Willard Schmidt, baseball player, 1952-1959

Willard Schmidt

Born: 5/29/1928 in Hays, KS, USA

Died: 3/22/2007 in Newcastle, OK, USA

MLB Debut: 1952-04-19 | Final Game: 1959-09-26

Bats: R | Throws: R | Height: 6'1" | Weight: 187 lbs

Full name: Willard Raymond Schmidt

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Biography

Willard Schmidt was a professional baseball pitcher who played in Major League Baseball from 1952 to 1959. Born in 1928, Schmidt made his debut during a period marked by significant changes in the game, transitioning from the tail end of the deadball era into a new age of power hitting. Over the course of his career, he compiled a record of 31 wins and 29 losses, showcasing his competitive spirit on the mound. His earned run average (ERA) stood at 3.93, reflecting his ability to keep hitters at bay in an increasingly offense-driven league. Schmidt was known for his versatility and durability as a pitcher, amassing a total of 323 strikeouts and securing 2 saves throughout his time in the majors. His contributions to his teams went beyond mere statistics; Schmidt's presence in the rotation was integral during a transformative period in baseball history. Retiring in 1959, Willard Schmidt left behind a legacy as a reliable pitcher who navigated the evolving landscape of the sport while consistently delivering solid performances on the mound.

Career Pitching Statistics

W L G GS CG SHO SV IP H ER HR BB SO ERA Pitcher PIV
31 29 194 55 11 1 2 586.3 563 256 57 278 323 3.93 0

Career ERA 3.93 vs. league average 3.91 across their career seasons — near 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
1952 STL NL 2 3 18 3 0 0 1 34.7 36 20 18 30 5.19 3.70 (-40%) -
1953 STL NL 0 2 6 2 0 0 0 17.7 21 18 13 11 9.17 4.14 (-122%) -
1955 STL NL 7 6 20 15 8 1 0 129.7 89 40 57 86 2.78 4.00 (+31%) -
1956 STL NL 6 8 33 21 2 0 1 147.7 131 63 78 52 3.84 3.96 (+3%) -
1957 STL NL 10 3 40 8 1 0 0 116.7 146 62 49 63 4.78 3.83 (-25%) -
1958 CIN NL 3 5 41 2 0 0 0 69.3 60 22 33 41 2.86 3.86 (+26%) -709.6
1959 CIN NL 3 2 36 4 0 0 0 70.7 80 31 30 40 3.95 3.90 (-1%) 791.3

Career Batting Statistics

G AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI SB BB SO AVG OBP SLG OPS PIV
194 153 10 25 2 0 0 7 0 4 52 0.163 0.205 0.176 0.381 0.0

Career AVG .163 vs. league average .258 across their career seasons — 36.7% below league average.

Career OBP .205 vs. league average .328 across their career seasons — 37.6% below league average.

Career SLG .176 vs. league average .391 across their career seasons — 54.8% below league average.

Career OPS 0.381 vs. league average 0.719 across their career seasons — 47.0% 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
1952 STL NL 18 8 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0.125 — — — — 0.0
1953 STL NL 6 4 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 0.000 — — — — 0.0
1955 STL NL 20 42 1 5 1 0 0 4 0 0 15 0.119 — — — — 0.0
1956 STL NL 33 43 3 10 1 0 0 0 0 2 16 0.233 — — — — 0.0
1957 STL NL 40 33 3 7 0 0 0 3 0 0 8 0.212 — — — — 0.0
1958 CIN NL 41 11 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 6 0.091 — — — — 0.0
1959 CIN NL 36 12 2 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 4 0.083 — — — — 0.0

Fielding Statistics

Career Fielding Totals by Position

Position G GS PO A E DP
P 194 50 40 122 6 11

Season-by-Season Fielding

Year Team Pos G GS PO A E DP
1952 SLN P 18 0 2 11 1 0
1953 SLN P 6 0 2 2 0 0
1955 SLN P 20 15 12 20 2 5
1956 SLN P 33 21 6 34 0 3
1957 SLN P 40 8 8 22 1 1
1958 CIN P 41 2 5 17 2 0
1959 CIN P 36 4 5 16 0 2

Career Games by Position

Position Games
Pitcher 194