Joe Grzenda
Born: 6/8/1937 in Scranton, PA, USA
Died: 7/12/2019 in Covington Township, PA, USA
MLB Debut: 1961-04-26 | Final Game: 1972-09-23
Bats: R | Throws: L | Height: 6'2" | Weight: 180 lbs
Full name: Joseph Charles Grzenda
Biography
Joe Grzenda, born in 1937, was a professional baseball pitcher who played in Major League Baseball from 1961 until his final game on September 23, 1972. Over the course of his career, Grzenda compiled a record of 14 wins and 13 losses, showcasing his ability to compete effectively on the mound. With an earned run average (ERA) of 4.0, he contributed significantly to his teams, striking out a total of 173 batters and securing 14 saves. His playing style was characterized by a solid mix of control and resilience, which allowed him to perform in high-pressure situations throughout his tenure in the league.
Grzenda's career unfolded during a transformative era in baseball, marked by the emergence of more powerful hitters and the increasing importance of relief pitching. His ability to adapt to these changes made him a valuable asset to the teams he played for. Although not a household name, Grzenda's contributions to the game exemplified the dedication and tenacity that defined many players of his generation, earning him a respected place in baseball history.
Career Pitching Statistics
| W | L | G | GS | CG | SHO | SV | IP | H | ER | HR | BB | SO | ERA | Pitcher PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 14 | 13 | 219 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 14 | 308.0 | 323 | 137 | 20 | 120 | 173 | 4.00 | 0 |
Season-by-Season Pitching
| Year | Team | Lg | W | L | G | GS | CG | SHO | SV | IP | H | ER | BB | SO | ERA | Pitcher PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1961 | DET | AL | 1 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5.7 | 9 | 5 | 2 | 0 | 7.94 | 0.0 |
| 1964 | KC1 | AL | 0 | 2 | 20 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 25.0 | 34 | 15 | 13 | 17 | 5.40 | -241.5 |
| 1966 | KC1 | AL | 0 | 2 | 21 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 22.0 | 28 | 8 | 12 | 14 | 3.27 | 6.3 |
| 1967 | NYN | NL | 0 | 0 | 11 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 16.7 | 14 | 4 | 8 | 9 | 2.16 | 93.8 |
| 1969 | MIN | AL | 4 | 1 | 38 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 48.7 | 52 | 21 | 17 | 24 | 3.88 | -107.6 |
| 1970 | WS2 | AL | 3 | 6 | 49 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 84.7 | 86 | 47 | 34 | 38 | 5.00 | -849.1 |
| 1971 | WS2 | AL | 5 | 2 | 46 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 70.3 | 54 | 15 | 17 | 56 | 1.92 | 2626.7 |
| 1972 | STL | NL | 1 | 0 | 30 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 35.0 | 46 | 22 | 17 | 15 | 5.66 | - |
Career Batting Statistics
| G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | BB | SO | AVG | OBP | SLG | OPS | PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 219 | 30 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 19 | 0.067 | 0.125 | 0.067 | 0.192 | 0.0 |
Season-by-Season Batting
| Year | Team | Lg | G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | BB | SO | AVG | PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1961 | DET | AL | 4 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1.000 | 0.0 |
| 1964 | KC1 | AL | 20 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.000 | 0.0 |
| 1966 | KC1 | AL | 21 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0.000 | 0.0 |
| 1967 | NYN | NL | 11 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.000 | 0.0 |
| 1969 | MIN | AL | 38 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 3 | 0.000 | 0.0 |
| 1970 | WS2 | AL | 49 | 12 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 11 | 0.000 | 0.0 |
| 1971 | WS2 | AL | 46 | 7 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0.143 | 0.0 |
| 1972 | STL | NL | 30 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.000 | 0.0 |
Postseason Statistics
Playoff Career Batting
| G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | BB | SO | AVG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 |
Playoff Batting by Year
| Year | Round | Team | G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | BB | SO | AVG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1969 | ALCS | MIN | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 |
Playoff Career Pitching
| W | L | G | GS | SV | IP | H | ER | BB | SO | ERA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0.7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.00 |
Playoff Pitching by Year
| Year | Round | Team | W | L | G | GS | SV | IP | H | ER | BB | SO | ERA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1969 | ALCS | MIN | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0.7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.00 |
Fielding Statistics
Career Fielding Totals by Position
| Position | G | GS | PO | A | E | DP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| P | 219 | 3 | 6 | 66 | 0 | 3 |
Season-by-Season Fielding
| Year | Team | Pos | G | GS | PO | A | E | DP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1961 | DET | P | 4 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| 1964 | KC1 | P | 20 | 0 | 0 | 10 | 0 | 0 |
| 1966 | KC1 | P | 21 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 1 |
| 1967 | NYN | P | 11 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 1969 | MIN | P | 38 | 0 | 0 | 14 | 0 | 1 |
| 1970 | WS2 | P | 49 | 3 | 3 | 16 | 0 | 1 |
| 1971 | WS2 | P | 46 | 0 | 0 | 11 | 0 | 0 |
| 1972 | SLN | P | 30 | 0 | 2 | 6 | 0 | 0 |
Career Games by Position
| Position | Games |
|---|---|
| Pitcher | 219 |