Dan Quisenberry
Pitcher · Career Stats, Bio & Records (1979-1990)
Dan Quisenberry was a pitcher who played in Major League Baseball from 1979 to 1990 for the Kansas City Royals, the St. Louis Cardinals, and the San Francisco Giants, a span of 12 seasons. Across 674 career appearances, he went 56-46 with a 2.76 ERA, 379 strikeouts, and 244 saves. Dan Quisenberry was a 3-time All-Star and a 5-time Reliever of the Year. His career Pitcher PIV — Baseball Data Hub's era-adjusted measure of pitching impact — is 16859.5.
- W (Wins):
- Games credited to a pitcher whose team took a lead it never surrendered while he was the pitcher of record.
- ERA (Earned Run Average):
- Earned runs allowed per nine innings pitched: (ER × 9) ÷ IP. The primary measure of pitching effectiveness.
- SO (Strikeouts):
- For a batter, times retired on a third strike; for a pitcher, batters retired on a third strike.
- WHIP (Walks and Hits per Inning Pitched):
- Baserunners allowed per inning: (BB + H) ÷ IP. Under 1.00 is elite.
Data updated
- Position
- Pitcher
- Bats / Throws
- R / R
- Height / Weight
- 6'2" / 170 lb
- Died
- 9/30/1998 in Leawood, KS, USA
- MLB Debut
- 1979-07-08
- Last Game
- 1990-04-23
- Awards
- 3× All-Star · 5× Reliever of the Year
Full name: Dan Raymond Quisenberry
Season-by-Season Pitching
Click a stat to plot it across every season.
| Year | Team | Lg | W | L | G | GS | CG | SHO | SV | IP | H | ER | BB | SO | ERA | Lg ERA | Pitcher PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1979 | KCA | AL | 3 | 2 | 32 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 40.0 | 42 | 14 | 7 | 13 | 3.15 | 4.00 (+21%) | -230.2 |
| 1980 | KCA | AL | 12 | 7 | 75 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 33 | 128.1 | 129 | 44 | 27 | 37 | 3.09 | 3.84 (+20%) | 1663.1 |
| 1981 | KCA | AL | 1 | 4 | 40 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 18 | 62.1 | 59 | 12 | 15 | 20 | 1.73 | 3.58 (+52%) | 1020.2 |
| 1982 | KCA | AL | 9 | 7 | 72 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 35 | 136.2 | 126 | 39 | 12 | 46 | 2.57 | 3.86 (+34%) | 1456.5 |
| 1983 | KCA | AL | 5 | 3 | 69 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 45 | 139.0 | 118 | 30 | 11 | 48 | 1.94 | 3.87 (+50%) | 3608.0 |
| 1984 | KCA | AL | 6 | 3 | 72 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 44 | 129.1 | 121 | 38 | 12 | 41 | 2.64 | 3.81 (+31%) | 1305.5 |
| 1985 | KCA | AL | 8 | 9 | 84 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 37 | 129.0 | 142 | 34 | 16 | 54 | 2.37 | 3.89 (+39%) | 2796.8 |
| 1986 | KCA | AL | 3 | 7 | 62 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 12 | 81.1 | 92 | 25 | 24 | 36 | 2.77 | 3.97 (+30%) | 1594.2 |
| 1987 | KCA | AL | 4 | 1 | 47 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 49.0 | 58 | 15 | 10 | 17 | 2.76 | 4.29 (+36%) | 800.5 |
| 1988 | KCA | AL | 0 | 1 | 20 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 25.1 | 32 | 10 | 5 | 9 | 3.55 | 3.73 (+5%) | 689.5 |
| 1988 | SLN | NL | 2 | 0 | 33 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 38.0 | 54 | 26 | 6 | 19 | 6.16 | 3.73 (-65%) | 117.3 |
| 1989 | SLN | NL | 3 | 1 | 63 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 78.1 | 78 | 23 | 14 | 37 | 2.64 | 3.71 (+29%) | 2037.8 |
| 1990 | SFN | NL | 0 | 1 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6.2 | 13 | 10 | 3 | 2 | 13.50 | — | 0.0 |
| Career · 13 seasons | 56 | 46 | 674 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 244 | 1,043.1 | 1,064 | 320 | 162 | 379 | 2.76 | — | 16,859 | ||
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.
Career Batting Statistics
| G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | BB | SO | AVG | OBP | SLG | OPS | PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 674 | 6 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | .167 | .286 | .167 | .452 | 0 |
Career AVG .167 vs. league average .259 across their career seasons — 35.8% below league average.
Career OBP .286 vs. league average .324 across their career seasons — 11.9% below league average.
Career SLG .167 vs. league average .389 across their career seasons — 57.1% below league average.
Career OPS .452 vs. league average .713 across their career seasons — 36.5% 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1979 | KCA | AL | 32 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 | — | — | — | — | 0.0 |
| 1980 | KCA | AL | 75 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 | — | — | — | — | 0.0 |
| 1981 | KCA | AL | 40 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 | — | — | — | — | 0.0 |
| 1982 | KCA | AL | 72 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 | — | — | — | — | 0.0 |
| 1983 | KCA | AL | 69 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 | — | — | — | — | 0.0 |
| 1984 | KCA | AL | 72 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 | — | — | — | — | 0.0 |
| 1985 | KCA | AL | 84 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 | — | — | — | — | 0.0 |
| 1986 | KCA | AL | 62 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 | — | — | — | — | 0.0 |
| 1987 | KCA | AL | 47 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 | — | — | — | — | 0.0 |
| 1988 | KCA | AL | 20 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 | — | — | — | — | 0.0 |
| 1988 | SLN | NL | 33 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | .000 | — | — | — | — | 0.0 |
| 1989 | SLN | NL | 63 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | .250 | — | — | — | — | 0.0 |
| 1990 | SFN | NL | 5 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 | — | — | — | — | 0.0 |
| Career · 13 seasons | 674 | 6 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | .167 | — | — | — | — | 0 | ||
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.
Postseason Statistics
Playoff Career Batting
Playoff Batting by Year
| Year | Round | Team | G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | BB | SO | AVG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1985 | ALCS | KCA | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 |
| 1985 | WS | KCA | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 |
| 1984 | ALCS | KCA | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 |
| 1981 | AWDIV | KCA | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 |
| 1980 | ALCS | KCA | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 |
| 1980 | WS | KCA | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 |
Playoff Career Pitching
| W | L | G | GS | SV | IP | H | ER | BB | SO | ERA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 | 4 | 18 | 0 | 3 | 28.0 | 29 | 10 | 9 | 8 | 3.21 |
Playoff Pitching by Year
| Year | Round | Team | W | L | G | GS | SV | IP | H | ER | BB | SO | ERA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1985 | ALCS | KCA | 0 | 1 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 4.2 | 7 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 3.86 |
| 1985 | WS | KCA | 1 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 4.1 | 5 | 1 | 3 | 3 | 2.08 |
| 1984 | ALCS | KCA | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 3.0 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 3.00 |
| 1981 | AWDIV | KCA | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1.0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.00 |
| 1980 | ALCS | KCA | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 4.2 | 4 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 0.00 |
| 1980 | WS | KCA | 1 | 2 | 6 | 0 | 1 | 10.1 | 10 | 6 | 3 | 0 | 5.23 |
Game Log & Splits
View full game log (1348 games) →Per-game data from Retrosheet (regular season, through 2025).
Batting — Home / Away
| Split | G | AB | R | H | HR | RBI | AVG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Home | 341 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | .250 |
| Away | 333 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 |
Pitching — Home / Away
| Split | G | IP | H | ER | BB | SO | ERA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Home | 341 | 529.1 | 540 | 161 | 77 | 186 | 2.74 |
| Away | 333 | 514.0 | 524 | 159 | 85 | 193 | 2.78 |
Last 10 Games — Batting
| Date | Tm | Opp | Res | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | BB | SO |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990-04-23 | SFG | SDP | L | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1990-04-17 | SFG | LAD | L | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1990-04-14 | SFG | SDP | L | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1990-04-13 | SFG | SDP | L | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1990-04-11 | SFG | ATL | L | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1989-10-01 | STL | CHC | L | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1989-09-21 | STL | NYN | L | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1989-09-17 | STL | PHI | L | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1989-09-15 | STL | PHI | W | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1989-09-14 | STL | PIT | L | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Last 10 Games — Pitching
| Date | Tm | Opp | Dec | IP | H | R | ER | BB | SO | HR |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990-04-23 | SFG | SDP | — | 2.1 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 1990-04-17 | SFG | LAD | — | 0.2 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| 1990-04-14 | SFG | SDP | — | 1.0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 1990-04-13 | SFG | SDP | L | 1.1 | 6 | 6 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| 1990-04-11 | SFG | ATL | — | 1.1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 1989-10-01 | STL | CHC | — | 0.0 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 1989-09-21 | STL | NYN | — | 3.0 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| 1989-09-17 | STL | PHI | — | 1.0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1989-09-15 | STL | PHI | — | 1.0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1989-09-14 | STL | PIT | — | 0.1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Fielding Statistics
Career Fielding Totals by Position
Season-by-Season Fielding
| Year | Team | Pos | G | GS | PO | A | E | DP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1979 | KCA | P | 32 | 0 | 0 | 10 | 1 | 2 |
| 1980 | KCA | P | 75 | 0 | 17 | 29 | 2 | 4 |
| 1981 | KCA | P | 40 | 0 | 8 | 23 | 1 | 1 |
| 1982 | KCA | P | 72 | 0 | 18 | 46 | 2 | 3 |
| 1983 | KCA | P | 69 | 0 | 8 | 30 | 3 | 1 |
| 1984 | KCA | P | 72 | 0 | 15 | 29 | 0 | 1 |
| 1985 | KCA | P | 84 | 0 | 8 | 24 | 2 | 2 |
| 1986 | KCA | P | 62 | 0 | 9 | 19 | 1 | 3 |
| 1987 | KCA | P | 47 | 0 | 6 | 13 | 0 | 3 |
| 1988 | KCA | P | 20 | 0 | 0 | 9 | 0 | 1 |
| 1988 | SLN | P | 33 | 0 | 1 | 9 | 1 | 0 |
| 1989 | SLN | P | 63 | 0 | 7 | 22 | 0 | 1 |
| 1990 | SFN | P | 5 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
Career Games by Position
Circle size = games played at each position.
| Position | Games |
|---|---|
| Pitcher | 674 |
Awards & Honors
| Year | Award | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 1985 | Reliever of the Year Award | |
| 1985 | TSN Fireman of the Year | |
| 1984 | Reliever of the Year Award | |
| 1984 | TSN Fireman of the Year | |
| 1983 | Player of the Week | Week of 1983-09-16 |
| 1983 | Reliever of the Year Award | |
| 1983 | TSN Fireman of the Year | |
| 1982 | Reliever of the Year Award | |
| 1982 | TSN Fireman of the Year | |
| 1980 | Reliever of the Year Award | |
| 1980 | TSN Fireman of the Year |
Salary History
Dan Quisenberry's recorded salaries total $7,402,562 over 6 seasons, 1985 to 1990. This total is partial: the salary data covers 1985 to 2016, and Quisenberry's career ran from 1979 to 1990. His seasons before 1985 are not included.
| Year | Team | League | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1990 | SFN | NL | $100,000 |
| 1989 | KCA | AL | $2,515,362 |
| 1989 | SLN | NL | $62,500 |
| 1988 | KCA | AL | $1,562,350 |
| 1987 | KCA | AL | $1,262,350 |
| 1986 | KCA | AL | $925,000 |
| 1985 | KCA | AL | $975,000 |
| Total recorded salary (partial) | $7,402,562 | ||
College History
| School Name | City | State | Years Attended |
|---|---|---|---|
| Orange Coast College | Costa Mesa | CA | 1972, 1973 |
| University of La Verne | La Verne | CA | 1974, 1975 |
Award Voting History
| Year | Award | League | Finish | Points Won | Points Max | Votes First |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1985 | Cy Young Award | AL | 3rd | 9.0 | 140 | 0 |
| 1985 | Most Valuable Player | AL | 11th | 39.0 | 392 | 0 |
| 1984 | Cy Young Award | AL | 2nd | 71.0 | 140 | 9 |
| 1984 | Most Valuable Player | AL | 3rd | 235.0 | 392 | 5 |
| 1983 | Cy Young Award | AL | 2nd | 81.0 | 140 | 9 |
| 1983 | Most Valuable Player | AL | 6th | 107.0 | 392 | 0 |
| 1982 | Cy Young Award | AL | 3rd | 40.0 | 140 | 4 |
| 1982 | Most Valuable Player | AL | 9th | 39.0 | 392 | 0 |
| 1980 | Cy Young Award | AL | 5th | 7.0 | 140 | 0 |
| 1980 | Most Valuable Player | AL | 8th | 70.0 | 392 | 0 |
Most Similar Players
Career comps based on counting + rate stats and primary position. Score is relative — closest peer anchors at ~98%.
Dan Quisenberry (highlighted) compared to peers across the same era.
Compare Dan Quisenberry
Dan Quisenberry: the record in brief
July 8, 1979 and April 23, 1990 bracket Dan Quisenberry's time in the majors: the debut and the last game on record. The team column moves through the Kansas City Royals (1979 through 1988), the St. Louis Cardinals (1988 to 1989), and the San Francisco Giants (1990). Quisenberry played primarily as a pitcher and both batted and threw right-handed. Born on February 7, 1953, in Santa Monica, CA, USA, Quisenberry was listed at 6'2" and 170 pounds. Quisenberry died on September 30, 1998, in Leawood, KS, USA. On the record, Dan Quisenberry was born Dan Raymond Quisenberry.
Quisenberry pitched in 674 games, starting 0, and finished with a 56-46 record and 2.76 ERA. The totals include 379 strikeouts and 244 saves. The leagues Quisenberry pitched in allowed 3.88 earned runs per nine over those seasons, so the career ERA was 28.8% better than average. No season topped the 12 wins of 1980. The strikeout high was 54 in 1985. The most saves in one season was 45, in 1983.
Frequently Asked Questions about Dan Quisenberry
- What years did Dan Quisenberry play?
- Dan Quisenberry played in Major League Baseball from 1979 to 1990.
- Was Dan Quisenberry a pitcher?
- Yes. Dan Quisenberry pitched in the major leagues, recording 56 wins and 379 strikeouts.
- How many home runs did Dan Quisenberry hit?
- Dan Quisenberry hit 0 career home runs with 1 hit.
- What teams did Dan Quisenberry play for?
- Dan Quisenberry played for 3 teams: the Kansas City Royals (1979–1988), the St. Louis Cardinals (1988–1989), and the San Francisco Giants (1990).
- Did Dan Quisenberry win a Cy Young Award?
- No. Dan Quisenberry did not win the Cy Young Award.
- What awards did Dan Quisenberry win?
- Dan Quisenberry was selected to 3 All-Star Games.
- What were Dan Quisenberry's career stats?
- In 674 games, Dan Quisenberry went 56-46 with a 2.76 ERA, 379 strikeouts, 1,043.1 innings pitched, and 244 saves.
- How much did Dan Quisenberry earn in his career?
- Dan Quisenberry's recorded salaries total $7,402,562 over 6 seasons, 1985 to 1990. This total is partial: the salary data covers 1985 to 2016, and Quisenberry's career ran from 1979 to 1990. His seasons before 1985 are not included.
- What was Dan Quisenberry's salary?
- Dan Quisenberry's last recorded salary was $100,000, in 1990. His highest recorded salary was $2,577,862, in 1989, and his lowest was $100,000, in 1990. The Salary History table lists each season from 1985 to 1990.
- What position did Dan Quisenberry play?
- Dan Quisenberry played primarily as a pitcher, the position where he appeared in the most games.
- How tall was Dan Quisenberry and how much did he weigh?
- Dan Quisenberry was listed at 6 feet 2 inches and 170 pounds.
- What was Dan Quisenberry's career ERA?
- Dan Quisenberry finished with a 2.76 career ERA, going 56-46 with 379 strikeouts.
- How many strikeouts did Dan Quisenberry have?
- Dan Quisenberry recorded 379 career strikeouts.
- Is Dan Quisenberry in the Hall of Fame?
- No. Dan Quisenberry has not been inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame.