Steve Kline, baseball player, 1970-1977

Steve Kline

Born: 10/6/1947 in Wenatchee, WA, USA

Died: 6/4/2018 in Chelan, WA, USA

MLB Debut: 1970-07-10 | Final Game: 1977-07-24

Bats: R | Throws: R | Height: 6'3" | Weight: 200 lbs

Full name: Steven Jack Kline

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Biography

Steve Kline was a professional baseball pitcher who played in Major League Baseball from 1970 to 1977. Born in 1947, Kline made his mark during a time when pitching was evolving, with the game shifting away from the deadball era and entering a phase that emphasized power hitting and offensive strategy. Over the course of his career, Kline recorded a win-loss record of 43-45 and posted an earned run average (ERA) of 3.26, showcasing his ability to effectively manage opposing hitters. Kline's tenure in the league was characterized by his durability and effectiveness on the mound. He accumulated a total of 240 strikeouts and achieved one save, reflecting his capability as both a starting pitcher and a reliable option out of the bullpen. While he may not have garnered the spotlight of some of his contemporaries, Kline's contributions to his teams were significant, providing consistent performances during a transitional period in baseball history. His career serves as a testament to the hard work and dedication required to thrive in the competitive environment of Major League Baseball.

Career Pitching Statistics

W L G GS CG SHO SV IP H ER HR BB SO ERA Pitcher PIV
43 45 129 105 34 6 1 750.3 708 272 61 184 240 3.26 0

Career ERA 3.26 vs. league average 3.67 across their career seasons — 11.2% better than league average.

Season-by-Season Pitching

Year Team Lg W L G GS CG SHO SV IP H ER BB SO ERA Lg ERA Pitcher PIV
1970 NYY AL 6 6 16 15 5 0 0 100.3 99 38 24 49 3.41 3.89 (+12%) -
1971 NYY AL 12 13 31 30 15 1 0 222.3 206 73 37 81 2.96 3.47 (+15%) -
1972 NYY AL 16 9 32 32 11 4 0 236.3 210 63 44 58 2.40 3.26 (+27%) -
1973 NYY AL 4 7 14 13 2 1 0 74.0 76 33 31 19 4.01 3.75 (-7%) -
1974 NYY AL 2 2 4 4 0 0 0 26.0 26 10 5 6 3.46 3.63 (+5%) -
1974 CLE AL 3 8 16 11 1 0 0 71.0 70 40 31 17 5.07 3.63 (-40%) -2879.3
1977 ATL NL 0 0 16 0 0 0 1 20.3 21 15 12 10 6.64 4.00 (-66%) -1063.7

Career Batting Statistics

G AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI SB BB SO AVG OBP SLG OPS PIV
129 170 14 21 1 0 0 4 0 12 48 0.124 0.190 0.129 0.320 -1282.1

Career AVG .124 vs. league average .254 across their career seasons — 51.4% below league average.

Career OBP .190 vs. league average .322 across their career seasons — 41.0% below league average.

Career SLG .129 vs. league average .376 across their career seasons — 65.6% below league average.

Career OPS 0.320 vs. league average 0.698 across their career seasons — 54.2% 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
1970 NYY AL 16 28 3 5 0 0 0 2 0 4 10 0.179 — — — — 0.0
1971 NYY AL 31 66 6 9 1 0 0 1 0 4 16 0.136 .249 (-45%) .316 (-41%) .365 (-59%) .682 (-51%) -531.1
1972 NYY AL 32 76 5 7 0 0 0 1 0 4 22 0.092 .243 (-62%) .310 (-52%) .353 (-74%) .664 (-64%) -751.0
1973 NYY AL 14 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000 — — — — 0.0
1974 NYY AL 4 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000 — — — — 0.0
1974 CLE AL 16 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000 — — — — 0.0
1977 ATL NL 16 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000 — — — — 0.0

Fielding Statistics

Career Fielding Totals by Position

Position G GS PO A E DP
P 129 105 64 144 9 10

Season-by-Season Fielding

Year Team Pos G GS PO A E DP
1970 NYA P 16 15 14 14 0 2
1971 NYA P 31 30 24 49 1 1
1972 NYA P 32 32 20 50 7 3
1973 NYA P 14 13 1 12 0 0
1974 NYA P 4 4 0 4 0 0
1974 CLE P 16 11 5 13 0 4
1977 ATL P 16 0 0 2 1 0

Career Games by Position

Position Games
Pitcher 129