Sammy Esposito
Born: 12/15/1931 in Chicago, IL, USA
Died: 7/9/2018 in Newland, NC, USA
MLB Debut: 1952-09-28 | Final Game: 1963-08-23
Bats: R | Throws: R | Height: 5'9" | Weight: 165 lbs
Full name: Samuel Esposito
Biography
Sammy Esposito was a professional baseball player born in 1931, who played in Major League Baseball from 1952 to 1963. Known for his versatility on the field, Esposito primarily served as a position player throughout his career, appearing in 560 games. He played during a time of significant transition in baseball, navigating the post-war era and the beginnings of the integration of the sport, which brought new levels of competition and talent to the league.
Over the course of his career, Esposito amassed 164 hits, including 8 home runs, and drove in 73 runs, finishing with a batting average of .207. His contributions also extended to the base paths, where he recorded 7 stolen bases. While his offensive numbers may not have placed him among the league's elite, Esposito was recognized for his solid defensive skills and his ability to contribute to his team's overall success during his tenure in the league. His time in baseball reflects the emergence of a more diverse and dynamic game, marking an important chapter in the history of the sport.
Career Batting Statistics
| G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | BB | SO | AVG | OBP | SLG | OPS | PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 560 | 792 | 130 | 164 | 27 | 2 | 8 | 73 | 7 | 145 | 127 | 0.207 | 0.330 | 0.277 | 0.606 | -1618.1 |
Season-by-Season Batting
| Year | Team | Lg | G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | BB | SO | AVG | PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1952 | CHW | AL | 1 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0.250 | 0.0 |
| 1955 | CHW | AL | 3 | 4 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0.000 | 0.0 |
| 1956 | CHW | AL | 81 | 184 | 30 | 42 | 8 | 2 | 3 | 25 | 1 | 41 | 19 | 0.228 | 74.7 |
| 1957 | CHW | AL | 94 | 176 | 26 | 36 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 15 | 5 | 38 | 27 | 0.205 | -357.9 |
| 1958 | CHW | AL | 98 | 81 | 16 | 20 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 12 | 6 | 0.247 | -92.2 |
| 1959 | CHW | AL | 69 | 66 | 12 | 11 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 5 | 0 | 11 | 16 | 0.167 | -321.6 |
| 1960 | CHW | AL | 57 | 77 | 14 | 14 | 5 | 0 | 1 | 11 | 0 | 10 | 20 | 0.182 | -293.1 |
| 1961 | CHW | AL | 63 | 94 | 12 | 16 | 5 | 0 | 1 | 8 | 0 | 12 | 21 | 0.170 | -506.7 |
| 1962 | CHW | AL | 75 | 81 | 14 | 19 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 17 | 13 | 0.235 | -121.3 |
| 1963 | CHW | AL | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 | 0.0 |
| 1963 | KC1 | AL | 18 | 25 | 3 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 0.200 | 0.0 |
Postseason Statistics
Playoff Career Batting
| G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | BB | SO | AVG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0.000 |
Playoff Batting by Year
| Year | Round | Team | G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | BB | SO | AVG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1959 | WS | CHA | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0.000 |
Fielding Statistics
Career Fielding Totals by Position
| Position | G | GS | PO | A | E | DP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2B | 41 | 11 | 38 | 40 | 3 | 7 |
| 3B | 333 | 118 | 156 | 350 | 23 | 40 |
| OF | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| SS | 133 | 66 | 123 | 269 | 16 | 35 |
Season-by-Season Fielding
| Year | Team | Pos | G | GS | PO | A | E | DP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1952 | CHA | SS | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 0 |
| 1955 | CHA | 3B | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1956 | CHA | 2B | 3 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 1 |
| 1956 | CHA | 3B | 61 | 47 | 41 | 109 | 6 | 17 |
| 1956 | CHA | SS | 19 | 1 | 9 | 21 | 0 | 1 |
| 1957 | CHA | 2B | 4 | 0 | 4 | 3 | 1 | 1 |
| 1957 | CHA | 3B | 53 | 37 | 52 | 92 | 6 | 10 |
| 1957 | CHA | SS | 22 | 16 | 28 | 73 | 3 | 12 |
| 1957 | CHA | OF | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1958 | CHA | 2B | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1958 | CHA | 3B | 63 | 5 | 11 | 35 | 1 | 2 |
| 1958 | CHA | SS | 22 | 10 | 24 | 43 | 4 | 7 |
| 1958 | CHA | OF | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1959 | CHA | 2B | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1959 | CHA | 3B | 45 | 3 | 22 | 25 | 1 | 1 |
| 1959 | CHA | SS | 14 | 6 | 17 | 32 | 1 | 5 |
| 1960 | CHA | 2B | 5 | 1 | 3 | 4 | 1 | 0 |
| 1960 | CHA | 3B | 37 | 13 | 12 | 40 | 4 | 4 |
| 1960 | CHA | SS | 11 | 2 | 2 | 7 | 0 | 1 |
| 1961 | CHA | 2B | 11 | 7 | 23 | 16 | 0 | 3 |
| 1961 | CHA | 3B | 28 | 5 | 10 | 30 | 1 | 5 |
| 1961 | CHA | SS | 20 | 12 | 18 | 39 | 2 | 3 |
| 1962 | CHA | 2B | 7 | 0 | 3 | 9 | 1 | 1 |
| 1962 | CHA | 3B | 41 | 5 | 6 | 16 | 4 | 1 |
| 1962 | CHA | SS | 20 | 17 | 20 | 47 | 2 | 5 |
| 1963 | KC1 | 2B | 7 | 3 | 2 | 6 | 0 | 1 |
| 1963 | KC1 | 3B | 3 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| 1963 | KC1 | SS | 4 | 2 | 4 | 6 | 2 | 1 |
Career Games by Position
| Position | Games |
|---|---|
| Second Base | 41 |
| Third Base | 333 |
| Shortstop | 133 |
| Left Field | 1 |
| Center Field | 1 |
College History
| School Name | City | State | Years Attended |
|---|---|---|---|
| Indiana University-Bloomington | Bloomington | IN | 1952 |