Rick Burleson
Born: 4/29/1951 in Lynwood, CA, USA
MLB Debut: 1974-05-04 | Final Game: 1987-07-08
Bats: R | Throws: R | Height: 5'10" | Weight: 165 lbs
Full name: Richard Paul Burleson
Biography
Rick Burleson, born in 1951, was a prominent infielder in Major League Baseball, whose career spanned from 1974 until 1987. Known for his solid defensive skills and versatility on the field, Burleson played primarily as a shortstop and was recognized for his ability to contribute both offensively and defensively. Over the course of 1,346 games, he amassed 1,401 hits, hitting for a career batting average of .273. His offensive contributions included 50 home runs and 449 runs batted in, alongside 72 stolen bases, showcasing his speed and agility as a player.
Burleson was selected as an All-Star four times, affirming his status as one of the top players of his era. He played during a transformative period in baseball, where the game was evolving with an increased emphasis on offense and athleticism. His all-around skills and adaptability made him a valuable asset to the teams he played for, including the Boston Red Sox and the California Angels. As a key player of the late 1970s and 1980s, Burleson's legacy includes not only his personal achievements but also his contributions to the teams he represented in a competitive baseball landscape.
Career Batting Statistics
| G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | BB | SO | AVG | OBP | SLG | OPS | PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1346 | 5139 | 656 | 1401 | 256 | 23 | 50 | 449 | 72 | 420 | 477 | 0.273 | 0.328 | 0.361 | 0.689 | -2627.3 |
Season-by-Season Batting
| Year | Team | Lg | G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | BB | SO | AVG | PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1974 | BOS | AL | 114 | 384 | 36 | 109 | 22 | 0 | 4 | 44 | 3 | 21 | 34 | 0.284 | -92.9 |
| 1975 | BOS | AL | 158 | 580 | 66 | 146 | 25 | 1 | 6 | 62 | 8 | 45 | 44 | 0.252 | -1196.5 |
| 1976 | BOS | AL | 152 | 540 | 75 | 157 | 27 | 1 | 7 | 42 | 14 | 60 | 37 | 0.291 | 1226.9 |
| 1977 | BOS | AL | 154 | 663 | 80 | 194 | 36 | 7 | 3 | 52 | 13 | 47 | 69 | 0.293 | -218.6 |
| 1978 | BOS | AL | 145 | 626 | 75 | 155 | 32 | 5 | 5 | 49 | 8 | 40 | 71 | 0.248 | -1302.1 |
| 1979 | BOS | AL | 153 | 627 | 93 | 174 | 32 | 5 | 5 | 60 | 9 | 35 | 54 | 0.278 | -891.1 |
| 1980 | BOS | AL | 155 | 644 | 89 | 179 | 29 | 2 | 8 | 51 | 12 | 62 | 51 | 0.278 | 18.5 |
| 1981 | LAA | AL | 109 | 430 | 53 | 126 | 17 | 1 | 5 | 33 | 4 | 42 | 38 | 0.293 | 572.5 |
| 1982 | LAA | AL | 11 | 45 | 4 | 7 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 6 | 3 | 0.156 | -269.0 |
| 1983 | LAA | AL | 33 | 119 | 22 | 34 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 11 | 0 | 12 | 12 | 0.286 | -32.0 |
| 1984 | LAA | AL | 7 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0.000 | 0.0 |
| 1986 | LAA | AL | 93 | 271 | 35 | 77 | 14 | 0 | 5 | 29 | 1 | 33 | 32 | 0.284 | 326.6 |
| 1987 | BAL | AL | 62 | 206 | 26 | 43 | 14 | 1 | 2 | 14 | 0 | 17 | 30 | 0.209 | -769.5 |
Postseason Statistics
Playoff Career Batting
| G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | BB | SO | AVG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 14 | 44 | 3 | 14 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 5 | 2 | 0.318 |
Playoff Batting by Year
| Year | Round | Team | G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | BB | SO | AVG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1986 | ALCS | CAL | 4 | 11 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.273 |
| 1975 | ALCS | BOS | 3 | 9 | 2 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0.444 |
| 1975 | WS | BOS | 7 | 24 | 1 | 7 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 4 | 2 | 0.292 |
Fielding Statistics
Career Fielding Totals by Position
| Position | G | GS | PO | A | E | DP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2B | 92 | 85 | 192 | 235 | 9 | 66 |
| 3B | 6 | 3 | 6 | 3 | 1 | 0 |
| SS | 1192 | 1164 | 2151 | 3871 | 179 | 827 |
Season-by-Season Fielding
| Year | Team | Pos | G | GS | PO | A | E | DP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1974 | BOS | 2B | 31 | 27 | 65 | 79 | 3 | 24 |
| 1974 | BOS | 3B | 2 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 1974 | BOS | SS | 88 | 81 | 143 | 256 | 18 | 42 |
| 1975 | BOS | SS | 158 | 157 | 267 | 498 | 29 | 102 |
| 1976 | BOS | SS | 152 | 145 | 274 | 478 | 34 | 88 |
| 1977 | BOS | SS | 154 | 154 | 285 | 482 | 24 | 111 |
| 1978 | BOS | SS | 144 | 144 | 285 | 482 | 15 | 100 |
| 1979 | BOS | SS | 153 | 151 | 272 | 523 | 16 | 109 |
| 1980 | BOS | SS | 155 | 155 | 301 | 528 | 22 | 147 |
| 1981 | CAL | SS | 109 | 108 | 208 | 394 | 13 | 88 |
| 1982 | CAL | SS | 11 | 11 | 19 | 51 | 1 | 12 |
| 1983 | CAL | SS | 31 | 29 | 54 | 102 | 5 | 16 |
| 1986 | CAL | 2B | 6 | 5 | 15 | 11 | 0 | 3 |
| 1986 | CAL | 3B | 4 | 3 | 4 | 2 | 1 | 0 |
| 1986 | CAL | SS | 37 | 29 | 43 | 77 | 2 | 12 |
| 1987 | BAL | 2B | 55 | 53 | 112 | 145 | 6 | 39 |
Career Games by Position
| Position | Games |
|---|---|
| Second Base | 92 |
| Third Base | 5 |
| Shortstop | 1193 |
| Designated Hitter | 45 |
Awards & Honors
| Year | Award | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 1981 | Silver Slugger | SS |
| 1981 | TSN All-Star | SS |
| 1979 | Gold Glove | SS |
| 1977 | TSN All-Star | SS |
| 1976 | Player of the Week | Week of 1976-08-20 |
Salary History
| Year | Team | League | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1987 | BAL | AL | $200,000 |
| 1986 | CAL | AL | $856,667 |
| 1985 | CAL | AL | $856,667 |
| Total Career Earnings | $1,913,334 | ||
Award Voting History
| Year | Award | League | Finish | Points Won | Points Max | Votes First |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1979 | Most Valuable Player | AL | 21th | 7.0 | 392 | 0 |
| 1978 | Most Valuable Player | AL | 36th | 1.0 | 392 | 0 |
| 1977 | Most Valuable Player | AL | 22th | 5.0 | 392 | 0 |
| 1975 | Most Valuable Player | AL | 13th | 28.0 | 336 | 0 |
| 1974 | Rookie of the Year | AL | 4th | 1.0 | 24 | 1 |