Johnny Oates
Born: 1/21/1946 in Sylva, NC, USA
Died: 12/24/2004 in Richmond, VA, USA
MLB Debut: 1970-09-17 | Final Game: 1981-05-24
Bats: L | Throws: R | Height: 5'11" | Weight: 188 lbs
Full name: Johnny Lane Oates
Biography
Johnny Oates was a professional baseball player born in 1946, who played primarily as a position player from 1970 until his retirement in 1981. Over the course of his career, he participated in 593 games, showcasing his skills with a batting average of .250. Oates recorded a total of 410 hits, which included 14 home runs and 126 runs batted in (RBIs). In addition to his offensive contributions, he also demonstrated speed on the base paths, tallying 11 stolen bases during his time in Major League Baseball.
Oates played in an era that bridged the transition from the end of the deadball era into a more power-oriented game, which influenced players' approaches at the plate. His steady performance and versatility allowed him to carve out a notable career, contributing to the teams he played for with both his batting and fielding abilities. After his playing days, Oates went on to enjoy a successful career as a manager, further solidifying his legacy within the sport.
Career Batting Statistics
| G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | BB | SO | AVG | OBP | SLG | OPS | PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 593 | 1637 | 146 | 410 | 56 | 2 | 14 | 126 | 11 | 141 | 149 | 0.250 | 0.309 | 0.313 | 0.622 | -2755.0 |
Season-by-Season Batting
| Year | Team | Lg | G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | BB | SO | AVG | PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970 | BAL | AL | 5 | 18 | 2 | 5 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0.278 | 0.0 |
| 1972 | BAL | AL | 85 | 253 | 20 | 66 | 12 | 1 | 4 | 21 | 5 | 28 | 31 | 0.261 | 230.2 |
| 1973 | ATL | NL | 93 | 322 | 27 | 80 | 6 | 0 | 4 | 27 | 1 | 22 | 31 | 0.248 | -803.9 |
| 1974 | ATL | NL | 100 | 291 | 22 | 65 | 10 | 0 | 1 | 21 | 2 | 23 | 24 | 0.223 | -1117.1 |
| 1975 | ATL | NL | 8 | 18 | 0 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 0.222 | 0.0 |
| 1975 | PHI | NL | 90 | 269 | 28 | 77 | 14 | 0 | 1 | 25 | 1 | 33 | 29 | 0.286 | 0.0 |
| 1976 | PHI | NL | 37 | 99 | 10 | 25 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 0 | 8 | 12 | 0.253 | -210.1 |
| 1977 | LAD | NL | 60 | 156 | 18 | 42 | 4 | 0 | 3 | 11 | 1 | 11 | 11 | 0.269 | -243.6 |
| 1978 | LAD | NL | 40 | 75 | 5 | 23 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 5 | 3 | 0.307 | -34.4 |
| 1979 | LAD | NL | 26 | 46 | 4 | 6 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 4 | 1 | 0.130 | -375.1 |
| 1980 | NYY | AL | 39 | 64 | 6 | 12 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 0.188 | -323.3 |
| 1981 | NYY | AL | 10 | 26 | 4 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0.192 | 0.0 |
Postseason Statistics
Playoff Career Batting
| G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | BB | SO | AVG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0.333 |
Playoff Batting by Year
| Year | Round | Team | G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | BB | SO | AVG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1978 | WS | LAN | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1.000 |
| 1977 | WS | LAN | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.000 |
| 1976 | NLCS | PHI | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.000 |
Fielding Statistics
Career Fielding Totals by Position
| Position | G | GS | PO | A | E | DP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| C | 533 | 423 | 2416 | 277 | 36 | 33 |
Season-by-Season Fielding
| Year | Team | Pos | G | GS | PO | A | E | DP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970 | BAL | C | 4 | 4 | 30 | 1 | 2 | 1 |
| 1972 | BAL | C | 82 | 69 | 391 | 31 | 2 | 4 |
| 1973 | ATL | C | 86 | 79 | 409 | 57 | 9 | 6 |
| 1974 | ATL | C | 91 | 77 | 434 | 55 | 4 | 4 |
| 1975 | ATL | C | 6 | 5 | 21 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 1975 | PHI | C | 82 | 71 | 429 | 44 | 5 | 10 |
| 1976 | PHI | C | 33 | 26 | 155 | 15 | 1 | 1 |
| 1977 | LAN | C | 56 | 38 | 258 | 37 | 4 | 3 |
| 1978 | LAN | C | 24 | 18 | 77 | 10 | 4 | 1 |
| 1979 | LAN | C | 20 | 12 | 64 | 13 | 2 | 2 |
| 1980 | NYA | C | 39 | 15 | 99 | 10 | 1 | 1 |
| 1981 | NYA | C | 10 | 9 | 49 | 3 | 2 | 0 |
Career Games by Position
| Position | Games |
|---|---|
| Catcher | 533 |
College History
| School Name | City | State | Years Attended |
|---|---|---|---|
| Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University | Blacksburg | VA | 1966, 1967 |