Rusty Kuntz, baseball player, 1979-1985

Rusty Kuntz

Born: 2/4/1955 in Orange, CA, USA

MLB Debut: 1979-09-01 | Final Game: 1985-04-24

Bats: R | Throws: R | Height: 6'3" | Weight: 190 lbs

Full name: Russell Jay Kuntz

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Biography

Rusty Kuntz, born in 1955, was an American professional baseball player who enjoyed a career in Major League Baseball from 1979 to 1985. Primarily a position player, Kuntz played in a total of 277 games during his time in the league, showcasing his versatility on the field. He recorded 104 hits, contributing to a career batting average of .236. Throughout his tenure, he hit 5 home runs and drove in 38 runs, while also demonstrating a degree of speed with 5 stolen bases. Kuntz played in an era characterized by a transition in baseball styles, moving from the more traditional approaches of the 1970s into the evolving strategies of the 1980s. While his statistical contributions may not have placed him among the league's stars, his role as a reliable player off the bench and in various outfield positions was valued by his teams. Kuntz's career spanned several teams, including the Chicago White Sox and the Kansas City Royals, where he became known for his hustle and commitment to the game. After retiring, he continued to be involved in baseball, contributing his experience and knowledge to the next generation of players.

Career Batting Statistics

G AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI SB BB SO AVG OBP SLG OPS PIV
277 441 75 104 23 0 5 38 5 60 106 0.236 0.328 0.322 0.650 -105.1

Career AVG .236 vs. league average .261 across their career seasons — 9.6% below league average.

Career OBP .328 vs. league average .325 across their career seasons — near league average.

Career SLG .322 vs. league average .388 across their career seasons — 17.0% below league average.

Career OPS 0.650 vs. league average 0.712 across their career seasons — 8.8% 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
1979 CHW AL 5 11 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 2 6 0.091 — — — — 0.0
1980 CHW AL 36 62 5 14 4 0 0 3 1 5 13 0.226 .264 (-15%) .326 (-13%) .387 (-25%) .714 (-20%) -200.6
1981 CHW AL 67 55 15 14 2 0 0 4 1 6 8 0.255 .255 (avg) .320 (+6%) .368 (-21%) .688 (-9%) -50.9
1982 CHW AL 21 26 4 5 1 0 0 3 0 2 8 0.192 — — — — 0.0
1983 CHW AL 28 42 6 11 1 0 0 1 1 6 13 0.262 — — — — 0.0
1983 MIN AL 31 100 13 19 3 0 3 5 0 12 28 0.190 .260 (-27%) .324 (-16%) .389 (-20%) .714 (-18%) 0.0
1984 DET AL 84 140 32 40 12 0 2 22 2 25 28 0.286 .259 (+10%) .322 (+22%) .384 (+8%) .707 (+14%) 447.5
1985 DET AL 5 5 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 2 0.000 — — — — 0.0

Postseason Statistics

Playoff Career Batting

G AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI BB SO AVG
3 2 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 1 0.000

Playoff Batting by Year

Year Round Team G AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI BB SO AVG
1984 ALCS DET 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.000
1984 WS DET 2 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 1 0.000

Fielding Statistics

Career Fielding Totals by Position

Position G GS PO A E DP
1B 1 0 0 0 1 0
OF 235 110 312 8 4 4

Season-by-Season Fielding

Year Team Pos G GS PO A E DP
1979 CHA OF 5 4 12 1 0 1
1980 CHA OF 34 16 45 2 1 1
1981 CHA OF 51 8 54 0 0 0
1982 CHA OF 21 6 21 0 0 0
1983 CHA OF 27 14 40 0 1 0
1983 MIN OF 30 27 66 3 1 1
1984 DET OF 67 35 74 2 1 1
1985 DET 1B 1 0 0 0 1 0

Career Games by Position

Position Games
First Base 1
Left Field 63
Center Field 119
Right Field 63
Designated Hitter 26

College History

School Name City State Years Attended
Cuesta College San Luis Obispo CA 1974, 1975
California State University Stanislaus Turlock CA 1976, 1977