Duane Kuiper

Born: 6/19/1950 in Racine, WI, USA

MLB Debut: 1974-09-09 | Final Game: 1985-06-27

Bats: L | Throws: R | Height: 6'0" | Weight: 175 lbs

Full name: Duane Eugene Kuiper

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Biography

Duane Kuiper was a notable figure in Major League Baseball, playing as a position player from 1974 until his retirement in 1985. Born in 1950, Kuiper enjoyed a career that spanned over a decade, during which he appeared in 1,057 games. He was known for his solid batting average of .271, showcasing his ability to make consistent contact at the plate. While Kuiper hit only one home run throughout his career, he contributed significantly to his teams with 263 RBIs and 52 stolen bases, reflecting his capability as a versatile player who could impact the game in multiple ways. Kuiper played primarily for the San Francisco Giants and the Chicago White Sox, and he became well-regarded for his defensive skills and baseball intelligence. His era in the league coincided with a transition period in baseball, marked by a growing emphasis on speed and contact hitting. Kuiper's playing style was characterized by his ability to get on base and move around the bases effectively, exemplifying the skill set valued during the mid-1970s to early 1980s. After retiring, he transitioned into broadcasting, where he became known for his insightful commentary and deep love for the game, further solidifying his legacy in baseball history.

Career Batting Statistics

G	AB	R	H	2B	3B	HR	RBI	SB	BB	SO	AVG	OBP	SLG	OPS	PIV
1057	3379	329	917	91	29	1	263	52	248	255	0.271	0.325	0.316	0.641	-5957.0

Career AVG .271 vs. league average .260 across their career seasons — near league average.

Career OBP .325 vs. league average .325 across their career seasons — near league average.

Career SLG .316 vs. league average .383 across their career seasons — 17.5% below league average.

Career OPS 0.641 vs. league average 0.708 across their career seasons — 9.4% 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
1974	CLE	AL	10	22	7	11	2	0	0	4	1	2	2	0.500	—	—	—	—	0.0
1975	CLE	AL	90	346	42	101	11	1	0	25	19	30	26	0.292	.257 (+13%)	.327 (+11%)	.374 (-12%)	.701 (-1%)	68.4
1976	CLE	AL	135	506	47	133	13	6	0	37	10	30	42	0.263	.255 (+3%)	.320 (-5%)	.360 (-13%)	.681 (-10%)	-965.4
1977	CLE	AL	148	610	62	169	15	8	1	50	11	37	55	0.277	.264 (+5%)	.329 (-2%)	.401 (-17%)	.730 (-10%)	-1198.9
1978	CLE	AL	149	547	52	155	18	6	0	43	4	19	35	0.283	.257 (+10%)	.323 (-4%)	.378 (-11%)	.702 (-8%)	-886.7
1979	CLE	AL	140	479	46	122	9	5	0	39	4	37	27	0.255	.265 (-4%)	.329 (-5%)	.397 (-26%)	.727 (-16%)	-1455.8
1980	CLE	AL	42	149	10	42	5	0	0	9	0	13	8	0.282	.264 (+7%)	.326 (+3%)	.387 (-19%)	.714 (-9%)	-177.2
1981	CLE	AL	72	206	15	53	6	0	0	14	1	8	13	0.257	.255 (+1%)	.320 (-11%)	.368 (-22%)	.688 (-17%)	-617.4
1982	SFG	NL	107	218	26	61	9	1	0	17	2	32	24	0.280	.261 (+7%)	.324 (+16%)	.388 (-15%)	.712 (-1%)	124.6
1983	SFG	NL	72	176	14	44	2	2	0	14	0	27	13	0.250	.260 (-4%)	.324 (+9%)	.389 (-27%)	.714 (-11%)	-222.8
1984	SFG	NL	83	115	8	23	1	0	0	11	0	12	10	0.200	.259 (-23%)	.322 (-15%)	.384 (-46%)	.707 (-32%)	-625.8
1985	SFG	NL	9	5	0	3	0	0	0	0	0	1	0	0.600	—	—	—	—	0.0

Fielding Statistics

Career Fielding Totals by Position

Position	G	GS	PO	A	E	DP
1B	6	2	24	2	2	3
2B	920	865	2000	2466	76	551

Season-by-Season Fielding

Year	Team	Pos	G	GS	PO	A	E	DP
1974	CLE	2B	8	5	16	19	0	3
1975	CLE	2B	87	87	192	230	12	65
1976	CLE	1B	5	2	21	2	2	3
1976	CLE	2B	128	119	300	365	9	92
1977	CLE	2B	148	148	334	449	12	104
1978	CLE	2B	149	149	341	408	16	91
1979	CLE	2B	140	137	345	380	9	89
1980	CLE	2B	42	42	87	111	1	28
1981	CLE	2B	72	59	118	174	5	24
1982	SFN	2B	51	44	101	124	5	24
1983	SFN	2B	64	57	107	140	3	17
1984	SFN	1B	1	0	3	0	0	0
1984	SFN	2B	31	18	59	66	4	14