Lee Tunnell, baseball player, 1982-1989

Lee Tunnell

Born: 10/30/1960 in Tyler, TX, USA

MLB Debut: 1982-09-04 | Final Game: 1989-06-22

Bats: R | Throws: R | Height: 6'1" | Weight: 180 lbs

Full name: Byron Lee Tunnell

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Biography

Lee Tunnell, born in 1960, was a professional baseball pitcher who had a career spanning from 1982 to 1989. He played in a competitive era marked by significant offensive output, which shaped the landscape of Major League Baseball during the 1980s. Tunnell appeared in a total of 50 games, finishing his career with a win-loss record of 22-28 and an earned run average (ERA) of 4.23. Known for his ability to strike out batters, he recorded a total of 280 strikeouts throughout his time in the league, showcasing his talent and effectiveness on the mound. While Tunnell's career may not have been adorned with accolades, his contributions to his teams were noteworthy, particularly in high-pressure situations. He secured 1 save, indicating his capability to perform in crucial moments. Tunnell's pitching style was characterized by a mix of determination and skill, helping him navigate the challenges of playing against some of baseball's most formidable hitters during a dynamic period in the sport's history. His journey through the majors reflects the perseverance required to succeed at the highest level of baseball.

Career Pitching Statistics

W L G GS CG SHO SV IP H ER HR BB SO ERA Pitcher PIV
22 28 132 66 5 3 1 483.0 499 227 39 200 280 4.23 0

Career ERA 4.23 vs. league average 3.91 across their career seasons — 8.3% worse than 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
1982 PIT NL 1 1 5 3 0 0 0 18.3 17 8 5 4 3.93 3.86 (-2%) -125.1
1983 PIT NL 11 6 35 25 5 3 0 177.7 167 72 58 95 3.65 3.87 (+6%) 350.1
1984 PIT NL 1 7 26 6 0 0 1 68.3 81 40 40 51 5.27 3.81 (-38%) -627.3
1985 PIT NL 4 10 24 23 0 0 0 132.3 126 59 57 74 4.01 3.89 (-3%) -230.8
1987 STL NL 4 4 32 9 0 0 0 74.3 90 40 34 49 4.84 4.29 (-13%) -
1989 MIN AL 1 0 10 0 0 0 0 12.0 18 8 6 7 6.00 3.71 (-62%) -141.1

Career Batting Statistics

G AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI SB BB SO AVG OBP SLG OPS PIV
133 138 5 16 0 2 0 7 0 2 54 0.116 0.128 0.145 0.273 -582.5

Career AVG .116 vs. league average .259 across their career seasons — 55.3% below league average.

Career OBP .128 vs. league average .324 across their career seasons — 60.6% below league average.

Career SLG .145 vs. league average .391 across their career seasons — 62.9% below league average.

Career OPS 0.273 vs. league average 0.715 across their career seasons — 61.9% 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
1982 PIT NL 5 4 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 3 0.000 — — — — 0.0
1983 PIT NL 35 58 2 7 0 1 0 3 0 1 20 0.121 .260 (-54%) .324 (-58%) .389 (-60%) .714 (-59%) -582.5
1984 PIT NL 26 12 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 6 0.083 — — — — 0.0
1985 PIT NL 24 47 2 4 0 1 0 1 0 1 20 0.085 — — — — 0.0
1987 STL NL 33 17 1 4 0 0 0 3 0 0 5 0.235 — — — — 0.0
1989 MIN AL 10 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000 — — — — 0.0

Postseason Statistics

Playoff Career Batting

G AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI BB SO AVG
2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000

Playoff Batting by Year

Year Round Team G AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI BB SO AVG
1987 WS SLN 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000

Playoff Career Pitching

W L G GS SV IP H ER BB SO ERA
0 0 2 0 0 4.3 4 1 2 1 2.08

Playoff Pitching by Year

Year Round Team W L G GS SV IP H ER BB SO ERA
1987 WS SLN 0 0 2 0 0 4.3 4 1 2 1 2.08

Fielding Statistics

Career Fielding Totals by Position

Position G GS PO A E DP
P 132 66 33 88 1 9

Season-by-Season Fielding

Year Team Pos G GS PO A E DP
1982 PIT P 5 3 1 4 0 0
1983 PIT P 35 25 11 35 0 6
1984 PIT P 26 6 8 14 1 1
1985 PIT P 24 23 7 23 0 1
1987 SLN P 32 9 6 12 0 1
1989 MIN P 10 0 0 0 0 0

Career Games by Position

Position Games
Pitcher 132

Salary History

Year Team League Salary
1987 SLN NL $62,500
1985 PIT NL $130,000
Total Career Earnings $192,500

College History

School Name City State Years Attended
Baylor University Waco TX 1979, 1980, 1981

Award Voting History

Year Award League Finish Points Won Points Max Votes First
1983 Rookie of the Year NL 9th 1.0 120 0