Jim Lefebvre
Born: 1/7/1942 in Inglewood, CA, USA
MLB Debut: 1965-04-12 | Final Game: 1972-09-19
Bats: B | Throws: R | Height: 6'0" | Weight: 180 lbs
Full name: James Kenneth Lefebvre
Biography
Jim Lefebvre was an American professional baseball player born in 1942, who made significant contributions to Major League Baseball during his career from 1965 to 1972. Primarily a second baseman, Lefebvre was known for his solid defense and ability to hit in crucial situations. He played a total of 922 games, collecting 756 hits, 74 home runs, and driving in 404 runs. With a career batting average of .251, he demonstrated a balanced approach at the plate, complemented by his speed, which resulted in 8 stolen bases over his career.
Lefebvre's most notable achievement came in 1966 when he was honored as the Rookie of the Year, establishing himself as a key player in the league. He was selected as an All-Star once during his career, showcasing his talent among the best in the game. His playing style reflected the evolving nature of baseball in the 1960s, transitioning from the more traditional approaches of the past to a game increasingly focused on power and run production. After retiring from active play on September 19, 1972, Lefebvre left an enduring legacy, remembered for his contributions both on the field and as a representative of his era in baseball history.
Career Batting Statistics
| G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | BB | SO | AVG | OBP | SLG | OPS | PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 922 | 3014 | 313 | 756 | 126 | 18 | 74 | 404 | 8 | 322 | 447 | 0.251 | 0.323 | 0.378 | 0.701 | 2122.1 |
Season-by-Season Batting
| Year | Team | Lg | G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | BB | SO | AVG | PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1965 | LAD | NL | 157 | 544 | 57 | 136 | 21 | 4 | 12 | 69 | 3 | 71 | 92 | 0.250 | 529.7 |
| 1966 | LAD | NL | 152 | 544 | 69 | 149 | 23 | 3 | 24 | 74 | 1 | 48 | 72 | 0.274 | 1591.2 |
| 1967 | LAD | NL | 136 | 494 | 51 | 129 | 18 | 5 | 8 | 50 | 1 | 44 | 64 | 0.261 | 347.0 |
| 1968 | LAD | NL | 84 | 286 | 23 | 69 | 12 | 1 | 5 | 31 | 0 | 26 | 55 | 0.241 | 55.2 |
| 1969 | LAD | NL | 95 | 275 | 29 | 65 | 15 | 2 | 4 | 44 | 2 | 48 | 37 | 0.236 | 175.2 |
| 1970 | LAD | NL | 109 | 314 | 33 | 79 | 15 | 1 | 4 | 44 | 1 | 29 | 42 | 0.252 | -449.5 |
| 1971 | LAD | NL | 119 | 388 | 40 | 95 | 14 | 2 | 12 | 68 | 0 | 39 | 55 | 0.245 | 141.8 |
| 1972 | LAD | NL | 70 | 169 | 11 | 34 | 8 | 0 | 5 | 24 | 0 | 17 | 30 | 0.201 | -268.6 |
Postseason Statistics
Playoff Career Batting
| G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | BB | SO | AVG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 7 | 22 | 3 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 4 | 0.273 |
Playoff Batting by Year
| Year | Round | Team | G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | BB | SO | AVG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1966 | WS | LAN | 4 | 12 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 4 | 0.167 |
| 1965 | WS | LAN | 3 | 10 | 2 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.400 |
Fielding Statistics
Career Fielding Totals by Position
| Position | G | GS | PO | A | E | DP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1B | 15 | 14 | 147 | 11 | 0 | 10 |
| 2B | 613 | 572 | 1305 | 1612 | 64 | 342 |
| 3B | 231 | 208 | 147 | 447 | 27 | 36 |
| OF | 5 | 5 | 9 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Season-by-Season Fielding
| Year | Team | Pos | G | GS | PO | A | E | DP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1965 | LAN | 2B | 156 | 154 | 349 | 429 | 24 | 91 |
| 1966 | LAN | 2B | 119 | 114 | 246 | 332 | 12 | 59 |
| 1966 | LAN | 3B | 40 | 34 | 22 | 57 | 4 | 4 |
| 1967 | LAN | 1B | 5 | 5 | 54 | 4 | 0 | 4 |
| 1967 | LAN | 2B | 34 | 33 | 70 | 112 | 6 | 23 |
| 1967 | LAN | 3B | 92 | 89 | 49 | 205 | 12 | 12 |
| 1968 | LAN | 1B | 3 | 3 | 29 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| 1968 | LAN | 2B | 62 | 53 | 126 | 137 | 6 | 29 |
| 1968 | LAN | 3B | 16 | 17 | 15 | 22 | 2 | 4 |
| 1968 | LAN | OF | 5 | 5 | 9 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1969 | LAN | 1B | 6 | 6 | 58 | 4 | 0 | 3 |
| 1969 | LAN | 2B | 37 | 32 | 62 | 83 | 4 | 16 |
| 1969 | LAN | 3B | 44 | 42 | 34 | 98 | 2 | 7 |
| 1970 | LAN | 1B | 1 | 0 | 6 | 1 | 0 | 3 |
| 1970 | LAN | 2B | 70 | 62 | 142 | 177 | 4 | 34 |
| 1970 | LAN | 3B | 21 | 14 | 20 | 34 | 2 | 4 |
| 1971 | LAN | 2B | 102 | 97 | 244 | 260 | 6 | 69 |
| 1971 | LAN | 3B | 7 | 4 | 3 | 14 | 3 | 2 |
| 1972 | LAN | 2B | 33 | 27 | 66 | 82 | 2 | 21 |
| 1972 | LAN | 3B | 11 | 8 | 4 | 17 | 2 | 3 |
Career Games by Position
| Position | Games |
|---|---|
| First Base | 15 |
| Second Base | 611 |
| Third Base | 235 |
| Left Field | 5 |
Awards & Honors
| Year | Award | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 1965 | Rookie of the Year |
Award Voting History
| Year | Award | League | Finish | Points Won | Points Max | Votes First |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1966 | Most Valuable Player | NL | 18th | 8.0 | 280 | 0 |
| 1965 | Most Valuable Player | NL | 21th | 7.0 | 280 | 0 |
| 1965 | Rookie of the Year | NL | 1st | 13.0 | 20 | 14 |