Steve Buechele
Born: 9/26/1961 in Lancaster, CA, USA
MLB Debut: 1985-07-19 | Final Game: 1995-07-29
Bats: R | Throws: R | Height: 6'2" | Weight: 190 lbs
Full name: Steven Bernard Buechele
Biography
Steve Buechele, born in 1961, was a professional baseball player who made his mark in Major League Baseball from 1985 until his retirement in 1995. Playing primarily as a position player, Buechele appeared in 1,334 games over the course of his career. He amassed a total of 1,046 hits, showcasing a solid offensive presence that included 137 home runs and 547 RBIs. His career batting average stood at .245, reflecting the challenges many hitters faced during the competitive landscape of the late 1980s and early 1990s, an era marked by a mix of traditional baseball skills and the early stages of a power-hitting revolution.
Buechele was known for his versatility on the field, effectively playing multiple infield positions, which contributed to his longevity in the game. He displayed a balanced skill set, combining power with a respectable number of stolen bases, totaling 17 throughout his career. His contributions to teams he played for, including the Texas Rangers and the Chicago Cubs, were significant, as he consistently provided depth to the lineup and stability in the field. As a player who navigated the transition from the deadball era's emphasis on contact hitting to the burgeoning focus on power, Buechele remains a noteworthy figure in the evolution of Major League Baseball during his active years.
Career Batting Statistics
| G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | BB | SO | AVG | OBP | SLG | OPS | PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1334 | 4266 | 501 | 1046 | 183 | 21 | 137 | 547 | 17 | 408 | 842 | 0.245 | 0.316 | 0.394 | 0.710 | -490.1 |
Season-by-Season Batting
| Year | Team | Lg | G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | BB | SO | AVG | PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1985 | TEX | AL | 69 | 219 | 22 | 48 | 6 | 3 | 6 | 21 | 3 | 14 | 38 | 0.219 | -516.1 |
| 1986 | TEX | AL | 153 | 461 | 54 | 112 | 19 | 2 | 18 | 54 | 5 | 35 | 98 | 0.243 | -204.7 |
| 1987 | TEX | AL | 136 | 363 | 45 | 86 | 20 | 0 | 13 | 50 | 2 | 28 | 66 | 0.237 | -659.6 |
| 1988 | TEX | AL | 155 | 503 | 68 | 126 | 21 | 4 | 16 | 58 | 2 | 65 | 79 | 0.250 | 882.4 |
| 1989 | TEX | AL | 155 | 486 | 60 | 114 | 22 | 2 | 16 | 59 | 1 | 36 | 107 | 0.235 | -266.1 |
| 1990 | TEX | AL | 91 | 251 | 30 | 54 | 10 | 0 | 7 | 30 | 1 | 27 | 63 | 0.215 | -487.0 |
| 1991 | PIT | NL | 31 | 114 | 16 | 28 | 5 | 1 | 4 | 19 | 0 | 10 | 28 | 0.246 | 40.5 |
| 1991 | TEX | AL | 121 | 416 | 58 | 111 | 17 | 2 | 18 | 66 | 0 | 39 | 69 | 0.267 | 40.5 |
| 1992 | CHC | NL | 65 | 239 | 25 | 66 | 9 | 3 | 1 | 21 | 1 | 18 | 44 | 0.276 | -20.2 |
| 1992 | PIT | NL | 80 | 285 | 27 | 71 | 14 | 1 | 8 | 43 | 0 | 34 | 61 | 0.249 | -20.2 |
| 1993 | CHC | NL | 133 | 460 | 53 | 125 | 27 | 2 | 15 | 65 | 1 | 48 | 87 | 0.272 | 604.3 |
| 1994 | CHC | NL | 104 | 339 | 33 | 82 | 11 | 1 | 14 | 52 | 1 | 39 | 80 | 0.242 | -276.4 |
| 1995 | CHC | NL | 32 | 106 | 10 | 20 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 9 | 0 | 11 | 19 | 0.189 | -608.5 |
| 1995 | TEX | AL | 9 | 24 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 3 | 0.125 | -608.5 |
Postseason Statistics
Playoff Career Batting
