Jeff King
Born: 12/26/1964 in Marion, IN, USA
MLB Debut: 1989-06-02 | Final Game: 1999-05-21
Bats: R | Throws: R | Height: 6'1" | Weight: 175 lbs
Full name: Jeffrey Wayne King
Biography
Jeff King was a professional baseball player born in 1964, who had a notable career spanning from 1989 until 1999. Over the course of 1,201 games, King established himself as a reliable position player in Major League Baseball. He was known for his power-hitting ability, finishing his career with 1,091 hits, 154 home runs, and 709 RBIs. His career batting average of .256 reflected his solid but not overwhelming offensive contributions during a time when the league was seeing increased focus on power hitting.
King's playing style was characterized by his versatility and speed on the bases, as evidenced by his 75 stolen bases. Throughout the 1990s, he played for teams such as the Pittsburgh Pirates and the Kansas City Royals, contributing significantly to their lineups. His career unfolded during an era marked by the advent of the long ball and an increasing emphasis on offensive production, making his contributions particularly impactful as teams sought to adapt to the evolving game dynamics. King left a lasting legacy as a dependable player who consistently contributed to his teams' successes during his decade-long career.
Career Batting Statistics
| G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | BB | SO | AVG | OBP | SLG | OPS | PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1201 | 4262 | 600 | 1091 | 222 | 18 | 154 | 709 | 75 | 442 | 584 | 0.256 | 0.324 | 0.425 | 0.749 | 277.2 |
Season-by-Season Batting
| Year | Team | Lg | G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | BB | SO | AVG | PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1989 | PIT | NL | 75 | 215 | 31 | 42 | 13 | 3 | 5 | 19 | 4 | 20 | 34 | 0.195 | -497.6 |
| 1990 | PIT | NL | 127 | 371 | 46 | 91 | 17 | 1 | 14 | 53 | 3 | 21 | 50 | 0.245 | -359.9 |
| 1991 | PIT | NL | 33 | 109 | 16 | 26 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 18 | 3 | 14 | 15 | 0.239 | 12.1 |
| 1992 | PIT | NL | 130 | 480 | 56 | 111 | 21 | 2 | 14 | 65 | 4 | 27 | 56 | 0.231 | -913.1 |
| 1993 | PIT | NL | 158 | 611 | 82 | 180 | 35 | 3 | 9 | 98 | 8 | 59 | 54 | 0.295 | 510.0 |
| 1994 | PIT | NL | 94 | 339 | 36 | 89 | 23 | 0 | 5 | 42 | 3 | 30 | 38 | 0.263 | -688.8 |
| 1995 | PIT | NL | 122 | 445 | 61 | 118 | 27 | 2 | 18 | 87 | 7 | 55 | 63 | 0.265 | 445.2 |
| 1996 | PIT | NL | 155 | 591 | 91 | 160 | 36 | 4 | 30 | 111 | 15 | 70 | 95 | 0.271 | 1144.3 |
| 1997 | KCR | AL | 155 | 543 | 84 | 129 | 30 | 1 | 28 | 112 | 16 | 89 | 96 | 0.238 | 532.6 |
| 1998 | KCR | AL | 131 | 486 | 83 | 128 | 17 | 1 | 24 | 93 | 10 | 42 | 73 | 0.263 | 44.0 |
| 1999 | KCR | AL | 21 | 72 | 14 | 17 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 11 | 2 | 15 | 10 | 0.236 | 48.2 |
Postseason Statistics
Playoff Career Batting
| G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | BB | SO | AVG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 12 | 39 | 4 | 8 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 6 | 0.205 |
Playoff Batting by Year
