Manny Mota
Born: 2/18/1938 in Santo Domingo, Distrito Nacional, D.R.
MLB Debut: 1962-04-16 | Final Game: 1982-09-01
Bats: R | Throws: R | Height: 5'10" | Weight: 160 lbs
Full name: Manuel Rafael Mota
Biography
Manny Mota, born in 1938, was a prominent position player in Major League Baseball who made significant contributions to the game during his career spanning from 1962 until 1982. Known for his exceptional batting skills, Mota played in 1,536 games and finished with a remarkable batting average of .304. His career totals included 1,149 hits, 31 home runs, and 438 RBIs, showcasing his ability to consistently produce at the plate. Mota also displayed speed on the bases, stealing 50 bases throughout his time in the league. He was selected as an All-Star once during his career, a reflection of his status as one of the top players of his era.
Mota’s playing style was characterized by his contact hitting and ability to excel in clutch situations, making him a valuable asset to the teams he played for, particularly the Los Angeles Dodgers. He was part of a generation that was transitioning into a more dynamic offensive game, and his proficiency at the plate helped pave the way for future players. Mota's legacy in baseball is marked not only by his impressive statistics but also by his contributions to team success, as he played a key role in the Dodgers' World Series championship teams during the 1970s. After retiring, Mota remained a beloved figure in baseball, remembered for both his on-field achievements and his enduring impact on the sport.
Career Batting Statistics
| G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | BB | SO | AVG | OBP | SLG | OPS | PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1536 | 3779 | 496 | 1149 | 125 | 52 | 31 | 438 | 50 | 289 | 320 | 0.304 | 0.355 | 0.389 | 0.744 | 5769.5 |
Season-by-Season Batting
| Year | Team | Lg | G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | BB | SO | AVG | PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1962 | SFG | NL | 47 | 74 | 9 | 13 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 9 | 3 | 7 | 8 | 0.176 | -481.2 |
| 1963 | PIT | NL | 59 | 126 | 20 | 34 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 7 | 18 | 0.270 | -104.4 |
| 1964 | PIT | NL | 115 | 271 | 43 | 75 | 8 | 3 | 5 | 32 | 4 | 10 | 31 | 0.277 | -27.8 |
| 1965 | PIT | NL | 121 | 294 | 47 | 82 | 7 | 6 | 4 | 29 | 2 | 22 | 32 | 0.279 | 228.5 |
| 1966 | PIT | NL | 116 | 322 | 54 | 107 | 16 | 7 | 5 | 46 | 7 | 25 | 28 | 0.332 | 1452.0 |
| 1967 | PIT | NL | 120 | 349 | 53 | 112 | 14 | 8 | 4 | 56 | 3 | 14 | 46 | 0.321 | 956.5 |
| 1968 | PIT | NL | 111 | 331 | 35 | 93 | 10 | 2 | 1 | 33 | 4 | 20 | 19 | 0.281 | 107.0 |
| 1969 | LAD | NL | 85 | 294 | 35 | 95 | 6 | 4 | 3 | 30 | 5 | 26 | 25 | 0.323 | 696.4 |
| 1969 | WSN | NL | 31 | 89 | 6 | 28 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 6 | 11 | 0.315 | 696.4 |
| 1970 | LAD | NL | 124 | 417 | 63 | 127 | 12 | 6 | 3 | 37 | 11 | 47 | 37 | 0.305 | 710.4 |
| 1971 | LAD | NL | 91 | 269 | 24 | 84 | 13 | 5 | 0 | 34 | 4 | 20 | 20 | 0.312 | 518.0 |
| 1972 | LAD | NL | 118 | 371 | 57 | 120 | 16 | 5 | 5 | 48 | 4 | 27 | 15 | 0.323 | 1455.7 |
| 1973 | LAD | NL | 89 | 293 | 33 | 92 | 11 | 2 | 0 | 23 | 1 | 25 | 12 | 0.314 | 274.6 |
| 1974 | LAD | NL | 66 | 57 | 5 | 16 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 16 | 0 | 5 | 4 | 0.281 | -86.3 |
| 1975 | LAD | NL | 52 | 49 | 3 | 13 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 10 | 0 | 5 | 1 | 0.265 | -34.9 |
| 1976 | LAD | NL | 50 | 52 | 1 | 15 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 13 | 0 | 7 | 5 | 0.288 | 58.4 |
| 1977 | LAD | NL | 49 | 38 | 5 | 15 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 1 | 10 | 0 | 0.395 | 0.0 |
| 1978 | LAD | NL | 37 | 33 | 2 | 10 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 3 | 4 | 0.303 | 0.0 |
| 1979 | LAD | NL | 47 | 42 | 1 | 15 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 4 | 0.357 | 0.0 |
| 1980 | LAD | NL | 7 | 7 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.429 | 0.0 |
| 1982 | LAD | NL | 1 | 1 | 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10 | 8 | 1 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0.375 |
Playoff Batting by Year
| Year | Round | Team | G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | BB | SO | AVG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1978 | NLCS | LAN | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1.000 |
| 1978 | WS | LAN | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | .000 |
| 1977 | WS | LAN | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0.000 |
| 1977 | NLCS | LAN | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1.000 |
| 1974 | NLCS | LAN | 3 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0.333 |
Fielding Statistics
Career Fielding Totals by Position
| Position | G | GS | PO | A | E | DP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2B | 6 | 1 | 6 | 7 | 0 | 1 |
| 3B | 15 | 6 | 14 | 19 | 2 | 3 |
| C | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| OF | 1021 | 785 | 1459 | 57 | 33 | 12 |
Season-by-Season Fielding
| Year | Team | Pos | G | GS | PO | A | E | DP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1962 | SFN | 2B | 3 | 1 | 5 | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| 1962 | SFN | 3B | 7 | 4 | 9 | 12 | 2 | 2 |
| 1962 | SFN | OF | 27 | 7 | 24 | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| 1963 | PIT | 2B | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1963 | PIT | OF | 37 | 25 | 40 | 1 | 2 | 0 |
| 1964 | PIT | C | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1964 | PIT | 2B | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 1964 | PIT | OF | 93 | 54 | 120 | 4 | 5 | 1 |
| 1965 | PIT | OF | 95 | 58 | 127 | 5 | 2 | 1 |
| 1966 | PIT | 3B | 4 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 1966 | PIT | OF | 96 | 68 | 150 | 3 | 1 | 0 |
| 1967 | PIT | 3B | 2 | 0 | 3 | 5 | 0 | 1 |
| 1967 | PIT | OF | 99 | 78 | 153 | 9 | 2 | 2 |
| 1968 | PIT | 2B | 1 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 1 |
| 1968 | PIT | 3B | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1968 | PIT | OF | 92 | 77 | 149 | 5 | 3 | 1 |
| 1969 | LAN | OF | 80 | 70 | 118 | 8 | 4 | 2 |
| 1969 | MON | OF | 22 | 21 | 39 | 0 | 4 | 0 |
| 1970 | LAN | 3B | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 1970 | LAN | OF | 111 | 99 | 172 | 8 | 5 | 3 |
| 1971 | LAN | OF | 80 | 64 | 108 | 3 | 4 | 1 |
| 1972 | LAN | OF | 99 | 85 | 141 | 3 | 1 | 1 |
| 1973 | LAN | OF | 74 | 71 | 96 | 4 | 0 | 0 |
| 1974 | LAN | OF | 3 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1975 | LAN | OF | 5 | 3 | 9 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1976 | LAN | OF | 6 | 3 | 11 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 1977 | LAN | OF | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1979 | LAN | OF | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Career Games by Position
| Position | Games |
|---|---|
| Catcher | 1 |
| Second Base | 6 |
| Third Base | 16 |
| Left Field | 726 |
| Center Field | 271 |
| Right Field | 120 |
Awards & Honors
| Year | Award | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 1979 | Player of the Week | Week of 1979-09-01 |
Award Voting History
| Year | Award | League | Finish | Points Won | Points Max | Votes First |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1972 | Most Valuable Player | NL | 23th | 4.0 | 336 | 0 |