Dale Sveum
Shortstop · Career Stats, Bio & Records (1986-1999)
Dale Sveum was a shortstop who played in Major League Baseball from 1986 to 1999 for 7 teams, including the Milwaukee Brewers, a span of 14 seasons. In 862 career games, he hit .236 with 597 hits, 69 home runs, and 340 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
- Shortstop
- Bats / Throws
- B / R
- Height / Weight
- 6'2" / 185 lb
- MLB Debut
- 1986-05-12
- Last Game
- 1999-10-03
Full name: Dale Curtis Sveum
Career Batting Statistics
| G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | BB | SO | AVG | OBP | SLG | OPS | PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 862 | 2,526 | 305 | 597 | 125 | 13 | 69 | 340 | 10 | 227 | 656 | .236 | .298 | .378 | .676 | -3,184 |
Career AVG .236 vs. league average .263 across their career seasons — 10.1% below league average.
Career OBP .298 vs. league average .331 across their career seasons — 10.0% below league average.
Career SLG .378 vs. league average .406 across their career seasons — 6.8% below league average.
Career OPS .676 vs. league average .737 across their career seasons — 8.3% 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1986 | ML4 | AL | 91 | 317 | 35 | 78 | 13 | 2 | 7 | 35 | 4 | 32 | 63 | .246 | .257 (-5%) | .325 (-3%) | .395 (-7%) | .720 (-5%) | -253.1 |
| 1987 | ML4 | AL | 153 | 535 | 86 | 135 | 27 | 3 | 25 | 95 | 2 | 40 | 133 | .252 | .262 (-4%) | .331 (-9%) | .415 (+9%) | .746 (+1%) | -23.5 |
| 1988 | ML4 | AL | 129 | 467 | 41 | 113 | 14 | 4 | 9 | 51 | 1 | 21 | 122 | .242 | .254 (-5%) | .317 (-14%) | .377 (-8%) | .695 (-11%) | -856.8 |
| 1990 | ML4 | AL | 48 | 117 | 15 | 23 | 7 | 0 | 1 | 12 | 0 | 12 | 30 | .197 | .257 (-24%) | .324 (-14%) | .385 (-27%) | .710 (-21%) | -389.4 |
| 1991 | ML4 | AL | 90 | 266 | 33 | 64 | 19 | 1 | 4 | 43 | 2 | 32 | 78 | .241 | .255 (-6%) | .323 (-1%) | .384 (-5%) | .708 (-3%) | -139.3 |
| 1992 | PHI | NL | 54 | 135 | 13 | 24 | 4 | 0 | 2 | 16 | 0 | 16 | 39 | .178 | .255 (-30%) | .322 (-19%) | .377 (-33%) | .699 (-27%) | -554.4 |
| 1992 | CHA | AL | 40 | 114 | 15 | 25 | 9 | 0 | 2 | 12 | 1 | 12 | 29 | .219 | .255 (-14%) | .322 (-11%) | .377 (-7%) | .699 (-9%) | -554.4 |
| 1993 | OAK | AL | 30 | 79 | 12 | 14 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 6 | 0 | 16 | 21 | .177 | .265 (-33%) | .332 (-5%) | .403 (-25%) | .735 (-16%) | -171.1 |
| 1994 | SEA | AL | 10 | 27 | 3 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 10 | .185 | — | — | — | — | 0.0 |
| 1996 | PIT | NL | 12 | 34 | 9 | 12 | 5 | 0 | 1 | 5 | 0 | 6 | 6 | .353 | — | — | — | — | 0.0 |
| 1997 | PIT | NL | 126 | 306 | 30 | 80 | 20 | 1 | 12 | 47 | 0 | 27 | 81 | .261 | .266 (-2%) | .336 (-5%) | .419 (+8%) | .756 (+2%) | 47.1 |
| 1998 | NYA | AL | 30 | 58 | 6 | 9 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 4 | 16 | .155 | .266 (-42%) | .335 (-39%) | .420 (-63%) | .755 (-53%) | -520.5 |
| 1999 | PIT | NL | 49 | 71 | 7 | 15 | 5 | 1 | 3 | 13 | 0 | 7 | 28 | .211 | .271 (-22%) | .344 (-19%) | .433 (+1%) | .778 (-8%) | -134.1 |
| Career · 13 seasons | 862 | 2,526 | 305 | 597 | 125 | 13 | 69 | 340 | 10 | 227 | 656 | .236 | — | — | — | — | -3,549 | ||
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 (862 games) →Per-game data from Retrosheet (regular season, through 2025).
Batting — Home / Away
| Split | G | AB | R | H | HR | RBI | AVG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Home | 431 | 1239 | 151 | 283 | 25 | 146 | .228 |
| Away | 431 | 1287 | 154 | 314 | 44 | 194 | .244 |
Last 10 Games — Batting
| Date | Tm | Opp | Res | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | BB | SO |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1999-10-03 | PIT | NYN | L | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1999-10-01 | PIT | NYN | L | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| 1999-09-30 | PIT | MIL | W | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1999-09-29 | PIT | MIL | L | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 3 |
| 1999-09-26 | PIT | CHC | W | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1999-09-25 | PIT | CHC | L | 4 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 |
| 1999-09-24 | PIT | CHC | L | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1999-09-23 | PIT | CHC | L | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1999-09-21 | PIT | HOU | L | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 1999-09-20 | PIT | HOU | W | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Fielding Statistics
Career Fielding Totals by Position
| Position | G | GS | PO | A | E | DP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1B | 71 | 37 | 392 | 27 | 6 | 37 |
| 2B | 53 | 41 | 84 | 109 | 5 | 23 |
| 3B | 217 | 181 | 125 | 344 | 45 | 26 |
| OF | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| SS | 442 | 389 | 634 | 1143 | 75 | 256 |
Season-by-Season Fielding
| Year | Team | Pos | G | GS | PO | A | E | DP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1986 | ML4 | 2B | 13 | 12 | 29 | 23 | 1 | 6 |
| 1986 | ML4 | 3B | 65 | 64 | 45 | 122 | 26 | 8 |
| 1986 | ML4 | SS | 13 | 12 | 18 | 34 | 3 | 5 |
| 1987 | ML4 | 2B | 13 | 11 | 21 | 35 | 2 | 7 |
| 1987 | ML4 | SS | 142 | 139 | 221 | 361 | 21 | 82 |
| 1988 | ML4 | 2B | 1 | 1 | 1 | 5 | 0 | 1 |
| 1988 | ML4 | SS | 127 | 126 | 208 | 370 | 27 | 93 |
| 1990 | ML4 | 1B | 5 | 2 | 17 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| 1990 | ML4 | 2B | 16 | 10 | 22 | 30 | 1 | 6 |
| 1990 | ML4 | 3B | 22 | 17 | 17 | 28 | 4 | 2 |
| 1990 | ML4 | SS | 5 | 1 | 3 | 5 | 1 | 1 |
| 1991 | ML4 | 2B | 2 | 1 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| 1991 | ML4 | 3B | 38 | 34 | 26 | 62 | 4 | 9 |
| 1991 | ML4 | SS | 51 | 37 | 56 | 125 | 6 | 24 |
| 1992 | PHI | 1B | 4 | 4 | 20 | 5 | 0 | 1 |
| 1992 | PHI | 3B | 5 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 0 | 1 |
| 1992 | PHI | SS | 34 | 26 | 56 | 91 | 8 | 17 |
| 1992 | CHA | 1B | 2 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 1992 | CHA | 3B | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1992 | CHA | SS | 37 | 33 | 39 | 97 | 8 | 19 |
| 1993 | OAK | 1B | 14 | 11 | 116 | 5 | 3 | 11 |
| 1993 | OAK | 2B | 4 | 3 | 4 | 7 | 0 | 1 |
| 1993 | OAK | 3B | 7 | 3 | 5 | 4 | 0 | 1 |
| 1993 | OAK | OF | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1993 | OAK | SS | 1 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 1994 | SEA | 3B | 3 | 2 | 2 | 8 | 1 | 0 |
| 1996 | PIT | 3B | 10 | 8 | 4 | 17 | 2 | 1 |
| 1997 | PIT | 1B | 21 | 10 | 105 | 5 | 0 | 10 |
| 1997 | PIT | 2B | 2 | 2 | 3 | 5 | 1 | 1 |
| 1997 | PIT | 3B | 47 | 39 | 17 | 78 | 6 | 4 |
| 1997 | PIT | SS | 28 | 13 | 29 | 54 | 1 | 14 |
| 1998 | NYA | 1B | 21 | 8 | 108 | 9 | 3 | 9 |
| 1998 | NYA | 3B | 6 | 5 | 4 | 6 | 1 | 0 |
| 1999 | PIT | 1B | 4 | 2 | 23 | 2 | 0 | 5 |
| 1999 | PIT | 2B | 2 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 1 |
| 1999 | PIT | 3B | 12 | 7 | 2 | 15 | 1 | 0 |
| 1999 | PIT | OF | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1999 | PIT | SS | 4 | 1 | 1 | 5 | 0 | 1 |
Career Games by Position
Circle size = games played at each position.
| Position | Games |
|---|---|
| First Base | 71 |
| Second Base | 53 |
| Third Base | 217 |
| Shortstop | 442 |
| Left Field | 2 |
| Designated Hitter | 13 |
Salary History
Dale Sveum's recorded salaries total $2,902,500 over 10 seasons, 1986 to 1999. This total is partial: the salary data covers 1985 to 2016, and Sveum's career ran from 1986 to 1999. No salary is recorded for 1993, 1994, and 1996.
| Year | Team | League | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1999 | PIT | NL | $200,000 |
| 1998 | NYA | AL | $800,000 |
| 1997 | PIT | NL | $400,000 |
| 1992 | PHI | NL | $375,000 |
| 1991 | PHI | NL | $335,000 |
| 1990 | ML4 | AL | $230,000 |
| 1989 | ML4 | AL | $225,000 |
| 1988 | ML4 | AL | $185,000 |
| 1987 | ML4 | AL | $92,500 |
| 1986 | ML4 | AL | $60,000 |
| Total recorded salary (partial) | $2,902,500 | ||
Most Similar Players
Career comps based on counting + rate stats and primary position. Score is relative — closest peer anchors at ~98%.
Dale Sveum (highlighted) compared to peers across the same era.
Dale Sveum: the record in brief
Dale Sveum's major league career runs from a debut on May 12, 1986 to a final game on October 3, 1999. Sveum played for the Milwaukee Brewers (1986 through 1991), the Philadelphia Phillies (1992), the Chicago White Sox (1992), the Oakland Athletics (1993), the Seattle Mariners (1994), the Pittsburgh Pirates (1996 through 1999), and the New York Yankees (1998). Sveum is listed as a shortstop at 185 pounds on a 6-foot-2 frame. The bio says Sveum batted from both sides and threw right-handed. Sveum was born on November 23, 1963, in Richmond, CA, USA. Sveum's full given name, per the bio, is Dale Curtis Sveum.
Across 862 games at the plate, Sveum's career line reads 597 hits in 2,526 at bats for a .236 average, adding 69 home runs and 340 RBI. On-base and slugging figures of .298 and .378 give Sveum a career OPS of .676. Sveum's .236 average ran 10.1% below the .263 that the league posted over the same seasons. In OPS terms, Sveum's .676 stands 8.3% below the league's .737. No season beat the 25 home runs Sveum hit in 1987. Sveum collected a career-high 135 hits in 1987.
Frequently Asked Questions about Dale Sveum
- What years did Dale Sveum play?
- Dale Sveum played in Major League Baseball from 1986 to 1999.
- Was Dale Sveum a pitcher?
- No. Dale Sveum was a position player (Shortstop).
- How many home runs did Dale Sveum hit?
- Dale Sveum hit 69 career home runs with 597 hits.
- What teams did Dale Sveum play for?
- Dale Sveum played for 7 teams: the Milwaukee Brewers (1986–1988, 1990–1991), the Philadelphia Phillies (1992), the Chicago White Sox (1992), the Oakland Athletics (1993), the Seattle Mariners (1994), the Pittsburgh Pirates (1996–1997, 1999), and the New York Yankees (1998).
- What were Dale Sveum's career stats?
- In 862 games, Dale Sveum had 597 hits, 69 home runs, 340 RBI, 305 runs, and 10 stolen bases, with a .236 batting average.
- How much did Dale Sveum earn in his career?
- Dale Sveum's recorded salaries total $2,902,500 over 10 seasons, 1986 to 1999. This total is partial: the salary data covers 1985 to 2016, and Sveum's career ran from 1986 to 1999. No salary is recorded for 1993, 1994, and 1996.
- What was Dale Sveum's salary?
- Dale Sveum's last recorded salary was $200,000, in 1999. His highest recorded salary was $800,000, in 1998, and his lowest was $60,000, in 1986. The Salary History table lists each season from 1986 to 1999.
- What position did Dale Sveum play?
- Dale Sveum played primarily as a shortstop, the position where he appeared in the most games.
- How tall was Dale Sveum and how much did he weigh?
- Dale Sveum was listed at 6 feet 2 inches and 185 pounds.
- How many home runs did Dale Sveum hit each season?
- Dale Sveum's home runs by season: 7 in 1986, 25 in 1987, 9 in 1988, 1 in 1990, 4 in 1991, 4 in 1992, 2 in 1993, 1 in 1994, 1 in 1996, 12 in 1997, 0 in 1998, and 3 in 1999. His most in one season was 25, in 1987.
- What was Dale Sveum's career batting average?
- Dale Sveum batted .236 over his career, with 597 hits in 2,526 at bats.
- How many RBI did Dale Sveum have?
- Dale Sveum drove in 340 runs in his career.
- Is Dale Sveum in the Hall of Fame?
- No. Dale Sveum has not been inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame.