Ron Karkovice, baseball player, 1986-1997

Ron Karkovice

Born: 8/8/1963 in Union, NJ, USA

MLB Debut: 1986-08-17 | Final Game: 1997-09-26

Bats: R | Throws: R | Height: 6'1" | Weight: 210 lbs

Full name: Ronald Joseph Karkovice

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Biography

Ron Karkovice, born in 1963, was a professional baseball player who played as a position player in Major League Baseball from 1986 until his retirement in 1997. Known for his defensive skills behind the plate, Karkovice was a key figure for the teams he played for, primarily the Chicago White Sox. Over his career, he participated in 939 games, where he amassed 574 hits, including 96 home runs and 335 RBIs. His batting average settled at .221, reflecting the challenges he faced at the plate, but his contributions to his team's defense were invaluable. Karkovice's playing career coincided with a transformative era in baseball, characterized by a shift towards more power-oriented play. While not a prolific hitter, his ability to control the game from behind the plate earned him respect among pitchers and coaches alike. With 24 stolen bases to his name, he demonstrated a surprising speed for a catcher, showcasing his versatility on the field. After concluding his MLB career on September 26, 1997, Karkovice remained a notable figure in baseball history, remembered for his dedication to the game and his role in the evolution of catching during the late 20th century.

Career Batting Statistics

G AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI SB BB SO AVG OBP SLG OPS PIV
939 2597 336 574 120 6 96 335 24 233 749 0.221 0.289 0.383 0.672 -4470.8

Career AVG .221 vs. league average .261 across their career seasons — 15.4% below league average.

Career OBP .289 vs. league average .329 across their career seasons — 12.2% below league average.

Career SLG .383 vs. league average .400 across their career seasons — near league average.

Career OPS 0.672 vs. league average 0.729 across their career seasons — 7.9% 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
1986 CHW AL 37 97 13 24 7 0 4 13 1 9 37 0.247 .257 (-4%) .325 (-3%) .395 (+12%) .720 (+5%) 65.9
1987 CHW AL 39 85 7 6 0 0 2 7 3 7 40 0.071 .262 (-73%) .331 (-52%) .415 (-66%) .746 (-60%) -894.5
1988 CHW AL 46 115 10 20 4 0 3 9 4 7 30 0.174 .254 (-32%) .317 (-28%) .377 (-24%) .695 (-26%) -509.8
1989 CHW AL 71 182 21 48 9 2 3 24 0 10 56 0.264 .254 (+4%) .319 (-4%) .375 (+3%) .694 (-1%) -63.6
1990 CHW AL 68 183 30 45 10 0 6 20 2 16 52 0.246 .257 (-5%) .324 (-5%) .385 (+4%) .710 (avg) -28.7
1991 CHW AL 75 167 25 41 13 0 5 22 0 15 42 0.246 .255 (-4%) .323 (-4%) .384 (+7%) .708 (+2%) 34.7
1992 CHW AL 123 342 39 81 12 1 13 50 10 30 89 0.237 .255 (-7%) .322 (-6%) .377 (+4%) .699 (-1%) -78.9
1993 CHW AL 128 403 60 92 17 1 20 54 2 29 126 0.228 .265 (-14%) .332 (-14%) .403 (+5%) .735 (-3%) -383.0
1994 CHW AL 77 207 33 44 9 1 11 29 0 36 68 0.213 .269 (-21%) .338 (-4%) .424 (avg) .763 (-2%) -64.2
1995 CHW AL 113 323 44 70 14 1 13 51 2 39 84 0.217 .266 (-19%) .337 (-10%) .417 (-7%) .755 (-8%) -582.1
1996 CHW AL 111 355 44 78 22 0 10 38 0 24 93 0.220 .269 (-19%) .340 (-21%) .426 (-14%) .767 (-17%) -1322.0
1997 CHW AL 51 138 10 25 3 0 6 18 0 11 32 0.181 .266 (-32%) .336 (-26%) .419 (-20%) .756 (-23%) -644.5

Postseason Statistics

Playoff Career Batting

G AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI BB SO AVG
6 15 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 7 0.000

Playoff Batting by Year

Year Round Team G AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI BB SO AVG
1993 ALCS CHA 6 15 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 7 0.000

Fielding Statistics

Career Fielding Totals by Position

Position G GS PO A E DP
C 918 776 4757 404 42 49
OF 2 0 3 0 0 0

Season-by-Season Fielding

Year Team Pos G GS PO A E DP
1986 CHA C 37 35 227 19 1 4
1987 CHA C 37 31 147 20 3 3
1988 CHA C 46 37 190 24 1 4
1989 CHA C 68 55 299 47 5 6
1990 CHA C 64 50 296 31 2 4
1991 CHA C 69 49 309 28 4 6
1991 CHA OF 1 0 0 0 0 0
1992 CHA C 119 98 533 53 6 8
1992 CHA OF 1 0 3 0 0 0
1993 CHA C 127 118 769 63 5 4
1994 CHA C 76 61 417 19 3 2
1995 CHA C 113 98 629 42 6 2
1996 CHA C 111 99 680 45 5 5
1997 CHA C 51 45 261 13 1 1

Career Games by Position

Position Games
Catcher 918
Left Field 1
Right Field 1
Designated Hitter 4

Salary History

Year Team League Salary
1997 CHA AL $1,500,000
1996 CHA AL $2,225,000
1995 CHA AL $1,773,615
1994 CHA AL $1,429,167
1993 CHA AL $1,566,667
1992 CHA AL $650,000
1991 CHA AL $310,000
1990 CHA AL $108,000
1989 CHA AL $106,000
1987 CHA AL $625,000
1986 CHA AL $60,000
Total Career Earnings $10,353,449