Paul O'Neill, baseball player, 281 home runs, 1985-2001

Paul O'Neill

Born: 2/25/1963 in Columbus, OH, USA

MLB Debut: 1985-09-03 | Final Game: 2001-10-07

Bats: L | Throws: L | Height: 6'4" | Weight: 200 lbs

Full name: Paul Andrew O'Neill

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Biography

Paul O'Neill, born in 1963, was a prominent Major League Baseball outfielder whose career spanned from 1985 to 2001. Known for his fierce competitiveness and clutch performances, O'Neill played a significant role in the New York Yankees' success during the late 1990s, contributing to four World Series championships. Over his 16-year career, he appeared in 2,053 games, accumulating 2,105 hits and 281 home runs, while driving in 1,269 runs with a commendable batting average of .288. His ability to combine power with consistency made him a key figure in the Yankees' lineup, and he was recognized for his contributions with five All-Star selections. O'Neill’s playing style was characterized by an aggressive approach at the plate and a strong defensive presence in the outfield. He was also known for his passionate demeanor, earning the nickname "The Warrior" among fans and teammates alike. As a member of the Yankees during a transformative era in baseball that included the rise of free agency and the increasing importance of marketability, O'Neill left a lasting legacy in the sport. After retiring, he transitioned into a successful broadcasting career, providing insights and analysis that reflected his deep understanding of the game. His impact on baseball continues to resonate, particularly among Yankees fans who remember him as a symbol of grit and determination.

Career Batting Statistics

G AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI SB BB SO AVG OBP SLG OPS PIV
2053 7318 1041 2105 451 21 281 1269 141 892 1166 0.288 0.363 0.470 0.833 18727.2

Career AVG .288 vs. league average .263 across their career seasons — +9.4% above league average.

Career OBP .363 vs. league average .332 across their career seasons — +9.4% above league average.

Career SLG .470 vs. league average .407 across their career seasons — +15.5% above league average.

Career OPS 0.833 vs. league average 0.739 across their career seasons — +12.7% above 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
1985 CIN NL 5 12 1 4 1 0 0 1 0 0 2 0.333 — — — — 0.0
1986 CIN NL 3 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 0.000 — — — — 0.0
1987 CIN NL 84 160 24 41 14 1 7 28 2 18 29 0.256 .262 (-3%) .331 (avg) .415 (+17%) .746 (+10%) 266.3
1988 CIN NL 145 485 58 122 25 3 16 73 8 38 65 0.252 .254 (-1%) .317 (-4%) .377 (+10%) .695 (+4%) 209.4
1989 CIN NL 117 428 49 118 24 2 15 74 20 46 64 0.276 .254 (+8%) .319 (+8%) .375 (+19%) .694 (+14%) 1114.2
1990 CIN NL 145 503 59 136 28 0 16 78 13 53 103 0.270 .257 (+5%) .324 (+5%) .385 (+9%) .710 (+7%) 725.0
1991 CIN NL 152 532 71 136 36 0 28 91 12 73 107 0.256 .255 (avg) .323 (+7%) .384 (+25%) .708 (+17%) 1830.3
1992 CIN NL 148 496 59 122 19 1 14 66 6 77 85 0.246 .255 (-4%) .322 (+7%) .377 (-1%) .699 (+3%) 474.1
1993 NYY AL 141 498 71 155 34 1 20 75 2 44 69 0.311 .265 (+17%) .332 (+11%) .403 (+25%) .735 (+18%) 1831.0
1994 NYY AL 103 368 68 132 25 1 21 83 5 72 56 0.359 .269 (+33%) .338 (+36%) .424 (+42%) .763 (+39%) 3179.7
1995 NYY AL 127 460 82 138 30 4 22 96 1 71 76 0.300 .266 (+12%) .337 (+14%) .417 (+26%) .755 (+21%) 1971.8
1996 NYY AL 150 546 89 165 35 1 19 91 0 102 76 0.302 .269 (+12%) .340 (+21%) .426 (+11%) .767 (+15%) 2158.3
1997 NYY AL 149 553 89 179 42 0 21 117 10 75 92 0.324 .266 (+21%) .336 (+18%) .419 (+23%) .756 (+21%) 2512.7
1998 NYY AL 152 602 95 191 40 2 24 116 15 57 103 0.317 .266 (+19%) .335 (+11%) .420 (+21%) .755 (+17%) 2047.8
1999 NYY AL 153 597 70 170 39 4 19 110 11 66 89 0.285 .271 (+5%) .344 (+2%) .433 (+6%) .778 (+4%) 463.3
2000 NYY AL 142 566 79 160 26 0 18 100 14 51 90 0.283 .270 (+5%) .344 (-3%) .437 (-3%) .782 (-3%) -433.2
2001 NYY AL 137 510 77 136 33 1 21 70 22 48 59 0.267 .263 (+1%) .332 (-1%) .426 (+8%) .758 (+4%) 376.5

