Rudy Law
Born: 10/7/1956 in Waco, TX, USA
MLB Debut: 1978-09-12 | Final Game: 1986-10-04
Bats: L | Throws: L | Height: 6'1" | Weight: 165 lbs
Full name: Rudy Karl Law
Biography
Rudy Law was a professional baseball player who made his mark in Major League Baseball from 1978 until his retirement in 1986. Born in 1956, Law played primarily as an outfielder and was known for his exceptional speed and base-running ability, traits that defined his style of play during a time when the game began to embrace the importance of stolen bases. Over the course of his career, he appeared in 749 games, accumulating 656 hits and achieving a batting average of .271. Law's offensive contributions included 18 home runs and 199 RBIs, but it was his prowess on the bases that truly set him apart, as he successfully stole 228 bases.
Law played in an era that saw a transition in baseball strategies, with an increasing emphasis on speed and small ball tactics. He was a key contributor to the teams he played for, including the Chicago White Sox and the Los Angeles Dodgers, and left a lasting impact on the game with his ability to disrupt opposing defenses. His combination of hitting and base-running established him as a valuable asset, and his legacy remains as a notable player who exemplified the aggressive approach to the game that characterized the late 1970s and early 1980s in Major League Baseball.
Career Batting Statistics
| G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | BB | SO | AVG | OBP | SLG | OPS | PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 749 | 2421 | 379 | 656 | 101 | 37 | 18 | 199 | 228 | 184 | 210 | 0.271 | 0.325 | 0.366 | 0.691 | -1474.2 |
Season-by-Season Batting
| Year | Team | Lg | G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | BB | SO | AVG | PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1978 | LAD | NL | 11 | 12 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 0.250 | 0.0 |
| 1980 | LAD | NL | 128 | 388 | 55 | 101 | 5 | 4 | 1 | 23 | 40 | 23 | 27 | 0.260 | -1067.8 |
| 1982 | CHW | AL | 121 | 336 | 55 | 107 | 15 | 8 | 3 | 32 | 36 | 23 | 41 | 0.318 | 734.5 |
| 1983 | CHW | AL | 141 | 501 | 95 | 142 | 20 | 7 | 3 | 34 | 77 | 42 | 36 | 0.283 | -18.8 |
| 1984 | CHW | AL | 136 | 487 | 68 | 122 | 14 | 7 | 6 | 37 | 29 | 39 | 42 | 0.251 | -693.1 |
| 1985 | CHW | AL | 125 | 390 | 62 | 101 | 21 | 6 | 4 | 36 | 29 | 27 | 40 | 0.259 | -351.4 |
| 1986 | KCR | AL | 87 | 307 | 42 | 80 | 26 | 5 | 1 | 36 | 14 | 29 | 22 | 0.261 | -77.7 |
Postseason Statistics
Playoff Career Batting
| G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | BB | SO | AVG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 | 18 | 1 | 7 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0.389 |
Playoff Batting by Year
| Year | Round | Team | G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | BB | SO | AVG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1983 | ALCS | CHA | 4 | 18 | 1 | 7 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0.389 |
Fielding Statistics
Career Fielding Totals by Position
| Position | G | GS | PO | A | E | DP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| OF | 665 | 564 | 1446 | 27 | 21 | 10 |
Season-by-Season Fielding
| Year | Team | Pos | G | GS | PO | A | E | DP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1978 | LAN | OF | 6 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1980 | LAN | OF | 106 | 87 | 233 | 6 | 3 | 3 |
| 1982 | CHA | OF | 94 | 74 | 215 | 2 | 6 | 0 |
| 1983 | CHA | OF | 132 | 118 | 302 | 5 | 2 | 2 |
| 1984 | CHA | OF | 130 | 116 | 322 | 5 | 5 | 2 |
| 1985 | CHA | OF | 120 | 95 | 226 | 7 | 3 | 3 |
| 1986 | KCA | OF | 77 | 73 | 145 | 2 | 2 | 0 |
Career Games by Position
| Position | Games |
|---|---|
| Left Field | 179 |
| Center Field | 483 |
| Right Field | 36 |
| Designated Hitter | 14 |
Salary History
| Year | Team | League | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1987 | KCA | AL | $300,000 |
| 1986 | KCA | AL | $360,000 |
| 1985 | CHA | AL | $565,000 |
| Total Career Earnings | $1,225,000 | ||
Award Voting History
| Year | Award | League | Finish | Points Won | Points Max | Votes First |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1983 | Most Valuable Player | AL | 21th | 2.0 | 392 | 0 |