Mickey Rivers
Born: 10/30/1948 in Miami, FL, USA
MLB Debut: 1970-08-04 | Final Game: 1984-09-30
Bats: L | Throws: L | Height: 5'10" | Weight: 165 lbs
Full name: John Milton Rivers
Biography
Mickey Rivers, born in 1948, was a prominent position player in Major League Baseball who enjoyed a successful career from 1970 until his retirement in 1984. Known for his exceptional speed and contact hitting, Rivers played a total of 1,468 games, where he accumulated 1,660 hits and a batting average of .295. A key figure in the league during the 1970s and early 1980s, Rivers' playing style combined a potent offensive presence with an ability to steal bases, evidenced by his impressive total of 267 stolen bases. He contributed significantly to his teams' successes, finishing his career with 61 home runs and 499 RBIs.
Rivers was selected to the All-Star Game once, highlighting his recognition among peers and fans alike. His career coincided with an era of evolving baseball dynamics, where speed and batting average were highly valued, particularly in the context of the offensive strategies of the time. Riversโ legacy is marked not only by his impressive statistics but also by his ability to electrify the game with his base-running prowess and consistent hitting, making him a memorable figure in baseball history.
Career Batting Statistics
| G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | BB | SO | AVG | OBP | SLG | OPS | PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1468 | 5629 | 785 | 1660 | 247 | 71 | 61 | 499 | 267 | 266 | 471 | 0.295 | 0.327 | 0.397 | 0.724 | 1807.9 |
Season-by-Season Batting
| Year | Team | Lg | G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | BB | SO | AVG | PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970 | LAA | AL | 17 | 25 | 6 | 8 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 3 | 5 | 0.320 | 0.0 |
| 1971 | LAA | AL | 79 | 268 | 31 | 71 | 12 | 2 | 1 | 12 | 13 | 19 | 38 | 0.265 | -204.1 |
| 1972 | LAA | AL | 58 | 159 | 18 | 34 | 6 | 2 | 0 | 7 | 4 | 8 | 26 | 0.214 | -538.4 |
| 1973 | LAA | AL | 30 | 129 | 26 | 45 | 6 | 4 | 0 | 16 | 8 | 8 | 11 | 0.349 | 418.5 |
| 1974 | LAA | AL | 118 | 466 | 69 | 133 | 19 | 11 | 3 | 31 | 30 | 39 | 47 | 0.285 | 451.3 |
| 1975 | LAA | AL | 155 | 616 | 70 | 175 | 17 | 13 | 1 | 53 | 70 | 43 | 42 | 0.284 | -288.0 |
| 1976 | NYY | AL | 137 | 590 | 95 | 184 | 31 | 8 | 8 | 67 | 43 | 13 | 51 | 0.312 | 973.9 |
| 1977 | NYY | AL | 138 | 565 | 79 | 184 | 18 | 5 | 12 | 69 | 22 | 18 | 45 | 0.326 | 840.5 |
| 1978 | NYY | AL | 141 | 559 | 78 | 148 | 25 | 8 | 11 | 48 | 25 | 29 | 51 | 0.265 | -265.2 |
| 1979 | NYY | AL | 74 | 286 | 37 | 82 | 18 | 5 | 3 | 25 | 3 | 13 | 21 | 0.287 | -100.1 |
| 1979 | TEX | AL | 58 | 247 | 35 | 74 | 9 | 3 | 6 | 25 | 7 | 9 | 18 | 0.300 | -100.1 |
| 1980 | TEX | AL | 147 | 630 | 96 | 210 | 32 | 6 | 7 | 60 | 18 | 20 | 34 | 0.333 | 1164.6 |
| 1981 | TEX | AL | 99 | 399 | 62 | 114 | 21 | 2 | 3 | 26 | 9 | 24 | 31 | 0.286 | 71.4 |
| 1982 | TEX | AL | 19 | 68 | 6 | 16 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 0.235 | -271.0 |
| 1983 | TEX | AL | 96 | 309 | 37 | 88 | 17 | 0 | 1 | 20 | 9 | 11 | 21 | 0.285 | -492.2 |
| 1984 | TEX | AL | 102 | 313 | 40 | 94 | 13 | 1 | 4 | 33 | 5 | 9 | 23 | 0.300 | -50.8 |
Postseason Statistics
Playoff Career Batting
| G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | BB | SO | AVG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 29 | 120 | 14 | 37 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 4 | 9 | 0.308 |
Playoff Batting by Year
| Year | Round | Team | G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | BB | SO | AVG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1978 | ALCS | NYA | 4 | 11 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0.455 |
| 1978 | WS | NYA | 5 | 18 | 2 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0.333 |
| 1977 | ALCS | NYA | 5 | 23 | 5 | 9 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0.391 |
| 1977 | WS | NYA | 6 | 27 | 1 | 6 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0.222 |
| 1976 | WS | NYA | 4 | 18 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 0.167 |
| 1976 | ALCS | NYA | 5 | 23 | 5 | 8 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0.348 |
Fielding Statistics
Career Fielding Totals by Position
| Position | G | GS | PO | A | E | DP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| OF | 1253 | 1196 | 3150 | 95 | 61 | 21 |
Season-by-Season Fielding
| Year | Team | Pos | G | GS | PO | A | E | DP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970 | CAL | OF | 5 | 4 | 10 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1971 | CAL | OF | 76 | 67 | 160 | 5 | 4 | 2 |
| 1972 | CAL | OF | 48 | 38 | 105 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| 1973 | CAL | OF | 29 | 29 | 60 | 0 | 6 | 0 |
| 1974 | CAL | OF | 116 | 114 | 309 | 9 | 2 | 3 |
| 1975 | CAL | OF | 152 | 150 | 371 | 13 | 9 | 3 |
| 1976 | NYA | OF | 136 | 131 | 407 | 6 | 6 | 0 |
| 1977 | NYA | OF | 136 | 129 | 380 | 11 | 7 | 1 |
| 1978 | NYA | OF | 138 | 135 | 384 | 8 | 8 | 2 |
| 1979 | NYA | OF | 69 | 68 | 147 | 4 | 4 | 0 |
| 1979 | TEX | OF | 57 | 55 | 153 | 4 | 3 | 1 |
| 1980 | TEX | OF | 141 | 138 | 342 | 19 | 8 | 4 |
| 1981 | TEX | OF | 97 | 94 | 225 | 12 | 1 | 3 |
| 1983 | TEX | OF | 23 | 20 | 48 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| 1984 | TEX | OF | 30 | 24 | 49 | 3 | 0 | 2 |
Career Games by Position
| Position | Games |
|---|---|
| Left Field | 81 |
| Center Field | 1144 |
| Right Field | 42 |
| Designated Hitter | 128 |
Awards & Honors
| Year | Award | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 1976 | TSN All-Star | OF |
College History
| School Name | City | State | Years Attended |
|---|---|---|---|
| Miami-Dade College - North Campus | Miami | FL | 1968, 1969 |
Award Voting History
| Year | Award | League | Finish | Points Won | Points Max | Votes First |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980 | Most Valuable Player | AL | 18th | 7.0 | 392 | 0 |
| 1978 | Most Valuable Player | AL | 25th | 6.0 | 392 | 0 |
| 1977 | Most Valuable Player | AL | 11th | 59.0 | 392 | 0 |
| 1976 | Most Valuable Player | AL | 3rd | 179.0 | 336 | 1 |