Vance Law
Born: 10/1/1956 in Boise, ID, USA
MLB Debut: 1980-06-01 | Final Game: 1991-10-06
Bats: R | Throws: R | Height: 6'2" | Weight: 185 lbs
Full name: Vance Aaron Law
Biography
Vance Law was a professional baseball player who made his mark in Major League Baseball from 1980 to 1991. Born in 1956, Law played primarily as a position player, appearing in 1,212 games throughout his career. He was known for his versatile contributions on the field, accumulating 972 hits, 71 home runs, and driving in 442 runs, while maintaining a career batting average of .256. Law also showcased his speed on the bases, finishing with 34 stolen bases. His performance earned him a selection to the All-Star Game, highlighting his impact during an era characterized by a mix of traditional baseball skills and the evolving strategies of the game.
Law's career unfolded during a transformative period in baseball, bridging the gap between the end of the deadball era and the heightened offensive production of the late 1980s and early 1990s. He played for several teams, including the Chicago Cubs and the Pittsburgh Pirates, where he displayed a solid all-around game, contributing both offensively and defensively. His legacy is marked not only by his statistical contributions but also by his ability to adapt to the changing dynamics of baseball during his tenure, making him a respected figure in the sport's history.
Career Pitching Statistics
| W | L | G | GS | CG | SHO | SV | IP | H | ER | HR | BB | SO | ERA | Pitcher PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 8.0 | 9 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 2 | 3.38 | 0 |
Season-by-Season Pitching
| Year | Team | Lg | W | L | G | GS | CG | SHO | SV | IP | H | ER | BB | SO | ERA | Pitcher PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1986 | WSN | NL | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4.0 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 2.25 | - |
| 1987 | WSN | NL | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3.3 | 5 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 5.40 | - |
| 1991 | OAK | AL | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.7 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0.00 | 0.0 |
Career Batting Statistics
| G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | BB | SO | AVG | OBP | SLG | OPS | PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1212 | 3802 | 453 | 972 | 193 | 26 | 71 | 442 | 34 | 408 | 602 | 0.256 | 0.326 | 0.376 | 0.703 | -546.4 |
Season-by-Season Batting
| Year | Team | Lg | G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | BB | SO | AVG | PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980 | PIT | NL | 25 | 74 | 11 | 17 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 7 | 0.230 | -261.1 |
| 1981 | PIT | NL | 30 | 67 | 1 | 9 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 15 | 0.134 | -593.9 |
| 1982 | CHW | AL | 114 | 359 | 40 | 101 | 20 | 1 | 5 | 54 | 4 | 26 | 46 | 0.281 | -44.4 |
| 1983 | CHW | AL | 145 | 408 | 55 | 99 | 21 | 5 | 4 | 42 | 3 | 51 | 56 | 0.243 | -429.9 |
| 1984 | CHW | AL | 151 | 481 | 60 | 121 | 18 | 2 | 17 | 59 | 4 | 41 | 75 | 0.252 | 10.1 |
| 1985 | WSN | NL | 147 | 519 | 75 | 138 | 30 | 6 | 10 | 52 | 6 | 86 | 96 | 0.266 | 1092.1 |
| 1986 | WSN | NL | 112 | 360 | 37 | 81 | 17 | 2 | 5 | 44 | 3 | 37 | 66 | 0.225 | -930.8 |
| 1987 | WSN | NL | 133 | 436 | 52 | 119 | 27 | 1 | 12 | 56 | 8 | 51 | 62 | 0.273 | 312.7 |
| 1988 | CHC | NL | 151 | 556 | 73 | 163 | 29 | 2 | 11 | 78 | 1 | 55 | 79 | 0.293 | 1280.0 |
| 1989 | CHC | NL | 130 | 408 | 38 | 96 | 22 | 3 | 7 | 42 | 2 | 38 | 73 | 0.235 | -582.6 |
| 1991 | OAK | AL | 74 | 134 | 11 | 28 | 7 | 1 | 0 | 9 | 0 | 18 | 27 | 0.209 | -398.5 |
Postseason Statistics
Playoff Career Batting
| G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | BB | SO | AVG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6 | 14 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 6 | 0.143 |
Playoff Batting by Year
