Chris Speier
Shortstop · Career Stats, Bio & Records (1971-1989)
Chris Speier was a shortstop who played in Major League Baseball from 1971 to 1989 for 5 teams, including the San Francisco Giants, a span of 19 seasons. In 2,260 career games, he hit .246 with 1,759 hits, 112 home runs, and 720 RBI. Chris Speier was a 3-time All-Star.
- AVG (Batting Average):
- Hits divided by at bats. .300 is the traditional mark of an excellent hitter.
- HR (Home Runs):
- Hits on which the batter circled the bases and scored, almost always by clearing the outfield fence.
- RBI (Runs Batted In):
- Runs that scored as a direct result of a batter's plate appearance.
- OPS (On-Base Plus Slugging):
- On-base percentage plus slugging percentage, the quickest single summary of offensive value. .900 or better is star-level.
Data updated
- Position
- Shortstop
- Bats / Throws
- R / R
- Height / Weight
- 6'1" / 175 lb
- MLB Debut
- 1971-04-07
- Last Game
- 1989-10-01
- Awards
- 3× All-Star
Full name: Chris Edward Speier
Career Batting Statistics
| G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | BB | SO | AVG | OBP | SLG | OPS | PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2,260 | 7,156 | 770 | 1,759 | 302 | 50 | 112 | 720 | 42 | 847 | 988 | .246 | .327 | .349 | .676 | -1,835 |
Career AVG .246 vs. league average .258 across their career seasons — near league average.
Career OBP .327 vs. league average .323 across their career seasons — near league average.
Career SLG .349 vs. league average .382 across their career seasons — 8.8% below league average.
Career OPS .676 vs. league average .706 across their career seasons — near 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1971 | SFN | NL | 157 | 601 | 74 | 141 | 17 | 6 | 8 | 46 | 4 | 56 | 90 | .235 | .249 (-6%) | .316 (-3%) | .365 (-12%) | .682 (-8%) | -637.4 |
| 1972 | SFN | NL | 150 | 562 | 74 | 151 | 25 | 2 | 15 | 71 | 9 | 82 | 92 | .269 | .243 (+10%) | .310 (+16%) | .353 (+13%) | .664 (+15%) | 1767.1 |
| 1973 | SFN | NL | 153 | 542 | 58 | 135 | 17 | 4 | 11 | 71 | 4 | 66 | 69 | .249 | .256 (-3%) | .325 (+2%) | .378 (-6%) | .703 (-2%) | -97.3 |
| 1974 | SFN | NL | 141 | 501 | 55 | 125 | 19 | 5 | 9 | 53 | 3 | 62 | 64 | .250 | .256 (-3%) | .324 (+4%) | .369 (-2%) | .693 (+1%) | 160.2 |
| 1975 | SFN | NL | 141 | 487 | 60 | 132 | 30 | 5 | 10 | 69 | 4 | 70 | 50 | .271 | .257 (+5%) | .327 (+11%) | .374 (+11%) | .701 (+11%) | 1123.1 |
| 1976 | SFN | NL | 145 | 495 | 51 | 112 | 18 | 4 | 3 | 40 | 2 | 60 | 52 | .226 | .255 (-11%) | .320 (-3%) | .360 (-18%) | .681 (-11%) | -727.2 |
| 1977 | SFN | NL | 6 | 17 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | .176 | — | — | — | — | 0.0 |
| 1977 | MON | NL | 139 | 531 | 58 | 125 | 30 | 6 | 5 | 38 | 1 | 67 | 78 | .235 | .264 (-11%) | .329 (-2%) | .401 (-15%) | .730 (-9%) | 0.0 |
| 1978 | MON | NL | 150 | 501 | 47 | 126 | 18 | 3 | 5 | 51 | 1 | 60 | 75 | .251 | .257 (-2%) | .323 (+2%) | .378 (-13%) | .702 (-6%) | -389.3 |
| 1979 | MON | NL | 113 | 344 | 31 | 78 | 13 | 1 | 7 | 26 | 0 | 43 | 45 | .227 | .265 (-15%) | .329 (-4%) | .397 (-17%) | .727 (-11%) | -511.9 |
| 1980 | MON | NL | 128 | 388 | 35 | 103 | 14 | 4 | 1 | 32 | 0 | 52 | 38 | .265 | .264 (avg) | .326 (+8%) | .387 (-15%) | .714 (-5%) | -127.5 |
