Clay Kirby

Born: 6/25/1948 in Washington, DC, USA

Died: 10/11/1991 in Arlington, VA, USA

MLB Debut: 1969-04-11 | Final Game: 1976-09-28

Bats: R | Throws: R | Height: 6'3" | Weight: 175 lbs

Full name: Clayton Laws Kirby

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Biography

Clay Kirby, born in 1948, was a professional baseball pitcher whose career spanned from 1969 to 1976. He made his mark in Major League Baseball during a time when the game was transitioning from the dominant pitching styles of the 1960s to a more offense-driven era. Kirby played for several teams throughout his career, showcasing his skills as a reliable starter, which was reflected in his total of 75 career wins against 104 losses. With an earned run average (ERA) of 3.84, he proved to be a competent competitor on the mound, consistently challenging hitters with his pitching repertoire. Throughout his career, Kirby accumulated 1,061 strikeouts, demonstrating his ability to miss bats and keep opposing hitters off balance. Despite not recording any saves, his contributions as a starting pitcher were significant, and he was often called upon to pitch crucial innings for his teams. Kirby's legacy is marked by his resilience and competitive spirit during a period that saw the evolution of baseball strategies, making him a noteworthy figure for fans of the game. His tenure in the league reflected the shifting dynamics of baseball during the 1970s, a decade that laid the groundwork for the offensive explosion that would follow in subsequent years.

Career Pitching Statistics

W	L	G	GS	CG	SHO	SV	IP	H	ER	HR	BB	SO	ERA	Pitcher PIV
75	104	261	239	42	8	0	1548.0	1430	660	156	713	1061	3.84	0

Career ERA 3.84 vs. league average 3.61 across their career seasons — 6.4% worse than league average.

Season-by-Season Pitching

Year	Team	Lg	W	L	G	GS	CG	SHO	IP	H	ER	BB	SO	ERA	Lg ERA	Pitcher PIV
1969	SDP	NL	7	20	35	35	2	0	215.7	204	91	100	113	3.80	3.61 (-5%)	-
1970	SDP	NL	10	16	36	34	6	1	214.7	198	108	120	154	4.53	3.89 (-17%)	-
1971	SDP	NL	15	13	38	36	13	2	267.3	213	84	103	231	2.83	3.47 (+18%)	-
1972	SDP	NL	12	14	34	34	9	2	238.7	197	83	116	175	3.13	3.26 (+4%)	-
1973	SDP	NL	8	18	34	31	4	2	191.7	214	102	66	129	4.79	3.75 (-28%)	-
1974	CIN	NL	12	9	36	35	7	1	230.7	210	84	91	160	3.28	3.63 (+10%)	2304.2
1975	CIN	NL	10	6	26	19	1	0	110.7	113	58	54	48	4.72	3.71 (-27%)	-3212.9
1976	WSN	NL	1	8	22	15	0	0	78.7	81	50	63	51	5.72	3.51 (-63%)	-

Career Batting Statistics

G	AB	R	H	2B	3B	HR	RBI	SB	BB	SO	AVG	OBP	SLG	OPS	PIV
265	478	22	47	5	0	0	15	0	32	217	0.098	0.157	0.109	0.265	-4399.7

Career AVG .098 vs. league average .253 across their career seasons — 61.1% below league average.

Career OBP .157 vs. league average .321 across their career seasons — 51.3% below league average.

Career SLG .109 vs. league average .370 across their career seasons — 70.6% below league average.

Career OPS 0.265 vs. league average 0.691 across their career seasons — 61.6% below league average.

Season-by-Season Batting

Year	Team	Lg	G	AB	R	H	2B	RBI	BB	SO	AVG	Lg AVG	Lg OBP	Lg SLG	Lg OPS	PIV
1969	SDP	NL	35	66	3	4	1	0	7	37	0.061	.248 (-76%)	.320 (-49%)	.369 (-79%)	.689 (-65%)	-698.2
1970	SDP	NL	36	74	4	11	1	1	5	38	0.149	.253 (-41%)	.325 (-38%)	.385 (-58%)	.711 (-49%)	-599.3
1971	SDP	NL	40	86	3	8	0	3	6	35	0.093	.249 (-63%)	.316 (-52%)	.365 (-75%)	.682 (-64%)	-887.8
1972	SDP	NL	35	74	3	5	0	2	4	30	0.068	.243 (-72%)	.310 (-63%)	.353 (-81%)	.664 (-72%)	-840.0
1973	SDP	NL	35	54	1	5	1	1	1	21	0.093	.256 (-64%)	.325 (-66%)	.378 (-71%)	.703 (-69%)	-617.8
1974	CIN	NL	36	74	4	7	0	3	6	36	0.095	.256 (-63%)	.324 (-50%)	.369 (-74%)	.693 (-63%)	-756.6
1975	CIN	NL	26	32	3	6	1	2	2	15	0.188	—	—	—	—	0.0
1976	WSN	NL	22	18	1	1	1	3	1	5	0.056	—	—	—	—	0.0