Steve Kemp

Born: 8/7/1954 in San Angelo, TX, USA

MLB Debut: 1977-04-07 | Final Game: 1988-05-24

Bats: L | Throws: L | Height: 6'0" | Weight: 195 lbs

Full name: Steven F. Kemp

📊 Compare This Player 📈 View Career Timeline

Biography

Steve Kemp was a notable position player in Major League Baseball who played from 1977 until his retirement in 1988. Born in 1954, Kemp made a significant impact during his career, appearing in 1,168 games and compiling 1,128 hits, which translated to a solid batting average of .278. Known for his powerful hitting, he belted 130 home runs and drove in 634 runs over the course of his career. Additionally, Kemp showcased his speed on the bases, accumulating 39 stolen bases, a testament to his all-around offensive abilities. Kemp's career included an All-Star selection, marking a highlight in his professional journey. He played during a transformative period in baseball, which saw the transition from the more traditional styles of play to a game that increasingly emphasized power and athleticism. His contributions to various teams, including the Detroit Tigers, Chicago White Sox, and New York Yankees, solidified his reputation as a reliable player during the late 1970s and 1980s, an era characterized by intense competition and evolving strategies in the sport. Steve Kemp's legacy remains a point of interest for baseball enthusiasts and historians alike, reflecting the dynamic nature of the game during his playing years.

Career Batting Statistics

G	AB	R	H	2B	3B	HR	RBI	SB	BB	SO	AVG	OBP	SLG	OPS	PIV
1168	4058	581	1128	179	25	130	634	39	576	605	0.278	0.367	0.431	0.797	10969.6

Career AVG .278 vs. league average .260 across their career seasons — +6.9% above league average.

Career OBP .367 vs. league average .324 across their career seasons — +13.0% above league average.

Career SLG .431 vs. league average .388 across their career seasons — +11.0% above league average.

Career OPS 0.797 vs. league average 0.712 across their career seasons — +11.9% above 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
1977	DET	AL	151	552	75	142	29	4	18	88	3	71	93	0.257	.264 (-3%)	.329 (+4%)	.401 (+5%)	.730 (+5%)	608.2
1978	DET	AL	159	582	75	161	18	4	15	79	2	97	87	0.277	.257 (+7%)	.323 (+17%)	.378 (+5%)	.702 (+11%)	1665.4
1979	DET	AL	134	490	88	156	26	3	26	105	5	68	70	0.318	.265 (+20%)	.329 (+21%)	.397 (+37%)	.727 (+29%)	2959.8
1980	DET	AL	135	508	88	149	23	3	21	101	5	69	64	0.293	.264 (+11%)	.326 (+15%)	.387 (+22%)	.714 (+19%)	2028.9
1981	DET	AL	105	372	52	103	18	4	9	49	9	70	48	0.277	.255 (+8%)	.320 (+22%)	.368 (+14%)	.688 (+17%)	1437.7
1982	CHW	AL	160	580	91	166	23	1	19	98	7	89	83	0.286	.261 (+10%)	.324 (+17%)	.388 (+10%)	.712 (+13%)	1918.1
1983	NYY	AL	109	373	53	90	17	3	12	49	1	41	37	0.241	.260 (-8%)	.324 (-2%)	.389 (+3%)	.714 (avg)	38.2
1984	NYY	AL	94	313	37	91	12	1	7	41	4	40	54	0.291	.259 (+12%)	.322 (+14%)	.384 (+5%)	.707 (+9%)	627.1
1985	PIT	NL	92	236	19	59	13	2	2	21	1	25	54	0.250	.257 (-3%)	.323 (-2%)	.390 (-11%)	.714 (-7%)	-313.8
1986	PIT	NL	13	16	1	3	0	0	1	1	1	4	6	0.188	—	—	—	—	0.0
1988	TEX	AL	16	36	2	8	0	0	0	2	1	2	9	0.222	—	—	—	—	0.0

Fielding Statistics

Career Fielding Totals by Position

Position	G	GS	PO	A	E	DP
1B	1	0	1	0	0	0
OF	1004	978	1962	55	37	12

Season-by-Season Fielding

Year	Team	Pos	G	GS	PO	A	E	DP
1977	DET	OF	148	147	252	10	5	1
1978	DET	OF	157	156	325	11	8	2
1979	DET	OF	120	117	229	12	6	2
1980	DET	OF	85	84	197	4	1	3
1981	DET	OF	92	92	207	4	3	0
1982	CHA	OF	154	154	280	6	7	1
1983	NYA	OF	101	92	215	5	3	3
1984	NYA	OF	75	70	138	2	4	0
1985	PIT	OF	63	61	105	1	0	0
1986	PIT	OF	4	3	9	0	0	0
1988	TEX	1B	1	0	1	0	0	0
1988	TEX	OF	5	2	5	0	0	0