Roberto Kelly, baseball player, 124 home runs, 1987-2000

Roberto Kelly

Born: 10/1/1964 in Panama City, Panamá, Panama

MLB Debut: 1987-07-29 | Final Game: 2000-04-18

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

Full name: Roberto Conrado Kelly

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Biography

Roberto Kelly was a talented position player who made a significant impact in Major League Baseball from 1987 to 2000. Born in 1964, Kelly played in a total of 1,337 games during his career, amassing 1,390 hits and achieving a commendable batting average of .290. His offensive prowess was highlighted by 124 home runs and 585 runs batted in, showcasing his ability to contribute both power and consistency to his teams. Known for his speed on the bases, he successfully stole 235 bases, making him a dual threat as a hitter and baserunner. Over his career, Kelly was recognized for his skills with two All-Star selections, underscoring his status among the elite players of his era. He played during a transformative time in baseball, witnessing the transition from the more traditional styles of play to the increasingly powerful and competitive nature of the game in the late 1990s. His contributions were felt on multiple teams, including the New York Yankees, where he began his career, and later with the Cincinnati Reds, among others. Kelly's blend of hitting ability and base running made him a key player of his generation, leaving a lasting legacy in the sport.

Career Batting Statistics

G AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI SB BB SO AVG OBP SLG OPS PIV
1337 4797 687 1390 241 30 124 585 235 317 862 0.290 0.337 0.430 0.767 4045.3

Career AVG .290 vs. league average .264 across their career seasons — +10.0% above league average.

Career OBP .337 vs. league average .332 across their career seasons — near league average.

Career SLG .430 vs. league average .408 across their career seasons — +5.5% above league average.

Career OPS 0.767 vs. league average 0.740 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
1987 NYY AL 23 52 12 14 3 0 1 7 9 5 15 0.269 .262 (+2%) .331 (-1%) .415 (-7%) .746 (-5%) -44.4
1988 NYY AL 38 77 9 19 4 1 1 7 5 3 15 0.247 .254 (-3%) .317 (-15%) .377 (-4%) .695 (-9%) -141.4
1989 NYY AL 137 441 65 133 18 3 9 48 35 41 89 0.302 .254 (+19%) .319 (+15%) .375 (+11%) .694 (+13%) 1242.5
1990 NYY AL 162 641 85 183 32 4 15 61 42 33 148 0.285 .257 (+11%) .324 (-1%) .385 (+8%) .710 (+4%) 408.6
1991 NYY AL 126 486 68 130 22 2 20 69 32 45 77 0.267 .255 (+5%) .323 (+3%) .384 (+16%) .708 (+10%) 868.9
1992 NYY AL 152 580 81 158 31 2 10 66 28 41 96 0.272 .255 (+7%) .322 (avg) .377 (+2%) .699 (+1%) 34.2
1993 CIN NL 78 320 44 102 17 3 9 35 21 17 43 0.319 .265 (+20%) .332 (+6%) .403 (+18%) .735 (+13%) 675.1
1994 CIN NL 47 179 29 54 8 0 3 21 9 11 35 0.302 .269 (+12%) .338 (+3%) .424 (-7%) .763 (-2%) -41.4
1994 ATL NL 63 255 44 73 15 3 6 24 10 24 36 0.286 .269 (+6%) .338 (+2%) .424 (+4%) .763 (+3%) -41.4
1995 WSN NL 24 95 11 26 4 0 1 9 4 7 14 0.274 .266 (+3%) .337 (avg) .417 (-17%) .755 (-9%) -131.7
1995 LAD NL 112 409 47 114 19 2 6 48 15 15 65 0.279 .266 (+4%) .337 (-9%) .417 (-9%) .755 (-9%) -131.7
1996 MIN AL 98 322 41 104 17 4 6 47 10 23 53 0.323 .269 (+20%) .340 (+10%) .426 (+7%) .767 (+8%) 535.2
1997 MIN AL 75 247 39 71 19 2 5 37 7 17 50 0.287 .266 (+8%) .336 (avg) .419 (+5%) .756 (+3%) 80.4
1997 SEA AL 30 121 19 36 7 0 7 22 2 5 17 0.298 .266 (+12%) .336 (-3%) .419 (+26%) .756 (+13%) 80.4
1998 TEX AL 75 257 48 83 7 3 16 46 0 8 46 0.323 .266 (+21%) .335 (+4%) .420 (+33%) .755 (+20%) 901.6
1999 TEX AL 87 290 41 87 17 1 8 37 6 21 57 0.300 .271 (+11%) .344 (+3%) .433 (+3%) .778 (+3%) 186.0
2000 NYY AL 10 25 4 3 1 0 1 1 0 1 6 0.120 — — — — 0.0

Postseason Statistics

Playoff Career Batting

G AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI BB SO AVG
10 34 1 10 4 0 0 1 1 7 0.294

Playoff Batting by Year

Year Round Team G AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI BB SO AVG
1999 ALDS2 TEX 1 3 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 2 0.333
1998 ALDS2 TEX 2 7 0 1 1 0 0 0 0 2 0.143
1997 ALDS2 SEA 4 13 1 4 3 0 0 1 0 3 0.308
1995 NLDS2 LAN 3 11 0 4 0 0 0 0 1 0 0.364

Fielding Statistics

Career Fielding Totals by Position

Position G GS PO A E DP
OF 1283 1202 2896 57 44 12

Season-by-Season Fielding

Year Team Pos G GS PO A E DP
1987 NYA OF 17 12 42 0 2 0
1988 NYA OF 30 19 70 1 1 0
1989 NYA OF 137 133 353 9 6 2
1990 NYA OF 160 155 420 5 5 0
1991 NYA OF 125 124 268 8 4 1
1992 NYA OF 146 142 389 8 7 3
1993 CIN OF 77 77 198 3 1 1
1994 CIN OF 47 47 118 2 1 1
1994 ATL OF 63 63 128 3 2 0
1995 MON OF 24 24 42 1 0 0
1995 LAN OF 110 107 183 2 6 1
1996 MIN OF 93 88 203 4 2 0
1997 MIN OF 59 51 101 1 0 0
1997 SEA OF 29 27 53 1 0 0
1998 TEX OF 71 57 155 5 4 1
1999 TEX OF 85 68 155 4 3 2
2000 NYA OF 10 8 18 0 0 0

Career Games by Position

Position Games
Left Field 246
Center Field 886
Right Field 184
Designated Hitter 23

Awards & Honors

Year Award Notes
1990 Player of the Week Week of 1990-08-25

Salary History

Year Team League Salary
2000 NYA AL $800,000
1999 TEX AL $2,225,000
1998 TEX AL $1,625,000
1997 MIN AL $750,000
1996 MIN AL $550,000
1995 LAN NL $3,733,334
1994 CIN NL $3,133,333
1993 CIN NL $3,133,333
1992 NYA AL $2,150,000
1991 NYA AL $900,000
1990 NYA AL $265,000
1989 NYA AL $80,000
1988 NYA AL $67,000
Total Career Earnings $19,412,000