Jim Gosger
Outfielder · Career Stats, Bio & Records (1963-1974)
Jim Gosger was an outfielder who played in Major League Baseball from 1963 to 1974 for 6 teams, including the Boston Red Sox, a span of 12 seasons. In 705 career games, he hit .226 with 411 hits, 30 home runs, and 177 RBI.
- AVG (Batting Average):
- Hits divided by at bats. .300 is the traditional mark of an excellent hitter.
- HR (Home Runs):
- Hits on which the batter circled the bases and scored, almost always by clearing the outfield fence.
- RBI (Runs Batted In):
- Runs that scored as a direct result of a batter's plate appearance.
- OPS (On-Base Plus Slugging):
- On-base percentage plus slugging percentage, the quickest single summary of offensive value. .900 or better is star-level.
Data updated
- Position
- Outfielder
- Bats / Throws
- L / L
- Height / Weight
- 5'11" / 185 lb
- MLB Debut
- 1963-05-04
- Last Game
- 1974-09-22
Full name: James Charles Gosger
Career Batting Statistics
| G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | BB | SO | AVG | OBP | SLG | OPS | PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 705 | 1,815 | 197 | 411 | 67 | 16 | 30 | 177 | 25 | 217 | 316 | .226 | .309 | .331 | .640 | -747 |
Career AVG .226 vs. league average .249 across their career seasons — 9.0% below league average.
Career OBP .309 vs. league average .315 across their career seasons — near league average.
Career SLG .331 vs. league average .369 across their career seasons — 10.4% below league average.
Career OPS .640 vs. league average .684 across their career seasons — 6.5% below league average.
Season-by-Season Batting
Click a stat to plot it across every season.
| Year | Team | Lg | G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | BB | SO | AVG | Lg AVG | Lg OBP | Lg SLG | Lg OPS | PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1963 | BOS | AL | 19 | 16 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 5 | .062 | — | — | — | — | 0.0 |
| 1965 | BOS | AL | 81 | 324 | 45 | 83 | 15 | 4 | 9 | 35 | 3 | 29 | 61 | .256 | .245 (+4%) | .310 (+2%) | .371 (+10%) | .682 (+7%) | 336.2 |
| 1966 | BOS | AL | 40 | 126 | 16 | 32 | 4 | 0 | 5 | 17 | 0 | 15 | 20 | .254 | .248 (+2%) | .309 (+8%) | .376 (+8%) | .685 (+8%) | 187.4 |
| 1966 | KC1 | AL | 88 | 272 | 34 | 61 | 14 | 1 | 5 | 27 | 5 | 37 | 53 | .224 | .248 (-10%) | .309 (+4%) | .376 (-10%) | .685 (-4%) | 187.4 |
| 1967 | KC1 | AL | 134 | 356 | 31 | 86 | 14 | 5 | 5 | 36 | 5 | 53 | 69 | .242 | .242 (avg) | .306 (+10%) | .357 (-2%) | .663 (+4%) | 354.6 |
| 1968 | OAK | AL | 88 | 150 | 7 | 27 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 4 | 17 | 21 | .180 | .236 (-24%) | .298 (-12%) | .340 (-41%) | .638 (-28%) | -550.6 |
| 1969 | SE1 | AL | 39 | 55 | 4 | 6 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 6 | 11 | .109 | .248 (-56%) | .320 (-39%) | .369 (-36%) | .689 (-37%) | -328.2 |
| 1969 | NYN | NL | 10 | 15 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 6 | .133 | — | — | — | — | -328.2 |
| 1970 | MON | NL | 91 | 274 | 38 | 72 | 11 | 2 | 5 | 37 | 5 | 35 | 35 | .263 | .253 (+3%) | .325 (+7%) | .385 (-3%) | .711 (+1%) | 147.3 |
| 1971 | MON | NL | 51 | 102 | 7 | 16 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 8 | 1 | 9 | 17 | .157 | .249 (-37%) | .316 (-27%) | .365 (-41%) | .682 (-35%) | -547.4 |
| 1973 | NYN | NL | 38 | 92 | 9 | 22 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 10 | 0 | 9 | 16 | .239 | .256 (-7%) | .325 (-7%) | .378 (-31%) | .703 (-20%) | -266.9 |
| 1974 | NYN | NL | 26 | 33 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 2 | .091 | — | — | — | — | 0.0 |
| Career · 12 seasons | 705 | 1,815 | 197 | 411 | 67 | 16 | 30 | 177 | 25 | 217 | 316 | .226 | — | — | — | — | -808 | ||
Lg columns show the league average for that season, with the player's figure as a percentage above or below it. Career totals the seasons listed above.
Game Log & Splits
View full game log (706 games) →Per-game data from Retrosheet (regular season, through 2025).
