Del Unser
Born: 12/9/1944 in Decatur, IL, USA
MLB Debut: 1968-04-10 | Final Game: 1982-06-06
Bats: L | Throws: L | Height: 6'1" | Weight: 180 lbs
Full name: Delbert Bernard Unser
Biography
Del Unser, born in 1944, was a prominent position player whose career spanned from 1968 to 1982. Over the course of 1,799 games in Major League Baseball, he amassed 1,344 hits, 87 home runs, and 481 RBIs, concluding his career with a batting average of .258. Known for his versatility, Unser played for several teams, including the Philadelphia Phillies and the New York Mets, and was recognized as the TSN Rookie Player of the Year. His ability to contribute offensively and defensively made him a valuable asset to his teams during a time when baseball was evolving with the introduction of free agency and the decline of the deadball era.
Unser's playing style was characterized by a keen eye at the plate and an aptitude for making contact, which allowed him to be a consistent presence in the lineup. His 64 stolen bases demonstrated a blend of speed and agility, adding an extra dimension to his game. As a part of the league during the late 1960s through the early 1980s, he witnessed the transition of baseball into a new era, contributing to its rich history while leaving a lasting legacy among the players of his generation.
Career Batting Statistics
| G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | BB | SO | AVG | OBP | SLG | OPS | PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1799 | 5215 | 617 | 1344 | 179 | 42 | 87 | 481 | 64 | 481 | 675 | 0.258 | 0.319 | 0.358 | 0.677 | -1388.3 |
Season-by-Season Batting
| Year | Team | Lg | G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | BB | SO | AVG | PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1968 | WS2 | AL | 156 | 635 | 66 | 146 | 13 | 7 | 1 | 30 | 11 | 46 | 66 | 0.230 | -1425.2 |
| 1969 | WS2 | AL | 153 | 581 | 69 | 166 | 19 | 8 | 7 | 57 | 8 | 58 | 54 | 0.286 | 718.3 |
| 1970 | WS2 | AL | 119 | 322 | 37 | 83 | 5 | 1 | 5 | 30 | 1 | 30 | 29 | 0.258 | -523.6 |
| 1971 | WS2 | AL | 153 | 581 | 63 | 148 | 19 | 6 | 9 | 41 | 11 | 59 | 68 | 0.255 | 8.2 |
| 1972 | CLE | AL | 132 | 383 | 29 | 91 | 12 | 0 | 1 | 17 | 5 | 28 | 46 | 0.238 | -1038.7 |
| 1973 | PHI | NL | 136 | 440 | 64 | 127 | 20 | 4 | 11 | 52 | 5 | 47 | 55 | 0.289 | 910.2 |
| 1974 | PHI | NL | 142 | 454 | 72 | 120 | 18 | 5 | 11 | 61 | 6 | 50 | 62 | 0.264 | 550.5 |
| 1975 | NYN | NL | 147 | 531 | 65 | 156 | 18 | 2 | 10 | 53 | 4 | 37 | 76 | 0.294 | 361.2 |
| 1976 | WSN | NL | 69 | 220 | 29 | 50 | 6 | 2 | 7 | 15 | 3 | 11 | 44 | 0.227 | -386.2 |
| 1976 | NYN | NL | 77 | 276 | 28 | 63 | 13 | 2 | 5 | 25 | 4 | 18 | 40 | 0.228 | -386.2 |
| 1977 | WSN | NL | 113 | 289 | 33 | 79 | 14 | 1 | 12 | 40 | 2 | 33 | 41 | 0.273 | 540.1 |
| 1978 | WSN | NL | 130 | 179 | 16 | 35 | 5 | 0 | 2 | 15 | 2 | 24 | 29 | 0.196 | -681.8 |
| 1979 | PHI | NL | 95 | 141 | 26 | 42 | 8 | 0 | 6 | 29 | 2 | 14 | 33 | 0.298 | 376.5 |
| 1980 | PHI | NL | 96 | 110 | 15 | 29 | 6 | 4 | 0 | 10 | 0 | 10 | 21 | 0.264 | -52.1 |
| 1981 | PHI | NL | 62 | 59 | 5 | 9 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 13 | 9 | 0.153 | -232.6 |
| 1982 | PHI | NL | 19 | 14 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 2 | 0.000 | 0.0 |
Postseason Statistics
Playoff Career Batting
| G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | BB | SO | AVG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 8 | 11 | 4 | 5 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 0.455 |
Playoff Batting by Year
| Year | Round | Team | G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | BB | SO | AVG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980 | WS | PHI | 3 | 6 | 2 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0.500 |
| 1980 | NLCS | PHI | 5 | 5 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0.400 |
Fielding Statistics
Career Fielding Totals by Position
| Position | G | GS | PO | A | E | DP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1B | 168 | 27 | 520 | 45 | 3 | 49 |
| OF | 1407 | 1205 | 3123 | 112 | 52 | 26 |
Season-by-Season Fielding
| Year | Team | Pos | G | GS | PO | A | E | DP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1968 | WS2 | 1B | 1 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1968 | WS2 | OF | 156 | 154 | 388 | 22 | 5 | 10 |
| 1969 | WS2 | OF | 149 | 139 | 339 | 8 | 10 | 3 |
| 1970 | WS2 | OF | 103 | 71 | 173 | 8 | 3 | 2 |
| 1971 | WS2 | OF | 151 | 143 | 394 | 10 | 8 | 2 |
| 1972 | CLE | OF | 119 | 91 | 248 | 10 | 3 | 1 |
| 1973 | PHI | OF | 132 | 113 | 329 | 14 | 4 | 4 |
| 1974 | PHI | OF | 135 | 120 | 300 | 13 | 6 | 0 |
| 1975 | NYN | OF | 144 | 129 | 362 | 13 | 5 | 2 |
| 1976 | MON | OF | 65 | 54 | 108 | 5 | 2 | 2 |
| 1976 | NYN | OF | 77 | 73 | 180 | 5 | 1 | 0 |
| 1977 | MON | 1B | 27 | 12 | 160 | 11 | 0 | 15 |
| 1977 | MON | OF | 72 | 57 | 120 | 2 | 3 | 0 |
| 1978 | MON | 1B | 64 | 9 | 162 | 10 | 1 | 16 |
| 1978 | MON | OF | 33 | 24 | 70 | 2 | 1 | 0 |
| 1979 | PHI | 1B | 22 | 5 | 74 | 5 | 2 | 6 |
| 1979 | PHI | OF | 30 | 17 | 44 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 1980 | PHI | 1B | 31 | 1 | 67 | 13 | 0 | 7 |
| 1980 | PHI | OF | 23 | 16 | 49 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1981 | PHI | 1B | 18 | 0 | 44 | 5 | 0 | 4 |
| 1981 | PHI | OF | 16 | 4 | 19 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1982 | PHI | 1B | 5 | 0 | 9 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| 1982 | PHI | OF | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Career Games by Position
| Position | Games |
|---|---|
| First Base | 168 |
| Left Field | 118 |
| Center Field | 1117 |
| Right Field | 232 |
Awards & Honors
| Year | Award | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 1968 | TSN Rookie Player of the Year |
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 | 23th | 5.0 | 336 | 0 |
| 1968 | Rookie of the Year | AL | 2nd | 3.0 | 20 | 3 |