Joe Zdeb, baseball player, 1977-1979

Joe Zdeb

Born: 6/27/1953 in Compton, IL, USA

MLB Debut: 1977-04-07 | Final Game: 1979-05-29

Bats: R | Throws: R | Height: 5'11" | Weight: 185 lbs

Full name: Joseph Edmund Zdeb

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Biography

Joe Zdeb was a professional baseball player born in 1953, who played in Major League Baseball from 1977 to 1979. Primarily serving as a position player, Zdeb appeared in 180 games over the course of his career, demonstrating solid offensive skills with a batting average of .272. He recorded 94 hits, including 2 home runs and 34 RBIs, showcasing his ability to contribute both as a contact hitter and a run producer. Additionally, Zdeb displayed speed on the basepaths, finishing his career with 10 stolen bases. Zdeb's career unfolded during a transitional period in baseball, as the game was moving away from the deadball era and into a time characterized by greater offensive output and the rise of power hitters. His ability to maintain a respectable average while contributing defensively made him a valuable asset to the teams he played for. Although he may not be remembered as a superstar, Zdeb's role in the game during the late 1970s highlights the importance of versatile players in the evolving landscape of Major League Baseball. He retired on May 29, 1979, leaving behind a legacy as a reliable player in a competitive era.

Career Batting Statistics

G AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI SB BB SO AVG OBP SLG OPS PIV
180 345 47 94 8 6 2 34 10 25 45 0.272 0.317 0.348 0.665 -388.0

Career AVG .272 vs. league average .263 across their career seasons — near league average.

Career OBP .317 vs. league average .328 across their career seasons — near league average.

Career SLG .348 vs. league average .392 across their career seasons — 11.4% below league average.

Career OPS 0.665 vs. league average 0.720 across their career seasons — 7.6% 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
1977 KCR AL 105 195 26 58 5 2 2 23 6 16 23 0.297 .264 (+13%) .329 (+5%) .401 (-7%) .730 (-1%) -42.2
1978 KCR AL 60 127 18 32 2 3 0 11 3 7 18 0.252 .257 (-2%) .323 (-11%) .378 (-17%) .702 (-14%) -345.8
1979 KCR AL 15 23 3 4 1 1 0 0 1 2 4 0.174 — — — — 0.0

Postseason Statistics

Playoff Career Batting

G AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI BB SO AVG
4 9 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 0.000

Playoff Batting by Year

Year Round Team G AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI BB SO AVG
1977 ALCS KCA 4 9 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 0.000

Fielding Statistics

Career Fielding Totals by Position

Position G GS PO A E DP
2B 1 0 1 0 0 0
3B 2 0 0 0 0 0
OF 154 76 171 6 6 0

Season-by-Season Fielding

Year Team Pos G GS PO A E DP
1977 KCA 3B 1 0 0 0 0 0
1977 KCA OF 93 41 93 4 3 0
1978 KCA 2B 1 0 1 0 0 0
1978 KCA 3B 1 0 0 0 0 0
1978 KCA OF 52 30 65 2 3 0
1979 KCA OF 9 5 13 0 0 0

Career Games by Position

Position Games
Second Base 1
Third Base 2
Left Field 136
Center Field 1
Right Field 23
Designated Hitter 5