Dave Van Gorder

Born: 3/27/1957 in Los Angeles, CA, USA

Died: 2/4/2025 in Tucson, AZ, USA

MLB Debut: 1982-06-15 | Final Game: 1987-07-11

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

Full name: David Thomas Van Gorder

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Biography

Dave Van Gorder, born in 1957, was a professional baseball player who made his mark in Major League Baseball from 1982 until his retirement in 1987. Over the course of his career, he appeared in 183 games, primarily contributing as a position player. Van Gorder recorded a total of 89 hits, which included 3 home runs and 38 runs batted in, finishing his career with a batting average of .212. Known for his versatility on the field, he demonstrated a blend of speed and skill, evidenced by his single stolen base. Van Gorder's career unfolded during a transitional period in baseball, where the sport began to embrace the power-hitting style that would characterize the late 1980s and 1990s. While his offensive numbers may not reflect the high-octane play of his contemporaries, his contributions to his teams were significant in terms of defense and situational play. After concluding his Major League journey on July 11, 1987, Van Gorder's experience and insights continued to resonate within the baseball community, reflecting the dedication and tenacity that defined many players of his era.

Career Batting Statistics

G	AB	R	H	2B	3B	HR	RBI	SB	BB	SO	AVG	OBP	SLG	OPS	PIV
183	420	30	89	12	1	3	38	1	39	63	0.212	0.280	0.267	0.547	-1486.4

Career AVG .212 vs. league average .260 across their career seasons — 18.4% below league average.

Career OBP .280 vs. league average .325 across their career seasons — 13.9% below league average.

Career SLG .267 vs. league average .395 across their career seasons — 32.5% below league average.

Career OPS 0.547 vs. league average 0.720 across their career seasons — 24.1% 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	CIN	NL	51	137	4	25	3	1	0	7	1	14	19	0.182	.261 (-30%)	.324 (-19%)	.388 (-44%)	.712 (-32%)	-730.4
1984	CIN	NL	38	101	10	23	2	0	0	6	0	12	17	0.228	.259 (-12%)	.322 (-4%)	.384 (-36%)	.707 (-21%)	-312.2
1985	CIN	NL	73	151	12	36	7	0	2	24	0	9	19	0.238	.257 (-7%)	.323 (-13%)	.390 (-17%)	.714 (-15%)	-443.8
1986	CIN	NL	9	10	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	1	2	0.000	—	—	—	—	0.0
1987	BAL	AL	12	21	4	5	0	0	1	1	0	3	6	0.238	—	—	—	—	0.0