Jim McDonald
Born: 5/17/1927 in Grants Pass, OR, USA
Died: 10/23/2004 in Kingman, AZ, USA
MLB Debut: 1950-07-27 | Final Game: 1958-04-26
Bats: R | Throws: R | Height: 5'10" | Weight: 185 lbs
Full name: Jimmie LeRoy McDonald
Biography
Jim McDonald, born in 1927, was a professional baseball pitcher who made his mark in Major League Baseball from 1950 until 1958. He played during an era characterized by the transition from the deadball era to a more offensive-driven game, which influenced pitching strategies and player development. Over the course of his career, McDonald compiled a record of 24 wins and 27 losses, with an earned run average (ERA) of 4.27. His ability to strike out batters was notable, as he recorded a total of 158 strikeouts, demonstrating his skill in overpowering hitters.
McDonald also contributed to his teams in high-pressure situations, finishing his career with one save. Although his win-loss record may not have placed him among the elite pitchers of his time, his versatility and determination on the mound allowed him to carve out a niche in the competitive landscape of 1950s baseball. His career spanned a transformative period in the sport, and his contributions to the game remain a testament to the dedication of players who played in the shadows of baseball's greats.
Career Pitching Statistics
| W | L | G | GS | CG | SHO | SV | IP | H | ER | HR | BB | SO | ERA | Pitcher PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 24 | 27 | 136 | 55 | 15 | 3 | 1 | 468.0 | 489 | 222 | 24 | 231 | 158 | 4.27 | 0 |
Season-by-Season Pitching
| Year | Team | Lg | W | L | G | GS | CG | SHO | SV | IP | H | ER | BB | SO | ERA | Pitcher PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950 | BOS | AL | 1 | 0 | 9 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 19.0 | 23 | 8 | 10 | 5 | 3.79 | -57.2 |
| 1951 | SLA | AL | 4 | 7 | 16 | 11 | 5 | 0 | 1 | 84.0 | 84 | 38 | 46 | 28 | 4.07 | -557.7 |
| 1952 | NYY | AL | 3 | 4 | 26 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 69.3 | 71 | 27 | 40 | 20 | 3.50 | - |
| 1953 | NYY | AL | 9 | 7 | 27 | 18 | 6 | 2 | 0 | 129.7 | 128 | 55 | 39 | 43 | 3.82 | - |
| 1954 | NYY | AL | 4 | 1 | 16 | 10 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 71.0 | 54 | 25 | 45 | 20 | 3.17 | - |
| 1955 | BAL | AL | 3 | 5 | 21 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 51.7 | 76 | 41 | 30 | 20 | 7.14 | -777.6 |
| 1956 | CHW | AL | 0 | 2 | 8 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 18.7 | 29 | 18 | 7 | 10 | 8.68 | - |
| 1957 | CHW | AL | 0 | 1 | 10 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 22.3 | 18 | 5 | 10 | 12 | 2.01 | - |
| 1958 | CHW | AL | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2.3 | 6 | 5 | 4 | 0 | 19.29 | - |
Career Batting Statistics
| G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | BB | SO | AVG | OBP | SLG | OPS | PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 139 | 128 | 14 | 23 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 10 | 0 | 18 | 48 | 0.180 | 0.281 | 0.234 | 0.515 | 0.0 |
Season-by-Season Batting
| Year | Team | Lg | G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | BB | SO | AVG | PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950 | BOS | AL | 9 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 0.333 | 0.0 |
| 1951 | SLA | AL | 17 | 29 | 1 | 6 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 7 | 0.207 | 0.0 |
| 1952 | NYY | AL | 26 | 19 | 3 | 6 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 6 | 0.316 | 0.0 |
| 1953 | NYY | AL | 29 | 41 | 2 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 2 | 18 | 0.098 | 0.0 |
| 1954 | NYY | AL | 16 | 19 | 6 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 9 | 0.211 | 0.0 |
| 1955 | BAL | AL | 21 | 11 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 0.182 | 0.0 |
| 1956 | CHW | AL | 8 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 0.000 | 0.0 |
| 1957 | CHW | AL | 10 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0.000 | 0.0 |
| 1958 | CHW | AL | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 | 0.0 |
Postseason Statistics
Playoff Career Batting
| G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | BB | SO | AVG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0.500 |
Playoff Batting by Year
| Year | Round | Team | G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | BB | SO | AVG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1953 | WS | NYA | 1 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0.500 |
Playoff Career Pitching
| W | L | G | GS | SV | IP | H | ER | BB | SO | ERA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 7.7 | 12 | 5 | 0 | 3 | 5.87 |
Playoff Pitching by Year
| Year | Round | Team | W | L | G | GS | SV | IP | H | ER | BB | SO | ERA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1953 | WS | NYA | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 7.7 | 12 | 5 | 0 | 3 | 5.87 |
Fielding Statistics
Career Fielding Totals by Position
| Position | G | GS | PO | A | E | DP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| P | 136 | 21 | 39 | 113 | 6 | 13 |
Season-by-Season Fielding
| Year | Team | Pos | G | GS | PO | A | E | DP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950 | BOS | P | 9 | 0 | 3 | 7 | 0 | 0 |
| 1951 | SLA | P | 16 | 0 | 9 | 16 | 2 | 1 |
| 1952 | NYA | P | 26 | 0 | 7 | 24 | 0 | 1 |
| 1953 | NYA | P | 27 | 0 | 7 | 30 | 1 | 6 |
| 1954 | NYA | P | 16 | 10 | 7 | 14 | 0 | 2 |
| 1955 | BAL | P | 21 | 8 | 2 | 15 | 1 | 2 |
| 1956 | CHA | P | 8 | 3 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 0 |
| 1957 | CHA | P | 10 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 0 |
| 1958 | CHA | P | 3 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
Career Games by Position
| Position | Games |
|---|---|
| Pitcher | 136 |