Ken Tatum

Born: 4/25/1944 in Alexandria, LA, USA

MLB Debut: 1969-05-28 | Final Game: 1974-07-01

Bats: R | Throws: R | Height: 6'2" | Weight: 205 lbs

Full name: Kenneth Ray Tatum

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Biography

Ken Tatum, born in 1944, was a talented pitcher whose professional baseball career spanned from 1969 to 1974. Known for his effective pitching style and ability to close out games, Tatum established himself as a reliable arm in the bullpen. Over the course of his career, he posted a record of 16-12 with a commendable earned run average (ERA) of 2.93. His prowess on the mound was further highlighted by his impressive strikeout total of 156 and his ability to secure games, as evidenced by his 52 saves. Playing during a time when the game was evolving with the advent of more specialized roles, Tatum's contributions were significant in shaping the role of the relief pitcher in Major League Baseball. His performance demonstrated a strong command of his pitches and an ability to perform under pressure, characteristics that made him a valuable asset to his teams. Tatum's career remains a testament to the pivotal role that relief pitchers play in the dynamics of a baseball game, and his statistics reflect a solid, impactful presence on the mound during his years in the league.

Career Pitching Statistics

W	L	G	GS	CG	SHO	SV	IP	H	ER	HR	BB	SO	ERA	Pitcher PIV
16	12	176	2	0	0	52	282.7	230	92	24	117	156	2.93	0

Career ERA 2.93 vs. league average 3.60 across their career seasons — 18.7% better than league average.

Season-by-Season Pitching

Year	Team	Lg	W	L	G	GS	SV	IP	H	ER	BB	SO	ERA	Lg ERA	Pitcher PIV
1969	LAA	AL	7	2	45	0	22	86.3	51	13	39	65	1.36	3.61 (+62%)	-
1970	LAA	AL	7	4	62	0	17	88.7	68	29	26	50	2.94	3.89 (+24%)	-
1971	BOS	AL	2	4	36	1	9	53.7	50	25	25	21	4.19	3.47 (-21%)	-1046.2
1972	BOS	AL	0	2	22	0	4	29.3	32	10	15	15	3.07	3.26 (+6%)	-870.9
1973	BOS	AL	0	0	1	0	0	4.0	6	4	3	0	9.00	—	0.0
1974	CHW	AL	0	0	10	1	0	20.7	23	11	9	5	4.79	3.63 (-32%)	-

Career Batting Statistics

G	AB	R	H	2B	3B	HR	RBI	SB	BB	SO	AVG	OBP	SLG	OPS	PIV
176	45	7	11	1	0	4	6	0	3	17	0.244	0.306	0.533	0.839	0.0

Career AVG .244 vs. league average .252 across their career seasons — near league average.

Career OBP .306 vs. league average .321 across their career seasons — near league average.

Career SLG .533 vs. league average .370 across their career seasons — +44.0% above league average.

Career OPS 0.839 vs. league average 0.691 across their career seasons — +21.5% above league average.

Season-by-Season Batting

Year	Team	Lg	G	AB	R	H	2B	HR	RBI	BB	SO	AVG	Lg AVG	Lg OBP	Lg SLG	Lg OPS
1969	LAA	AL	45	21	3	6	1	2	2	0	8	0.286	—	—	—	—
1970	LAA	AL	62	11	2	2	0	1	3	0	5	0.182	—	—	—	—
1971	BOS	AL	36	10	2	3	0	1	1	2	4	0.300	—	—	—	—
1972	BOS	AL	22	2	0	0	0	0	0	1	0	0.000	—	—	—	—
1973	BOS	AL	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	.000	—	—	—	—
1974	CHW	AL	10	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0.000	—	—	—	—