Joe Krakauskas, baseball player, 1937-1946

Joe Krakauskas

Born: 3/28/1915 in Montreal, QC, CAN

Died: 7/8/1960 in Hamilton, ON, CAN

MLB Debut: 1937-09-09 | Final Game: 1946-09-18

Bats: L | Throws: L | Height: 6'1" | Weight: 203 lbs

Full name: Joseph Victor Lawrence Krakauskas

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Biography

Joe Krakauskas was a professional baseball pitcher born in 1915, who played in Major League Baseball from 1937 until his retirement in 1946. Known for his competitive spirit and versatility on the mound, he finished his career with a record of 26-36 and an earned run average (ERA) of 4.53. Throughout his time in the league, Krakauskas amassed a total of 347 strikeouts, demonstrating his ability to miss bats and effectively challenge hitters. He also recorded 4 saves, showcasing his capacity to perform in high-pressure situations. Krakauskas’s career unfolded during a transformative period in baseball, marked by the effects of World War II and the evolving nature of the game. As players were drafted and rosters changed dramatically, he contributed to his teams with determination and resilience. While not achieving superstar status, Krakauskas's role as a reliable pitcher in the majors during this era remains a testament to his dedication to the sport and the challenges faced by players of his time.

Career Pitching Statistics

W L G GS CG SHO SV IP H ER HR BB SO ERA Pitcher PIV
26 36 149 63 22 1 4 583.7 605 294 30 355 347 4.53 0

Career ERA 4.53 vs. league average 4.04 across their career seasons — 12.3% worse 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
1937 WSN AL 4 1 5 4 3 0 0 40.0 33 12 22 18 2.70 4.34 (+38%) -
1938 WSN AL 7 5 29 10 5 1 0 121.3 99 42 88 104 3.12 4.35 (+28%) -
1939 WSN AL 11 17 39 29 12 0 1 217.3 230 111 114 110 4.60 4.28 (-7%) -
1940 WSN AL 1 6 32 10 2 0 2 109.0 137 78 73 68 6.44 4.21 (-53%) -
1941 CLE AL 1 2 12 5 0 0 0 41.7 39 19 29 25 4.10 3.94 (-4%) -727.9
1942 CLE AL 0 0 3 0 0 0 0 7.0 7 3 4 2 3.86 — 0.0
1946 CLE AL 2 5 29 5 0 0 1 47.3 60 29 25 20 5.51 3.59 (-54%) -339.8

Career Batting Statistics

G AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI SB BB SO AVG OBP SLG OPS PIV
149 183 18 33 7 2 0 11 0 13 62 0.180 0.235 0.240 0.475 -330.3

Career AVG .180 vs. league average .266 across their career seasons — 32.3% below league average.

Career OBP .235 vs. league average .335 across their career seasons — 30.0% below league average.

Career SLG .240 vs. league average .379 across their career seasons — 36.6% below league average.

Career OPS 0.475 vs. league average 0.714 across their career seasons — 33.5% 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
1937 WSN AL 5 16 2 2 0 1 0 1 0 1 7 0.125 — — — — 0.0
1938 WSN AL 29 33 7 6 2 0 0 1 0 4 12 0.182 — — — — 0.0
1939 WSN AL 39 77 6 16 3 1 0 8 0 8 24 0.208 .274 (-24%) .342 (-17%) .393 (-31%) .735 (-24%) -330.3
1940 WSN AL 32 32 3 8 2 0 0 1 0 0 10 0.250 — — — — 0.0
1941 CLE AL 12 13 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 5 0.077 — — — — 0.0
1942 CLE AL 3 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.000 — — — — 0.0
1946 CLE AL 29 10 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 4 0.000 — — — — 0.0

Fielding Statistics

Career Fielding Totals by Position

Position G GS PO A E DP
P 149 0 16 97 10 5

Season-by-Season Fielding

Year Team Pos G GS PO A E DP
1937 WS1 P 5 0 1 4 3 0
1938 WS1 P 29 0 3 16 1 0
1939 WS1 P 39 0 6 26 3 2
1940 WS1 P 32 0 2 24 2 3
1941 CLE P 12 0 2 11 0 0
1942 CLE P 3 0 0 4 0 0
1946 CLE P 29 0 2 12 1 0

Career Games by Position

Position Games
Pitcher 149