Lou Merloni
Born: 4/6/1971 in Framingham, MA, USA
MLB Debut: 1998-05-10 | Final Game: 2006-06-04
Bats: R | Throws: R | Height: 5'10" | Weight: 188 lbs
Full name: Louis William Merloni
Biography
Lou Merloni, born in 1971, was a versatile position player whose Major League Baseball career spanned from 1998 to 2006. Known for his solid batting skills and defensive flexibility, Merloni played in 423 games, accumulating a career batting average of .271. He recorded 294 hits, including 14 home runs and 125 runs batted in, showcasing his ability to contribute offensively during crucial moments. Additionally, he demonstrated speed on the basepaths with nine stolen bases, highlighting his all-around capabilities as a player.
Merloni's career unfolded during a transformative era in baseball, marked by the rise of offensive production and the increasing importance of utility players. He was particularly noted for his time with the Boston Red Sox, where he connected with fans and made a lasting impact on the team during a period that would ultimately lead to the Red Sox breaking their championship drought. His contributions on and off the field have secured his place in the hearts of Red Sox Nation, making him a memorable figure in the history of the franchise.
Career Batting Statistics
| G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | BB | SO | AVG | OBP | SLG | OPS | PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 423 | 1085 | 138 | 294 | 67 | 7 | 14 | 125 | 9 | 88 | 213 | 0.271 | 0.332 | 0.384 | 0.716 | -905.8 |
Season-by-Season Batting
| Year | Team | Lg | G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | BB | SO | AVG | PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1998 | BOS | AL | 39 | 96 | 10 | 27 | 6 | 0 | 1 | 15 | 1 | 7 | 20 | 0.281 | -65.0 |
| 1999 | BOS | AL | 43 | 126 | 18 | 32 | 7 | 0 | 1 | 13 | 0 | 8 | 16 | 0.254 | -411.5 |
| 2000 | BOS | AL | 40 | 128 | 10 | 41 | 11 | 2 | 0 | 18 | 1 | 4 | 22 | 0.320 | -58.1 |
| 2001 | BOS | AL | 52 | 146 | 21 | 39 | 10 | 0 | 3 | 13 | 2 | 6 | 31 | 0.267 | -221.8 |
| 2002 | BOS | AL | 84 | 194 | 28 | 48 | 12 | 2 | 4 | 18 | 1 | 20 | 35 | 0.247 | -97.5 |
| 2003 | BOS | AL | 15 | 30 | 4 | 7 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 8 | 0.233 | 0.0 |
| 2003 | SDP | NL | 65 | 151 | 20 | 41 | 7 | 2 | 1 | 17 | 2 | 22 | 33 | 0.272 | 0.0 |
| 2004 | CLE | AL | 71 | 190 | 25 | 55 | 12 | 1 | 4 | 28 | 1 | 14 | 41 | 0.289 | 13.6 |
| 2005 | LAA | AL | 5 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 0.000 | 0.0 |
| 2006 | CLE | AL | 9 | 19 | 1 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 5 | 0.211 | 0.0 |
Postseason Statistics
Playoff Career Batting
| G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | BB | SO | AVG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 | 6 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 0.333 |
Playoff Batting by Year
| Year | Round | Team | G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | BB | SO | AVG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1999 | ALDS1 | BOS | 3 | 6 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0.333 |
| 1999 | ALCS | BOS | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | .000 |
Fielding Statistics
Career Fielding Totals by Position
| Position | G | GS | PO | A | E | DP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1B | 49 | 39 | 297 | 15 | 2 | 19 |
| 2B | 138 | 90 | 202 | 271 | 11 | 53 |
| 3B | 112 | 83 | 63 | 194 | 18 | 11 |
| OF | 10 | 1 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| SS | 101 | 71 | 127 | 201 | 8 | 44 |
Season-by-Season Fielding
| Year | Team | Pos | G | GS | PO | A | E | DP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1998 | BOS | 2B | 32 | 22 | 47 | 66 | 3 | 10 |
| 1998 | BOS | 3B | 5 | 3 | 5 | 7 | 2 | 0 |
| 1998 | BOS | SS | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1999 | BOS | 1B | 1 | 1 | 9 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| 1999 | BOS | 2B | 8 | 7 | 17 | 20 | 2 | 4 |
| 1999 | BOS | 3B | 9 | 6 | 6 | 17 | 3 | 1 |
| 1999 | BOS | SS | 24 | 17 | 36 | 50 | 4 | 12 |
| 1999 | BOS | OF | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2000 | BOS | 3B | 40 | 35 | 26 | 64 | 7 | 3 |
| 2001 | BOS | 2B | 5 | 3 | 10 | 8 | 1 | 3 |
| 2001 | BOS | 3B | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2001 | BOS | SS | 45 | 36 | 54 | 100 | 2 | 19 |
| 2002 | BOS | 1B | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2002 | BOS | 2B | 66 | 47 | 99 | 142 | 3 | 28 |
| 2002 | BOS | 3B | 8 | 6 | 5 | 24 | 1 | 1 |
| 2002 | BOS | SS | 5 | 1 | 2 | 4 | 1 | 1 |
| 2002 | BOS | OF | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2003 | BOS | 2B | 7 | 2 | 5 | 5 | 0 | 3 |
| 2003 | BOS | 3B | 7 | 4 | 6 | 14 | 0 | 1 |
| 2003 | BOS | OF | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2003 | SDN | 1B | 2 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| 2003 | SDN | 2B | 10 | 2 | 9 | 10 | 1 | 1 |
| 2003 | SDN | 3B | 25 | 17 | 12 | 37 | 4 | 3 |
| 2003 | SDN | SS | 23 | 16 | 35 | 43 | 1 | 11 |
| 2003 | SDN | OF | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2004 | CLE | 1B | 42 | 38 | 282 | 14 | 1 | 18 |
| 2004 | CLE | 2B | 7 | 4 | 12 | 17 | 1 | 4 |
| 2004 | CLE | 3B | 10 | 9 | 1 | 20 | 1 | 0 |
| 2004 | CLE | OF | 4 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| 2005 | LAA | 1B | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2005 | LAA | 3B | 4 | 2 | 1 | 8 | 0 | 0 |
| 2006 | CLE | 2B | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| 2006 | CLE | 3B | 3 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 2 |
| 2006 | CLE | SS | 3 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 1 |
Career Games by Position
| Position | Games |
|---|---|
| First Base | 49 |
| Second Base | 138 |
| Third Base | 112 |
| Shortstop | 101 |
| Left Field | 9 |
| Right Field | 1 |
| Designated Hitter | 6 |
Salary History
| Year | Team | League | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2005 | LAA | AL | $500,000 |
| 2004 | CLE | AL | $560,000 |
| 2003 | SDN | NL | $560,000 |
| 2002 | BOS | AL | $290,000 |
| 1999 | BOS | AL | $200,000 |
| 1998 | BOS | AL | $170,000 |
| Total Career Earnings | $2,280,000 | ||
College History
| School Name | City | State | Years Attended |
|---|---|---|---|
| Providence College | Providence | RI | 1990, 1991, 1992, 1993 |