0	22.0	28	8	12	14	3.27	3.52 (+7%)	6.3
1967	NYN	NL	0	0	11	0	0	16.7	14	4	8	9	2.16	3.30 (+35%)	93.8
1969	MIN	AL	4	1	38	0	3	48.7	52	21	17	24	3.88	3.61 (-7%)	-107.6
1970	WS2	AL	3	6	49	3	6	84.7	86	47	34	38	5.00	3.89 (-29%)	-849.1
1971	WS2	AL	5	2	46	0	5	70.3	54	15	17	56	1.92	3.47 (+45%)	2626.7
1972	STL	NL	1	0	30	0	0	35.0	46	22	17	15	5.66	3.26 (-73%)	-

Career Batting Statistics

G	AB	R	H	2B	3B	HR	RBI	SB	BB	SO	AVG	OBP	SLG	OPS	PIV
219	30	1	2	0	0	0	1	0	2	19	0.067	0.125	0.067	0.192	0.0

Career AVG .067 vs. league average .249 across their career seasons — 73.3% below league average.

Career OBP .125 vs. league average .316 across their career seasons — 60.5% below league average.

Career SLG .067 vs. league average .372 across their career seasons — 82.1% below league average.

Career OPS 0.192 vs. league average 0.689 across their career seasons — 72.2% below league average.

Season-by-Season Batting

Year	Team	Lg	G	AB	R	H	RBI	BB	SO	AVG	Lg AVG	Lg OBP	Lg SLG	Lg OPS
1961	DET	AL	4	1	0	1	0	0	0	1.000	—	—	—	—
1964	KC1	AL	20	2	0	0	0	0	0	0.000	—	—	—	—
1966	KC1	AL	21	1	0	0	0	0	1	0.000	—	—	—	—
1967	NYN	NL	11	1	0	0	0	0	0	0.000	—	—	—	—
1969	MIN	AL	38	5	1	0	0	2	3	0.000	—	—	—	—
1970	WS2	AL	49	12	0	0	0	0	11	0.000	—	—	—	—
1971	WS2	AL	46	7	0	1	1	0	4	0.143	—	—	—	—
1972	STL	NL	30	1	0	0	0	0	0	0.000	—	—	—	—