Jim Steels
Outfielder · Career Stats, Bio & Records (1987-1989)
Jim Steels was an outfielder who played in Major League Baseball from 1987 to 1989 for the San Diego Padres, the Texas Rangers, and the San Francisco Giants, a span of 3 seasons. In 111 career games, he hit .180 with 24 hits and 11 RBI.
- 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
- Outfielder
- Bats / Throws
- L / L
- Height / Weight
- 5'10" / 185 lb
- MLB Debut
- 1987-04-06
- Last Game
- 1989-05-19
Full name: James Earl Steels
Career Batting Statistics
| G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | BB | SO | AVG | OBP | SLG | OPS | PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 111 | 133 | 13 | 24 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 11 | 5 | 13 | 33 | .180 | .250 | .211 | .461 | -667 |
Career AVG .180 vs. league average .257 across their career seasons — 29.8% below league average.
Career OBP .250 vs. league average .323 across their career seasons — 22.6% below league average.
Career SLG .211 vs. league average .390 across their career seasons — 46.0% below league average.
Career OPS .461 vs. league average .712 across their career seasons — 35.4% 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1987 | SDN | NL | 62 | 68 | 9 | 13 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 6 | 3 | 11 | 14 | .191 | .262 (-27%) | .331 (-9%) | .415 (-43%) | .746 (-28%) | -300.1 |
| 1988 | TEX | AL | 36 | 53 | 4 | 10 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 2 | 0 | 15 | .189 | .254 (-26%) | .317 (-42%) | .377 (-45%) | .695 (-44%) | -367.1 |
| 1989 | SFN | NL | 13 | 12 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 4 | .083 | — | — | — | — | 0.0 |
| Career · 3 seasons | 111 | 133 | 13 | 24 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 11 | 5 | 13 | 33 | .180 | — | — | — | — | -667 | ||
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 (111 games) →Per-game data from Retrosheet (regular season, through 2025).
Batting — Home / Away
| Split | G | AB | R | H | HR | RBI | AVG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Home | 53 | 71 | 7 | 11 | 0 | 8 | .155 |
| Away | 58 | 62 | 6 | 13 | 0 | 3 | .210 |
Last 10 Games — Batting
| Date | Tm | Opp | Res | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | BB | SO |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1989-05-19 | SFG | NYN | L | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| 1989-05-16 | SFG | PHI | W | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1989-05-10 | SFG | CHC | W | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1989-05-06 | SFG | STL | W | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| 1989-05-05 | SFG | STL | L | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1989-05-04 | SFG | PIT | W | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| 1989-05-03 | SFG | PIT | L | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| 1989-05-01 | SFG | CHC | L | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1989-04-12 | SFG | LAD | W | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1989-04-10 | SFG | LAD | L | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
Career Games by Position
Circle size = games played at each position.
| Position | Games |
|---|---|
| First Base | 9 |
| Left Field | 26 |
| Center Field | 7 |
| Right Field | 15 |
| Designated Hitter | 7 |
Jim Steels: the record in brief
Between the debut on April 6, 1987 and the final game on May 19, 1989, Jim Steels built the record summarized on this page. The team column moves through the San Diego Padres (1987), the Texas Rangers (1988), and the San Francisco Giants (1989). At 185 pounds on a 5-foot-10 frame, Steels is listed as an outfielder. Steels batted and threw left-handed, per the bio block. The recorded birth is May 30, 1961, in Jackson, MS, USA. Jim Steels was the playing name; the full given name is James Earl.
Steels collected 24 hits in 133 at bats across 111 games, good for a .180 batting average, plus 11 runs batted in. Reaching base at a .250 clip and slugging .211, Steels finished with a .461 OPS. Steels's .180 average ran 29.8% below the .257 that the league posted over the same seasons. In OPS terms, Steels's .461 stands 35.4% below the league's .712. No season topped the 13 hits of 1987. Even the best average among the busiest seasons, .191 in 1987, did not top the league's .262.
Frequently Asked Questions about Jim Steels
- What years did Jim Steels play?
- Jim Steels played in Major League Baseball from 1987 to 1989.
- Was Jim Steels a pitcher?
- No. Jim Steels was a position player (Outfielder).
- How many home runs did Jim Steels hit?
- Jim Steels hit 0 career home runs with 24 hits.
- What teams did Jim Steels play for?
- Jim Steels played for 3 teams: the San Diego Padres (1987), the Texas Rangers (1988), and the San Francisco Giants (1989).
- What were Jim Steels's career stats?
- In 111 games, Jim Steels had 24 hits, 11 RBI, 13 runs, and 5 stolen bases, with a .180 batting average.
- What position did Jim Steels play?
- Jim Steels played primarily as an outfielder, the position where he appeared in the most games.
- How tall was Jim Steels and how much did he weigh?
- Jim Steels was listed at 5 feet 10 inches and 185 pounds.
- What was Jim Steels's career batting average?
- Jim Steels batted .180 over his career, with 24 hits in 133 at bats.
- How many RBI did Jim Steels have?
- Jim Steels drove in 11 runs in his career.
- Is Jim Steels in the Hall of Fame?
- No. Jim Steels has not been inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame.