Brian Harper
Born: 10/16/1959 in Los Angeles, CA, USA
MLB Debut: 1979-09-29 | Final Game: 1995-04-29
Bats: R | Throws: R | Height: 6'2" | Weight: 195 lbs
Full name: Brian David Harper
Biography
Brian Harper, born in 1959, was a professional baseball player who enjoyed a successful career spanning from 1979 to 1995. Primarily serving as a position player, Harper appeared in 1,001 games across his career, during which he established himself as a reliable hitter and an integral part of the teams he played for. With a career batting average of .295, he demonstrated exceptional hitting prowess, accumulating 931 hits and 63 home runs. In addition to his offensive contributions, he recorded 428 RBIs and stole 8 bases, showcasing his versatility on the field.
Throughout his time in Major League Baseball, Harper played in an era that was characterized by a shift towards more offensive gameplay, a transition that began to take shape in the 1980s. His ability to consistently hit for average and drive in runs made him a valuable asset to his teams. Harper's legacy is marked not only by his statistics but also by his work ethic and approach to the game, which influenced the players around him. After his retirement on April 29, 1995, he left behind a commendable record that reflects his dedication to the sport and his impact on the game of baseball.
Career Batting Statistics
| G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | BB | SO | AVG | OBP | SLG | OPS | PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1001 | 3151 | 339 | 931 | 186 | 7 | 63 | 428 | 8 | 133 | 188 | 0.295 | 0.329 | 0.419 | 0.748 | 2818.5 |
Season-by-Season Batting
| Year | Team | Lg | G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | BB | SO | AVG | PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1979 | LAA | AL | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0.000 | 0.0 |
| 1981 | LAA | AL | 4 | 11 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0.273 | 0.0 |
| 1982 | PIT | NL | 20 | 29 | 4 | 8 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 0.276 | 0.0 |
| 1983 | PIT | NL | 61 | 131 | 16 | 29 | 4 | 1 | 7 | 20 | 0 | 2 | 15 | 0.221 | -281.6 |
| 1984 | PIT | NL | 46 | 112 | 4 | 29 | 4 | 0 | 2 | 11 | 0 | 5 | 11 | 0.259 | -162.6 |
| 1985 | STL | NL | 43 | 52 | 5 | 13 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 0 | 2 | 3 | 0.250 | -159.8 |
| 1986 | DET | AL | 19 | 36 | 2 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 0.139 | 0.0 |
| 1987 | OAK | AL | 11 | 17 | 1 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0.235 | 0.0 |
| 1988 | MIN | AL | 60 | 166 | 15 | 49 | 11 | 1 | 3 | 20 | 0 | 10 | 12 | 0.295 | 300.9 |
| 1989 | MIN | AL | 126 | 385 | 43 | 125 | 24 | 0 | 8 | 57 | 2 | 13 | 16 | 0.325 | 1038.0 |
| 1990 | MIN | AL | 134 | 479 | 61 | 141 | 42 | 3 | 6 | 54 | 3 | 19 | 27 | 0.294 | 492.2 |
| 1991 | MIN | AL | 123 | 441 | 54 | 137 | 28 | 1 | 10 | 69 | 1 | 14 | 22 | 0.311 | 741.1 |
| 1992 | MIN | AL | 140 | 502 | 58 | 154 | 25 | 0 | 9 | 73 | 0 | 26 | 22 | 0.307 | 665.6 |
| 1993 | MIN | AL | 147 | 530 | 52 | 161 | 26 | 1 | 12 | 73 | 1 | 29 | 29 | 0.304 | 519.0 |
| 1994 | ATL | AL | 64 | 251 | 23 | 73 | 15 | 0 | 4 | 32 | 0 | 9 | 18 | 0.291 | -334.2 |
| 1995 | OAK | AL | 2 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0.000 | 0.0 |
Postseason Statistics
Playoff Career Batting
| G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | BB | SO | AVG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 17 | 44 | 3 | 14 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 2 | 5 | 0.318 |
Playoff Batting by Year
| Year | Round | Team | G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | BB | SO | AVG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1991 | ALCS | MIN | 5 | 18 | 1 | 5 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0.278 |
| 1991 | WS | MIN | 7 | 21 | 2 | 8 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 0.381 |
| 1985 | NLCS | SLN | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.000 |
| 1985 | WS | SLN | 4 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0.250 |
Fielding Statistics
Career Fielding Totals by Position
| Position | G | GS | PO | A | E | DP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1B | 9 | 3 | 25 | 5 | 0 | 2 |
| 3B | 13 | 3 | 8 | 8 | 0 | 0 |
| C | 688 | 639 | 3618 | 272 | 58 | 35 |
| OF | 114 | 79 | 129 | 3 | 3 | 0 |
Season-by-Season Fielding
| Year | Team | Pos | G | GS | PO | A | E | DP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1981 | CAL | OF | 2 | 2 | 5 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 1982 | PIT | OF | 8 | 4 | 10 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1983 | PIT | 1B | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1983 | PIT | OF | 35 | 27 | 40 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1984 | PIT | C | 2 | 1 | 9 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1984 | PIT | OF | 37 | 32 | 48 | 3 | 1 | 0 |
| 1985 | SLN | C | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1985 | SLN | 1B | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1985 | SLN | 3B | 6 | 3 | 5 | 5 | 0 | 0 |
| 1985 | SLN | OF | 13 | 3 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1986 | DET | C | 2 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1986 | DET | 1B | 2 | 1 | 7 | 2 | 0 | 2 |
| 1986 | DET | OF | 11 | 7 | 13 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 1987 | OAK | OF | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1988 | MIN | C | 48 | 41 | 207 | 15 | 2 | 0 |
| 1988 | MIN | 3B | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1989 | MIN | C | 101 | 86 | 456 | 35 | 11 | 7 |
| 1989 | MIN | 1B | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1989 | MIN | 3B | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 1989 | MIN | OF | 3 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1990 | MIN | C | 120 | 115 | 672 | 53 | 11 | 5 |
| 1990 | MIN | 1B | 2 | 2 | 13 | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| 1990 | MIN | 3B | 3 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| 1991 | MIN | C | 119 | 114 | 642 | 33 | 8 | 7 |
| 1991 | MIN | 1B | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1991 | MIN | OF | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1992 | MIN | C | 133 | 128 | 744 | 58 | 13 | 8 |
| 1993 | MIN | C | 134 | 129 | 736 | 64 | 10 | 6 |
| 1994 | ML4 | C | 25 | 24 | 141 | 14 | 3 | 2 |
| 1994 | ML4 | OF | 3 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1995 | OAK | C | 2 | 1 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Career Games by Position
| Position | Games |
|---|---|
| Catcher | 688 |
| First Base | 9 |
| Third Base | 13 |
| Left Field | 87 |
| Right Field | 29 |
| Designated Hitter | 97 |
Awards & Honors
| Year | Award | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 1992 | Player of the Week | Week of 1992-06-27 |
Salary History
| Year | Team | League | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1994 | ML4 | AL | $1,000,000 |
| 1993 | MIN | AL | $2,400,000 |
| 1992 | MIN | AL | $2,500,000 |
| 1991 | MIN | AL | $625,000 |
| 1990 | MIN | AL | $500,000 |
| 1989 | MIN | AL | $147,500 |
| 1987 | OAK | AL | $70,000 |
| 1985 | SLN | NL | $135,000 |
| Total Career Earnings | $7,377,500 | ||