Steve Whitaker

Born: 5/7/1943 in Tacoma, WA, USA

MLB Debut: 1966-08-23 | Final Game: 1970-05-09

Bats: L | Throws: R | Height: 6'0" | Weight: 180 lbs

Full name: Stephen Edward Whitaker

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Biography

Steve Whitaker was an American professional baseball player born in 1943, who made his mark in Major League Baseball as a position player from 1966 until 1970. Whitaker played a total of 266 games during his career, primarily as an outfielder, showcasing his versatility on the field. Throughout his time in the league, he accumulated 174 hits, 24 home runs, and 85 runs batted in, finishing his career with a batting average of .23. In addition to his offensive contributions, Whitaker also demonstrated speed on the base paths, recording 4 stolen bases. Whitaker made his debut in an era characterized by the transition from the deadball era to a time when power hitters began to reshape the game. Despite not achieving the same level of fame as some of his contemporaries, his contributions were significant during a pivotal time in baseball history. With his solid defensive skills and ability to contribute offensively, Whitaker left a lasting impression on the teams he played for, reflecting the evolving nature of player roles in professional baseball. His career, though relatively brief, remains a testament to the depth of talent that characterized the sport during the late 1960s.

Career Batting Statistics

G	AB	R	H	2B	3B	HR	RBI	SB	BB	SO	AVG	OBP	SLG	OPS	PIV
266	758	73	174	20	6	24	85	4	54	174	0.230	0.283	0.367	0.650	-258.9

Career AVG .230 vs. league average .246 across their career seasons — 6.8% below league average.

Career OBP .283 vs. league average .313 across their career seasons — 9.4% below league average.

Career SLG .367 vs. league average .367 across their career seasons — near league average.

Career OPS 0.650 vs. league average 0.680 across their career seasons — near 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
1966	NYY	AL	31	114	15	28	3	2	7	15	0	9	24	0.246	.248 (-1%)	.309 (-1%)	.376 (+31%)	.685 (+16%)	268.0
1967	NYY	AL	122	441	37	107	12	3	11	50	2	23	89	0.243	.242 (avg)	.306 (-8%)	.357 (avg)	.663 (-3%)	-365.2
1968	NYY	AL	28	60	3	7	2	0	0	3	0	8	18	0.117	.236 (-51%)	.298 (-26%)	.340 (-56%)	.638 (-42%)	-359.9
1969	SE1	AL	69	116	15	29	2	1	6	13	2	12	29	0.250	.248 (+1%)	.320 (+1%)	.369 (+19%)	.689 (+11%)	198.2
1970	SFG	NL	16	27	3	3	1	0	0	4	0	2	14	0.111	—	—	—	—	0.0