| 1981 | MON | NL | 96 | 307 | 33 | 69 | 10 | 2 | 2 | 25 | 1 | 38 | 29 | .225 | .255 (-12%) | .320 (-3%) | .368 (-21%) | .688 (-13%) | -517.4 |
| 1982 | MON | NL | 156 | 530 | 41 | 136 | 26 | 4 | 7 | 60 | 1 | 47 | 67 | .257 | .261 (-2%) | .324 (-2%) | .388 (-7%) | .712 (-5%) | -425.7 |
| 1983 | MON | NL | 88 | 261 | 31 | 67 | 12 | 2 | 2 | 22 | 2 | 29 | 37 | .257 | .260 (-2%) | .324 (+2%) | .389 (-12%) | .714 (-6%) | -193.0 |
| 1984 | MON | NL | 25 | 40 | 1 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 8 | .150 | — | — | — | — | 0.0 |
| 1984 | SLN | NL | 38 | 118 | 9 | 21 | 7 | 1 | 3 | 8 | 0 | 9 | 19 | .178 | .259 (-32%) | .322 (-25%) | .384 (-14%) | .707 (-19%) | 0.0 |
| 1984 | MIN | AL | 12 | 33 | 2 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 7 | .212 | — | — | — | — | 0.0 |
| 1985 | CHN | NL | 106 | 218 | 16 | 53 | 11 | 0 | 4 | 24 | 1 | 17 | 34 | .243 | .257 (-5%) | .323 (-9%) | .390 (-11%) | .714 (-10%) | -353.8 |
| 1986 | CHN | NL | 95 | 155 | 21 | 44 | 8 | 0 | 6 | 23 | 2 | 15 | 32 | .284 | .257 (+10%) | .325 (+7%) | .395 (+14%) | .720 (+11%) | 323.7 |
| 1987 | SFN | NL | 111 | 317 | 39 | 79 | 13 | 0 | 11 | 39 | 4 | 42 | 51 | .249 | .262 (-5%) | .331 (+3%) | .415 (-5%) | .746 (-1%) | 14.3 |
| 1988 | SFN | NL | 82 | 171 | 26 | 37 | 9 | 1 | 3 | 18 | 3 | 23 | 39 | .216 | .254 (-15%) | .317 (-2%) | .377 (-12%) | .695 (-7%) | -161.2 |
| 1989 | SFN | NL | 28 | 37 | 7 | 9 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 5 | 9 | .243 | — | — | — | — | 0.0 |
| Career · 22 seasons | 2,260 | 7,156 | 770 | 1,759 | 302 | 50 | 112 | 720 | 42 | 847 | 988 | .246 | — | — | — | — | -753 | ||
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
Game Log & Splits
View full game log (2260 games) →Per-game data from Retrosheet (regular season, through 2025).
Batting — Home / Away
| Split | G | AB | R | H | HR | RBI | AVG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Home | 1153 | 3574 | 398 | 890 | 50 | 387 | .249 |
| Away | 1107 | 3582 | 372 | 869 | 62 | 333 | .243 |
Last 10 Games — Batting
| Date | Tm | Opp | Res | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | BB | SO |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1989-10-01 | SFG | SDP | L | 3 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1989-09-24 | SFG | HOU | W | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1989-09-21 | SFG | LAD | W | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1989-09-20 | SFG | LAD | W | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1989-09-17 | SFG | SDP | L | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| 1989-09-14 | SFG | CIN | W | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| 1989-09-13 | SFG | CIN | W | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1989-09-07 | SFG | ATL | W | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 1989-09-05 | SFG | CIN | L | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| 1989-09-04 | SFG | CIN | W | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
Fielding Statistics
Career Fielding Totals by Position