| Year | Round | Team | G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | BB | SO | AVG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1989 | NLCS | CHN | 2 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0.000 |
| 1983 | ALCS | CHA | 4 | 11 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 0.182 |
Fielding Statistics
Career Fielding Totals by Position
| Position | G | GS | PO | A | E | DP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1B | 58 | 32 | 321 | 30 | 3 | 23 |
| 2B | 391 | 347 | 710 | 1065 | 29 | 208 |
| 3B | 700 | 589 | 442 | 1115 | 71 | 102 |
| OF | 14 | 3 | 12 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| P | 7 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| SS | 109 | 89 | 143 | 284 | 19 | 49 |
Season-by-Season Fielding
| Year | Team | Pos | G | GS | PO | A | E | DP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980 | PIT | 2B | 11 | 10 | 23 | 30 | 2 | 5 |
| 1980 | PIT | 3B | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1980 | PIT | SS | 8 | 7 | 8 | 24 | 1 | 3 |
| 1981 | PIT | 2B | 19 | 13 | 40 | 45 | 0 | 9 |
| 1981 | PIT | 3B | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1981 | PIT | SS | 7 | 4 | 8 | 13 | 0 | 1 |
| 1982 | CHA | 2B | 10 | 4 | 11 | 19 | 3 | 5 |
| 1982 | CHA | 3B | 39 | 19 | 19 | 55 | 5 | 3 |
| 1982 | CHA | SS | 85 | 77 | 126 | 239 | 18 | 44 |
| 1982 | CHA | OF | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1983 | CHA | 2B | 3 | 0 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| 1983 | CHA | 3B | 139 | 134 | 91 | 309 | 14 | 28 |
| 1983 | CHA | SS | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1983 | CHA | OF | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1984 | CHA | 2B | 22 | 16 | 29 | 42 | 2 | 6 |
| 1984 | CHA | 3B | 137 | 118 | 79 | 199 | 13 | 24 |
| 1984 | CHA | SS | 4 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 1 |
| 1984 | CHA | OF | 5 | 3 | 11 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| 1985 | MON | 1B | 20 | 15 | 136 | 12 | 1 | 10 |
| 1985 | MON | 2B | 126 | 120 | 276 | 367 | 10 | 86 |
| 1985 | MON | 3B | 11 | 6 | 8 | 23 | 1 | 2 |
| 1985 | MON | OF | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1986 | MON | P | 3 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 1986 | MON | 1B | 20 | 7 | 94 | 9 | 1 | 8 |
| 1986 | MON | 2B | 94 | 87 | 170 | 284 | 3 | 50 |
| 1986 | MON | 3B | 13 | 1 | 9 | 5 | 0 | 1 |
| 1986 | MON | OF | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1987 | MON | P | 3 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 1987 | MON | 1B | 17 | 10 | 89 | 9 | 1 | 5 |
| 1987 | MON | 2B | 106 | 97 | 158 | 276 | 9 | 47 |
| 1987 | MON | 3B | 22 | 11 | 11 | 22 | 1 | 2 |
| 1988 | CHN | 3B | 150 | 149 | 111 | 272 | 19 | 22 |
| 1988 | CHN | OF | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1989 | CHN | 3B | 119 | 115 | 76 | 168 | 13 | 13 |
| 1989 | CHN | OF | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1991 | OAK | P | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1991 | OAK | 1B | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1991 | OAK | 3B | 67 | 36 | 36 | 62 | 5 | 7 |
| 1991 | OAK | SS | 3 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 0 | 0 |
| 1991 | OAK | OF | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Career Games by Position
| Position | Games |
|---|---|
| Pitcher | 7 |
| First Base | 60 |
| Second Base | 388 |
| Third Base | 704 |
| Shortstop | 110 |
| Left Field | 6 |
| Center Field | 7 |
| Right Field | 2 |
| Designated Hitter | 1 |
Salary History
| Year | Team | League | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1991 | OAK | AL | $500,000 |
| 1989 | CHN | NL | $425,000 |
| 1988 | CHN | NL | $375,000 |
| 1987 | MON | NL | $525,000 |
| 1986 | MON | NL | $450,000 |
| 1985 | MON | NL | $375,000 |
| Total Career Earnings | $2,650,000 | ||
College History
| School Name | City | State | Years Attended |
|---|---|---|---|
| Brigham Young University | Provo | UT | 1975, 1976, 1977, 1978 |