Batting — Home / Away
| Split | G | AB | R | H | HR | RBI | AVG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Home | 350 | 901 | 96 | 212 | 13 | 83 | .235 |
| Away | 356 | 914 | 101 | 199 | 17 | 93 | .218 |
Last 10 Games — Batting
| Date | Tm | Opp | Res | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | BB | SO |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1974-09-22 | NYN | PIT | W | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1974-09-16 | NYN | WSN | W | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1974-09-15 | NYN | CHC | L | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 1974-09-13 | NYN | CHC | L | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1974-09-11 | NYN | STL | L | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 1974-09-09 | NYN | WSN | W | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1974-09-08 | NYN | STL | W | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1974-08-31 | NYN | ATL | W | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1974-08-28 | NYN | HOU | L | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1974-08-27 | NYN | HOU | W | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
Fielding Statistics
Career Fielding Totals by Position
| Position | G | GS | PO | A | E | DP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1B | 25 | 21 | 168 | 11 | 3 | 16 |
| OF | 555 | 419 | 994 | 25 | 15 | 7 |
Season-by-Season Fielding
| Year | Team | Pos | G | GS | PO | A | E | DP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1963 | BOS | OF | 4 | 2 | 9 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| 1965 | BOS | OF | 81 | 81 | 195 | 4 | 5 | 2 |
| 1966 | BOS | OF | 32 | 28 | 66 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 1966 | KC1 | OF | 77 | 70 | 158 | 3 | 1 | 0 |
| 1967 | KC1 | OF | 113 | 89 | 201 | 6 | 4 | 1 |
| 1968 | OAK | OF | 64 | 37 | 99 | 5 | 0 | 3 |
| 1969 | SE1 | OF | 26 | 12 | 36 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 1969 | NYN | OF | 5 | 3 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1970 | MON | 1B | 19 | 16 | 128 | 7 | 3 | 14 |
| 1970 | MON | OF | 71 | 53 | 124 | 5 | 0 | 1 |
| 1971 | MON | 1B | 6 | 5 | 40 | 4 | 0 | 2 |
| 1971 | MON | OF | 23 | 16 | 39 | 1 | 2 | 0 |
| 1973 | NYN | OF | 35 | 22 | 45 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1974 | NYN | OF | 24 | 6 | 17 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Career Games by Position
Circle size = games played at each position.
| Position | Games |
|---|---|
| First Base | 25 |
| Left Field | 215 |
| Center Field | 292 |
| Right Field | 84 |
Most Similar Players
Career comps based on counting + rate stats and primary position. Score is relative — closest peer anchors at ~98%.
Jim Gosger (highlighted) compared to peers across the same era.
Jim Gosger: the record in brief
Jim Gosger's major league career runs from a debut on May 4, 1963 to a final game on September 22, 1974. The season rows list, in order, the Boston Red Sox (1963 to 1966), the Kansas City Athletics (1966 to 1967), the Oakland Athletics (1968), the Seattle Pilots (1969), the New York Mets (1969 to 1974), and the Montreal Expos (1970 through 1971). Born on November 6, 1942, in Port Huron, MI, USA, Gosger is listed as an outfielder and both batted and threw left-handed. Size on record: 185 pounds on a 5-foot-11 frame. On the record, Jim Gosger was born James Charles Gosger.
Gosger finished with 411 hits from 1,815 at bats in 705 games, which works out to .226, adding 30 home runs, 177 runs batted in, and 25 stolen bases. The on-base percentage is .309 and the slugging percentage .331, for an OPS of .640. Set against a .249 league average for the same years, Gosger's .226 average sits 9.0% below it. The highest hit total in a season was 86, in 1967. 1970 brought the most runs batted in, 37.
Frequently Asked Questions about Jim Gosger
- What years did Jim Gosger play?
- Jim Gosger played in Major League Baseball from 1963 to 1974.
- Was Jim Gosger a pitcher?
- No. Jim Gosger was a position player (Outfielder).
- How many home runs did Jim Gosger hit?
- Jim Gosger hit 30 career home runs with 411 hits.
- What teams did Jim Gosger play for?
- Jim Gosger played for 5 teams: the Boston Red Sox (1963, 1965–1966), the Oakland Athletics (1966–1968), the Seattle Pilots (1969), the New York Mets (1969, 1973–1974), and the Montreal Expos (1970–1971).
- What were Jim Gosger's career stats?
- In 705 games, Jim Gosger had 411 hits, 30 home runs, 177 RBI, 197 runs, and 25 stolen bases, with a .226 batting average.
- What position did Jim Gosger play?
- Jim Gosger played primarily as an outfielder, the position where he appeared in the most games.
- How tall was Jim Gosger and how much did he weigh?
- Jim Gosger was listed at 5 feet 11 inches and 185 pounds.
- How many home runs did Jim Gosger hit each season?
- Jim Gosger's home runs by season: 0 in 1963, 9 in 1965, 10 in 1966, 5 in 1967, 0 in 1968, 1 in 1969, 5 in 1970, 0 in 1971, 0 in 1973, and 0 in 1974. His most in one season was 10, in 1966.
- What was Jim Gosger's career batting average?
- Jim Gosger batted .226 over his career, with 411 hits in 1,815 at bats.
- How many RBI did Jim Gosger have?
- Jim Gosger drove in 177 runs in his career.
- Is Jim Gosger in the Hall of Fame?
- No. Jim Gosger has not been inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame.