Bill Madlock
Third Baseman · Career Stats, Bio & Records (1973-1987)
Bill Madlock was a third baseman who played in Major League Baseball from 1973 to 1987 for 6 teams, including the Texas Rangers, a span of 15 seasons. In 1,806 career games, he hit .305 with 2,008 hits, 163 home runs, and 860 RBI. Bill Madlock was a 3-time All-Star and an All-Star Game MVP. His career PIV — Baseball Data Hub's era-adjusted measure of offensive impact — is 17,798.
- AVG (Batting Average):
- Hits divided by at bats. .300 is the traditional mark of an excellent hitter.
- HR (Home Runs):
- Hits on which the batter circled the bases and scored, almost always by clearing the outfield fence.
- RBI (Runs Batted In):
- Runs that scored as a direct result of a batter's plate appearance.
- OPS (On-Base Plus Slugging):
- On-base percentage plus slugging percentage, the quickest single summary of offensive value. .900 or better is star-level.
Data updated
- Position
- Third Baseman
- Bats / Throws
- R / R
- Height / Weight
- 5'11" / 180 lb
- MLB Debut
- 1973-09-07
- Last Game
- 1987-10-04
- Awards
- 3× All-Star · All-Star Game MVP
Career Batting Statistics
| G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | BB | SO | AVG | OBP | SLG | OPS | PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1,806 | 6,594 | 920 | 2,008 | 348 | 34 | 163 | 860 | 174 | 605 | 510 | .305 | .365 | .442 | .807 | 17,798 |
Career AVG .305 vs. league average .260 across their career seasons — +17.2% above league average.
Career OBP .365 vs. league average .325 across their career seasons — +12.3% above league average.
Career SLG .442 vs. league average .386 across their career seasons — +14.4% above league average.
Career OPS .807 vs. league average .711 across their career seasons — +13.5% above league average.
Season-by-Season Batting
Click a stat to plot it across every season.
| Year | Team | Lg | G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | BB | SO | AVG | Lg AVG | Lg OBP | Lg SLG | Lg OPS | PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1973 | TEX | AL | 21 | 77 | 16 | 27 | 5 | 3 | 1 | 5 | 3 | 7 | 9 | .351 | .256 (+36%) | .325 (+27%) | .378 (+41%) | .703 (+34%) | 415.2 |
| 1974 | CHN | NL | 128 | 453 | 65 | 142 | 21 | 5 | 9 | 54 | 11 | 42 | 39 | .313 | .256 (+22%) | .324 (+15%) | .369 (+20%) | .693 (+18%) | 1510.7 |
| 1975 | CHN | NL | 130 | 514 | 77 | 182 | 29 | 7 | 7 | 64 | 9 | 42 | 34 | .354 | .257 (+37%) | .327 (+23%) | .374 (+28%) | .701 (+26%) | 2506.5 |
| 1976 | CHN | NL | 142 | 514 | 68 | 174 | 36 | 1 | 15 | 84 | 15 | 56 | 27 | .339 | .255 (+33%) | .320 (+29%) | .360 (+39%) | .681 (+34%) | 3499.9 |
| 1977 | SFN | NL | 140 | 533 | 70 | 161 | 28 | 1 | 12 | 46 | 13 | 43 | 33 | .302 | .264 (+14%) | .329 (+9%) | .401 (+6%) | .730 (+8%) | 901.3 |
| 1978 | SFN | NL | 122 | 447 | 76 | 138 | 26 | 3 | 15 | 44 | 16 | 48 | 39 | .309 | .257 (+20%) | .323 (+17%) | .378 (+27%) | .702 (+22%) | 1949.3 |
| 1979 | SFN | NL | 69 | 249 | 37 | 65 | 9 | 2 | 7 | 41 | 11 | 18 | 19 | .261 | .265 (-2%) | .329 (-6%) | .397 (avg) | .727 (-3%) | -150.6 |
| 1979 | PIT | NL | 85 | 311 | 48 | 102 | 17 | 3 | 7 | 44 | 21 | 34 | 22 | .328 | .265 (+24%) | .329 (+18%) | .397 (+18%) | .727 (+18%) | -150.6 |
| 1980 | PIT | NL | 137 | 494 | 62 | 137 | 22 | 4 | 10 | 53 | 16 | 45 | 33 | .277 | .264 (+5%) | .326 (+4%) | .387 (+3%) | .714 (+4%) | 390.8 |
| 1981 | PIT | NL | 82 | 279 | 35 | 95 | 23 | 1 | 6 | 45 | 18 | 34 | 17 | .341 | .255 (+33%) | .320 (+29%) | .368 (+34%) | .688 (+32%) | 1630.8 |
| 1982 | PIT | NL | 154 | 568 | 92 | 181 | 33 | 3 | 19 | 95 | 18 | 48 | 39 | .319 | .261 (+22%) | .324 (+14%) | .388 (+25%) | .712 (+20%) | 2200.4 |
| 1983 | PIT | NL | 130 | 473 | 68 | 153 | 21 | 0 | 12 | 68 | 3 | 49 | 24 | .323 | .260 (+24%) | .324 (+19%) | .389 (+14%) | .714 (+16%) | 1628.3 |
| 1984 | PIT | NL | 103 | 403 | 38 | 102 | 16 | 0 | 4 | 44 | 3 | 26 | 29 | .253 | .259 (-3%) | .322 (-8%) | .384 (-16%) | .707 (-12%) | -786.4 |
| 1985 | PIT | NL | 110 | 399 | 49 | 100 | 23 | 1 | 10 | 41 | 3 | 39 | 42 | .251 | .257 (-3%) | .323 (avg) | .390 (-1%) | .714 (avg) | -8.7 |
| 1985 | LAN | NL | 34 | 114 | 20 | 41 | 4 | 0 | 2 | 15 | 7 | 10 | 11 | .360 | .257 (+40%) | .323 (+31%) | .390 (+14%) | .714 (+22%) | -8.7 |
| 1986 | LAN | NL | 111 | 379 | 38 | 106 | 17 | 0 | 10 | 60 | 3 | 30 | 43 | .280 | .257 (+9%) | .325 (+3%) | .395 (+2%) | .720 (+3%) | 177.8 |
| 1987 | LAN | NL | 21 | 61 | 5 | 11 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 7 | 0 | 6 | 5 | .180 | .262 (-31%) | .331 (-20%) | .415 (-17%) | .746 (-18%) | -183.1 |
| 1987 | DET | AL | 87 | 326 | 56 | 91 | 17 | 0 | 14 | 50 | 4 | 28 | 45 | .279 | .262 (+6%) | .331 (+6%) | .415 (+11%) | .746 (+9%) | -183.1 |
| Career · 18 seasons | 1,806 | 6,594 | 920 | 2,008 | 348 | 34 | 163 | 860 | 174 | 605 | 510 | .305 | — | — | — | — | 15,340 | ||
Lg columns show the league average for that season, with the player's figure as a percentage above or below it. Career totals the seasons listed above.
Postseason Statistics
Playoff Career Batting
Playoff Batting by Year
Game Log & Splits
View full game log (1806 games) →Per-game data from Retrosheet (regular season, through 2025).
Batting — Home / Away
| Split | G | AB | R | H | HR | RBI | AVG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Home | 910 | 3238 | 487 | 990 | 88 | 465 | .306 |
| Away | 896 | 3356 | 433 | 1018 | 75 | 395 | .303 |
Last 10 Games — Batting
| Date | Tm | Opp | Res | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | BB | SO |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1987-10-04 | DET | TOR | W | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| 1987-10-03 | DET | TOR | W | 6 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 |
| 1987-10-02 | DET | TOR | W | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| 1987-10-01 | DET | BAL | W | 5 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1987-09-30 | DET | BAL | L | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| 1987-09-29 | DET | BAL | W | 4 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 1 |
| 1987-09-25 | DET | TOR | L | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| 1987-09-24 | DET | TOR | L | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| 1987-09-23 | DET | BOS | W | 4 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| 1987-09-22 | DET | BOS | W | 5 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
Fielding Statistics
Career Fielding Totals by Position
| Position | G | GS | PO | A | E | DP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1B | 61 | 43 | 380 | 22 | 7 | 31 |
| 2B | 183 | 180 | 365 | 457 | 22 | 82 |
| 3B | 1440 | 1427 | 949 | 2546 | 193 | 200 |
Season-by-Season Fielding
| Year | Team | Pos | G | GS | PO | A | E | DP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1973 | TEX | 3B | 21 | 21 | 13 | 32 | 4 | 2 |
| 1974 | CHN | 3B | 121 | 120 | 84 | 229 | 18 | 14 |
| 1975 | CHN | 3B | 128 | 128 | 79 | 250 | 20 | 14 |
| 1976 | CHN | 3B | 136 | 135 | 107 | 234 | 14 | 21 |
| 1977 | SFN | 2B | 6 | 6 | 5 | 14 | 1 | 2 |
| 1977 | SFN | 3B | 126 | 125 | 96 | 220 | 17 | 16 |
| 1978 | SFN | 1B | 3 | 1 | 11 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| 1978 | SFN | 2B | 114 | 111 | 223 | 299 | 14 | 48 |
| 1979 | SFN | 1B | 5 | 0 | 9 | 0 | 0 | 3 |
| 1979 | SFN | 2B | 63 | 63 | 137 | 144 | 7 | 32 |
| 1979 | PIT | 3B | 85 | 85 | 63 | 153 | 7 | 12 |
| 1980 | PIT | 1B | 12 | 8 | 73 | 3 | 3 | 7 |
| 1980 | PIT | 3B | 127 | 125 | 86 | 214 | 14 | 18 |
| 1981 | PIT | 3B | 78 | 77 | 50 | 147 | 9 | 17 |
| 1982 | PIT | 1B | 3 | 3 | 22 | 1 | 0 | 2 |
| 1982 | PIT | 3B | 146 | 142 | 92 | 266 | 18 | 23 |
| 1983 | PIT | 3B | 126 | 125 | 59 | 193 | 11 | 20 |
| 1984 | PIT | 1B | 1 | 1 | 10 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1984 | PIT | 3B | 98 | 97 | 66 | 176 | 15 | 17 |
| 1985 | PIT | 1B | 12 | 9 | 81 | 5 | 0 | 3 |
| 1985 | PIT | 3B | 98 | 97 | 46 | 175 | 14 | 10 |
| 1985 | LAN | 3B | 32 | 32 | 28 | 63 | 5 | 7 |
| 1986 | LAN | 1B | 2 | 1 | 7 | 1 | 2 | 1 |
| 1986 | LAN | 3B | 101 | 101 | 72 | 170 | 24 | 7 |
| 1987 | LAN | 1B | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1987 | LAN | 3B | 16 | 16 | 8 | 23 | 3 | 2 |
| 1987 | DET | 1B | 22 | 20 | 167 | 11 | 2 | 14 |
| 1987 | DET | 3B | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
Career Games by Position
Circle size = games played at each position.
| Position | Games |
|---|---|
| First Base | 61 |
| Second Base | 184 |
| Third Base | 1438 |
| Designated Hitter | 64 |
Awards & Honors
| Year | Award | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 1985 | Player of the Week | Week of 1985-08-16 |
| 1976 | Player of the Week | Week of 1976-10-01 |
| 1975 | All-Star Game MVP | |
| 1975 | Player of the Week | Week of 1975-06-13 |
| 1975 | TSN All-Star | 3B |
Salary History
Bill Madlock's recorded salaries total $2,667,167 over 3 seasons, 1985 to 1987. This total is partial: the salary data covers 1985 to 2016, and Madlock's career ran from 1973 to 1987. His seasons before 1985 are not included.
| Year | Team | League | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1987 | LAN | NL | $850,000 |
| 1986 | LAN | NL | $841,667 |
| 1985 | PIT | NL | $975,500 |
| Total recorded salary (partial) | $2,667,167 | ||
College History
| School Name | City | State | Years Attended |
|---|---|---|---|
| Southeastern Iowa Community College - Keokuk Campus | Keokuk | IA | 1970 |
Award Voting History
| Year | Award | League | Finish | Points Won | Points Max | Votes First |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1983 | Most Valuable Player | NL | 8th | 45.0 | 336 | 0 |
| 1982 | Most Valuable Player | NL | 11th | 37.0 | 336 | 0 |
| 1981 | Most Valuable Player | NL | 17th | 20.0 | 336 | 0 |
| 1979 | Most Valuable Player | NL | 18th | 14.0 | 336 | 1 |
| 1976 | Most Valuable Player | NL | 6th | 51.0 | 336 | 0 |
| 1975 | Most Valuable Player | NL | 12th | 45.0 | 336 | 0 |
| 1974 | Rookie of the Year | NL | 3rd | 1.0 | 24 | 1 |
Most Similar Players
Career comps based on counting + rate stats and primary position. Score is relative — closest peer anchors at ~98%.
