Benny Ayala
Born: 2/7/1951 in Yauco, P.R.
MLB Debut: 1974-08-27 | Final Game: 1985-10-02
Bats: R | Throws: R | Height: 6'1" | Weight: 185 lbs
Full name: Benigno Ayala
Biography
Benny Ayala, born in 1951, was a versatile position player who left his mark on Major League Baseball during his career from 1974 to 1985. With a playing style characterized by his power at the plate and solid defensive skills, Ayala played a total of 425 games across multiple teams, including the Baltimore Orioles and the New York Mets. He concluded his career with 217 hits, 38 home runs, and 145 RBIs, finishing with a batting average of .251.
Ayala's era was marked by a transition in baseball, as the game began to evolve into a more power-driven sport in the late 1970s and early 1980s. While known for his ability to hit for power, Ayala also showcased speed on the basepaths, contributing 2 stolen bases during his career. His contributions were significant during a time when the game was increasingly embracing home run hitters, and he remains a notable figure for fans of the teams he represented.
Career Batting Statistics
| G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | BB | SO | AVG | OBP | SLG | OPS | PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 425 | 865 | 114 | 217 | 42 | 1 | 38 | 145 | 2 | 71 | 136 | 0.251 | 0.305 | 0.434 | 0.739 | 593.8 |
Season-by-Season Batting
| Year | Team | Lg | G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | BB | SO | AVG | PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1974 | NYN | NL | 23 | 68 | 9 | 16 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 8 | 0 | 7 | 17 | 0.235 | -77.4 |
| 1976 | NYN | NL | 22 | 26 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 6 | 0.115 | 0.0 |
| 1977 | STL | NL | 1 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0.333 | 0.0 |
| 1979 | BAL | AL | 42 | 86 | 15 | 22 | 5 | 0 | 6 | 13 | 0 | 6 | 9 | 0.256 | 138.9 |
| 1980 | BAL | AL | 76 | 170 | 28 | 45 | 8 | 1 | 10 | 33 | 0 | 19 | 21 | 0.265 | 484.1 |
| 1981 | BAL | AL | 44 | 86 | 12 | 24 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 13 | 0 | 11 | 9 | 0.279 | 201.2 |
| 1982 | BAL | AL | 64 | 128 | 17 | 39 | 6 | 0 | 6 | 24 | 1 | 5 | 14 | 0.305 | 312.0 |
| 1983 | BAL | AL | 47 | 104 | 12 | 23 | 7 | 0 | 4 | 13 | 0 | 9 | 18 | 0.221 | -121.2 |
| 1984 | BAL | AL | 60 | 118 | 9 | 25 | 6 | 0 | 4 | 24 | 1 | 8 | 24 | 0.212 | -291.6 |
| 1985 | CLE | AL | 46 | 76 | 10 | 19 | 7 | 0 | 2 | 15 | 0 | 4 | 17 | 0.250 | -52.2 |
Postseason Statistics
Playoff Career Batting
| G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | BB | SO | AVG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6 | 7 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 0.429 |
Playoff Batting by Year
| Year | Round | Team | G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | BB | SO | AVG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1983 | ALCS | BAL | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | .000 |
| 1983 | WS | BAL | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1.000 |
| 1979 | WS | BAL | 4 | 6 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0.333 |
Fielding Statistics
Career Fielding Totals by Position
| Position | G | GS | PO | A | E | DP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1B | 3 | 2 | 24 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| OF | 157 | 131 | 218 | 8 | 10 | 3 |
Season-by-Season Fielding
| Year | Team | Pos | G | GS | PO | A | E | DP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1974 | NYN | OF | 20 | 18 | 37 | 1 | 3 | 1 |
| 1976 | NYN | OF | 7 | 4 | 7 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| 1977 | SLN | OF | 1 | 1 | 6 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| 1979 | BAL | OF | 24 | 21 | 38 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 1980 | BAL | OF | 19 | 15 | 20 | 2 | 0 | 1 |
| 1981 | BAL | OF | 4 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| 1982 | BAL | 1B | 3 | 2 | 24 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| 1982 | BAL | OF | 25 | 22 | 35 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 1983 | BAL | OF | 24 | 21 | 41 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| 1984 | BAL | OF | 13 | 7 | 10 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1985 | CLE | OF | 20 | 19 | 21 | 1 | 2 | 0 |
Career Games by Position
| Position | Games |
|---|---|
| First Base | 3 |
| Left Field | 139 |
| Right Field | 17 |
| Designated Hitter | 145 |
Salary History
| Year | Team | League | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1985 | CLE | AL | $303,333 |
| Total Career Earnings | $303,333 | ||