Jason Thompson
Born: 7/6/1954 in Hollywood, CA, USA
MLB Debut: 1976-04-23 | Final Game: 1986-06-23
Bats: L | Throws: L | Height: 6'4" | Weight: 200 lbs
Full name: Jason Dolph Thompson
Biography
Jason Thompson was a prominent position player in Major League Baseball, making his mark from 1976 to 1986. Born in 1954, Thompson played in a total of 1,418 games during his career, establishing himself as a reliable offensive contributor. He recorded 1,253 hits and hit 208 home runs while driving in 782 runs, achieving a batting average of .261. Known for his power at the plate, Thompson was a key player for several teams and earned All-Star selections three times, highlighting his status as one of the top players in the league during his prime.
Thompson's career unfolded during a transformative period in baseball, characterized by a shift towards more dynamic offensive play. His ability to combine contact hitting with power made him a valuable asset to his teams. While he did not steal many bases, with a total of 8 throughout his career, his contributions were primarily through his batting prowess. Thompson remains a significant figure in the annals of the game, celebrated for his durability and consistent performance over a decade-long career.
Career Batting Statistics
| G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | BB | SO | AVG | OBP | SLG | OPS | PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1418 | 4802 | 640 | 1253 | 204 | 12 | 208 | 782 | 8 | 816 | 862 | 0.261 | 0.366 | 0.438 | 0.804 | 14512.0 |
Season-by-Season Batting
| Year | Team | Lg | G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | BB | SO | AVG | PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1976 | DET | AL | 123 | 412 | 45 | 90 | 12 | 1 | 17 | 54 | 2 | 68 | 72 | 0.218 | 393.6 |
| 1977 | DET | AL | 158 | 585 | 87 | 158 | 24 | 5 | 31 | 105 | 0 | 73 | 91 | 0.270 | 1682.1 |
| 1978 | DET | AL | 153 | 589 | 79 | 169 | 25 | 3 | 26 | 96 | 0 | 74 | 96 | 0.287 | 2300.4 |
| 1979 | DET | AL | 145 | 492 | 58 | 121 | 16 | 1 | 20 | 79 | 2 | 70 | 90 | 0.246 | 325.2 |
| 1980 | LAA | AL | 102 | 312 | 59 | 99 | 14 | 0 | 17 | 70 | 2 | 70 | 60 | 0.317 | 2399.0 |
| 1980 | DET | AL | 36 | 126 | 10 | 27 | 5 | 0 | 4 | 20 | 0 | 13 | 26 | 0.214 | 2399.0 |
| 1981 | PIT | NL | 86 | 223 | 36 | 54 | 13 | 0 | 15 | 42 | 0 | 59 | 49 | 0.242 | 1417.9 |
| 1982 | PIT | NL | 156 | 550 | 87 | 156 | 32 | 0 | 31 | 101 | 1 | 101 | 107 | 0.284 | 3242.3 |
| 1983 | PIT | NL | 152 | 517 | 70 | 134 | 20 | 1 | 18 | 76 | 1 | 99 | 128 | 0.259 | 1371.2 |
| 1984 | PIT | NL | 154 | 543 | 61 | 138 | 22 | 0 | 17 | 74 | 0 | 87 | 73 | 0.254 | 888.4 |
| 1985 | PIT | NL | 123 | 402 | 42 | 97 | 17 | 1 | 12 | 61 | 0 | 84 | 58 | 0.241 | 681.4 |
| 1986 | WSN | NL | 30 | 51 | 6 | 10 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 18 | 12 | 0.196 | 44.9 |
Fielding Statistics
Career Fielding Totals by Position
| Position | G | GS | PO | A | E | DP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1B | 1314 | 1268 | 11818 | 819 | 97 | 1090 |
Season-by-Season Fielding
| Year | Team | Pos | G | GS | PO | A | E | DP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1976 | DET | 1B | 117 | 117 | 1157 | 88 | 8 | 104 |
| 1977 | DET | 1B | 158 | 157 | 1599 | 97 | 16 | 135 |
| 1978 | DET | 1B | 151 | 151 | 1503 | 92 | 11 | 153 |
| 1979 | DET | 1B | 140 | 128 | 1176 | 91 | 8 | 135 |
| 1980 | CAL | 1B | 47 | 43 | 351 | 21 | 0 | 33 |
| 1980 | DET | 1B | 36 | 33 | 328 | 30 | 0 | 33 |
| 1981 | PIT | 1B | 78 | 65 | 590 | 46 | 7 | 65 |
| 1982 | PIT | 1B | 155 | 152 | 1395 | 105 | 10 | 114 |
| 1983 | PIT | 1B | 151 | 144 | 1266 | 89 | 9 | 131 |
| 1984 | PIT | 1B | 152 | 150 | 1337 | 74 | 14 | 111 |
| 1985 | PIT | 1B | 114 | 114 | 995 | 82 | 9 | 69 |
| 1986 | MON | 1B | 15 | 14 | 121 | 4 | 5 | 7 |
Career Games by Position
| Position | Games |
|---|---|
| First Base | 1314 |
| Designated Hitter | 47 |
Awards & Honors
| Year | Award | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 1982 | Player of the Week | Week of 1982-05-07 |
| 1982 | Player of the Week | Week of 1982-04-30 |
| 1980 | Player of the Week | Week of 1980-07-25 |
| 1978 | Player of the Week | Week of 1978-06-23 |
Salary History
| Year | Team | League | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1987 | PIT | NL | $1,150,000 |
| 1986 | MON | NL | $1,000,000 |
| 1985 | PIT | NL | $1,066,667 |
| Total Career Earnings | $3,216,667 | ||
College History
| School Name | City | State | Years Attended |
|---|---|---|---|
| California State University Northridge | Los Angeles | CA | 1973, 1974, 1975 |
Award Voting History
| Year | Award | League | Finish | Points Won | Points Max | Votes First |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1982 | Most Valuable Player | NL | 17th | 12.0 | 336 | 0 |
| 1977 | Most Valuable Player | AL | 21th | 6.0 | 392 | 0 |