Bill Madlock (highlighted) compared to peers across the same era.
Compare Bill Madlock
Bill Madlock: the record in brief
According to the bio, Bill Madlock debuted on September 7, 1973 and played a final game on October 4, 1987. Club by club, the record runs the Texas Rangers (1973), the Chicago Cubs (1974 through 1976), the San Francisco Giants (1977 through 1979), the Pittsburgh Pirates (1979 through 1985), the Los Angeles Dodgers (1985 to 1987), and the Detroit Tigers (1987). Born on January 12, 1951, in Memphis, TN, USA, Madlock is listed as a third baseman and threw and hit right-handed. Madlock's listed size is 180 pounds on a 5-foot-11 frame.
Madlock collected 2,008 hits in 6,594 at bats across 1,806 games, good for a .305 batting average, along with 163 homers, 860 RBI, and 174 stolen bases. Reaching base at a .365 clip and slugging .442, Madlock finished with a .807 OPS. Madlock's .305 average ran 17.2% above the .260 that the league posted over the same seasons. By OPS the gap is 13.5% above league average (.807 against .711).
Frequently Asked Questions about Bill Madlock
- What years did Bill Madlock play?
- Bill Madlock played in Major League Baseball from 1973 to 1987.
- Was Bill Madlock a pitcher?
- No. Bill Madlock was a position player (Third Baseman).
- How many home runs did Bill Madlock hit?
- Bill Madlock hit 163 career home runs with 2,008 hits.
- What teams did Bill Madlock play for?
- Bill Madlock played for 6 teams: the Texas Rangers (1973), the Chicago Cubs (1974–1976), the San Francisco Giants (1977–1979), the Pittsburgh Pirates (1979–1985), the Los Angeles Dodgers (1985–1987), and the Detroit Tigers (1987).
- Did Bill Madlock win an MVP award?
- No. Bill Madlock did not win the MVP award.
- What awards did Bill Madlock win?
- Bill Madlock was selected to 3 All-Star Games.
- What were Bill Madlock's career stats?
- In 1,806 games, Bill Madlock had 2,008 hits, 163 home runs, 860 RBI, 920 runs, and 174 stolen bases, with a .305 batting average.
- How much did Bill Madlock earn in his career?
- Bill Madlock's recorded salaries total $2,667,167 over 3 seasons, 1985 to 1987. This total is partial: the salary data covers 1985 to 2016, and Madlock's career ran from 1973 to 1987. His seasons before 1985 are not included.
- What was Bill Madlock's salary?
- Bill Madlock's last recorded salary was $850,000, in 1987. His highest recorded salary was $975,500, in 1985, and his lowest was $841,667, in 1986. The Salary History table lists each season from 1985 to 1987.
- What position did Bill Madlock play?
- Bill Madlock played primarily as a third baseman, the position where he appeared in the most games.
- How tall was Bill Madlock and how much did he weigh?
- Bill Madlock was listed at 5 feet 11 inches and 180 pounds.
- How many home runs did Bill Madlock hit each season?
- Bill Madlock's home runs by season: 1 in 1973, 9 in 1974, 7 in 1975, 15 in 1976, 12 in 1977, 15 in 1978, 14 in 1979, 10 in 1980, 6 in 1981, 19 in 1982, 12 in 1983, 4 in 1984, 12 in 1985, 10 in 1986, and 17 in 1987. His most in one season was 19, in 1982.
- What was Bill Madlock's career batting average?
- Bill Madlock batted .305 over his career, with 2,008 hits in 6,594 at bats.
- How many RBI did Bill Madlock have?
- Bill Madlock drove in 860 runs in his career.