Max Venable
Outfielder · Career Stats, Bio & Records (1979-1991)
Max Venable was an outfielder who played in Major League Baseball from 1979 to 1991 for 4 teams, including the San Francisco Giants, a span of 13 seasons. In 727 career games, he hit .241 with 337 hits, 18 home runs, and 128 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
- Outfielder
- Bats / Throws
- L / R
- Height / Weight
- 5'10" / 185 lb
- MLB Debut
- 1979-04-08
- Last Game
- 1991-10-06
Full name: William McKinley Venable
Career Batting Statistics
| G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | BB | SO | AVG | OBP | SLG | OPS | PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 727 | 1,397 | 176 | 337 | 57 | 17 | 18 | 128 | 64 | 120 | 218 | .241 | .302 | .345 | .647 | -1,948 |
Career AVG .241 vs. league average .260 across their career seasons — 7.1% below league average.
Career OBP .302 vs. league average .325 across their career seasons — 7.1% below league average.
Career SLG .345 vs. league average .389 across their career seasons — 11.4% below league average.
Career OPS .647 vs. league average .714 across their career seasons — 9.4% 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1979 | SFN | NL | 55 | 85 | 12 | 14 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 10 | 18 | .165 | .265 (-38%) | .329 (-21%) | .397 (-50%) | .727 (-37%) | -479.0 |
| 1980 | SFN | NL | 64 | 138 | 13 | 37 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 10 | 8 | 15 | 22 | .268 | .264 (+1%) | .326 (+2%) | .387 (-22%) | .714 (-11%) | -205.9 |
| 1981 | SFN | NL | 18 | 32 | 2 | 6 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 4 | 3 | .188 | — | — | — | — | 0.0 |
| 1982 | SFN | NL | 71 | 125 | 17 | 28 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 7 | 9 | 7 | 16 | .224 | .261 (-14%) | .324 (-18%) | .388 (-28%) | .712 (-24%) | -458.4 |
| 1983 | SFN | NL | 94 | 228 | 28 | 50 | 7 | 4 | 6 | 27 | 15 | 22 | 34 | .219 | .260 (-16%) | .324 (-9%) | .389 (-6%) | .714 (-8%) | -286.7 |
| 1984 | MON | NL | 38 | 71 | 7 | 17 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 7 | 1 | 3 | 7 | .239 | .259 (-8%) | .322 (-14%) | .384 (-8%) | .707 (-11%) | -136.0 |
| 1985 | CIN | NL | 77 | 135 | 21 | 39 | 12 | 3 | 0 | 10 | 11 | 6 | 17 | .289 | .257 (+12%) | .323 (-3%) | .390 (+8%) | .714 (+3%) | 2.6 |
| 1986 | CIN | NL | 108 | 147 | 17 | 31 | 7 | 1 | 2 | 15 | 7 | 17 | 24 | .211 | .257 (-18%) | .325 (-11%) | .395 (-21%) | .720 (-16%) | -392.9 |
| 1987 | CIN | NL | 7 | 7 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .143 | — | — | — | — | 0.0 |
| 1989 | CAL | AL | 20 | 53 | 7 | 19 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 16 | .358 | .254 (+41%) | .319 (+16%) | .375 (+16%) | .694 (+16%) | 121.6 |
| 1990 | CAL | AL | 93 | 189 | 26 | 49 | 9 | 3 | 4 | 21 | 5 | 24 | 31 | .259 | .257 (+1%) | .324 (+5%) | .385 (+4%) | .710 (+4%) | 159.7 |
| 1991 | CAL | AL | 82 | 187 | 24 | 46 | 8 | 2 | 3 | 21 | 2 | 11 | 30 | .246 | .255 (-4%) | .323 (-10%) | .384 (-7%) | .708 (-8%) | -273.4 |
| Career · 12 seasons | 727 | 1,397 | 176 | 337 | 57 | 17 | 18 | 128 | 64 | 120 | 218 | .241 | — | — | — | — | -1,948 | ||
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 (727 games) →Per-game data from Retrosheet (regular season, through 2025).
Batting — Home / Away
| Split | G | AB | R | H | HR | RBI | AVG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Home | 362 | 685 | 84 | 170 | 10 | 60 | .248 |
| Away | 365 | 712 | 92 | 167 | 8 | 68 | .235 |
Last 10 Games — Batting
| Date | Tm | Opp | Res | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | BB | SO |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1991-10-06 | LAA | KCR | W | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1991-10-05 | LAA | KCR | W | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| 1991-10-04 | LAA | KCR | W | 3 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| 1991-10-02 | LAA | TOR | L | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 1991-10-01 | LAA | TOR | L | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1991-09-29 | LAA | KCR | L | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1991-09-28 | LAA | KCR | W | 4 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| 1991-09-27 | LAA | KCR | L | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1991-09-26 | LAA | KCR | L | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1991-09-25 | LAA | TOR | L | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Fielding Statistics
Career Fielding Totals by Position
Season-by-Season Fielding
| Year | Team | Pos | G | GS | PO | A | E | DP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1979 | SFN | OF | 25 | 17 | 30 | 2 | 3 | 0 |
| 1980 | SFN | OF | 40 | 29 | 61 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1981 | SFN | OF | 5 | 5 | 12 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1982 | SFN | OF | 53 | 22 | 66 | 6 | 1 | 2 |
| 1983 | SFN | OF | 66 | 50 | 141 | 5 | 1 | 0 |
| 1984 | MON | OF | 27 | 11 | 33 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1985 | CIN | OF | 39 | 26 | 60 | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| 1986 | CIN | OF | 57 | 19 | 63 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| 1987 | CIN | OF | 4 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1989 | CAL | OF | 13 | 11 | 21 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1990 | CAL | OF | 77 | 40 | 112 | 3 | 3 | 1 |
| 1991 | CAL | OF | 65 | 44 | 86 | 3 | 3 | 0 |
Career Games by Position
Circle size = games played at each position.
| Position | Games |
|---|---|
| Left Field | 248 |
| Center Field | 141 |
| Right Field | 113 |
| Designated Hitter | 4 |
Salary History
Max Venable's recorded salaries total $1,417,800 over 5 seasons, 1985 to 2010. This total is partial: the salary data covers 1985 to 2016, and Venable's career ran from 1979 to 1991. His seasons before 1985 are not included, and no salary is recorded for 1987 and 1989.
| Year | Team | League | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | SDN | NL | $412,800 |
| 1991 | CAL | AL | $425,000 |
| 1990 | CAL | AL | $200,000 |
| 1986 | CIN | NL | $225,000 |
| 1985 | CIN | NL | $155,000 |
| Total recorded salary (partial) | $1,417,800 | ||
Most Similar Players
Career comps based on counting + rate stats and primary position. Score is relative — closest peer anchors at ~98%.
Max Venable (highlighted) compared to peers across the same era.
Max Venable: the record in brief
Max Venable's major league career runs from a debut on April 8, 1979 to a final game on October 6, 1991. The team column moves through the San Francisco Giants (1979 to 1983), the Montreal Expos (1984), the Cincinnati Reds (1985 through 1987), and the California Angels (1989 through 1991). Venable, born on June 6, 1957, in Phoenix, AZ, USA, is listed as an outfielder and hit left-handed while throwing right-handed. The bio gives 5-foot-10 and 185 pounds. On the record, Max Venable was born William McKinley Venable.
Venable's career batting table shows 727 games, 1,397 at bats and 337 hits, a .241 average, along with 18 homers, 128 RBI, and 64 stolen bases. Venable got on base at a .302 rate and slugged .345 (.647 OPS). Over the seasons Venable played, league hitters batted .260; the .241 career figure is 7.1% below that. In OPS terms, Venable's .647 stands 9.4% below the league's .714. 1983 produced Venable's most hits, 50 of them for the San Francisco Giants. The Lg AVG column puts Venable's 1980 at .268 against .264, the widest margin among the busiest seasons at 1%.
Frequently Asked Questions about Max Venable
- What years did Max Venable play?
- Max Venable played in Major League Baseball from 1979 to 1991.
- Was Max Venable a pitcher?
- No. Max Venable was a position player (Outfielder).
- How many home runs did Max Venable hit?
- Max Venable hit 18 career home runs with 337 hits.
- What teams did Max Venable play for?
- Max Venable played for 4 teams: the San Francisco Giants (1979–1983), the Montreal Expos (1984), the Cincinnati Reds (1985–1987), and the California Angels (1989–1991).
- What were Max Venable's career stats?
- In 727 games, Max Venable had 337 hits, 18 home runs, 128 RBI, 176 runs, and 64 stolen bases, with a .241 batting average.
- How much did Max Venable earn in his career?
- Max Venable's recorded salaries total $1,417,800 over 5 seasons, 1985 to 2010. This total is partial: the salary data covers 1985 to 2016, and Venable's career ran from 1979 to 1991. His seasons before 1985 are not included, and no salary is recorded for 1987 and 1989.
- What was Max Venable's salary?
- Max Venable's last recorded salary was $412,800, in 2010. His highest recorded salary was $425,000, in 1991, and his lowest was $155,000, in 1985. The Salary History table lists each season from 1985 to 2010.
- What position did Max Venable play?
- Max Venable played primarily as an outfielder, the position where he appeared in the most games.
- How tall was Max Venable and how much did he weigh?
- Max Venable was listed at 5 feet 10 inches and 185 pounds.
- How many home runs did Max Venable hit each season?
- Max Venable's home runs by season: 0 in 1979, 0 in 1980, 0 in 1981, 1 in 1982, 6 in 1983, 2 in 1984, 0 in 1985, 2 in 1986, 0 in 1987, 0 in 1989, 4 in 1990, and 3 in 1991. His most in one season was 6, in 1983.
- What was Max Venable's career batting average?
- Max Venable batted .241 over his career, with 337 hits in 1,397 at bats.
- How many RBI did Max Venable have?
- Max Venable drove in 128 runs in his career.
- Is Max Venable in the Hall of Fame?
- No. Max Venable has not been inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame.