Ken Sanders
Born: 7/8/1941 in St. Louis, MO, USA
MLB Debut: 1964-08-06 | Final Game: 1976-09-27
Bats: R | Throws: R | Height: 5'11" | Weight: 168 lbs
Full name: Kenneth George Sanders
Biography
Ken Sanders, born in 1941, was a professional baseball pitcher whose career spanned from 1964 until 1976. Known for his effective pitching style, Sanders made a significant impact in Major League Baseball during a time when many teams relied heavily on strong bullpens. He finished his career with a record of 29-45, an earned run average (ERA) of 2.97, and accumulated 360 strikeouts along with 86 saves. His ability to close games made him a valuable asset to the teams he played for, particularly in an era that increasingly emphasized the role of the relief pitcher.
Throughout his career, Sanders showcased a reliable arm and a competitive spirit, contributing to various teams including the Milwaukee Brewers and the Chicago White Sox. His performance on the mound helped shift the dynamics of pitching during the 1970s, as teams began to recognize the importance of specialized roles within the bullpen. Despite not having a winning record, his overall effectiveness and ability to maintain a low ERA in a league that was becoming increasingly offensive-oriented highlight his skill and importance in the game. Ken Sanders remains a respected figure among baseball historians for his contributions to the sport during a transformative period in its history.
Career Pitching Statistics
| W | L | G | GS | CG | SHO | SV | IP | H | ER | HR | BB | SO | ERA | Pitcher PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 29 | 45 | 409 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 86 | 656.7 | 564 | 217 | 49 | 258 | 360 | 2.97 | 0 |
Season-by-Season Pitching
| Year | Team | Lg | W | L | G | GS | CG | SHO | SV | IP | H | ER | BB | SO | ERA | Pitcher PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1964 | KC1 | AL | 0 | 2 | 21 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 27.0 | 23 | 11 | 17 | 18 | 3.67 | -443.9 |
| 1966 | BOS | AL | 3 | 6 | 24 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 47.3 | 36 | 20 | 28 | 33 | 3.80 | -108.0 |
| 1966 | KC1 | AL | 3 | 4 | 38 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 65.3 | 59 | 27 | 48 | 41 | 3.72 | -2353.4 |
| 1968 | OAK | AL | 0 | 1 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10.7 | 8 | 4 | 8 | 6 | 3.38 | -466.8 |
| 1970 | ATL | AL | 5 | 2 | 50 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 13 | 92.3 | 64 | 18 | 25 | 64 | 1.75 | - |
| 1971 | ATL | AL | 7 | 12 | 83 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 31 | 136.3 | 111 | 29 | 34 | 80 | 1.91 | - |
| 1972 | ATL | AL | 2 | 9 | 62 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 17 | 92.3 | 88 | 32 | 31 | 51 | 3.12 | - |
| 1973 | CLE | AL | 5 | 1 | 15 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 27.3 | 18 | 5 | 9 | 14 | 1.65 | 182.6 |
| 1973 | MIN | AL | 2 | 4 | 27 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 44.3 | 53 | 30 | 21 | 19 | 6.09 | -773.8 |
| 1974 | LAA | AL | 0 | 0 | 9 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 9.7 | 10 | 3 | 3 | 4 | 2.79 | - |
| 1974 | CLE | AL | 0 | 1 | 9 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 11.0 | 21 | 12 | 5 | 4 | 9.82 | -1514.9 |
| 1975 | NYN | NL | 1 | 1 | 30 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 43.0 | 31 | 11 | 14 | 8 | 2.30 | -92.9 |
| 1976 | KCR | AL | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3.0 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 2 | 0.00 | - |
| 1976 | NYN | NL | 1 | 2 | 31 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 47.0 | 39 | 15 | 12 | 16 | 2.87 | -443.4 |
Career Batting Statistics
| G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | BB | SO | AVG | OBP | SLG | OPS | PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 409 | 52 | 6 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 5 | 13 | 0.115 | 0.220 | 0.115 | 0.336 | 0.0 |
Season-by-Season Batting
| Year | Team | Lg | G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | BB | SO | AVG | PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1964 | KC1 | AL | 21 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 | 0.0 |
| 1966 | BOS | AL | 24 | 6 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0.000 | 0.0 |
| 1966 | KC1 | AL | 38 | 8 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0.250 | 0.0 |
| 1968 | OAK | AL | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 | 0.0 |
| 1970 | ATL | AL | 50 | 13 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 7 | 0.231 | 0.0 |
| 1971 | ATL | AL | 83 | 14 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 0.000 | 0.0 |
| 1972 | ATL | AL | 62 | 7 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0.143 | 0.0 |
| 1973 | CLE | AL | 15 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 | 0.0 |
| 1973 | MIN | AL | 27 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 | 0.0 |
| 1974 | LAA | AL | 9 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 | 0.0 |
| 1974 | CLE | AL | 9 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 | 0.0 |
| 1975 | NYN | NL | 30 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0.000 | 0.0 |
| 1976 | KCR | AL | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 | 0.0 |
| 1976 | NYN | NL | 31 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.000 | 0.0 |
Fielding Statistics
Career Fielding Totals by Position
| Position | G | GS | PO | A | E | DP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| P | 409 | 1 | 54 | 129 | 8 | 8 |
Season-by-Season Fielding
| Year | Team | Pos | G | GS | PO | A | E | DP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1964 | KC1 | P | 21 | 0 | 2 | 7 | 1 | 2 |
| 1966 | BOS | P | 24 | 0 | 2 | 8 | 2 | 0 |
| 1966 | KC1 | P | 38 | 1 | 6 | 12 | 1 | 2 |
| 1968 | OAK | P | 7 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| 1970 | ML4 | P | 50 | 0 | 5 | 19 | 1 | 1 |
| 1971 | ML4 | P | 83 | 0 | 12 | 30 | 1 | 1 |
| 1972 | ML4 | P | 62 | 0 | 7 | 18 | 1 | 1 |
| 1973 | CLE | P | 15 | 0 | 3 | 4 | 1 | 0 |
| 1973 | MIN | P | 27 | 0 | 2 | 9 | 0 | 1 |
| 1974 | CAL | P | 9 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 0 |
| 1974 | CLE | P | 9 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| 1975 | NYN | P | 30 | 0 | 7 | 5 | 0 | 0 |
| 1976 | KCA | P | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1976 | NYN | P | 31 | 0 | 8 | 8 | 0 | 0 |
Career Games by Position
| Position | Games |
|---|---|
| Pitcher | 409 |
Awards & Honors
| Year | Award | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 1971 | TSN Fireman of the Year |
Award Voting History
| Year | Award | League | Finish | Points Won | Points Max | Votes First |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1971 | Most Valuable Player | AL | 16th | 13.0 | 336 | 0 |