Ben Oglivie
Born: 2/11/1949 in Colon, Colon, Panama
MLB Debut: 1971-09-04 | Final Game: 1986-10-05
Bats: L | Throws: L | Height: 6'2" | Weight: 160 lbs
Full name: Benjamin Ambrosio Oglivie
Biography
Ben Oglivie was a prominent position player in Major League Baseball, whose career spanned from 1971 to 1986. Born in 1949, Oglivie made his mark in the league with a combination of power and consistency, playing in a total of 1,754 games. Over the course of his career, he amassed 1,615 hits and demonstrated his power-hitting ability by hitting 235 home runs. His offensive contributions also included 901 RBIs and a batting average of .273, making him a key figure for the teams he played for.
Oglivie was recognized for his talent with three All-Star selections, highlighting his status among the elite players of his era. Known for his strong batting skills and versatility in the outfield, he played during a time when the game was evolving, with an increasing emphasis on power hitting. His ability to steal bases, totaling 87 in his career, added another dimension to his game, showcasing his speed and agility. Oglivie's contributions to baseball continue to be remembered, as he left a lasting legacy in the sport during a dynamic period of change and competition.
Career Batting Statistics
| G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | BB | SO | AVG | OBP | SLG | OPS | PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1754 | 5913 | 784 | 1615 | 277 | 33 | 235 | 901 | 87 | 560 | 852 | 0.273 | 0.336 | 0.450 | 0.786 | 12201.0 |
Season-by-Season Batting
| Year | Team | Lg | G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | BB | SO | AVG | PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1971 | BOS | AL | 14 | 38 | 2 | 10 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 0.263 | 0.0 |
| 1972 | BOS | AL | 94 | 253 | 27 | 61 | 10 | 2 | 8 | 30 | 1 | 18 | 61 | 0.241 | 64.5 |
| 1973 | BOS | AL | 58 | 147 | 16 | 32 | 9 | 1 | 2 | 9 | 1 | 9 | 32 | 0.218 | -414.3 |
| 1974 | DET | AL | 92 | 252 | 28 | 68 | 11 | 3 | 4 | 29 | 12 | 34 | 38 | 0.270 | 330.2 |
| 1975 | DET | AL | 100 | 332 | 45 | 95 | 14 | 1 | 9 | 36 | 11 | 16 | 62 | 0.286 | 182.2 |
| 1976 | DET | AL | 115 | 305 | 36 | 87 | 12 | 3 | 15 | 47 | 9 | 11 | 44 | 0.285 | 821.8 |
| 1977 | DET | AL | 132 | 450 | 63 | 118 | 24 | 2 | 21 | 61 | 9 | 40 | 80 | 0.262 | 646.5 |
| 1978 | ATL | AL | 128 | 469 | 71 | 142 | 29 | 4 | 18 | 72 | 11 | 52 | 69 | 0.303 | 2095.2 |
| 1979 | ATL | AL | 139 | 514 | 88 | 145 | 30 | 4 | 29 | 81 | 12 | 48 | 56 | 0.282 | 1865.2 |
| 1980 | ATL | AL | 156 | 592 | 94 | 180 | 26 | 2 | 41 | 118 | 11 | 54 | 71 | 0.304 | 3390.0 |
| 1981 | ATL | AL | 107 | 400 | 53 | 97 | 15 | 2 | 14 | 72 | 2 | 37 | 49 | 0.242 | 118.0 |
| 1982 | ATL | AL | 159 | 602 | 92 | 147 | 22 | 1 | 34 | 102 | 3 | 70 | 81 | 0.244 | 1193.2 |
| 1983 | ATL | AL | 125 | 411 | 49 | 115 | 19 | 3 | 13 | 66 | 4 | 60 | 64 | 0.280 | 1155.0 |
| 1984 | ATL | AL | 131 | 461 | 49 | 121 | 16 | 2 | 12 | 60 | 0 | 44 | 56 | 0.262 | 87.3 |
| 1985 | ATL | AL | 101 | 341 | 40 | 99 | 17 | 2 | 10 | 61 | 0 | 37 | 51 | 0.290 | 680.2 |
| 1986 | ATL | AL | 103 | 346 | 31 | 98 | 20 | 1 | 5 | 53 | 1 | 30 | 33 | 0.283 | -14.0 |
Postseason Statistics
Playoff Career Batting
| G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | BB | SO | AVG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 16 | 60 | 5 | 11 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 2 | 14 | 0.183 |
Playoff Batting by Year
| Year | Round | Team | G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | BB | SO | AVG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1982 | ALCS | ML4 | 4 | 15 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 0.133 |
| 1982 | WS | ML4 | 7 | 27 | 4 | 6 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 4 | 0.222 |
| 1981 | AEDIV | ML4 | 5 | 18 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 7 | 0.167 |
Fielding Statistics
Career Fielding Totals by Position
| Position | G | GS | PO | A | E | DP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1B | 44 | 36 | 369 | 19 | 4 | 37 |
| OF | 1439 | 1364 | 3030 | 102 | 70 | 17 |
Season-by-Season Fielding
| Year | Team | Pos | G | GS | PO | A | E | DP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1971 | BOS | OF | 11 | 7 | 22 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| 1972 | BOS | OF | 65 | 58 | 98 | 5 | 2 | 2 |
| 1973 | BOS | OF | 32 | 28 | 56 | 2 | 1 | 0 |
| 1974 | DET | 1B | 10 | 9 | 75 | 8 | 0 | 13 |
| 1974 | DET | OF | 63 | 51 | 87 | 3 | 5 | 0 |
| 1975 | DET | 1B | 5 | 4 | 40 | 4 | 0 | 4 |
| 1975 | DET | OF | 86 | 85 | 192 | 4 | 5 | 1 |
| 1976 | DET | 1B | 9 | 9 | 98 | 1 | 1 | 13 |
| 1976 | DET | OF | 64 | 58 | 136 | 7 | 2 | 0 |
| 1977 | DET | OF | 118 | 113 | 236 | 10 | 6 | 3 |
| 1978 | ML4 | 1B | 11 | 9 | 88 | 3 | 2 | 4 |
| 1978 | ML4 | OF | 89 | 84 | 187 | 5 | 4 | 0 |
| 1979 | ML4 | 1B | 9 | 5 | 68 | 3 | 1 | 3 |
| 1979 | ML4 | OF | 120 | 113 | 252 | 7 | 4 | 0 |
| 1980 | ML4 | OF | 152 | 150 | 384 | 18 | 9 | 3 |
| 1981 | ML4 | OF | 101 | 100 | 211 | 3 | 4 | 1 |
| 1982 | ML4 | OF | 159 | 156 | 359 | 15 | 7 | 3 |
| 1983 | ML4 | OF | 113 | 108 | 259 | 8 | 4 | 1 |
| 1984 | ML4 | OF | 125 | 117 | 256 | 6 | 8 | 1 |
| 1985 | ML4 | OF | 91 | 87 | 190 | 4 | 7 | 0 |
| 1986 | ML4 | OF | 50 | 49 | 105 | 4 | 1 | 1 |
Career Games by Position
| Position | Games |
|---|---|
| First Base | 44 |
| Left Field | 1100 |
| Center Field | 16 |
| Right Field | 358 |
| Designated Hitter | 131 |
Awards & Honors
| Year | Award | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 1983 | Player of the Week | Week of 1983-04-29 |
| 1980 | Player of the Month | May |
| 1980 | Silver Slugger | OF |
| 1980 | TSN All-Star | OF |
| 1979 | Player of the Week | Week of 1979-09-21 |
| 1976 | Player of the Week | Week of 1976-06-04 |
Salary History
| Year | Team | League | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1986 | ML4 | AL | $766,593 |
| 1985 | ML4 | AL | $560,000 |
| Total Career Earnings | $1,326,593 | ||
Award Voting History
| Year | Award | League | Finish | Points Won | Points Max | Votes First |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980 | Most Valuable Player | AL | 13th | 27.0 | 392 | 0 |