Jim Lentine, baseball player, 1978-1980

Jim Lentine

Born: 7/16/1954 in Los Angeles, CA, USA

MLB Debut: 1978-09-03 | Final Game: 1980-10-05

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

Full name: James Matthew Lentine

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Biography

Jim Lentine, born in 1954, was a professional baseball player who played as a position player in Major League Baseball from 1978 until 1980. Over the course of his career, Lentine appeared in 95 games, showcasing his skills primarily as an outfielder. He finished his career with a batting average of .263, collecting 54 hits, including one home run, and driving in 20 runs. In addition to his offensive contributions, he also displayed base-running agility, recording 3 stolen bases. Lentine's career unfolded during a transitional period in baseball, marked by the shift from the deadball era to an increasingly power-focused game. While he may not have been a household name, his contributions on the field demonstrated the importance of versatile players who could impact games in various ways. After his retirement on October 5, 1980, Lentine left a legacy as a player who exemplified the grit and determination characteristic of the late 1970s era in baseball.

Career Batting Statistics

G AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI SB BB SO AVG OBP SLG OPS PIV
95 205 23 54 9 1 1 20 3 31 38 0.263 0.368 0.332 0.700 151.6

Career AVG .263 vs. league average .263 across their career seasons — near league average.

Career OBP .368 vs. league average .327 across their career seasons — +12.7% above league average.

Career SLG .332 vs. league average .388 across their career seasons — 14.5% below league average.

Career OPS 0.700 vs. league average 0.715 across their career seasons — near 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
1978 STL NL 8 11 1 2 0 0 0 1 1 0 0 0.182 — — — — 0.0
1979 STL NL 11 23 2 9 1 0 0 1 0 3 6 0.391 — — — — 0.0
1980 STL NL 9 10 1 1 0 0 0 1 0 0 2 0.100 — — — — 0.0
1980 DET AL 67 161 19 42 8 1 1 17 2 28 30 0.261 .264 (-1%) .326 (+16%) .387 (-12%) .714 (+1%) 0.0

Fielding Statistics

Career Fielding Totals by Position

Position G GS PO A E DP
OF 72 48 118 6 4 1

Season-by-Season Fielding

Year Team Pos G GS PO A E DP
1978 SLN OF 3 3 4 0 0 0
1979 SLN OF 8 4 12 1 0 1
1980 SLN OF 6 1 4 0 0 0
1980 DET OF 55 40 98 5 4 0

Career Games by Position

Position Games
Left Field 50
Center Field 14
Right Field 11
Designated Hitter 9

College History

School Name City State Years Attended
Arizona State University Tempe AZ 1973, 1974
University of La Verne La Verne CA 1975