Paul Bako
Born: 6/20/1972 in Lafayette, LA, USA
MLB Debut: 1998-04-30 | Final Game: 2009-10-04
Bats: L | Throws: R | Height: 6'2" | Weight: 205 lbs
Full name: Gabor Paul Bako
Biography
Paul Bako, born in 1972, was a professional baseball player who enjoyed a career spanning from 1998 to 2009. Primarily known as a catcher, Bako played in a total of 789 games across his time in Major League Baseball. He was recognized for his solid defensive skills behind the plate and his ability to handle pitching staffs, making him a valued contributor to the teams he played for.
Throughout his career, Bako compiled 508 hits, 24 home runs, and 195 RBIs, finishing with a batting average of .231. Though he was not primarily known for his offensive production, his versatility and experience allowed him to play an important role on various rosters in the league. Bako’s career unfolded during an era of considerable change in baseball, marked by the rise of power hitters and evolving strategies, yet he remained a reliable presence in the dugout and on the field. With a total of 4 stolen bases, he showcased an element of speed, albeit modest, adding to his overall contributions to the game.
Career Batting Statistics
| G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | BB | SO | AVG | OBP | SLG | OPS | PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 789 | 2202 | 195 | 508 | 98 | 11 | 24 | 195 | 4 | 233 | 589 | 0.231 | 0.305 | 0.318 | 0.623 | -7179.9 |
Season-by-Season Batting
| Year | Team | Lg | G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | BB | SO | AVG | PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1998 | DET | AL | 96 | 305 | 23 | 83 | 12 | 1 | 3 | 30 | 1 | 23 | 82 | 0.272 | -700.6 |
| 1999 | HOU | NL | 73 | 215 | 16 | 55 | 14 | 1 | 2 | 17 | 1 | 26 | 57 | 0.256 | -470.6 |
| 2000 | ATL | NL | 24 | 58 | 8 | 11 | 4 | 0 | 2 | 6 | 0 | 5 | 15 | 0.190 | -233.9 |
| 2000 | MIA | NL | 56 | 161 | 10 | 39 | 6 | 1 | 0 | 14 | 0 | 22 | 48 | 0.242 | -233.9 |
| 2000 | HOU | NL | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0.000 | -233.9 |
| 2001 | ATL | NL | 61 | 137 | 19 | 29 | 10 | 1 | 2 | 15 | 1 | 20 | 34 | 0.212 | -326.5 |
| 2002 | MIL | NL | 87 | 234 | 24 | 55 | 8 | 1 | 4 | 20 | 0 | 20 | 46 | 0.235 | -716.7 |
| 2003 | CHC | NL | 70 | 188 | 19 | 43 | 13 | 3 | 0 | 17 | 0 | 22 | 47 | 0.229 | -524.2 |
| 2004 | CHC | NL | 49 | 138 | 13 | 28 | 8 | 0 | 1 | 10 | 1 | 15 | 29 | 0.203 | -617.7 |
| 2005 | LAD | NL | 13 | 40 | 1 | 10 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 7 | 12 | 0.250 | 0.0 |
| 2006 | KCR | AL | 56 | 153 | 7 | 32 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 10 | 0 | 11 | 46 | 0.209 | -1011.1 |
| 2007 | BAL | AL | 60 | 156 | 13 | 32 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 8 | 0 | 15 | 50 | 0.205 | -833.2 |
| 2008 | CIN | NL | 99 | 299 | 30 | 65 | 11 | 2 | 6 | 35 | 0 | 34 | 90 | 0.217 | -928.0 |
| 2009 | PHI | NL | 44 | 116 | 12 | 26 | 4 | 0 | 3 | 9 | 0 | 13 | 32 | 0.224 | -269.5 |
Postseason Statistics
Playoff Career Batting
| G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | BB | SO | AVG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 17 | 31 | 5 | 6 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 5 | 4 | 10 | 0.194 |
Playoff Batting by Year
| Year | Round | Team | G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | BB | SO | AVG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2003 | NLDS2 | CHN | 3 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 0.000 |
| 2003 | NLCS | CHN | 6 | 16 | 4 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 7 | 0.250 |
| 2001 | NLDS1 | ATL | 3 | 7 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0.286 |
| 2001 | NLCS | ATL | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.000 |
| 2000 | NLDS1 | ATL | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0.000 |
Fielding Statistics
Career Fielding Totals by Position
| Position | G | GS | PO | A | E | DP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1B | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| C | 758 | 646 | 4477 | 334 | 50 | 41 |
Season-by-Season Fielding
| Year | Team | Pos | G | GS | PO | A | E | DP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1998 | DET | C | 94 | 83 | 493 | 45 | 6 | 5 |
| 1999 | HOU | C | 71 | 63 | 461 | 35 | 6 | 10 |
| 2000 | ATL | C | 23 | 17 | 116 | 9 | 1 | 1 |
| 2000 | ATL | 1B | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| 2000 | FLO | C | 56 | 48 | 318 | 21 | 3 | 2 |
| 2000 | HOU | C | 1 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 2001 | ATL | C | 60 | 45 | 319 | 29 | 3 | 1 |
| 2002 | MIL | C | 76 | 65 | 420 | 33 | 4 | 2 |
| 2003 | CHN | C | 69 | 57 | 440 | 33 | 6 | 2 |
| 2004 | CHN | C | 47 | 43 | 332 | 30 | 4 | 2 |
| 2005 | LAN | C | 13 | 13 | 61 | 6 | 1 | 0 |
| 2006 | KCA | C | 53 | 44 | 258 | 20 | 2 | 3 |
| 2007 | BAL | C | 57 | 47 | 324 | 24 | 4 | 5 |
| 2008 | CIN | C | 96 | 88 | 679 | 39 | 5 | 7 |
| 2009 | PHI | C | 42 | 33 | 254 | 9 | 5 | 1 |
Career Games by Position
| Position | Games |
|---|---|
| Catcher | 758 |
| First Base | 1 |
| Designated Hitter | 1 |
Salary History
| Year | Team | League | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2008 | CIN | NL | $750,000 |
| 2007 | BAL | AL | $900,000 |
| 2006 | KCA | AL | $700,000 |
| 2005 | LAN | NL | $650,000 |
| 2004 | CHN | NL | $865,000 |
| 2003 | CHN | NL | $750,000 |
| 2002 | MIL | NL | $750,000 |
| 2001 | ATL | NL | $450,000 |
| 2000 | HOU | NL | $275,000 |
| 1999 | HOU | NL | $230,000 |
| 1998 | DET | AL | $170,000 |
| Total Career Earnings | $6,490,000 | ||
College History
| School Name | City | State | Years Attended |
|---|---|---|---|
| University of Louisiana at Lafayette | Lafayette | LA | 1991, 1992, 1993 |