| Year | Round | Team | G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | BB | SO | AVG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1992 | NLCS | PIT | 7 | 29 | 4 | 7 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0.241 |
| 1990 | NLCS | PIT | 5 | 10 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 5 | 0.100 |
Fielding Statistics
Career Fielding Totals by Position
| Position | G | GS | PO | A | E | DP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1B | 488 | 455 | 4035 | 364 | 20 | 400 |
| 2B | 121 | 97 | 217 | 288 | 9 | 66 |
| 3B | 586 | 526 | 347 | 1179 | 75 | 103 |
| OF | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| SS | 11 | 3 | 4 | 10 | 3 | 1 |
Season-by-Season Fielding
| Year | Team | Pos | G | GS | PO | A | E | DP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1989 | PIT | 1B | 46 | 40 | 384 | 22 | 2 | 32 |
| 1989 | PIT | 2B | 7 | 5 | 10 | 14 | 0 | 2 |
| 1989 | PIT | 3B | 13 | 10 | 9 | 23 | 2 | 2 |
| 1989 | PIT | SS | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1990 | PIT | 1B | 1 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1990 | PIT | 3B | 115 | 86 | 58 | 215 | 18 | 15 |
| 1991 | PIT | 3B | 33 | 32 | 15 | 62 | 2 | 0 |
| 1992 | PIT | 1B | 32 | 30 | 270 | 21 | 2 | 27 |
| 1992 | PIT | 2B | 32 | 23 | 49 | 68 | 0 | 16 |
| 1992 | PIT | 3B | 73 | 64 | 44 | 139 | 9 | 14 |
| 1992 | PIT | SS | 6 | 3 | 4 | 6 | 1 | 1 |
| 1992 | PIT | OF | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1993 | PIT | 2B | 2 | 1 | 3 | 6 | 1 | 2 |
| 1993 | PIT | 3B | 156 | 155 | 105 | 353 | 17 | 28 |
| 1993 | PIT | SS | 2 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| 1994 | PIT | 2B | 1 | 1 | 2 | 5 | 1 | 2 |
| 1994 | PIT | 3B | 91 | 89 | 59 | 193 | 12 | 27 |
| 1995 | PIT | 1B | 35 | 32 | 296 | 27 | 2 | 22 |
| 1995 | PIT | 2B | 8 | 4 | 8 | 14 | 0 | 4 |
| 1995 | PIT | 3B | 84 | 80 | 48 | 164 | 13 | 14 |
| 1995 | PIT | SS | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 0 |
| 1996 | PIT | 1B | 92 | 76 | 745 | 47 | 2 | 60 |
| 1996 | PIT | 2B | 71 | 63 | 145 | 181 | 7 | 40 |
| 1996 | PIT | 3B | 17 | 7 | 6 | 24 | 2 | 1 |
| 1997 | KCA | 1B | 150 | 147 | 1217 | 147 | 5 | 135 |
| 1998 | KCA | 1B | 112 | 110 | 932 | 85 | 5 | 103 |
| 1998 | KCA | 3B | 4 | 3 | 3 | 6 | 0 | 2 |
| 1999 | KCA | 1B | 20 | 20 | 188 | 15 | 2 | 21 |
Career Games by Position
| Position | Games |
|---|---|
| First Base | 488 |
| Second Base | 121 |
| Third Base | 586 |
| Shortstop | 11 |
| Right Field | 1 |
| Designated Hitter | 19 |
Awards & Honors
| Year | Award | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 1997 | Player of the Month | June |
| 1997 | Player of the Week | Week of 1997-09-27 |
| 1996 | Player of the Week | Week of 1996-05-04 |
Salary History
| Year | Team | League | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1999 | KCA | AL | $4,000,000 |
| 1998 | KCA | AL | $4,000,000 |
| 1997 | KCA | AL | $2,500,000 |
| 1996 | PIT | NL | $2,500,000 |
| 1995 | PIT | NL | $2,160,000 |
| 1994 | PIT | NL | $2,400,000 |
| 1993 | PIT | NL | $675,000 |
| 1992 | PIT | NL | $325,000 |
| 1991 | PIT | NL | $215,000 |
| 1990 | PIT | NL | $112,500 |
| 1989 | PIT | NL | $68,000 |
| Total Career Earnings | $18,955,500 | ||
College History
| School Name | City | State | Years Attended |
|---|---|---|---|
| University of Arkansas | Fayetteville | AR | 1984, 1985, 1986 |