Max West, baseball player, 1938-1948

Max West

Born: 11/28/1916 in Dexter, MO, USA

Died: 12/31/2003 in Sierra Madre, CA, USA

MLB Debut: 1938-04-19 | Final Game: 1948-10-01

Bats: L | Throws: R | Height: 6'1" | Weight: 182 lbs

Full name: Max Edward West

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Biography

Max West, born in 1916, was a prominent position player in Major League Baseball who had a career spanning from 1938 to 1948. West played in a total of 824 games, during which he recorded 681 hits and demonstrated his power at the plate with 77 home runs and 380 RBIs. His career batting average stood at .254, and he also showcased his speed on the bases with 19 stolen bases. West’s contributions to the game were recognized with an All-Star selection, highlighting his impact during a competitive era in baseball. West's playing style was characterized by a combination of solid hitting and versatility, allowing him to make significant contributions to his teams over the course of his career. He played during a time when baseball was evolving, moving past the challenges of the Great Depression and into the post-war era, when the game began to see an influx of talent and changes in playing strategies. Although his career was relatively brief, West left a lasting mark and is remembered as a skilled athlete who excelled in the evolving landscape of professional baseball.

Career Batting Statistics

G AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI SB BB SO AVG OBP SLG OPS PIV
824 2676 338 681 136 20 77 380 19 353 340 0.254 0.344 0.407 0.751 3229.1

Career AVG .254 vs. league average .264 across their career seasons — near league average.

Career OBP .344 vs. league average .335 across their career seasons — near league average.

Career SLG .407 vs. league average .376 across their career seasons — +8.1% above league average.

Career OPS 0.751 vs. league average 0.711 across their career seasons — +5.6% above 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
1938 BSN NL 123 418 47 98 16 5 10 63 5 38 38 0.234 .272 (-14%) .341 (-12%) .392 (-6%) .734 (-9%) -830.1
1939 BSN NL 130 449 67 128 26 6 19 82 1 51 55 0.285 .274 (+4%) .342 (+6%) .393 (+26%) .735 (+17%) 1522.1
1940 BSN NL 139 524 72 137 27 5 7 72 2 65 54 0.261 .267 (-2%) .335 (+3%) .387 (-4%) .722 (-1%) -11.0
1941 BSN NL 138 484 63 134 28 4 12 68 5 72 68 0.277 .262 (+6%) .332 (+12%) .373 (+14%) .705 (+13%) 1405.2
1942 BSN NL 134 452 54 115 22 0 16 56 4 68 59 0.254 .253 (avg) .323 (+10%) .349 (+17%) .672 (+13%) 1292.3
1946 BSN NL 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0.000 — — — — 0.0
1946 CIN NL 72 202 16 43 13 0 5 18 1 32 36 0.213 .256 (-17%) .328 (-2%) .358 (-2%) .687 (-2%) 0.0
1948 PIT NL 87 146 19 26 4 0 8 21 1 27 29 0.178 .263 (-32%) .340 (-9%) .379 (-2%) .719 (-5%) -124.9

Fielding Statistics

Career Fielding Totals by Position

Position G GS PO A E DP
1B 161 0 1409 93 16 116
OF 591 0 1243 53 33 13

Season-by-Season Fielding

Year Team Pos G GS PO A E DP
1938 BSN 1B 7 0 63 2 1 2
1938 BSN OF 109 0 205 6 3 2
1939 BSN OF 124 0 287 8 8 2
1940 BSN 1B 36 0 338 24 5 33
1940 BSN OF 102 0 220 16 6 1
1941 BSN OF 132 0 302 13 6 5
1942 BSN 1B 85 0 807 47 8 67
1942 BSN OF 50 0 106 4 4 0
1946 BSN 1B 1 0 3 0 0 0
1946 CIN OF 58 0 112 6 6 3
1948 PIT 1B 32 0 198 20 2 14
1948 PIT OF 16 0 11 0 0 0

Career Games by Position

Position Games
First Base 160
Left Field 339
Center Field 113
Right Field 174

Award Voting History

Year Award League Finish Points Won Points Max Votes First
1942 Most Valuable Player NL 27th 4.0 336 0
1940 Most Valuable Player NL 26th 6.0 336 0
1939 Most Valuable Player NL 23th 5.0 336 0