Dwight Smith, baseball player, 1989-1996

Dwight Smith

Born: 11/8/1963 in Tallahassee, FL, USA

Died: 7/22/2022 in Peachtree City, GA, USA

MLB Debut: 1989-05-01 | Final Game: 1996-09-29

Bats: L | Throws: R | Height: 5'11" | Weight: 175 lbs

Full name: John Dwight Smith

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Biography

Dwight Smith was a professional baseball player born in 1963 who made a significant impact in Major League Baseball during his career from 1989 to 1996. Primarily playing as a position player, Smith was known for his versatility on the field, contributing as both an outfielder and a designated hitter. Over the course of his career, he appeared in 813 games, compiling a respectable batting average of .275. He recorded 497 hits, which included 46 home runs and 226 runs batted in, showcasing his ability to both get on base and drive in runs. Additionally, Smith demonstrated speed on the bases, finishing his career with 42 stolen bases. Smith played during a dynamic era in baseball characterized by an evolving offensive landscape. His contributions were particularly notable during his time with the Chicago Cubs and the Atlanta Braves, where he was part of teams that experienced varying levels of success. Smith's style of play combined an effective bat with agility, making him a valuable asset in the lineup. His legacy includes being part of the Cubs' roster that aimed to revitalize the franchise and contributing to the Braves' competitive teams in the early 1990s. After retiring from professional baseball, Smith remained a respected figure in the sport, remembered for his prowess at the plate and his contributions to the teams he played for.

Career Batting Statistics

G AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI SB BB SO AVG OBP SLG OPS PIV
813 1807 244 497 88 20 46 226 42 150 334 0.275 0.333 0.422 0.755 1339.7

Career AVG .275 vs. league average .262 across their career seasons — +5.1% above league average.

Career OBP .333 vs. league average .330 across their career seasons — near league average.

Career SLG .422 vs. league average .399 across their career seasons — +5.9% above league average.

Career OPS 0.755 vs. league average 0.729 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
1989 CHC NL 109 343 52 111 19 6 9 52 9 31 51 0.324 .254 (+27%) .319 (+20%) .375 (+31%) .694 (+26%) 1622.9
1990 CHC NL 117 290 34 76 15 0 6 27 11 28 46 0.262 .257 (+2%) .324 (+1%) .385 (-2%) .710 (-1%) -9.6
1991 CHC NL 90 167 16 38 7 2 3 21 2 11 32 0.228 .255 (-11%) .323 (-14%) .384 (-10%) .708 (-11%) -375.4
1992 CHC NL 109 217 28 60 10 3 3 24 9 13 40 0.276 .255 (+8%) .322 (-1%) .377 (+4%) .699 (+1%) 1.3
1993 CHC NL 111 310 51 93 17 5 11 35 8 25 51 0.300 .265 (+13%) .332 (+7%) .403 (+22%) .735 (+15%) 856.0
1994 LAA AL 45 122 19 32 5 1 5 18 2 7 20 0.262 .269 (-3%) .338 (-11%) .424 (+4%) .763 (-3%) -95.3
1994 BAL AL 28 74 12 23 2 1 3 12 0 5 17 0.311 .269 (+15%) .338 (+7%) .424 (+15%) .763 (+11%) -95.3
1995 ATL NL 103 131 16 33 8 2 3 21 0 13 35 0.252 .266 (-6%) .337 (-3%) .417 (-1%) .755 (-2%) -71.9
1996 ATL NL 101 153 16 31 5 0 3 16 1 17 42 0.203 .269 (-25%) .340 (-16%) .426 (-31%) .767 (-25%) -736.0

Postseason Statistics

Playoff Career Batting

G AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI BB SO AVG
13 22 2 6 2 0 0 1 3 2 0.273

Playoff Batting by Year

Year Round Team G AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI BB SO AVG
1995 NLCS ATL 2 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.000
1995 NLDS1 ATL 4 3 0 2 1 0 0 1 0 0 0.667
1995 WS ATL 3 2 0 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 0.500
1989 NLCS CHN 4 15 2 3 1 0 0 0 2 2 0.200

Fielding Statistics

Career Fielding Totals by Position

Position G GS PO A E DP
OF 484 387 810 24 31 9

Season-by-Season Fielding

Year Team Pos G GS PO A E DP
1989 CHN OF 102 86 188 7 5 3
1990 CHN OF 81 65 139 4 2 2
1991 CHN OF 42 35 73 3 3 1
1992 CHN OF 63 42 93 2 2 0
1993 CHN OF 89 76 163 5 8 2
1994 CAL OF 31 27 50 2 5 1
1994 BAL OF 22 20 31 0 2 0
1995 ATL OF 25 16 24 0 2 0
1996 ATL OF 29 20 49 1 2 0

Career Games by Position

Position Games
Left Field 238
Center Field 98
Right Field 173
Designated Hitter 5

Salary History

Year Team League Salary
1996 ATL NL $455,000
1995 ATL NL $300,000
1994 CAL AL $755,718
1993 CHN NL $680,000
1992 CHN NL $460,000
1991 CHN NL $225,667
1990 CHN NL $165,000
1989 CHN NL $68,000
Total Career Earnings $3,109,385

College History

School Name City State Years Attended
Spartanburg Methodist College Spartanburg SC 1984

Award Voting History

Year Award League Finish Points Won Points Max Votes First
1989 Rookie of the Year NL 2nd 68.0 120 2