Ben McDonald

Born: 11/24/1967 in Baton Rouge, LA, USA

MLB Debut: 1989-09-06 | Final Game: 1997-07-16

Bats: R | Throws: R | Height: 6'7" | Weight: 212 lbs

Full name: Larry Benard McDonald

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Biography

Ben McDonald was a professional baseball pitcher whose career spanned from 1989 to 1997. Born in 1967, McDonald made his debut in the major leagues with the Baltimore Orioles, where he quickly established himself as a promising young talent. Over the course of his career, he compiled a record of 78-70 with an earned run average (ERA) of 3.91, showcasing his ability to manage games effectively and keep runs to a minimum. Known for his strong arm and competitive spirit, McDonald struck out 894 batters, demonstrating his prowess on the mound during a time when pitching was becoming increasingly crucial in the game. McDonald played in an era marked by the transition from traditional baseball styles to more modern approaches, and he was part of a generation of pitchers who emphasized power and strikeouts. While he never recorded a save in his career, his starting role was pivotal for teams that relied on his ability to go deep into games. After retiring from professional baseball on July 16, 1997, McDonald left a notable legacy in the sport, remembered for his contributions to the teams he played for and his impact on the evolution of pitching during the late 20th century.

Career Pitching Statistics

W	L	G	GS	CG	SHO	SV	IP	H	ER	HR	BB	SO	ERA	Pitcher PIV
78	70	211	198	24	6	0	1291.3	1186	561	138	437	894	3.91	0

Career ERA 3.91 vs. league average 4.15 across their career seasons — 5.8% better than league average.

Season-by-Season Pitching

Year	Team	Lg	W	L	G	GS	CG	SHO	IP	H	ER	BB	SO	ERA	Lg ERA	Pitcher PIV
1989	BAL	AL	1	0	6	0	0	0	7.3	8	7	4	3	8.59	—	0.0
1990	BAL	AL	8	5	21	15	3	2	118.7	88	32	35	65	2.43	3.86 (+37%)	844.0
1991	BAL	AL	6	8	21	21	1	0	126.3	126	68	43	85	4.84	3.91 (-24%)	-940.2
1992	BAL	AL	13	13	35	35	4	2	227.0	213	107	74	158	4.24	3.75 (-13%)	-3416.3
1993	BAL	AL	13	14	34	34	7	1	220.3	185	83	86	171	3.39	4.19 (+19%)	2950.4
1994	BAL	AL	14	7	24	24	5	1	157.3	151	71	54	94	4.06	4.51 (+10%)	1425.2
1995	BAL	AL	3	6	14	13	1	0	80.0	67	37	38	62	4.16	4.45 (+6%)	-538.1
1996	ATL	AL	12	10	35	35	2	0	221.3	228	96	67	146	3.90	4.61 (+15%)	-
1997	ATL	AL	8	7	21	21	1	0	133.0	120	60	36	110	4.06	4.39 (+7%)	-

Career Batting Statistics

G	AB	R	H	2B	3B	HR	RBI	SB	BB	SO	AVG	OBP	SLG	OPS	PIV
211	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	1	0.000	0.000	0.000	0.000	0.0

Career AVG .000 vs. league average .262 across their career seasons — 100.0% below league average.

Career OBP .000 vs. league average .331 across their career seasons — 100.0% below league average.

Career SLG .000 vs. league average .401 across their career seasons — 100.0% below league average.

Career OPS 0.000 vs. league average 0.732 across their career seasons — 100.0% below league average.

Season-by-Season Batting

Year	Team	Lg	G	AB	SO	AVG	Lg AVG	Lg OBP	Lg SLG	Lg OPS
1989	BAL	AL	6	0	0	.000	—	—	—	—
1990	BAL	AL	21	0	0	.000	—	—	—	—
1991	BAL	AL	21	0	0	.000	—	—	—	—
1992	BAL	AL	35	0	0	.000	—	—	—	—
1993	BAL	AL	34	0	0	.000	—	—	—	—
1994	BAL	AL	24	0	0	.000	—	—	—	—
1995	BAL	AL	14	0	0	.000	—	—	—	—
1996	ATL	AL	35	0	0	.000	—	—	—	—
1997	ATL	AL	21	1	1	0.000	—	—	—	—

Fielding Statistics

Career Fielding Totals by Position

Position	G	GS	PO	A	E	DP
P	211	198	95	179	11	13

Season-by-Season Fielding

Year	Team	Pos	G	GS	PO	A	E	DP
1989	BAL	P	6	0	0	2	0	0
1990	BAL	P	21	15	15	14	1	1
1991	BAL	P	21	21	12	8	0	1
1992	BAL	P	35	35	22	29	0	2
1993	BAL	P	34	34	15	42	2	2
1994	BAL	P	24	24	7	25	0	1
1995	BAL	P	14	13	5	13	1	0
1996	ML4	P	35	35	13	30	6	3
1997	ML4	P	21	21	6	16	1	3

Career Games by Position

Position	Games
Pitcher	211

Awards & Honors

Year	Award	Notes
1994	Pitcher of the Month	April

Salary History

Year	Team	League	Salary
1997	ML4	AL	$5,000,000
1996	ML4	AL	$2,000,000
1995	BAL	AL	$4,500,000
1994	BAL	AL	$2,675,000
1993	BAL	AL	$1,250,000
1992	BAL	AL	$500,000
1991	BAL	AL	$491,667
1990	BAL	AL	$241,667
Total Career Earnings			$16,658,334