Alex Kellner
Born: 8/26/1924 in Tucson, AZ, USA
Died: 5/3/1996 in Tucson, AZ, USA
MLB Debut: 1948-04-29 | Final Game: 1959-06-23
Bats: R | Throws: L | Height: 6'0" | Weight: 200 lbs
Full name: Alexander Raymond Kellner
Biography
Alex Kellner was a professional baseball pitcher who played in Major League Baseball from 1948 to 1959. Born in 1924, Kellner made a name for himself during a transitional period in baseball, navigating the shift from the post-war era into a time of greater offensive output. Over the course of his career, he compiled a record of 101 wins and 112 losses, with an earned run average of 4.41. He recorded a total of 816 strikeouts and secured 5 saves, showcasing his ability to both start and relieve in games.
Kellner's lone All-Star selection in 1954 marked a high point in his career, reflecting his recognition as one of the more competent pitchers of his era. His playing style combined a solid fastball with an understanding of the art of pitching, which allowed him to stay competitive in a league that was becoming increasingly dominated by hitters. While his win-loss record may not have been stellar, Kellner's contributions to his teams and the game during the late 1940s and 1950s are remembered by baseball historians and fans alike.
Career Pitching Statistics
| W | L | G | GS | CG | SHO | SV | IP | H | ER | HR | BB | SO | ERA | Pitcher PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 101 | 112 | 321 | 250 | 99 | 9 | 5 | 1849.3 | 1925 | 906 | 184 | 747 | 816 | 4.41 | 0 |
Season-by-Season Pitching
| Year | Team | Lg | W | L | G | GS | CG | SHO | SV | IP | H | ER | BB | SO | ERA | Pitcher PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1948 | PHA | AL | 0 | 0 | 13 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 23.0 | 21 | 20 | 16 | 14 | 7.83 | 191.4 |
| 1949 | PHA | AL | 20 | 12 | 38 | 27 | 19 | 0 | 1 | 245.0 | 243 | 102 | 129 | 94 | 3.75 | -1192.8 |
| 1950 | PHA | AL | 8 | 20 | 36 | 29 | 15 | 0 | 2 | 225.3 | 253 | 137 | 112 | 85 | 5.47 | -3568.4 |
| 1951 | PHA | AL | 11 | 14 | 33 | 29 | 11 | 1 | 2 | 209.7 | 218 | 104 | 93 | 94 | 4.46 | -935.5 |
| 1952 | PHA | AL | 12 | 14 | 34 | 33 | 14 | 2 | 0 | 231.3 | 223 | 112 | 86 | 105 | 4.36 | -774.0 |
| 1953 | PHA | AL | 11 | 12 | 25 | 25 | 14 | 2 | 0 | 201.7 | 210 | 88 | 51 | 81 | 3.93 | 5343.7 |
| 1954 | PHA | AL | 6 | 17 | 27 | 27 | 8 | 1 | 0 | 173.7 | 204 | 104 | 88 | 69 | 5.39 | -2376.9 |
| 1955 | KC1 | AL | 11 | 8 | 30 | 24 | 6 | 3 | 0 | 162.7 | 164 | 76 | 60 | 75 | 4.20 | -356.8 |
| 1956 | KC1 | AL | 7 | 4 | 20 | 17 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 91.7 | 103 | 44 | 33 | 44 | 4.32 | -1677.1 |
| 1957 | KC1 | AL | 6 | 5 | 28 | 21 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 132.7 | 141 | 63 | 41 | 72 | 4.27 | -935.9 |
| 1958 | CIN | NL | 7 | 3 | 18 | 7 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 82.0 | 74 | 21 | 20 | 42 | 2.30 | 625.5 |
| 1958 | KC1 | AL | 0 | 2 | 7 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 33.7 | 40 | 22 | 8 | 22 | 5.88 | 41.1 |
| 1959 | STL | NL | 2 | 1 | 12 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 37.0 | 31 | 13 | 10 | 19 | 3.16 | - |
Career Batting Statistics
| G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | BB | SO | AVG | OBP | SLG | OPS | PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 323 | 643 | 49 | 138 | 16 | 1 | 4 | 57 | 0 | 30 | 106 | 0.215 | 0.251 | 0.261 | 0.513 | -2871.3 |
Season-by-Season Batting
| Year | Team | Lg | G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | BB | SO | AVG | PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1948 | PHA | AL | 13 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0.000 | 0.0 |
| 1949 | PHA | AL | 38 | 92 | 7 | 20 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 10 | 0 | 7 | 15 | 0.217 | -490.0 |
| 1950 | PHA | AL | 36 | 80 | 5 | 16 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 4 | 13 | 0.200 | -561.9 |
| 1951 | PHA | AL | 33 | 79 | 5 | 18 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 9 | 0 | 1 | 13 | 0.228 | -421.6 |
| 1952 | PHA | AL | 34 | 82 | 6 | 17 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 10 | 0 | 1 | 9 | 0.207 | -429.0 |
| 1953 | PHA | AL | 25 | 69 | 4 | 15 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 8 | 0.217 | -338.6 |
| 1954 | PHA | AL | 27 | 55 | 2 | 10 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 2 | 8 | 0.182 | -396.3 |
| 1955 | KC1 | AL | 30 | 56 | 6 | 12 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 4 | 7 | 0.214 | -234.0 |
| 1956 | KC1 | AL | 21 | 30 | 2 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 10 | 0.200 | 0.0 |
| 1957 | KC1 | AL | 28 | 47 | 7 | 11 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 6 | 0 | 2 | 10 | 0.234 | 0.0 |
| 1958 | CIN | NL | 18 | 28 | 5 | 10 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 2 | 6 | 0.357 | 0.0 |
| 1958 | KC1 | AL | 8 | 11 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 0.091 | 0.0 |
| 1959 | STL | NL | 12 | 9 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0.222 | 0.0 |
Fielding Statistics
Career Fielding Totals by Position
| Position | G | GS | PO | A | E | DP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| P | 321 | 106 | 83 | 280 | 17 | 27 |
Season-by-Season Fielding
| Year | Team | Pos | G | GS | PO | A | E | DP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1948 | PHA | P | 13 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| 1949 | PHA | P | 38 | 0 | 9 | 46 | 3 | 4 |
| 1950 | PHA | P | 36 | 0 | 13 | 27 | 3 | 2 |
| 1951 | PHA | P | 33 | 0 | 15 | 31 | 2 | 3 |
| 1952 | PHA | P | 34 | 0 | 17 | 28 | 0 | 4 |
| 1953 | PHA | P | 25 | 0 | 5 | 28 | 2 | 2 |
| 1954 | PHA | P | 27 | 27 | 6 | 32 | 0 | 2 |
| 1955 | KC1 | P | 30 | 24 | 4 | 30 | 3 | 2 |
| 1956 | KC1 | P | 20 | 17 | 1 | 17 | 1 | 2 |
| 1957 | KC1 | P | 28 | 21 | 5 | 24 | 2 | 4 |
| 1958 | CIN | P | 18 | 7 | 3 | 6 | 0 | 1 |
| 1958 | KC1 | P | 7 | 6 | 2 | 5 | 0 | 1 |
| 1959 | SLN | P | 12 | 4 | 3 | 4 | 1 | 0 |
Career Games by Position
| Position | Games |
|---|---|
| Pitcher | 321 |
Award Voting History
| Year | Award | League | Finish | Points Won | Points Max | Votes First |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1949 | Most Valuable Player | AL | 18th | 6.0 | 336 | 0 |
| 1949 | Rookie of the Year | AL | 2nd | 5.0 | 24 | 5 |