Larry Jansen
Born: 7/16/1920 in Verboort, OR, USA
Died: 10/10/2009 in Verboort, OR, USA
MLB Debut: 1947-04-17 | Final Game: 1956-09-25
Bats: R | Throws: R | Height: 6'2" | Weight: 190 lbs
Full name: Lawrence Joseph Jansen
Biography
Larry Jansen, born in 1920, was a professional baseball pitcher who played from 1947 until his retirement in 1956. Over the course of his career, he established himself as a formidable presence on the mound, finishing with a record of 122 wins and 89 losses, alongside an earned run average (ERA) of 3.58. Known for his competitive spirit and effective pitching style, Jansen recorded a total of 842 strikeouts and earned 10 saves during his time in Major League Baseball (MLB). His contributions to the game were recognized with two All-Star selections, highlighting his status as one of the top pitchers of his era.
Jansen's career unfolded during a transformative period in baseball, marked by the integration of the sport and a shift in playing styles. He adeptly navigated the challenges of the post-World War II landscape, showcasing his skills in an increasingly competitive league. His ability to perform consistently in high-pressure situations made him a key asset to his teams and left a lasting impact on the franchises for which he played. Jansen's legacy endures as a testament to the caliber of talent that characterized baseball in the late 1940s and 1950s.
Career Pitching Statistics
| W | L | G | GS | CG | SHO | SV | IP | H | ER | HR | BB | SO | ERA | Pitcher PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 122 | 89 | 291 | 237 | 107 | 17 | 10 | 1765.7 | 1751 | 703 | 191 | 410 | 842 | 3.58 | 0 |
Season-by-Season Pitching
| Year | Team | Lg | W | L | G | GS | CG | SHO | SV | IP | H | ER | BB | SO | ERA | Pitcher PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1947 | NY1 | NL | 21 | 5 | 42 | 30 | 20 | 1 | 1 | 248.0 | 241 | 87 | 57 | 104 | 3.16 | 2095.2 |
| 1948 | NY1 | NL | 18 | 12 | 42 | 36 | 15 | 4 | 2 | 277.0 | 283 | 111 | 54 | 126 | 3.61 | 4263.8 |
| 1949 | NY1 | NL | 15 | 16 | 37 | 35 | 17 | 3 | 0 | 259.7 | 271 | 111 | 62 | 113 | 3.85 | -442.0 |
| 1950 | NY1 | NL | 19 | 13 | 40 | 35 | 21 | 5 | 3 | 275.0 | 238 | 92 | 55 | 161 | 3.01 | 6331.8 |
| 1951 | NY1 | NL | 23 | 11 | 39 | 34 | 18 | 3 | 0 | 278.7 | 254 | 94 | 56 | 145 | 3.04 | 5563.6 |
| 1952 | NY1 | NL | 11 | 11 | 34 | 27 | 8 | 1 | 2 | 167.3 | 183 | 76 | 47 | 74 | 4.09 | 14.2 |
| 1953 | NY1 | NL | 11 | 16 | 36 | 26 | 6 | 0 | 1 | 184.7 | 185 | 85 | 55 | 88 | 4.14 | -558.4 |
| 1954 | NY1 | NL | 2 | 2 | 13 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 40.7 | 57 | 27 | 15 | 15 | 5.98 | -555.6 |
| 1956 | CIN | NL | 2 | 3 | 8 | 7 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 34.7 | 39 | 20 | 9 | 16 | 5.19 | -194.0 |
Career Batting Statistics
| G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | BB | SO | AVG | OBP | SLG | OPS | PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 291 | 600 | 37 | 90 | 12 | 1 | 1 | 48 | 0 | 39 | 157 | 0.150 | 0.202 | 0.178 | 0.380 | -4775.2 |
Season-by-Season Batting
| Year | Team | Lg | G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | BB | SO | AVG | PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1947 | NY1 | NL | 42 | 86 | 6 | 16 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 3 | 13 | 0.186 | -607.0 |
| 1948 | NY1 | NL | 42 | 95 | 4 | 13 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 4 | 22 | 0.137 | -887.8 |
| 1949 | NY1 | NL | 37 | 97 | 2 | 16 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 4 | 18 | 0.165 | -748.3 |
| 1950 | NY1 | NL | 40 | 96 | 6 | 16 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 13 | 0 | 3 | 26 | 0.167 | -785.6 |
| 1951 | NY1 | NL | 39 | 96 | 5 | 9 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 7 | 33 | 0.094 | -1082.5 |
| 1952 | NY1 | NL | 34 | 45 | 7 | 8 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 9 | 0 | 11 | 13 | 0.178 | -122.3 |
| 1953 | NY1 | NL | 36 | 60 | 5 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 6 | 21 | 0.133 | -541.7 |
| 1954 | NY1 | NL | 13 | 14 | 1 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0.286 | 0.0 |
| 1956 | CIN | NL | 8 | 11 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 7 | 0.000 | 0.0 |
Postseason Statistics
Playoff Career Batting
| G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | BB | SO | AVG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 | 2 | 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1951 | WS | NY1 | 3 | 2 | 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 | 2 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 10.0 | 8 | 7 | 4 | 6 | 6.30 |
Playoff Pitching by Year
| Year | Round | Team | W | L | G | GS | SV | IP | H | ER | BB | SO | ERA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1951 | WS | NY1 | 0 | 2 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 10.0 | 8 | 7 | 4 | 6 | 6.30 |
Fielding Statistics
Career Fielding Totals by Position
| Position | G | GS | PO | A | E | DP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| P | 291 | 14 | 138 | 335 | 11 | 31 |
Season-by-Season Fielding
| Year | Team | Pos | G | GS | PO | A | E | DP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1947 | NY1 | P | 42 | 0 | 19 | 42 | 4 | 3 |
| 1948 | NY1 | P | 42 | 0 | 20 | 56 | 1 | 7 |
| 1949 | NY1 | P | 37 | 0 | 14 | 57 | 1 | 1 |
| 1950 | NY1 | P | 40 | 0 | 30 | 45 | 1 | 7 |
| 1951 | NY1 | P | 39 | 0 | 29 | 54 | 1 | 3 |
| 1952 | NY1 | P | 34 | 0 | 9 | 38 | 3 | 5 |
| 1953 | NY1 | P | 36 | 0 | 11 | 27 | 0 | 2 |
| 1954 | NY1 | P | 13 | 7 | 3 | 12 | 0 | 3 |
| 1956 | CIN | P | 8 | 7 | 3 | 4 | 0 | 0 |
Career Games by Position
| Position | Games |
|---|---|
| Pitcher | 291 |
Awards & Honors
| Year | Award | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 1950 | Baseball Magazine All-Star | P3 |
Award Voting History
| Year | Award | League | Finish | Points Won | Points Max | Votes First |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1951 | Most Valuable Player | NL | 14th | 26.0 | 336 | 0 |
| 1950 | Most Valuable Player | NL | 33th | 2.0 | 336 | 0 |
| 1948 | Most Valuable Player | NL | 28th | 2.0 | 336 | 0 |
| 1947 | Most Valuable Player | NL | 7th | 91.0 | 336 | 1 |
| 1947 | Rookie of the Year | ML | 2nd | 105.0 | 165 | 0 |