Ken Tatum
Born: 4/25/1944 in Alexandria, LA, USA
MLB Debut: 1969-05-28 | Final Game: 1974-07-01
Bats: R | Throws: R | Height: 6'2" | Weight: 205 lbs
Full name: Kenneth Ray Tatum
Biography
Ken Tatum, born in 1944, was a talented pitcher whose professional baseball career spanned from 1969 to 1974. Known for his effective pitching style and ability to close out games, Tatum established himself as a reliable arm in the bullpen. Over the course of his career, he posted a record of 16-12 with a commendable earned run average (ERA) of 2.93. His prowess on the mound was further highlighted by his impressive strikeout total of 156 and his ability to secure games, as evidenced by his 52 saves.
Playing during a time when the game was evolving with the advent of more specialized roles, Tatum's contributions were significant in shaping the role of the relief pitcher in Major League Baseball. His performance demonstrated a strong command of his pitches and an ability to perform under pressure, characteristics that made him a valuable asset to his teams. Tatum's career remains a testament to the pivotal role that relief pitchers play in the dynamics of a baseball game, and his statistics reflect a solid, impactful presence on the mound during his years in the league.
Career Pitching Statistics
| W | L | G | GS | CG | SHO | SV | IP | H | ER | HR | BB | SO | ERA | Pitcher PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 16 | 12 | 176 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 52 | 282.7 | 230 | 92 | 24 | 117 | 156 | 2.93 | 0 |
Season-by-Season Pitching
| Year | Team | Lg | W | L | G | GS | CG | SHO | SV | IP | H | ER | BB | SO | ERA | Pitcher PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1969 | LAA | AL | 7 | 2 | 45 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 22 | 86.3 | 51 | 13 | 39 | 65 | 1.36 | - |
| 1970 | LAA | AL | 7 | 4 | 62 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 17 | 88.7 | 68 | 29 | 26 | 50 | 2.94 | - |
| 1971 | BOS | AL | 2 | 4 | 36 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 9 | 53.7 | 50 | 25 | 25 | 21 | 4.19 | -1046.2 |
| 1972 | BOS | AL | 0 | 2 | 22 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 29.3 | 32 | 10 | 15 | 15 | 3.07 | -870.9 |
| 1973 | BOS | AL | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4.0 | 6 | 4 | 3 | 0 | 9.00 | 0.0 |
| 1974 | CHW | AL | 0 | 0 | 10 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 20.7 | 23 | 11 | 9 | 5 | 4.79 | - |
Career Batting Statistics
| G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | BB | SO | AVG | OBP | SLG | OPS | PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 176 | 45 | 7 | 11 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 6 | 0 | 3 | 17 | 0.244 | 0.306 | 0.533 | 0.839 | 0.0 |
Season-by-Season Batting
| Year | Team | Lg | G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | BB | SO | AVG | PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1969 | LAA | AL | 45 | 21 | 3 | 6 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 0.286 | 0.0 |
| 1970 | LAA | AL | 62 | 11 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 0.182 | 0.0 |
| 1971 | BOS | AL | 36 | 10 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 4 | 0.300 | 0.0 |
| 1972 | BOS | AL | 22 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0.000 | 0.0 |
| 1973 | BOS | AL | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 | 0.0 |
| 1974 | CHW | AL | 10 | 1 | 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 | 176 | 2 | 10 | 47 | 2 | 3 |
Season-by-Season Fielding
| Year | Team | Pos | G | GS | PO | A | E | DP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1969 | CAL | P | 45 | 0 | 1 | 12 | 0 | 0 |
| 1970 | CAL | P | 62 | 0 | 4 | 15 | 1 | 0 |
| 1971 | BOS | P | 36 | 1 | 2 | 11 | 0 | 2 |
| 1972 | BOS | P | 22 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 1 | 0 |
| 1973 | BOS | P | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1974 | CHA | P | 10 | 1 | 2 | 5 | 0 | 1 |
Career Games by Position
| Position | Games |
|---|---|
| Pitcher | 176 |
College History
| School Name | City | State | Years Attended |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mississippi State University | Mississippi State | MS | 1964, 1965, 1966 |
Award Voting History
| Year | Award | League | Finish | Points Won | Points Max | Votes First |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1969 | Most Valuable Player | AL | 29th | 2.0 | 336 | 0 |
| 1969 | Rookie of the Year | AL | 4th | 4.0 | 24 | 4 |