Freddie Patek
Born: 10/9/1944 in Oklahoma City, OK, USA
MLB Debut: 1968-06-03 | Final Game: 1981-10-03
Bats: R | Throws: R | Height: 5'5" | Weight: 148 lbs
Full name: Frederick Joseph Patek
Biography
Freddie Patek was born in 1944 and enjoyed a prominent career in Major League Baseball from 1968 to 1981. Known for his exceptional speed and defensive skills, Patek was primarily positioned as a shortstop. Over the course of 1,650 games, he accumulated 1,340 hits, 41 home runs, and 490 RBIs, finishing his career with a batting average of .242. His remarkable base-running ability was highlighted by his impressive total of 385 stolen bases, ranking him among the top base stealers of his era.
Patek was a three-time All-Star, recognized for his contributions to the teams he played for, which included the Kansas City Royals and the Pittsburgh Pirates. His career coincided with a transformative period in baseball, characterized by a shift towards greater athleticism and speed on the field. Patek's style of play and dedication to defense made him a valuable asset and a fan favorite, and he remains a notable figure in the history of the game.
Career Batting Statistics
| G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | BB | SO | AVG | OBP | SLG | OPS | PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1650 | 5530 | 736 | 1340 | 216 | 55 | 41 | 490 | 385 | 523 | 787 | 0.242 | 0.309 | 0.324 | 0.633 | -9165.7 |
Season-by-Season Batting
| Year | Team | Lg | G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | BB | SO | AVG | PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1968 | PIT | NL | 61 | 208 | 31 | 53 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 18 | 18 | 12 | 37 | 0.255 | -117.6 |
| 1969 | PIT | NL | 147 | 460 | 48 | 110 | 9 | 1 | 5 | 32 | 15 | 53 | 86 | 0.239 | -819.6 |
| 1970 | PIT | NL | 84 | 237 | 42 | 58 | 10 | 5 | 1 | 19 | 8 | 29 | 46 | 0.245 | -303.8 |
| 1971 | KCR | AL | 147 | 591 | 86 | 158 | 21 | 11 | 6 | 36 | 49 | 44 | 80 | 0.267 | 137.4 |
| 1972 | KCR | AL | 136 | 518 | 59 | 110 | 25 | 4 | 0 | 32 | 33 | 47 | 64 | 0.212 | -1552.5 |
| 1973 | KCR | AL | 135 | 501 | 82 | 117 | 19 | 5 | 5 | 45 | 36 | 54 | 63 | 0.234 | -938.9 |
| 1974 | KCR | AL | 149 | 537 | 72 | 121 | 18 | 6 | 3 | 38 | 33 | 77 | 69 | 0.225 | -902.4 |
| 1975 | KCR | AL | 136 | 483 | 58 | 110 | 14 | 5 | 5 | 45 | 32 | 42 | 65 | 0.228 | -1396.9 |
| 1976 | KCR | AL | 144 | 432 | 58 | 104 | 19 | 3 | 1 | 43 | 51 | 50 | 63 | 0.241 | -620.2 |
| 1977 | KCR | AL | 154 | 497 | 72 | 130 | 26 | 6 | 5 | 60 | 53 | 41 | 84 | 0.262 | -637.9 |
| 1978 | KCR | AL | 138 | 440 | 54 | 109 | 23 | 1 | 2 | 46 | 38 | 42 | 56 | 0.248 | -836.6 |
| 1979 | KCR | AL | 106 | 306 | 30 | 77 | 17 | 0 | 1 | 37 | 11 | 16 | 42 | 0.252 | -965.0 |
| 1980 | LAA | AL | 86 | 273 | 41 | 72 | 10 | 5 | 5 | 34 | 7 | 15 | 26 | 0.264 | -211.7 |
| 1981 | LAA | AL | 27 | 47 | 3 | 11 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 1 | 1 | 6 | 0.234 | 0.0 |
Postseason Statistics
Playoff Career Batting
| G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | BB | SO | AVG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 15 | 52 | 8 | 15 | 5 | 1 | 1 | 11 | 3 | 9 | 0.288 |
Playoff Batting by Year
| Year | Round | Team | G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | BB | SO | AVG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1978 | ALCS | KCA | 4 | 13 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 4 | 0.077 |
| 1977 | ALCS | KCA | 5 | 18 | 4 | 7 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 1 | 2 | 0.389 |
| 1976 | ALCS | KCA | 5 | 18 | 2 | 7 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0.389 |
| 1970 | NLCS | PIT | 1 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 0.000 |
Fielding Statistics
Career Fielding Totals by Position
| Position | G | GS | PO | A | E | DP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2B | 16 | 10 | 27 | 31 | 1 | 8 |
| 3B | 8 | 1 | 1 | 9 | 1 | 0 |
| OF | 5 | 4 | 9 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| SS | 1588 | 1527 | 2690 | 4786 | 293 | 1004 |
Season-by-Season Fielding
| Year | Team | Pos | G | GS | PO | A | E | DP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1968 | PIT | 3B | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| 1968 | PIT | SS | 52 | 49 | 80 | 164 | 6 | 23 |
| 1968 | PIT | OF | 5 | 4 | 9 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1969 | PIT | SS | 146 | 141 | 227 | 399 | 30 | 81 |
| 1970 | PIT | SS | 65 | 57 | 122 | 212 | 10 | 42 |
| 1971 | KCA | SS | 147 | 145 | 301 | 459 | 25 | 107 |
| 1972 | KCA | SS | 136 | 133 | 230 | 510 | 22 | 113 |
| 1973 | KCA | SS | 135 | 131 | 242 | 503 | 26 | 115 |
| 1974 | KCA | SS | 149 | 145 | 250 | 493 | 25 | 108 |
| 1975 | KCA | SS | 136 | 133 | 231 | 405 | 27 | 78 |
| 1976 | KCA | SS | 143 | 140 | 233 | 426 | 26 | 87 |
| 1977 | KCA | SS | 154 | 148 | 252 | 413 | 29 | 70 |
| 1978 | KCA | SS | 137 | 134 | 240 | 350 | 32 | 84 |
| 1979 | KCA | SS | 104 | 95 | 153 | 249 | 19 | 54 |
| 1980 | CAL | SS | 81 | 75 | 129 | 199 | 16 | 42 |
| 1981 | CAL | 2B | 16 | 10 | 27 | 31 | 1 | 8 |
| 1981 | CAL | 3B | 7 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 1 | 0 |
| 1981 | CAL | SS | 3 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 |
Career Games by Position
| Position | Games |
|---|---|
| Second Base | 16 |
| Third Base | 8 |
| Shortstop | 1587 |
| Left Field | 2 |
| Right Field | 3 |
| Designated Hitter | 2 |
Award Voting History
| Year | Award | League | Finish | Points Won | Points Max | Votes First |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1971 | Most Valuable Player | AL | 6th | 77.0 | 336 | 0 |