Max Venable

Born: 6/6/1957 in Phoenix, AZ, USA

MLB Debut: 1979-04-08 | Final Game: 1991-10-06

Bats: L | Throws: R | Height: 5'10" | Weight: 185 lbs

Full name: William McKinley Venable

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Biography

Max Venable was a professional baseball player born in 1957, who made a significant impact in Major League Baseball from 1979 until his retirement on October 6, 1991. Primarily known for his versatility as a position player, Venable appeared in 727 games throughout his career. He showcased a blend of speed and power, finishing his career with 337 hits, 18 home runs, and 128 RBIs. His batting average stood at .241, while he also demonstrated his base-running ability by accumulating 64 stolen bases. Venable played during a transformative era in baseball, navigating the game through the late 1970s and into the early 1990s, a time characterized by the increasing importance of specialized roles and the evolution of offensive strategies. Although he may not have achieved superstar status, Venable's contributions to his teams were notable, particularly his ability to make plays and contribute in key moments. His career left a lasting impression, particularly among fans of the teams he played for, as he served as a reliable presence on the field throughout his tenure in the league.

Career Batting Statistics

G	AB	R	H	2B	3B	HR	RBI	SB	BB	SO	AVG	OBP	SLG	OPS	PIV
727	1397	176	337	57	17	18	128	64	120	218	0.241	0.302	0.345	0.647	-2261.3

Career AVG .241 vs. league average .260 across their career seasons — 7.1% below league average.

Career OBP .302 vs. league average .325 across their career seasons — 7.1% below league average.

Career SLG .345 vs. league average .389 across their career seasons — 11.4% below league average.

Career OPS 0.647 vs. league average 0.714 across their career seasons — 9.4% 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
1979	SFG	NL	55	85	12	14	1	1	0	3	3	10	18	0.165	.265 (-38%)	.329 (-21%)	.397 (-50%)	.727 (-37%)	-527.8
1980	SFG	NL	64	138	13	37	5	0	0	10	8	15	22	0.268	.264 (+1%)	.326 (+2%)	.387 (-22%)	.714 (-11%)	-230.3
1981	SFG	NL	18	32	2	6	0	2	0	1	3	4	3	0.188	—	—	—	—	0.0
1982	SFG	NL	71	125	17	28	2	1	1	7	9	7	16	0.224	.261 (-14%)	.324 (-18%)	.388 (-28%)	.712 (-24%)	-518.7
1983	SFG	NL	94	228	28	50	7	4	6	27	15	22	34	0.219	.260 (-16%)	.324 (-9%)	.389 (-6%)	.714 (-8%)	-336.6
1984	WSN	NL	38	71	7	17	2	0	2	7	1	3	7	0.239	.259 (-8%)	.322 (-14%)	.384 (-8%)	.707 (-11%)	-145.5
1985	CIN	NL	77	135	21	39	12	3	0	10	11	6	17	0.289	.257 (+12%)	.323 (-3%)	.390 (+8%)	.714 (+3%)	2.6
1986	CIN	NL	108	147	17	31	7	1	2	15	7	17	24	0.211	.257 (-18%)	.325 (-11%)	.395 (-21%)	.720 (-16%)	-471.5
1987	CIN	NL	7	7	2	1	0	0	0	2	0	0	0	0.143	—	—	—	—	0.0
1989	LAA	AL	20	53	7	19	4	0	0	4	0	1	16	0.358	.254 (+41%)	.319 (+16%)	.375 (+16%)	.694 (+16%)	121.6
1990	LAA	AL	93	189	26	49	9	3	4	21	5	24	31	0.259	.257 (+1%)	.324 (+5%)	.385 (+4%)	.710 (+4%)	159.7
1991	LAA	AL	82	187	24	46	8	2	3	21	2	11	30	0.246	.255 (-4%)	.323 (-10%)	.384 (-7%)	.708 (-8%)	-314.9

Fielding Statistics

Career Fielding Totals by Position

Position	G	GS	PO	A	E	DP
OF	471	275	688	22	13	3

Season-by-Season Fielding

Year	Team	Pos	G	GS	PO	A	E	DP
1979	SFN	OF	25	17	30	2	3	0
1980	SFN	OF	40	29	61	0	0	0
1981	SFN	OF	5	5	12	0	0	0
1982	SFN	OF	53	22	66	6	1	2
1983	SFN	OF	66	50	141	5	1	0
1984	MON	OF	27	11	33	0	0	0
1985	CIN	OF	39	26	60	3	0	0
1986	CIN	OF	57	19	63	0	2	0
1987	CIN	OF	4	1	3	0	0	0
1989	CAL	OF	13	11	21	0	0	0
1990	CAL	OF	77	40	112	3	3	1
1991	CAL	OF	65	44	86	3	3	0