Dan Spillner
Pitcher · Career Stats, Bio & Records (1974-1985)
Dan Spillner was a pitcher who played in Major League Baseball from 1974 to 1985 for the San Diego Padres, the Cleveland Guardians, and the Chicago White Sox, a span of 12 seasons. Across 556 career appearances, he went 75-89 with a 4.21 ERA, 878 strikeouts, and 50 saves.
- W (Wins):
- Games credited to a pitcher whose team took a lead it never surrendered while he was the pitcher of record.
- ERA (Earned Run Average):
- Earned runs allowed per nine innings pitched: (ER × 9) ÷ IP. The primary measure of pitching effectiveness.
- SO (Strikeouts):
- For a batter, times retired on a third strike; for a pitcher, batters retired on a third strike.
- WHIP (Walks and Hits per Inning Pitched):
- Baserunners allowed per inning: (BB + H) ÷ IP. Under 1.00 is elite.
Data updated
- Position
- Pitcher
- Bats / Throws
- R / R
- Height / Weight
- 6'1" / 190 lb
- MLB Debut
- 1974-05-21
- Last Game
- 1985-10-05
Full name: Daniel Ray Spillner
Season-by-Season Pitching
Click a stat to plot it across every season.
| Year | Team | Lg | W | L | G | GS | CG | SHO | SV | IP | H | ER | BB | SO | ERA | Lg ERA | Pitcher PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1974 | SDN | NL | 9 | 11 | 30 | 25 | 5 | 2 | 0 | 148.0 | 153 | 66 | 70 | 95 | 4.01 | 3.63 (-11%) | -1493.3 |
| 1975 | SDN | NL | 5 | 13 | 37 | 25 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 166.2 | 194 | 79 | 63 | 104 | 4.27 | 3.71 (-15%) | 472.3 |
| 1976 | SDN | NL | 2 | 11 | 32 | 14 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 106.2 | 120 | 60 | 55 | 57 | 5.06 | 3.51 (-44%) | -2499.1 |
| 1977 | SDN | NL | 7 | 6 | 76 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 123.0 | 130 | 51 | 60 | 74 | 3.73 | 4.00 (+7%) | -899.0 |
| 1978 | SDN | NL | 1 | 0 | 17 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 25.2 | 32 | 13 | 7 | 16 | 4.56 | 3.69 (-24%) | 333.9 |
| 1978 | CLE | AL | 3 | 1 | 36 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 56.1 | 54 | 23 | 21 | 48 | 3.67 | 3.69 (avg) | 1671.3 |
| 1979 | CLE | AL | 9 | 5 | 49 | 13 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 157.2 | 153 | 81 | 64 | 97 | 4.62 | 4.00 (-16%) | -369.7 |
| 1980 | CLE | AL | 16 | 11 | 34 | 30 | 7 | 1 | 0 | 194.1 | 225 | 114 | 74 | 100 | 5.28 | 3.84 (-37%) | -2957.1 |
| 1981 | CLE | AL | 4 | 4 | 32 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 7 | 97.1 | 86 | 34 | 39 | 59 | 3.14 | 3.58 (+12%) | 1471.5 |
| 1982 | CLE | AL | 12 | 10 | 65 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 21 | 133.2 | 117 | 37 | 45 | 90 | 2.49 | 3.86 (+36%) | 2086.6 |
| 1983 | CLE | AL | 2 | 9 | 60 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 92.1 | 117 | 52 | 38 | 48 | 5.07 | 3.87 (-31%) | -295.9 |
| 1984 | CLE | AL | 0 | 5 | 14 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 51.0 | 70 | 32 | 22 | 23 | 5.65 | 3.81 (-48%) | -145.4 |
| 1984 | CHA | AL | 1 | 0 | 22 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 48.1 | 51 | 22 | 14 | 26 | 4.10 | 3.81 (-7%) | -840.0 |
| 1985 | CHA | AL | 4 | 3 | 52 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 91.2 | 83 | 35 | 33 | 41 | 3.44 | 3.89 (+12%) | -904.0 |
| Career · 14 seasons | 75 | 89 | 556 | 123 | 19 | 3 | 50 | 1,492.2 | 1,585 | 699 | 605 | 878 | 4.21 | — | -4,368 | ||
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.
Career Batting Statistics
| G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | BB | SO | AVG | OBP | SLG | OPS | PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 559 | 130 | 9 | 10 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 19 | 73 | .077 | .195 | .085 | .279 | -262 |
Career AVG .077 vs. league average .260 across their career seasons — 70.4% below league average.
Career OBP .195 vs. league average .325 across their career seasons — 40.1% below league average.
Career SLG .085 vs. league average .383 across their career seasons — 77.9% below league average.
Career OPS .279 vs. league average .708 across their career seasons — 60.6% below 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1974 | SDN | NL | 30 | 43 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 28 | .023 | — | — | — | — | 0.0 |
| 1975 | SDN | NL | 37 | 45 | 4 | 6 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 25 | .133 | — | — | — | — | -261.9 |
| 1976 | SDN | NL | 33 | 25 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 8 | .040 | — | — | — | — | 0.0 |
| 1977 | SDN | NL | 76 | 17 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 12 | .118 | — | — | — | — | 0.0 |
| 1978 | SDN | NL | 17 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | .000 | — | — | — | — | 0.0 |
| 1978 | CLE | AL | 36 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 | — | — | — | — | 0.0 |
| 1979 | CLE | AL | 49 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 | — | — | — | — | 0.0 |
| 1980 | CLE | AL | 34 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 | — | — | — | — | 0.0 |
| 1981 | CLE | AL | 32 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 | — | — | — | — | 0.0 |
| 1982 | CLE | AL | 65 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 | — | — | — | — | 0.0 |
| 1983 | CLE | AL | 60 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 | — | — | — | — | 0.0 |
| 1984 | CLE | AL | 14 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 | — | — | — | — | 0.0 |
| 1984 | CHA | AL | 23 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 | — | — | — | — | 0.0 |
| 1985 | CHA | AL | 53 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | .000 | — | — | — | — | 0.0 |
| Career · 14 seasons | 559 | 130 | 9 | 10 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 19 | 73 | .077 | — | — | — | — | -262 | ||
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.
Game Log & Splits
View full game log (1115 games) →Per-game data from Retrosheet (regular season, through 2025).
Batting — Home / Away
| Split | G | AB | R | H | HR | RBI | AVG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Home | 277 | 61 | 3 | 8 | 0 | 1 | .131 |
| Away | 282 | 69 | 6 | 2 | 0 | 0 | .029 |
Pitching — Home / Away
| Split | G | IP | H | ER | BB | SO | ERA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Home | 277 | 748.2 | 815 | 344 | 290 | 461 | 4.14 |
| Away | 279 | 744.0 | 770 | 355 | 315 | 417 | 4.29 |
Last 10 Games — Pitching
| Date | Tm | Opp | Dec | IP | H | R | ER | BB | SO | HR |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1985-10-05 | CHW | SEA | — | 1.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1985-10-01 | CHW | MIN | — | 1.2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 1985-09-30 | CHW | MIN | — | 1.0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1985-09-25 | CHW | LAA | — | 1.1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 0 |
| 1985-09-23 | CHW | LAA | — | 0.1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| 1985-09-20 | CHW | OAK | — | 1.2 | 6 | 4 | 4 | 0 | 2 | 1 |
| 1985-09-18 | CHW | LAA | — | 0.2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| 1985-09-13 | CHW | SEA | — | 5.0 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 1 |
| 1985-09-09 | CHW | MIN | — | 4.1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 0 |
| 1985-09-08 | CHW | TEX | — | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
Fielding Statistics
Career Fielding Totals by Position
Season-by-Season Fielding
| Year | Team | Pos | G | GS | PO | A | E | DP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1974 | SDN | P | 30 | 25 | 6 | 16 | 0 | 0 |
| 1975 | SDN | P | 37 | 25 | 13 | 21 | 3 | 2 |
| 1976 | SDN | P | 32 | 14 | 7 | 21 | 3 | 3 |
| 1977 | SDN | P | 76 | 0 | 5 | 9 | 1 | 1 |
| 1978 | SDN | P | 17 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 1 |
| 1978 | CLE | P | 36 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 |
| 1979 | CLE | P | 49 | 13 | 9 | 18 | 0 | 0 |
| 1980 | CLE | P | 34 | 30 | 9 | 17 | 0 | 2 |
| 1981 | CLE | P | 32 | 5 | 6 | 16 | 1 | 1 |
| 1982 | CLE | P | 65 | 0 | 6 | 7 | 1 | 0 |
| 1983 | CLE | P | 60 | 0 | 4 | 8 | 1 | 0 |
| 1984 | CLE | P | 14 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 0 | 0 |
| 1984 | CHA | P | 22 | 0 | 2 | 6 | 0 | 0 |
| 1985 | CHA | P | 52 | 3 | 4 | 2 | 1 | 0 |
Career Games by Position
Circle size = games played at each position.
| Position | Games |
|---|---|
| Pitcher | 556 |
Salary History
| Year | Team | League | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1985 | CHA | AL | $390,000 |
| Total Career Earnings | $390,000 | ||
Most Similar Players
Career comps based on counting + rate stats and primary position. Score is relative — closest peer anchors at ~98%.
Dan Spillner (highlighted) compared to peers across the same era.
Dan Spillner: the record in brief
May 21, 1974 and October 5, 1985 bracket Dan Spillner's time in the majors: the debut and the last game on record. The team column moves through the San Diego Padres (1974 through 1978), the Cleveland Indians (1978 to 1984), and the Chicago White Sox (1984 through 1985). Spillner played primarily as a pitcher and both batted and threw right-handed. The bio adds a birth date on November 27, 1951, in Casper, WY, USA and a listed size of 6-foot-1 and 190 pounds. The given name on file is Daniel Ray Spillner.
Spillner pitched in 556 games, starting 123, and finished with a 75-89 record and 4.21 ERA. The totals include 878 strikeouts, 19 complete games, and 50 saves. The league ERA over Spillner's seasons was 3.79, so the 4.21 figure ran 11.1% worse than average. The best win total was 16, in 1980. The strikeout high was 104 in 1975. The most saves in one season was 21, in 1982.
Frequently Asked Questions about Dan Spillner
- What years did Dan Spillner play?
- Dan Spillner played in Major League Baseball from 1974 to 1985.
- Was Dan Spillner a pitcher?
- Yes. Dan Spillner pitched in the major leagues, recording 75 wins and 878 strikeouts.
- How many home runs did Dan Spillner hit?
- Dan Spillner hit 0 career home runs with 10 hits.
- What was Dan Spillner's career batting average?
- Dan Spillner batted .077 over his career, with 10 hits in 130 at bats.
- How many RBI did Dan Spillner have?
- Dan Spillner drove in 1 runs in his career.
- What was Dan Spillner's career ERA?
- Dan Spillner finished with a 4.21 career ERA, going 75-89 with 878 strikeouts.