Joe Rudi
Born: 9/7/1946 in Modesto, CA, USA
MLB Debut: 1967-04-11 | Final Game: 1982-10-03
Bats: R | Throws: R | Height: 6'2" | Weight: 200 lbs
Full name: Joseph Oden Rudi
Biography
Joe Rudi, born in 1946, was a prominent Major League Baseball player whose career spanned from 1967 to 1982. Known for his versatility as a position player, Rudi made a significant impact during his time in the league, playing in a total of 1,547 games. Over the course of his career, he amassed 1,468 hits, including 179 home runs, and drove in 810 runs, finishing with a batting average of .264. Rudi was also recognized for his speed on the basepaths, stealing 25 bases throughout his time in the majors.
Rudi's contributions to the game were highlighted by his selection to the All-Star team three times, showcasing his status as one of the leading players of his era. He played a pivotal role during the 1970s, a decade marked by the emergence of more power hitters and the evolution of offensive strategies in baseball. His reliable defense and clutch hitting made him a key figure on the teams he played for, contributing to memorable moments in baseball history. Rudi's legacy is remembered not only for his statistics but also for his influence on the game during a transformative period in Major League Baseball.
Career Batting Statistics
| G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | BB | SO | AVG | OBP | SLG | OPS | PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1547 | 5556 | 684 | 1468 | 287 | 39 | 179 | 810 | 25 | 369 | 870 | 0.264 | 0.311 | 0.427 | 0.738 | 5251.0 |
Season-by-Season Batting
| Year | Team | Lg | G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | BB | SO | AVG | PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1967 | KC1 | AL | 19 | 43 | 4 | 8 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 7 | 0.186 | 0.0 |
| 1968 | OAK | AL | 68 | 181 | 10 | 32 | 5 | 1 | 1 | 12 | 1 | 12 | 32 | 0.177 | -766.9 |
| 1969 | OAK | AL | 35 | 122 | 10 | 23 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 6 | 1 | 5 | 16 | 0.189 | -577.2 |
| 1970 | OAK | AL | 106 | 350 | 40 | 108 | 23 | 2 | 11 | 42 | 3 | 16 | 61 | 0.309 | 870.4 |
| 1971 | OAK | AL | 127 | 513 | 62 | 137 | 23 | 4 | 10 | 52 | 3 | 28 | 62 | 0.267 | -53.3 |
| 1972 | OAK | AL | 147 | 593 | 94 | 181 | 32 | 9 | 19 | 75 | 3 | 37 | 62 | 0.305 | 2485.6 |
| 1973 | OAK | AL | 120 | 437 | 53 | 118 | 25 | 1 | 12 | 66 | 0 | 30 | 72 | 0.270 | 150.6 |
| 1974 | OAK | AL | 158 | 593 | 73 | 174 | 39 | 4 | 22 | 99 | 2 | 34 | 92 | 0.293 | 1833.4 |
| 1975 | OAK | AL | 126 | 468 | 66 | 130 | 26 | 6 | 21 | 75 | 2 | 40 | 56 | 0.278 | 1504.1 |
| 1976 | OAK | AL | 130 | 500 | 54 | 135 | 32 | 3 | 13 | 94 | 6 | 41 | 71 | 0.270 | 734.2 |
| 1977 | LAA | AL | 64 | 242 | 48 | 64 | 13 | 2 | 13 | 53 | 1 | 22 | 48 | 0.264 | 547.4 |
| 1978 | LAA | AL | 133 | 497 | 58 | 127 | 27 | 1 | 17 | 79 | 2 | 28 | 82 | 0.256 | -73.7 |
| 1979 | LAA | AL | 90 | 330 | 35 | 80 | 11 | 3 | 11 | 61 | 0 | 24 | 61 | 0.242 | -394.6 |
| 1980 | LAA | AL | 104 | 372 | 42 | 88 | 17 | 1 | 16 | 53 | 1 | 17 | 84 | 0.237 | -327.3 |
| 1981 | BOS | AL | 49 | 122 | 14 | 22 | 3 | 0 | 6 | 24 | 0 | 8 | 29 | 0.180 | -329.7 |
| 1982 | OAK | AL | 71 | 193 | 21 | 41 | 6 | 1 | 5 | 18 | 0 | 24 | 35 | 0.212 | -351.8 |
Postseason Statistics
Playoff Career Batting
| G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | BB | SO | AVG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 38 | 140 | 8 | 36 | 6 | 1 | 3 | 15 | 13 | 20 | 0.257 |
Playoff Batting by Year
| Year | Round | Team | G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | BB | SO | AVG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1975 | ALCS | OAK | 3 | 12 | 1 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0.250 |
