Ken Reitz

Born: 6/24/1951 in San Francisco, CA, USA

Died: 3/31/2021 in St. Charles, MO, USA

MLB Debut: 1972-09-05 | Final Game: 1982-06-03

Bats: R | Throws: R | Height: 6'0" | Weight: 180 lbs

Full name: Kenneth John Reitz

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Biography

Ken Reitz, born in 1951, was a professional baseball player who made a significant impact on the game during his career from 1972 to 1982. Primarily known for his defensive prowess at third base, Reitz played in 1,344 games and recorded 1,243 hits, 68 home runs, and 548 RBIs, finishing his career with a batting average of .260. His reliable glove and strong arm made him a valuable asset to the teams he played for, and he was recognized for his skills with one All-Star selection during his tenure. Reitz played in an era that bridged the late stages of the post-expansion era into the early days of the free agency era, a time when teams were beginning to prioritize both offensive and defensive capabilities. His contributions extended beyond statistics, as he was known for his work ethic and dedication to the game, often serving as a mentor to younger players. His career achievements and consistent performance solidified his legacy as a respected figure in Major League Baseball history.

Career Batting Statistics

G	AB	R	H	2B	3B	HR	RBI	SB	BB	SO	AVG	OBP	SLG	OPS	PIV
1344	4777	366	1243	243	12	68	548	10	184	518	0.260	0.290	0.359	0.649	-8814.2

Career AVG .260 vs. league average .258 across their career seasons — near league average.

Career OBP .290 vs. league average .324 across their career seasons — 10.5% below league average.

Career SLG .359 vs. league average .379 across their career seasons — 5.3% below league average.

Career OPS 0.649 vs. league average 0.703 across their career seasons — 7.7% 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
1972	STL	NL	21	78	5	28	4	0	0	10	0	2	4	0.359	.243 (+47%)	.310 (+19%)	.353 (+16%)	.664 (+17%)	189.1
1973	STL	NL	147	426	40	100	20	2	6	42	0	9	25	0.235	.256 (-9%)	.325 (-21%)	.378 (-12%)	.703 (-16%)	-1539.6
1974	STL	NL	154	579	48	157	28	2	7	54	0	23	63	0.271	.256 (+6%)	.324 (-8%)	.369 (-2%)	.693 (-5%)	-712.8
1975	STL	NL	161	592	43	159	25	1	5	63	1	22	54	0.269	.257 (+4%)	.327 (-9%)	.374 (-9%)	.701 (-9%)	-1232.6
1976	SFG	NL	155	577	40	154	21	1	5	66	5	24	48	0.267	.255 (+4%)	.320 (-8%)	.360 (-8%)	.681 (-8%)	-1073.0
1977	STL	NL	157	587	58	153	36	1	17	79	2	19	74	0.261	.264 (-1%)	.329 (-12%)	.401 (+3%)	.730 (-4%)	-618.7
1978	STL	NL	150	540	41	133	26	2	10	75	1	23	61	0.246	.257 (-4%)	.323 (-13%)	.378 (-6%)	.702 (-9%)	-1165.1
1979	STL	NL	159	605	42	162	41	2	8	73	1	25	85	0.268	.265 (+1%)	.329 (-9%)	.397 (-4%)	.727 (-6%)	-971.1
1980	STL	NL	151	523	39	141	33	0	8	58	0	22	44	0.270	.264 (+2%)	.326 (-8%)	.387 (-2%)	.714 (-5%)	-651.8
1981	CHC	NL	82	260	10	56	9	1	2	28	0	15	56	0.215	.255 (-16%)	.320 (-19%)	.368 (-24%)	.688 (-21%)	-1038.7
1982	PIT	NL	7	10	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	4	0.000	—	—	—	—	0.0

Fielding Statistics

Career Fielding Totals by Position

Position	G	GS	PO	A	E	DP
2B	1	0	0	0	0	0
3B	1321	1259	996	2477	109	219
SS	4	1	4	6	1	2

Season-by-Season Fielding

Year	Team	Pos	G	GS	PO	A	E	DP
1972	SLN	3B	20	20	17	26	2	3
1973	SLN	3B	135	107	85	211	8	19
1973	SLN	SS	1	1	3	2	0	1
1974	SLN	2B	1	0	0	0	0	0
1974	SLN	3B	151	148	131	278	11	29
1974	SLN	SS	2	0	0	3	1	0
1975	SLN	3B	160	157	124	279	23	21
1976	SFN	3B	155	151	140	303	19	32
1976	SFN	SS	1	0	1	1	0	1
1977	SLN	3B	157	156	121	320	9	35
1978	SLN	3B	150	144	111	314	12	18
1979	SLN	3B	158	156	124	290	12	26
1980	SLN	3B	150	143	86	293	8	25
1981	CHN	3B	81	75	57	157	5	11
1982	PIT	3B	4	2	0	6	0	0