| G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | BB | SO | AVG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 7 | 23 | 2 | 7 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 6 | 0.304 |
Playoff Batting by Year
| Year | Round | Team | G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | BB | SO | AVG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1991 | NLCS | PIT | 7 | 23 | 2 | 7 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 6 | 0.304 |
Fielding Statistics
Career Fielding Totals by Position
| Position | G | GS | PO | A | E | DP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1B | 12 | 7 | 62 | 7 | 0 | 4 |
| 2B | 92 | 68 | 120 | 169 | 1 | 41 |
| 3B | 1269 | 1159 | 895 | 2281 | 104 | 184 |
| OF | 4 | 1 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| SS | 5 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 1 |
Season-by-Season Fielding
| Year | Team | Pos | G | GS | PO | A | E | DP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1985 | TEX | 2B | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 1985 | TEX | 3B | 69 | 68 | 52 | 137 | 6 | 17 |
| 1986 | TEX | 2B | 33 | 30 | 59 | 66 | 1 | 25 |
| 1986 | TEX | 3B | 137 | 109 | 111 | 226 | 11 | 17 |
| 1986 | TEX | OF | 2 | 1 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1987 | TEX | 2B | 18 | 16 | 20 | 36 | 0 | 7 |
| 1987 | TEX | 3B | 123 | 94 | 68 | 175 | 9 | 13 |
| 1987 | TEX | OF | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1988 | TEX | 2B | 2 | 2 | 4 | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| 1988 | TEX | 3B | 153 | 149 | 110 | 297 | 16 | 25 |
| 1989 | TEX | 2B | 18 | 7 | 21 | 23 | 0 | 6 |
| 1989 | TEX | 3B | 145 | 131 | 106 | 264 | 12 | 22 |
| 1989 | TEX | SS | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| 1990 | TEX | 2B | 4 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| 1990 | TEX | 3B | 88 | 79 | 70 | 157 | 8 | 7 |
| 1991 | PIT | 3B | 31 | 31 | 22 | 64 | 4 | 5 |
| 1991 | TEX | 2B | 13 | 12 | 12 | 35 | 0 | 3 |
| 1991 | TEX | 3B | 111 | 101 | 87 | 239 | 3 | 20 |
| 1991 | TEX | SS | 4 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 1992 | CHN | 2B | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 1992 | CHN | 3B | 63 | 61 | 50 | 119 | 7 | 6 |
| 1992 | PIT | 3B | 80 | 79 | 52 | 169 | 10 | 10 |
| 1993 | CHN | 1B | 6 | 2 | 18 | 0 | 0 | 3 |
| 1993 | CHN | 3B | 129 | 126 | 79 | 232 | 8 | 24 |
| 1994 | CHN | 1B | 6 | 5 | 44 | 7 | 0 | 1 |
| 1994 | CHN | 2B | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 1994 | CHN | 3B | 99 | 95 | 55 | 136 | 5 | 13 |
| 1995 | CHN | 3B | 32 | 30 | 26 | 55 | 5 | 3 |
| 1995 | TEX | 3B | 9 | 6 | 7 | 11 | 0 | 2 |
Career Games by Position
| Position | Games |
|---|---|
| First Base | 12 |
| Second Base | 92 |
| Third Base | 1269 |
| Shortstop | 5 |
| Left Field | 3 |
| Designated Hitter | 1 |
Salary History
| Year | Team | League | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1994 | CHN | NL | $2,550,000 |
| 1993 | CHN | NL | $2,900,000 |
| 1992 | PIT | NL | $2,600,000 |
| 1991 | TEX | AL | $775,000 |
| 1990 | TEX | AL | $550,000 |
| 1989 | TEX | AL | $430,000 |
| 1988 | TEX | AL | $180,000 |
| 1987 | TEX | AL | $135,000 |
| 1986 | TEX | AL | $85,000 |
| Total Career Earnings | $10,205,000 | ||
College History
| School Name | City | State | Years Attended |
|---|---|---|---|
| Stanford University | Palo Alto | CA | 1980, 1981, 1982 |