Career Pitching Statistics

W L G GS CG SHO SV IP H ER HR BB SO ERA Pitcher PIV
0 0 1 0 0 0 0 2.0 2 3 1 4 2 13.50 0

Career ERA 13.50 vs. league average 4.29 across their career seasons — 214.4% 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
1987 CIN NL 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 2.0 2 3 4 2 13.50 — 0.0

Postseason Statistics

Playoff Career Batting

G AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI BB SO AVG
85 299 39 85 17 2 11 39 38 41 0.284

Playoff Batting by Year

Year Round Team G AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI BB SO AVG
2001 ALCS NYA 5 12 2 5 0 0 2 3 1 0 0.417
2001 ALDS2 NYA 3 11 1 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0.091
2001 WS NYA 5 15 1 5 1 0 0 0 2 2 0.333
2000 ALCS NYA 6 20 0 5 0 0 0 5 1 2 0.250
2000 ALDS1 NYA 5 19 4 4 1 0 0 0 2 4 0.211
2000 WS NYA 5 19 2 9 2 2 0 2 3 4 0.474
1999 ALCS NYA 5 21 2 6 0 0 0 1 1 5 0.286
1999 ALDS2 NYA 2 8 2 2 0 0 0 0 1 1 0.250
1999 WS NYA 4 15 0 3 0 0 0 4 2 2 0.200
1998 ALCS NYA 6 25 6 7 2 0 1 3 3 4 0.280
1998 ALDS2 NYA 3 11 1 4 2 0 1 1 1 1 0.364
1998 WS NYA 4 19 3 4 1 0 0 0 1 2 0.211
1997 ALDS1 NYA 5 19 5 8 2 0 2 7 3 0 0.421
1996 ALCS NYA 4 11 1 3 0 0 1 2 3 2 0.273
1996 ALDS2 NYA 4 15 0 2 0 0 0 0 0 2 0.133
1996 WS NYA 5 12 1 2 2 0 0 0 3 2 0.167
1995 ALDS2 NYA 5 18 5 6 0 0 3 6 5 5 0.333
1990 NLCS CIN 5 17 1 8 3 0 1 4 1 1 0.471
1990 WS CIN 4 12 2 1 0 0 0 1 5 2 0.083

Fielding Statistics

Career Fielding Totals by Position

Position G GS PO A E DP
1B 26 18 191 8 2 16
OF 1932 1850 3724 110 46 20
P 1 0 0 0 0 0

Season-by-Season Fielding

Year Team Pos G GS PO A E DP
1985 CIN OF 2 2 3 1 0 0
1987 CIN 1B 2 2 17 0 0 2
1987 CIN OF 42 30 73 2 4 0
1987 CIN P 1 0 0 0 0 0
1988 CIN 1B 21 16 173 8 2 14
1988 CIN OF 118 113 237 5 4 0
1989 CIN OF 115 112 223 7 4 1
1990 CIN OF 141 128 271 12 2 0
1991 CIN OF 150 145 301 13 2 2
1992 CIN OF 143 134 291 12 1 2
1993 NYA OF 138 121 230 7 2 0
1994 NYA OF 99 93 203 7 1 0
1995 NYA OF 121 117 220 3 3 0
1996 NYA 1B 1 0 0 0 0 0
1996 NYA OF 146 146 293 7 0 3
1997 NYA 1B 2 0 1 0 0 0
1997 NYA OF 146 145 292 7 5 0
1998 NYA OF 150 148 293 11 4 6
1999 NYA OF 151 150 291 10 8 3
2000 NYA OF 140 139 293 5 2 3
2001 NYA OF 130 127 210 1 4 0

Career Games by Position

Position Games
Pitcher 1
First Base 26
Left Field 99
Center Field 23
Right Field 1848
Designated Hitter 24

Awards & Honors

Year Award Notes
2001 Player of the Week Week of 2001-07-28

Salary History

Year Team League Salary
2001 NYA AL $7,250,000
2000 NYA AL $6,500,000
1999 NYA AL $6,250,000
1998 NYA AL $5,500,000
1997 NYA AL $5,500,000
1996 NYA AL $5,300,000
1995 NYA AL $2,850,000
1994 NYA AL $3,858,334
1993 NYA AL $3,833,333
1992 CIN NL $2,833,333
1991 CIN NL $975,000
1990 CIN NL $625,000
1989 CIN NL $215,000
1988 CIN NL $97,500
1987 CIN NL $65,000
Total Career Earnings $51,652,500

Award Voting History

Year Award League Finish Points Won Points Max Votes First
1998 Most Valuable Player AL 12th 36.0 392 0
1997 Most Valuable Player AL 12th 37.0 392 0
1995 Most Valuable Player AL 15th 14.0 392 0
1994 Most Valuable Player AL 5th 150.0 392 0
1990 Most Valuable Player NL 19th 6.0 336 0