| Position | G | GS | PO | A | E | DP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1B | 2 | 0 | 8 | 2 | 0 | 1 |
| 2B | 138 | 78 | 176 | 272 | 6 | 59 |
| 3B | 184 | 75 | 73 | 204 | 7 | 18 |
| SS | 1900 | 1785 | 3057 | 5781 | 275 | 1043 |
Season-by-Season Fielding
| Year | Team | Pos | G | GS | PO | A | E | DP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1971 | SFN | SS | 156 | 155 | 239 | 517 | 33 | 95 |
| 1972 | SFN | SS | 150 | 150 | 243 | 517 | 20 | 69 |
| 1973 | SFN | 2B | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 1973 | SFN | SS | 150 | 147 | 255 | 470 | 33 | 92 |
| 1974 | SFN | 2B | 4 | 2 | 5 | 8 | 0 | 2 |
| 1974 | SFN | SS | 135 | 132 | 210 | 445 | 21 | 82 |
| 1975 | SFN | 3B | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 1975 | SFN | SS | 136 | 135 | 247 | 420 | 12 | 81 |
| 1976 | SFN | 1B | 1 | 0 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 1976 | SFN | 2B | 7 | 5 | 8 | 18 | 0 | 2 |
| 1976 | SFN | 3B | 5 | 2 | 4 | 4 | 1 | 2 |
| 1976 | SFN | SS | 135 | 129 | 225 | 441 | 18 | 81 |
| 1977 | SFN | SS | 5 | 4 | 3 | 20 | 2 | 2 |
| 1977 | MON | SS | 138 | 138 | 236 | 435 | 21 | 75 |
| 1978 | MON | SS | 148 | 148 | 245 | 467 | 18 | 93 |
| 1979 | MON | SS | 112 | 110 | 194 | 355 | 17 | 52 |
| 1980 | MON | 3B | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 1980 | MON | SS | 127 | 122 | 187 | 396 | 21 | 62 |
| 1981 | MON | SS | 96 | 96 | 175 | 280 | 17 | 57 |
| 1982 | MON | SS | 155 | 152 | 291 | 405 | 13 | 76 |
| 1983 | MON | 2B | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1983 | MON | 3B | 12 | 5 | 10 | 7 | 2 | 1 |
| 1983 | MON | SS | 74 | 62 | 107 | 196 | 12 | 31 |
| 1984 | MON | 3B | 4 | 2 | 0 | 9 | 0 | 0 |
| 1984 | MON | SS | 13 | 4 | 7 | 17 | 1 | 4 |
| 1984 | SLN | 3B | 2 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| 1984 | SLN | SS | 34 | 33 | 49 | 124 | 3 | 25 |
| 1984 | MIN | SS | 12 | 11 | 14 | 28 | 1 | 6 |
| 1985 | CHN | 2B | 13 | 10 | 21 | 28 | 2 | 9 |
| 1985 | CHN | 3B | 31 | 6 | 5 | 24 | 2 | 1 |
| 1985 | CHN | SS | 58 | 30 | 61 | 125 | 7 | 33 |
| 1986 | CHN | 2B | 7 | 4 | 9 | 18 | 0 | 1 |
| 1986 | CHN | 3B | 53 | 14 | 21 | 42 | 1 | 3 |
| 1986 | CHN | SS | 23 | 12 | 32 | 46 | 2 | 11 |
| 1987 | SFN | 2B | 55 | 33 | 80 | 105 | 2 | 23 |
| 1987 | SFN | 3B | 44 | 35 | 22 | 84 | 1 | 10 |
| 1987 | SFN | SS | 22 | 7 | 16 | 40 | 1 | 8 |
| 1988 | SFN | 2B | 45 | 22 | 46 | 87 | 2 | 18 |
| 1988 | SFN | 3B | 22 | 8 | 9 | 26 | 0 | 1 |
| 1988 | SFN | SS | 12 | 6 | 15 | 29 | 1 | 7 |
| 1989 | SFN | 1B | 1 | 0 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| 1989 | SFN | 2B | 4 | 2 | 7 | 7 | 0 | 4 |
| 1989 | SFN | 3B | 9 | 0 | 2 | 4 | 0 | 0 |
| 1989 | SFN | SS | 9 | 2 | 6 | 8 | 1 | 1 |
Career Games by Position
Circle size = games played at each position.
| Position | Games |
|---|---|
| First Base | 2 |
| Second Base | 138 |
| Third Base | 185 |
| Shortstop | 1900 |
Awards & Honors
| Year | Award | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 1972 | TSN All-Star | SS |
Salary History
Chris Speier's recorded salaries total $1,600,000 over 5 seasons, 1985 to 1989. This total is partial: the salary data covers 1985 to 2016, and Speier's career ran from 1971 to 1989. His seasons before 1985 are not included.