| 1974 | ALCS | OAK | 4 | 13 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 2 | 0.154 |
| 1974 | WS | OAK | 5 | 18 | 1 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 0 | 3 | 0.333 |
| 1973 | ALCS | OAK | 5 | 18 | 1 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 0.222 |
| 1973 | WS | OAK | 7 | 27 | 3 | 9 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 3 | 4 | 0.333 |
| 1972 | WS | OAK | 7 | 25 | 1 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 5 | 0.240 |
| 1972 | ALCS | OAK | 5 | 20 | 1 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 4 | 0.250 |
| 1971 | ALCS | OAK | 2 | 7 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0.143 |
Fielding Statistics
Career Fielding Totals by Position
| Position | G | GS | PO | A | E | DP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1B | 249 | 220 | 1873 | 99 | 19 | 168 |
| 3B | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| OF | 1195 | 1150 | 2294 | 60 | 22 | 12 |
Season-by-Season Fielding
| Year | Team | Pos | G | GS | PO | A | E | DP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1967 | KC1 | 1B | 9 | 8 | 63 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| 1967 | KC1 | OF | 6 | 5 | 6 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 1968 | OAK | OF | 56 | 50 | 77 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| 1969 | OAK | 1B | 11 | 10 | 94 | 7 | 3 | 10 |
| 1969 | OAK | OF | 18 | 18 | 40 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| 1970 | OAK | 1B | 28 | 23 | 196 | 13 | 2 | 16 |
| 1970 | OAK | OF | 63 | 62 | 106 | 5 | 2 | 1 |
| 1971 | OAK | 1B | 5 | 4 | 31 | 2 | 1 | 0 |
| 1971 | OAK | OF | 121 | 117 | 249 | 5 | 1 | 1 |
| 1972 | OAK | 3B | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1972 | OAK | OF | 147 | 147 | 247 | 9 | 2 | 1 |
| 1973 | OAK | 1B | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1973 | OAK | OF | 117 | 115 | 231 | 6 | 2 | 2 |
| 1974 | OAK | 1B | 27 | 23 | 182 | 11 | 1 | 21 |
| 1974 | OAK | OF | 140 | 132 | 234 | 7 | 4 | 0 |
| 1975 | OAK | 1B | 91 | 86 | 732 | 36 | 7 | 64 |
| 1975 | OAK | OF | 44 | 36 | 72 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| 1976 | OAK | 1B | 2 | 0 | 12 | 1 | 0 | 2 |
| 1976 | OAK | OF | 126 | 126 | 258 | 6 | 3 | 2 |
| 1977 | CAL | OF | 61 | 61 | 131 | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| 1978 | CAL | 1B | 10 | 8 | 61 | 6 | 0 | 8 |
| 1978 | CAL | OF | 111 | 109 | 231 | 4 | 2 | 1 |
| 1979 | CAL | 1B | 5 | 4 | 33 | 2 | 0 | 3 |
| 1979 | CAL | OF | 80 | 78 | 174 | 5 | 2 | 2 |
| 1980 | CAL | 1B | 6 | 4 | 24 | 0 | 0 | 4 |
| 1980 | CAL | OF | 90 | 87 | 220 | 5 | 2 | 1 |
| 1981 | BOS | 1B | 5 | 5 | 47 | 1 | 0 | 2 |
| 1981 | BOS | OF | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1982 | OAK | 1B | 49 | 45 | 398 | 20 | 4 | 37 |
| 1982 | OAK | OF | 14 | 7 | 18 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
Career Games by Position
| Position | Games |
|---|---|
| First Base | 249 |
| Third Base | 1 |
| Left Field | 1158 |
| Center Field | 4 |
| Right Field | 46 |
| Designated Hitter | 51 |
Awards & Honors
| Year | Award | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 1977 | Player of the Week | Week of 1977-04-09 |
| 1976 | Gold Glove | OF |
| 1976 | TSN All-Star | OF |
| 1975 | Gold Glove | OF |
| 1974 | Gold Glove | OF |
| 1974 | TSN All-Star | OF |
| 1972 | TSN All-Star | OF |
Award Voting History
| Year | Award | League | Finish | Points Won | Points Max | Votes First |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1976 | Most Valuable Player | AL | 12th | 35.0 | 336 | 0 |
| 1975 | Most Valuable Player | AL | 27th | 3.0 | 336 | 0 |
| 1974 | Most Valuable Player | AL | 2nd | 161.0 | 336 | 5 |
| 1972 | Most Valuable Player | AL | 2nd | 164.0 | 336 | 1 |