Dion James, baseball player, 1983-1996

Dion James

Born: 11/9/1962 in Philadelphia, PA, USA

MLB Debut: 1983-09-16 | Final Game: 1996-04-21

Bats: L | Throws: L | Height: 6'1" | Weight: 170 lbs

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Biography

Dion James was a professional baseball player who enjoyed a successful career as a position player from 1983 to 1996. Born in 1962, James played a total of 917 games in Major League Baseball, where he established himself as a reliable hitter and an agile presence on the base paths. Over the course of his career, he recorded 781 hits, showcasing a solid batting average of .288. His offensive contributions also included 32 home runs and 266 runs batted in, while he demonstrated his speed with 43 stolen bases. James made his mark during a competitive era in baseball characterized by the transition from the post-deadball era to a more offensive-minded game. His consistent performance at the plate and ability to contribute in various ways made him a valuable player for the teams he represented. Known for his versatility and tenacity, James left a lasting impression on fans and teammates alike, solidifying his place in baseball history. After retiring in 1996, he remained a respected figure in the sport, remembered for his contributions both on and off the field.

Career Batting Statistics

G AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI SB BB SO AVG OBP SLG OPS PIV
917 2708 362 781 142 21 32 266 43 318 307 0.288 0.364 0.392 0.755 3866.9

Career AVG .288 vs. league average .261 across their career seasons — +10.7% above league average.

Career OBP .364 vs. league average .327 across their career seasons — +11.2% above league average.

Career SLG .392 vs. league average .395 across their career seasons — near league average.

Career OPS 0.755 vs. league average 0.722 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
1983 ATL AL 11 20 1 2 0 0 0 1 1 2 2 0.100 — — — — 0.0
1984 ATL AL 128 387 52 114 19 5 1 30 10 32 41 0.295 .259 (+13%) .322 (+9%) .384 (-2%) .707 (+3%) 252.8
1985 ATL AL 18 49 5 11 1 0 0 3 0 6 6 0.224 — — — — -157.1
1987 ATL NL 134 494 80 154 37 6 10 61 10 70 63 0.312 .262 (+19%) .331 (+20%) .415 (+14%) .746 (+16%) 1823.6
1988 ATL NL 132 386 46 99 17 5 3 30 9 58 59 0.256 .254 (+1%) .317 (+11%) .377 (-7%) .695 (+1%) 272.9
1989 ATL NL 63 170 15 44 7 0 1 11 1 25 23 0.259 .254 (+2%) .319 (+11%) .375 (-15%) .694 (-3%) 11.2
1989 CLE AL 71 245 26 75 11 0 4 29 1 24 26 0.306 .254 (+20%) .319 (+15%) .375 (+7%) .694 (+11%) 11.2
1990 CLE AL 87 248 28 68 15 2 1 22 5 27 23 0.274 .257 (+6%) .324 (+7%) .385 (-6%) .710 (avg) 45.5
1992 NYY AL 67 145 24 38 8 0 3 17 1 22 15 0.262 .255 (+2%) .322 (+11%) .377 (+1%) .699 (+6%) 196.8
1993 NYY AL 115 343 62 114 21 2 7 36 0 31 31 0.332 .265 (+25%) .332 (+17%) .403 (+16%) .735 (+16%) 1159.1
1995 NYY AL 85 209 22 60 6 1 2 26 4 20 16 0.287 .266 (+8%) .337 (+3%) .417 (-15%) .755 (-7%) -252.9
1996 NYY AL 6 12 1 2 0 0 0 0 1 1 2 0.167 — — — — 0.0

Postseason Statistics

Playoff Career Batting

G AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI BB SO AVG
4 12 0 1 0 0 0 0 1 1 0.083

Playoff Batting by Year

Year Round Team G AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI BB SO AVG
1995 ALDS2 NYA 4 12 0 1 0 0 0 0 1 1 0.083

Fielding Statistics

Career Fielding Totals by Position

Position G GS PO A E DP
1B 52 36 302 28 2 27
OF 682 579 1226 23 18 3

Season-by-Season Fielding

Year Team Pos G GS PO A E DP
1983 ML4 OF 9 5 12 1 0 0
1984 ML4 OF 118 101 252 7 3 1
1985 ML4 OF 11 11 20 0 0 0
1987 ATL OF 126 118 262 4 1 1
1988 ATL OF 120 101 222 5 3 0
1989 ATL 1B 8 4 39 7 0 5
1989 ATL OF 46 42 87 0 0 0
1989 CLE 1B 2 0 3 0 1 0
1989 CLE OF 37 32 82 1 2 0
1990 CLE 1B 35 29 228 17 1 21
1990 CLE OF 33 28 54 0 3 0
1992 NYA OF 46 32 62 1 0 0
1993 NYA 1B 1 0 1 0 0 0
1993 NYA OF 103 83 140 4 5 1
1995 NYA 1B 6 3 31 4 0 1
1995 NYA OF 29 23 30 0 1 0
1996 NYA OF 4 3 3 0 0 0

Career Games by Position

Position Games
First Base 52
Left Field 322
Center Field 242
Right Field 155
Designated Hitter 77

Awards & Honors

Year Award Notes
1987 Player of the Week Week of 1987-07-31

Salary History

Year Team League Salary
1995 NYA AL $350,000
1993 NYA AL $350,000
1992 NYA AL $387,500
1990 CLE AL $650,000
1989 ATL NL $400,000
1988 ATL NL $360,000
1987 ATL NL $120,000
Total Career Earnings $2,617,500