| Year | Team | League | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1989 | SFN | NL | $425,000 |
| 1988 | SFN | NL | $400,000 |
| 1987 | SFN | NL | $275,000 |
| 1986 | CHN | NL | $275,000 |
| 1985 | CHN | NL | $225,000 |
| Total recorded salary (partial) | $1,600,000 | ||
College History
| School Name | City | State | Years Attended |
|---|---|---|---|
| Laney College | Oakland | CA | 1970 |
| University of California - Santa Barbara | Santa Barbara | CA | 1969 |
Award Voting History
| Year | Award | League | Finish | Points Won | Points Max | Votes First |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1972 | Most Valuable Player | NL | 28th | 1.0 | 336 | 0 |
Most Similar Players
Career comps based on counting + rate stats and primary position. Score is relative — closest peer anchors at ~98%.
Chris Speier (highlighted) compared to peers across the same era.
Chris Speier: the record in brief
Chris Speier played a first major league game on April 7, 1971 and a last one on October 1, 1989. Speier played for the San Francisco Giants (1971 to 1989), the Montreal Expos (1977 to 1984), the St. Louis Cardinals (1984), the Minnesota Twins (1984), and the Chicago Cubs (1985 through 1986). Speier is listed as a shortstop at 175 pounds on a 6-foot-1 frame. Speier batted and threw right-handed, per the bio block. Speier was born on June 28, 1950, in Alameda, CA, USA. Chris Speier was the playing name; the full given name is Chris Edward.
In 2,260 games and 7,156 at bats, Speier batted .246 with 1,759 hits; the totals also include 112 home runs, 720 RBI, and 42 stolen bases. Speier got on base at a .327 rate and slugged .349 (.676 OPS). The .246 career average is close to the .258 the league hit across the same seasons. The single-season home run high is 15, set in 1972. No season topped the 151 hits of 1972.
Frequently Asked Questions about Chris Speier
- What years did Chris Speier play?
- Chris Speier played in Major League Baseball from 1971 to 1989.
- Was Chris Speier a pitcher?
- No. Chris Speier was a position player (Shortstop).
- How many home runs did Chris Speier hit?
- Chris Speier hit 112 career home runs with 1,759 hits.
- What teams did Chris Speier play for?
- Chris Speier played for 5 teams: the San Francisco Giants (1971–1977, 1987–1989), the Montreal Expos (1977–1984), the St. Louis Cardinals (1984), the Minnesota Twins (1984), and the Chicago Cubs (1985–1986).
- Did Chris Speier win an MVP award?
- No. Chris Speier did not win the MVP award.
- What awards did Chris Speier win?
- Chris Speier was selected to 3 All-Star Games.
- What were Chris Speier's career stats?
- In 2,260 games, Chris Speier had 1,759 hits, 112 home runs, 720 RBI, 770 runs, and 42 stolen bases, with a .246 batting average.
- How much did Chris Speier earn in his career?
- Chris Speier's recorded salaries total $1,600,000 over 5 seasons, 1985 to 1989. This total is partial: the salary data covers 1985 to 2016, and Speier's career ran from 1971 to 1989. His seasons before 1985 are not included.
- What was Chris Speier's salary?
- Chris Speier's last recorded salary was $425,000, in 1989. His highest recorded salary was $425,000, in 1989, and his lowest was $225,000, in 1985. The Salary History table lists each season from 1985 to 1989.
- What position did Chris Speier play?
- Chris Speier played primarily as a shortstop, the position where he appeared in the most games.
- How tall was Chris Speier and how much did he weigh?
- Chris Speier was listed at 6 feet 1 inch and 175 pounds.
- How many home runs did Chris Speier hit each season?
- Chris Speier's home runs by season: 8 in 1971, 15 in 1972, 11 in 1973, 9 in 1974, 10 in 1975, 3 in 1976, 5 in 1977, 5 in 1978, 7 in 1979, 1 in 1980, 2 in 1981, 7 in 1982, 2 in 1983, 3 in 1984, 4 in 1985, 6 in 1986, 11 in 1987, 3 in 1988, and 0 in 1989. His most in one season was 15, in 1972.
- What was Chris Speier's career batting average?
- Chris Speier batted .246 over his career, with 1,759 hits in 7,156 at bats.
- How many RBI did Chris Speier have?
- Chris Speier drove in 720 runs in his career.