Jim Traber
First Baseman · Career Stats, Bio & Records (1984-1989)
Jim Traber was a first baseman who played in Major League Baseball from 1984 to 1989 for the Baltimore Orioles, a span of 6 seasons. In 264 career games, he hit .227 with 186 hits, 27 home runs, and 117 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
- First Baseman
- Bats / Throws
- L / L
- Height / Weight
- 6'0" / 194 lb
- MLB Debut
- 1984-09-21
- Last Game
- 1989-10-01
Full name: James Joseph Traber
Career Batting Statistics
| G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | BB | SO | AVG | OBP | SLG | OPS | PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 264 | 819 | 70 | 186 | 21 | 0 | 27 | 117 | 5 | 58 | 118 | .227 | .279 | .352 | .631 | -1,290 |
Career AVG .227 vs. league average .256 across their career seasons — 11.5% below league average.
Career OBP .279 vs. league average .322 across their career seasons — 13.1% below league average.
Career SLG .352 vs. league average .383 across their career seasons — 8.2% below league average.
Career OPS .631 vs. league average .705 across their career seasons — 10.5% 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1984 | BAL | AL | 10 | 21 | 3 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 4 | .238 | — | — | — | — | 0.0 |
| 1986 | BAL | AL | 65 | 212 | 28 | 54 | 7 | 0 | 13 | 44 | 0 | 18 | 31 | .255 | .257 (-1%) | .325 (-2%) | .395 (+19%) | .720 (+10%) | 325.1 |
| 1988 | BAL | AL | 103 | 352 | 25 | 78 | 6 | 0 | 10 | 45 | 1 | 19 | 42 | .222 | .254 (-13%) | .317 (-18%) | .377 (-14%) | .695 (-16%) | -898.1 |
| 1989 | BAL | AL | 86 | 234 | 14 | 49 | 8 | 0 | 4 | 26 | 4 | 19 | 41 | .209 | .254 (-18%) | .319 (-17%) | .375 (-21%) | .694 (-19%) | -716.6 |
| Career · 4 seasons | 264 | 819 | 70 | 186 | 21 | 0 | 27 | 117 | 5 | 58 | 118 | .227 | — | — | — | — | -1,290 | ||
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 (264 games) →Per-game data from Retrosheet (regular season, through 2025).
Batting — Home / Away
| Split | G | AB | R | H | HR | RBI | AVG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Home | 138 | 416 | 36 | 100 | 13 | 54 | .240 |
| Away | 126 | 403 | 34 | 86 | 14 | 63 | .213 |
Last 10 Games — Batting
| Date | Tm | Opp | Res | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | BB | SO |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1989-10-01 | BAL | TOR | W | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| 1989-09-23 | BAL | NYY | W | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1989-09-17 | BAL | KCR | L | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| 1989-09-07 | BAL | TEX | W | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 1989-09-05 | BAL | CLE | W | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| 1989-09-03 | BAL | CHW | L | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1989-08-31 | BAL | CLE | L | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| 1989-08-29 | BAL | CLE | L | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1989-08-26 | BAL | NYY | W | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 1 |
| 1989-08-24 | BAL | NYY | W | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
Career Games by Position
Circle size = games played at each position.
| Position | Games |
|---|---|
| First Base | 155 |
| Left Field | 9 |
| Right Field | 9 |
| Designated Hitter | 66 |
Salary History
Jim Traber's recorded salaries total $230,000 over 3 seasons, 1986 to 1989. This total is partial: the salary data covers 1985 to 2016, and Traber's career ran from 1984 to 1989. His seasons before 1985 are not included.
| Year | Team | League | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1989 | BAL | AL | $90,000 |
| 1988 | BAL | AL | $80,000 |
| 1986 | BAL | AL | $60,000 |
| Total recorded salary (partial) | $230,000 | ||
College History
| School Name | City | State | Years Attended |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oklahoma State University | Stillwater | OK | 1980, 1981, 1982 |
Jim Traber: the record in brief
The profile opens with Jim Traber's first major league game on September 21, 1984; the last one listed came on October 1, 1989. The team column never changes: it is the Baltimore Orioles from 1984 to 1989. At 6 feet, 0 inches and 194 pounds, Traber is listed as a first baseman. The bio says Traber threw and hit left-handed. Traber was born on December 26, 1961, in Columbus, OH, USA. Jim Traber was the playing name; the full given name is James Joseph.
Traber's career batting table shows 264 games, 819 at bats and 186 hits, a .227 average, along with 27 home runs and 117 RBI. On-base and slugging figures of .279 and .352 give Traber a career OPS of .631. The league as a whole hit .256 across Traber's seasons, which puts the .227 career mark 11.5% below average. By OPS the gap is 10.5% below league average (.631 against .705). The home run peak was 13 in 1986 with the Baltimore Orioles. 1988 produced Traber's most hits, 78 of them for the Baltimore Orioles. Traber drove in a season-high 45 runs in 1988.
Frequently Asked Questions about Jim Traber
- What years did Jim Traber play?
- Jim Traber played in Major League Baseball from 1984 to 1989.
- Was Jim Traber a pitcher?
- No. Jim Traber was a position player (First Baseman).
- How many home runs did Jim Traber hit?
- Jim Traber hit 27 career home runs with 186 hits.
- What teams did Jim Traber play for?
- Jim Traber played for one team, the Baltimore Orioles (1984, 1986, 1988–1989).
- What were Jim Traber's career stats?
- In 264 games, Jim Traber had 186 hits, 27 home runs, 117 RBI, 70 runs, and 5 stolen bases, with a .227 batting average.
- How much did Jim Traber earn in his career?
- Jim Traber's recorded salaries total $230,000 over 3 seasons, 1986 to 1989. This total is partial: the salary data covers 1985 to 2016, and Traber's career ran from 1984 to 1989. His seasons before 1985 are not included.
- What was Jim Traber's salary?
- Jim Traber's last recorded salary was $90,000, in 1989. His highest recorded salary was $90,000, in 1989, and his lowest was $60,000, in 1986. The Salary History table lists each season from 1986 to 1989.
- What position did Jim Traber play?
- Jim Traber played primarily as a first baseman, the position where he appeared in the most games.
- How tall was Jim Traber and how much did he weigh?
- Jim Traber was listed at 6 feet and 194 pounds.
- How many home runs did Jim Traber hit each season?
- Jim Traber's home runs by season: 0 in 1984, 13 in 1986, 10 in 1988, and 4 in 1989. His most in one season was 13, in 1986.
- What was Jim Traber's career batting average?
- Jim Traber batted .227 over his career, with 186 hits in 819 at bats.
- How many RBI did Jim Traber have?
- Jim Traber drove in 117 runs in his career.
- Is Jim Traber in the Hall of Fame?
- No. Jim Traber has not been inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame.