Billy Ripken
Born: 12/16/1964 in Havre de Grace, MD, USA
MLB Debut: 1987-07-11 | Final Game: 1998-07-13
Bats: R | Throws: R | Height: 6'1" | Weight: 180 lbs
Full name: William Oliver Ripken
Biography
Billy Ripken was a professional baseball player born in 1964, who played in Major League Baseball from 1987 to 1998. Known primarily for his role as a position player, he appeared in 912 games throughout his career. Ripken accumulated a total of 674 hits, with 20 home runs and 229 RBIs, while maintaining a batting average of .247. His speed on the basepaths was evident with 25 stolen bases, showcasing a level of agility that complemented his overall playing style.
Ripken's career coincided with a transformative era in baseball, marked by the increasing popularity of power hitters and the evolving dynamics of the game. He was the younger brother of Hall of Famer Cal Ripken Jr., and while he may not have matched his brother's legendary status, he carved out a respectable career in his own right, contributing to several teams, including the Baltimore Orioles and the Texas Rangers. Billy Ripken's journey through baseball highlighted the importance of perseverance and adaptability within a highly competitive sport.
Career Batting Statistics
| G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | BB | SO | AVG | OBP | SLG | OPS | PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 912 | 2729 | 287 | 674 | 121 | 6 | 20 | 229 | 25 | 174 | 332 | 0.247 | 0.294 | 0.318 | 0.612 | -7847.3 |
Season-by-Season Batting
| Year | Team | Lg | G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | BB | SO | AVG | PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1987 | BAL | AL | 58 | 234 | 27 | 72 | 9 | 0 | 2 | 20 | 4 | 21 | 23 | 0.308 | 3.2 |
| 1988 | BAL | AL | 150 | 512 | 52 | 106 | 18 | 1 | 2 | 34 | 8 | 33 | 63 | 0.207 | -2541.3 |
| 1989 | BAL | AL | 115 | 318 | 31 | 76 | 11 | 2 | 2 | 26 | 1 | 22 | 53 | 0.239 | -950.0 |
| 1990 | BAL | AL | 129 | 406 | 48 | 118 | 28 | 1 | 3 | 38 | 5 | 28 | 43 | 0.291 | 218.2 |
| 1991 | BAL | AL | 104 | 287 | 24 | 62 | 11 | 1 | 0 | 14 | 0 | 15 | 31 | 0.216 | -1490.0 |
| 1992 | BAL | AL | 111 | 330 | 35 | 76 | 15 | 0 | 4 | 36 | 2 | 18 | 26 | 0.230 | -1023.5 |
| 1993 | TEX | AL | 50 | 132 | 12 | 25 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 11 | 0 | 11 | 19 | 0.189 | -750.2 |
| 1994 | TEX | AL | 32 | 81 | 9 | 25 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 2 | 3 | 11 | 0.309 | -109.2 |
| 1995 | CLE | AL | 8 | 17 | 4 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0.412 | 0.0 |
| 1996 | BAL | AL | 57 | 135 | 19 | 31 | 8 | 0 | 2 | 12 | 0 | 9 | 18 | 0.230 | -516.5 |
| 1997 | TEX | AL | 71 | 203 | 18 | 56 | 9 | 1 | 3 | 24 | 0 | 9 | 32 | 0.276 | -486.4 |
| 1998 | DET | AL | 27 | 74 | 8 | 20 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 3 | 5 | 10 | 0.270 | -201.7 |
Fielding Statistics
Career Fielding Totals by Position
| Position | G | GS | PO | A | E | DP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1B | 13 | 3 | 47 | 4 | 0 | 5 |
| 2B | 769 | 713 | 1516 | 2146 | 50 | 526 |
| 3B | 62 | 35 | 19 | 80 | 2 | 8 |
| SS | 72 | 57 | 88 | 165 | 9 | 38 |
Season-by-Season Fielding
| Year | Team | Pos | G | GS | PO | A | E | DP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1987 | BAL | 2B | 58 | 58 | 133 | 162 | 3 | 53 |
| 1988 | BAL | 2B | 149 | 146 | 309 | 440 | 12 | 110 |
| 1988 | BAL | 3B | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1989 | BAL | 2B | 114 | 100 | 255 | 335 | 9 | 81 |
| 1990 | BAL | 2B | 127 | 122 | 250 | 366 | 8 | 84 |
| 1991 | BAL | 2B | 103 | 98 | 201 | 284 | 7 | 75 |
| 1992 | BAL | 2B | 108 | 108 | 217 | 317 | 4 | 66 |
| 1993 | TEX | 2B | 34 | 32 | 52 | 73 | 1 | 16 |
| 1993 | TEX | 3B | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| 1993 | TEX | SS | 18 | 14 | 27 | 49 | 0 | 12 |
| 1994 | TEX | 1B | 1 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1994 | TEX | 2B | 12 | 8 | 16 | 26 | 1 | 6 |
| 1994 | TEX | 3B | 18 | 11 | 8 | 24 | 1 | 4 |
| 1994 | TEX | SS | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1995 | CLE | 2B | 7 | 2 | 7 | 6 | 0 | 1 |
| 1995 | CLE | 3B | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1996 | BAL | 1B | 1 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| 1996 | BAL | 2B | 30 | 14 | 34 | 57 | 3 | 15 |
| 1996 | BAL | 3B | 25 | 15 | 3 | 38 | 0 | 1 |
| 1997 | TEX | 1B | 9 | 3 | 34 | 4 | 0 | 4 |
| 1997 | TEX | 2B | 25 | 23 | 40 | 78 | 2 | 18 |
| 1997 | TEX | 3B | 13 | 7 | 4 | 12 | 0 | 2 |
| 1997 | TEX | SS | 31 | 24 | 38 | 64 | 3 | 15 |
| 1998 | DET | 1B | 2 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1998 | DET | 2B | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 1 |
| 1998 | DET | 3B | 2 | 2 | 2 | 5 | 0 | 1 |
| 1998 | DET | SS | 21 | 19 | 23 | 52 | 6 | 11 |
Career Games by Position
| Position | Games |
|---|---|
| First Base | 13 |
| Second Base | 769 |
| Third Base | 62 |
| Shortstop | 72 |
| Designated Hitter | 5 |
Salary History
| Year | Team | League | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1998 | DET | AL | $400,000 |
| 1997 | TEX | AL | $275,000 |
| 1996 | BAL | AL | $250,000 |
| 1994 | TEX | AL | $200,000 |
| 1993 | TEX | AL | $200,000 |
| 1992 | BAL | AL | $730,000 |
| 1991 | BAL | AL | $700,000 |
| 1990 | BAL | AL | $215,000 |
| 1989 | BAL | AL | $100,000 |
| 1988 | BAL | AL | $80,000 |
| 1987 | BAL | AL | $62,500 |
| Total Career Earnings | $3,212,500 | ||