Jim Nettles
Outfielder · Career Stats, Bio & Records (1970-1981)
Jim Nettles was an outfielder who played in Major League Baseball from 1970 to 1981 for 4 teams, including the Minnesota Twins, a span of 12 seasons. In 240 career games, he hit .220 with 129 hits, 16 home runs, and 57 RBI.
- 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
- Outfielder
- Bats / Throws
- L / L
- Height / Weight
- 6'0" / 186 lb
- MLB Debut
- 1970-09-07
- Last Game
- 1981-09-13
Full name: James William Nettles
Career Batting Statistics
| G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | BB | SO | AVG | OBP | SLG | OPS | PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 240 | 587 | 68 | 129 | 15 | 4 | 16 | 57 | 10 | 70 | 109 | .220 | .304 | .341 | .644 | -102 |
Career AVG .220 vs. league average .254 across their career seasons — 13.6% below league average.
Career OBP .304 vs. league average .322 across their career seasons — 5.6% below league average.
Career SLG .341 vs. league average .374 across their career seasons — 8.9% below league average.
Career OPS .644 vs. league average .696 across their career seasons — 7.4% below 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970 | MIN | AL | 13 | 20 | 3 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 5 | .250 | — | — | — | — | 0.0 |
| 1971 | MIN | AL | 70 | 168 | 17 | 42 | 5 | 1 | 6 | 24 | 3 | 19 | 24 | .250 | .249 (avg) | .316 (+1%) | .365 (+9%) | .682 (+6%) | 142.3 |
| 1972 | MIN | AL | 102 | 235 | 28 | 48 | 5 | 2 | 4 | 15 | 4 | 32 | 52 | .204 | .243 (-16%) | .310 (-3%) | .353 (-17%) | .664 (-10%) | -290.5 |
| 1974 | DET | AL | 43 | 141 | 20 | 32 | 5 | 1 | 6 | 17 | 3 | 15 | 26 | .227 | .256 (-12%) | .324 (-6%) | .369 (+10%) | .693 (+2%) | 46.2 |
| 1979 | KCA | AL | 11 | 23 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 2 | .087 | — | — | — | — | 0.0 |
| 1981 | OAK | AL | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 | — | — | — | — | 0.0 |
| Career · 6 seasons | 240 | 587 | 68 | 129 | 15 | 4 | 16 | 57 | 10 | 70 | 109 | .220 | — | — | — | — | -102 | ||
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.
Game Log & Splits
View full game log (240 games) →Per-game data from Retrosheet (regular season, through 2025).
Batting — Home / Away
| Split | G | AB | R | H | HR | RBI | AVG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Home | 132 | 294 | 38 | 67 | 9 | 30 | .228 |
| Away | 108 | 293 | 30 | 62 | 7 | 27 | .212 |
Last 10 Games — Batting
| Date | Tm | Opp | Res | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | BB | SO |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1981-09-13 | OAK | KCR | L | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1979-09-30 | KCR | OAK | L | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1979-09-29 | KCR | OAK | W | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| 1979-09-28 | KCR | OAK | W | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| 1979-09-26 | KCR | LAA | W | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 1979-09-20 | KCR | LAA | L | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1979-09-16 | KCR | SEA | L | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1979-09-15 | KCR | SEA | W | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1979-09-10 | KCR | MIN | L | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 1979-09-10 | KCR | MIN | W | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
Career Games by Position
Circle size = games played at each position.
| Position | Games |
|---|---|
| First Base | 2 |
| Left Field | 32 |
| Center Field | 122 |
| Right Field | 49 |
College History
| School Name | City | State | Years Attended |
|---|---|---|---|
| San Diego State University | San Diego | CA | 1966, 1967, 1968 |
Jim Nettles: the record in brief
September 7, 1970 and September 13, 1981 bracket Jim Nettles's time in the majors: the debut and the last game on record. Club by club, the record runs the Minnesota Twins (1970 through 1972), the Detroit Tigers (1974), the Kansas City Royals (1979), and the Oakland Athletics (1981). Listed as an outfielder, Nettles batted and threw left-handed. Height and weight on file: 6-foot-0 and 186 pounds. The birth record reads March 2, 1947, in San Diego, CA, USA. Jim Nettles was the playing name; the full given name is James William.
The batting record for Nettles: 240 games, 129 hits in 587 at bats, and a .220 average, adding 16 home runs and 57 RBI. The on-base percentage is .304 and the slugging percentage .341, for an OPS of .644. Set against a .254 league average for the same years, Nettles's .220 average sits 13.6% below it. By OPS the gap is 7.4% below league average (.644 against .696). The highest hit total in a season was 48, in 1972. Even the best average among the busiest seasons, .250 in 1971, did not top the league's .249.
Frequently Asked Questions about Jim Nettles
- What years did Jim Nettles play?
- Jim Nettles played in Major League Baseball from 1970 to 1981.
- Was Jim Nettles a pitcher?
- No. Jim Nettles was a position player (Outfielder).
- How many home runs did Jim Nettles hit?
- Jim Nettles hit 16 career home runs with 129 hits.
- What teams did Jim Nettles play for?
- Jim Nettles played for 4 teams: the Minnesota Twins (1970–1972), the Detroit Tigers (1974), the Kansas City Royals (1979), and the Oakland Athletics (1981).
- What were Jim Nettles's career stats?
- In 240 games, Jim Nettles had 129 hits, 16 home runs, 57 RBI, 68 runs, and 10 stolen bases, with a .220 batting average.
- What position did Jim Nettles play?
- Jim Nettles played primarily as an outfielder, the position where he appeared in the most games.
- How tall was Jim Nettles and how much did he weigh?
- Jim Nettles was listed at 6 feet and 186 pounds.
- How many home runs did Jim Nettles hit each season?
- Jim Nettles's home runs by season: 0 in 1970, 6 in 1971, 4 in 1972, 6 in 1974, and 0 in 1979. His most in one season was 6, in 1971 and 1974.
- What was Jim Nettles's career batting average?
- Jim Nettles batted .220 over his career, with 129 hits in 587 at bats.
- How many RBI did Jim Nettles have?
- Jim Nettles drove in 57 runs in his career.
- Is Jim Nettles in the Hall of Fame?
- No. Jim Nettles has not been inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame.