Joe Sparma

Born: 2/4/1942 in Massillon, OH, USA

Died: 5/14/1986 in Columbus, OH, USA

MLB Debut: 1964-05-20 | Final Game: 1970-05-12

Bats: R | Throws: R | Height: 6'1" | Weight: 190 lbs

Full name: Joseph Blase Sparma

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Biography

Joe Sparma was a professional baseball pitcher who played in Major League Baseball from 1964 to 1970. Born in 1942, Sparma made his debut during an era characterized by a transition in baseball, as the game began to evolve from the deadball era into a more offensive-minded approach. Over the course of his six-season career, he compiled a record of 52 wins and 52 losses, with an earned run average (ERA) of 3.94. Sparma was known for his competitive spirit on the mound and his ability to miss bats, evidenced by his total of 586 strikeouts. Despite not recording any saves during his career, Sparma's contributions were significant as a reliable starter. He played for several teams, where he showcased his pitching skills and left a mark as a versatile player. His tenure in the league reflected the changing dynamics of baseball in the 1960s, a decade that saw the rise of many legendary players and the introduction of new strategies in the game. Sparma's balanced record and respectable ERA underscored his role as a consistent competitor in the major leagues during his time.

Career Pitching Statistics

W	L	G	GS	CG	SHO	SV	IP	H	ER	HR	BB	SO	ERA	Pitcher PIV
52	52	183	142	31	10	0	864.7	774	379	77	436	586	3.94	0

Career ERA 3.94 vs. league average 3.50 across their career seasons — 12.8% worse 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
1964	DET	AL	5	6	21	11	3	2	84.0	62	28	45	71	3.00	3.58 (+16%)	710.8
1965	DET	AL	13	8	30	28	6	0	167.0	142	59	75	127	3.18	3.50 (+9%)	386.1
1966	DET	AL	2	7	29	13	0	0	91.7	103	54	52	61	5.30	3.52 (-51%)	-3475.6
1967	DET	AL	16	9	37	37	11	5	217.7	186	91	85	153	3.76	3.30 (-14%)	-1739.9
1968	DET	AL	10	10	34	31	7	1	182.3	169	75	77	110	3.70	2.98 (-24%)	-2727.6
1969	DET	AL	6	8	23	16	3	2	92.7	78	49	77	41	4.76	3.61 (-32%)	-2921.5
1970	WSN	NL	0	4	9	6	1	0	29.3	34	23	25	23	7.06	3.89 (-82%)	-

Career Batting Statistics

G	AB	R	H	2B	3B	HR	RBI	SB	BB	SO	AVG	OBP	SLG	OPS	PIV
185	269	11	32	3	2	0	11	0	10	108	0.119	0.150	0.145	0.295	-1828.8

Career AVG .119 vs. league average .247 across their career seasons — 51.8% below league average.

Career OBP .150 vs. league average .313 across their career seasons — 52.0% below league average.

Career SLG .145 vs. league average .369 across their career seasons — 60.7% below league average.

Career OPS 0.295 vs. league average 0.682 across their career seasons — 56.7% below league average.

Season-by-Season Batting

Year	Team	Lg	G	AB	R	H	2B	3B	RBI	BB	SO	AVG	Lg AVG	Lg OBP	Lg SLG	Lg OPS	PIV
1964	DET	AL	23	25	3	4	0	2	4	1	11	0.160	—	—	—	—	0.0
1965	DET	AL	30	52	4	7	1	0	3	3	25	0.135	.245 (-45%)	.310 (-43%)	.371 (-59%)	.682 (-51%)	-434.6
1966	DET	AL	29	23	0	5	1	0	1	0	5	0.217	—	—	—	—	0.0
1967	DET	AL	37	74	1	4	0	0	1	3	33	0.054	.242 (-78%)	.306 (-70%)	.357 (-85%)	.663 (-78%)	-906.7
1968	DET	AL	34	60	2	8	1	0	2	1	24	0.133	.236 (-44%)	.298 (-51%)	.340 (-56%)	.638 (-53%)	-487.5
1969	DET	AL	23	29	1	4	0	0	0	1	8	0.138	—	—	—	—	0.0
1970	WSN	NL	9	6	0	0	0	0	0	1	2	0.000	—	—	—	—	0.0