Les Lancaster
Born: 4/21/1962 in Dallas, TX, USA
MLB Debut: 1987-04-07 | Final Game: 1993-10-03
Bats: R | Throws: R | Height: 6'2" | Weight: 200 lbs
Full name: Lester Wayne Lancaster
Biography
Les Lancaster was a professional baseball pitcher who played in Major League Baseball from 1987 to 1993. Born in 1962, Lancaster established himself as a reliable arm during the late 1980s and early 1990s, a period marked by a transition in the game as teams began to emphasize both power hitting and strong bullpen performances. Over the course of his career, he posted a record of 41-28, with an earned run average (ERA) of 4.05. Lancaster's ability to strike out batters was evident in his 408 career strikeouts, and he also contributed to his teams' successes with 22 saves.
Lancaster's pitching style was characterized by a solid mix of off-speed pitches that kept hitters off balance, making him a valuable asset in both starting and relief roles. Throughout his career, he played for several teams, showcasing his adaptability and competence on the mound. His contributions during an era of offensive prowess in baseball underscored the importance of effective pitching, and he remains a significant figure in the annals of the game for his accomplishments during a competitive period in Major League Baseball history.
Career Pitching Statistics
| W | L | G | GS | CG | SHO | SV | IP | H | ER | HR | BB | SO | ERA | Pitcher PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 41 | 28 | 323 | 39 | 3 | 1 | 22 | 703.7 | 715 | 317 | 60 | 261 | 408 | 4.05 | 0 |
Season-by-Season Pitching
| Year | Team | Lg | W | L | G | GS | CG | SHO | SV | IP | H | ER | BB | SO | ERA | Pitcher PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1987 | CHC | NL | 8 | 3 | 27 | 18 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 132.3 | 138 | 72 | 51 | 78 | 4.90 | - |
| 1988 | CHC | NL | 4 | 6 | 44 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 85.7 | 89 | 36 | 34 | 36 | 3.78 | - |
| 1989 | CHC | NL | 4 | 2 | 42 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 72.7 | 60 | 11 | 15 | 56 | 1.36 | - |
| 1990 | CHC | NL | 9 | 5 | 55 | 6 | 1 | 1 | 6 | 109.0 | 121 | 56 | 40 | 65 | 4.62 | - |
| 1991 | CHC | NL | 9 | 7 | 64 | 11 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 156.0 | 150 | 61 | 49 | 102 | 3.52 | - |
| 1992 | DET | AL | 3 | 4 | 41 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 86.7 | 101 | 61 | 51 | 35 | 6.33 | -3857.6 |
| 1993 | STL | NL | 4 | 1 | 50 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 61.3 | 56 | 20 | 21 | 36 | 2.93 | - |
Career Batting Statistics
| G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | BB | SO | AVG | OBP | SLG | OPS | PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 323 | 132 | 6 | 13 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 5 | 64 | 0.098 | 0.131 | 0.129 | 0.260 | -615.6 |
Season-by-Season Batting
| Year | Team | Lg | G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | BB | SO | AVG | PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1987 | CHC | NL | 27 | 49 | 2 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 19 | 0.082 | -615.6 |
| 1988 | CHC | NL | 44 | 20 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 12 | 0.050 | 0.0 |
| 1989 | CHC | NL | 42 | 11 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 0.182 | 0.0 |
| 1990 | CHC | NL | 55 | 20 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 11 | 0.050 | 0.0 |
| 1991 | CHC | NL | 64 | 28 | 2 | 5 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 13 | 0.179 | 0.0 |
| 1992 | DET | AL | 41 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 | 0.0 |
| 1993 | STL | NL | 50 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 0.000 | 0.0 |
Postseason Statistics
Playoff Career Batting
| G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | BB | SO | AVG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0.000 |
Playoff Batting by Year
| Year | Round | Team | G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | BB | SO | AVG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1989 | NLCS | CHN | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0.000 |
Playoff Career Pitching
| W | L | G | GS | SV | IP | H | ER | BB | SO | ERA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 6.0 | 6 | 4 | 1 | 3 | 6.00 |
Playoff Pitching by Year
| Year | Round | Team | W | L | G | GS | SV | IP | H | ER | BB | SO | ERA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1989 | NLCS | CHN | 1 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 6.0 | 6 | 4 | 1 | 3 | 6.00 |
Fielding Statistics
Career Fielding Totals by Position
| Position | G | GS | PO | A | E | DP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| OF | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| P | 323 | 39 | 54 | 84 | 1 | 7 |
Season-by-Season Fielding
| Year | Team | Pos | G | GS | PO | A | E | DP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1987 | CHN | P | 27 | 18 | 12 | 14 | 0 | 0 |
| 1988 | CHN | P | 44 | 3 | 6 | 17 | 0 | 0 |
| 1989 | CHN | P | 42 | 0 | 8 | 5 | 0 | 1 |
| 1990 | CHN | P | 55 | 6 | 9 | 19 | 0 | 1 |
| 1990 | CHN | OF | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1991 | CHN | P | 64 | 11 | 13 | 14 | 0 | 1 |
| 1992 | DET | P | 41 | 1 | 3 | 9 | 1 | 4 |
| 1993 | SLN | P | 50 | 0 | 3 | 6 | 0 | 0 |
Career Games by Position
| Position | Games |
|---|---|
| Pitcher | 323 |
| Left Field | 1 |
Salary History
| Year | Team | League | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1993 | SLN | NL | $350,000 |
| 1991 | CHN | NL | $550,000 |
| 1990 | CHN | NL | $300,000 |
| 1989 | CHN | NL | $120,000 |
| 1988 | CHN | NL | $90,000 |
| 1987 | CHN | NL | $62,500 |
| Total Career Earnings | $1,472,500 | ||
College History
| School Name | City | State | Years Attended |
|---|---|---|---|
| University of Arkansas | Fayetteville | AR | 1982, 1983, 1984 |
| Dallas Baptist University | Dallas | TX | 1985 |
Award Voting History
| Year | Award | League | Finish | Points Won | Points Max | Votes First |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1987 | Rookie of the Year | NL | 6th | 1.0 | 120 | 0 |