Ken Suarez

Born: 4/12/1943 in Tampa, FL, USA

Died: 7/28/2023 in Fort Worth, TX, USA

MLB Debut: 1966-04-14 | Final Game: 1973-09-22

Bats: R | Throws: R | Height: 5'9" | Weight: 175 lbs

Full name: Kenneth Raymond Suarez

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Biography

Ken Suarez was born in 1943 and enjoyed a professional baseball career that spanned from 1966 to 1973. Primarily a position player, Suarez played in a total of 295 games during his time in Major League Baseball. He demonstrated versatility on the field, contributing to his teams as a reliable backup catcher and infielder. His offensive contributions included 150 hits, 5 home runs, and 60 RBIs, culminating in a batting average of .227. Despite the challenges of competing in an era marked by the rise of power hitting, Suarez managed to make his mark with a solid work ethic and a keen understanding of the game. Throughout his career, Suarez was known for his ability to handle pitchers and contribute defensively, as evidenced by his presence in various positions. His tenure in the league coincided with a transformative period in baseball, as teams began to embrace a more strategic approach to the game. Suarez's contributions, though modest in terms of statistics, exemplified the grit and determination often required of players who play supporting roles on competitive teams. After retiring on September 22, 1973, he left behind a legacy as a player who embraced the spirit of teamwork and resilience in the face of the changing dynamics of the sport.

Career Batting Statistics

G	AB	R	H	2B	3B	HR	RBI	SB	BB	SO	AVG	OBP	SLG	OPS	PIV
295	661	57	150	29	1	5	60	5	99	97	0.227	0.330	0.297	0.626	-395.0

Career AVG .227 vs. league average .247 across their career seasons — 8.1% below league average.

Career OBP .330 vs. league average .313 across their career seasons — +5.4% above league average.

Career SLG .297 vs. league average .364 across their career seasons — 18.4% below league average.

Career OPS 0.626 vs. league average 0.677 across their career seasons — 7.4% 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
1966	KC1	AL	35	69	5	10	0	1	0	2	2	15	26	0.145	.248 (-42%)	.309 (-4%)	.376 (-54%)	.685 (-31%)	-291.0
1967	KC1	AL	39	63	7	15	5	0	2	9	1	16	21	0.238	.242 (-2%)	.306 (+26%)	.357 (+15%)	.663 (+21%)	268.1
1968	CLE	AL	17	10	1	1	0	0	0	0	0	1	3	0.100	—	—	—	—	0.0
1969	CLE	AL	36	85	7	25	5	0	1	9	1	15	12	0.294	.248 (+19%)	.320 (+25%)	.369 (+5%)	.689 (+14%)	260.5
1971	CLE	AL	50	123	10	25	7	0	1	9	0	18	15	0.203	.249 (-18%)	.316 (-2%)	.365 (-22%)	.682 (-13%)	-223.8
1972	TEX	AL	25	33	2	5	1	0	0	4	0	1	4	0.152	—	—	—	—	0.0
1973	TEX	AL	93	278	25	69	11	0	1	27	1	33	16	0.248	.256 (-3%)	.325 (+3%)	.378 (-21%)	.703 (-10%)	-408.8

Fielding Statistics

Career Fielding Totals by Position

Position	G	GS	PO	A	E	DP
2B	1	0	0	1	0	0
3B	1	0	0	0	0	0
C	273	211	1350	121	24	19
OF	1	0	0	0	0	0

Season-by-Season Fielding

Year	Team	Pos	G	GS	PO	A	E	DP
1966	KC1	C	34	26	145	20	8	7
1967	KC1	C	36	22	170	20	4	2
1968	CLE	2B	1	0	0	1	0	0
1968	CLE	3B	1	0	0	0	0	0
1968	CLE	C	12	1	22	1	0	0
1968	CLE	OF	1	0	0	0	0	0
1969	CLE	C	36	29	191	20	2	3
1971	CLE	C	48	39	268	14	2	3
1972	TEX	C	17	6	53	2	2	0
1973	TEX	C	90	88	501	44	6	4