Joe Zdeb
Outfielder · Career Stats, Bio & Records (1977-1979)
Joe Zdeb was an outfielder who played in Major League Baseball from 1977 to 1979 for the Kansas City Royals, a span of 3 seasons. In 180 career games, he hit .272 with 94 hits, 2 home runs, and 34 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
- R / R
- Height / Weight
- 5'11" / 185 lb
- MLB Debut
- 1977-04-07
- Last Game
- 1979-05-29
Full name: Joseph Edmund Zdeb
Career Batting Statistics
| G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | BB | SO | AVG | OBP | SLG | OPS | PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 180 | 345 | 47 | 94 | 8 | 6 | 2 | 34 | 10 | 25 | 45 | .272 | .317 | .348 | .665 | -347 |
Career AVG .272 vs. league average .263 across their career seasons — near league average.
Career OBP .317 vs. league average .328 across their career seasons — near league average.
Career SLG .348 vs. league average .392 across their career seasons — 11.4% below league average.
Career OPS .665 vs. league average .720 across their career seasons — 7.6% 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1977 | KCA | AL | 105 | 195 | 26 | 58 | 5 | 2 | 2 | 23 | 6 | 16 | 23 | .297 | .264 (+13%) | .329 (+5%) | .401 (-7%) | .730 (-1%) | -35.3 |
| 1978 | KCA | AL | 60 | 127 | 18 | 32 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 11 | 3 | 7 | 18 | .252 | .257 (-2%) | .323 (-11%) | .378 (-17%) | .702 (-14%) | -311.2 |
| 1979 | KCA | AL | 15 | 23 | 3 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 4 | .174 | — | — | — | — | 0.0 |
| Career · 3 seasons | 180 | 345 | 47 | 94 | 8 | 6 | 2 | 34 | 10 | 25 | 45 | .272 | — | — | — | — | -347 | ||
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 (180 games) →Per-game data from Retrosheet (regular season, through 2025).
Batting — Home / Away
| Split | G | AB | R | H | HR | RBI | AVG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Home | 91 | 158 | 26 | 48 | 0 | 14 | .304 |
| Away | 89 | 187 | 21 | 46 | 2 | 20 | .246 |
Last 10 Games — Batting
| Date | Tm | Opp | Res | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | BB | SO |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1979-05-29 | KCR | BAL | L | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1979-05-28 | KCR | BAL | W | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1979-05-27 | KCR | MIN | W | 3 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1979-05-26 | KCR | MIN | W | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1979-05-24 | KCR | SEA | W | 3 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1979-05-22 | KCR | SEA | L | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1979-05-21 | KCR | SEA | L | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| 1979-05-11 | KCR | CHW | L | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| 1979-05-10 | KCR | CHW | L | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1979-05-02 | KCR | TEX | L | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Career Games by Position
Circle size = games played at each position.
| Position | Games |
|---|---|
| Second Base | 1 |
| Third Base | 2 |
| Left Field | 136 |
| Center Field | 1 |
| Right Field | 23 |
| Designated Hitter | 5 |
Joe Zdeb: the record in brief
The profile opens with Joe Zdeb's first major league game on April 7, 1977; the last one listed came on May 29, 1979. All of the seasons listed were played for the Kansas City Royals. At 5'11" and 185 pounds, Zdeb is listed as an outfielder. Zdeb batted and threw right-handed, per the bio block. Zdeb was born on June 27, 1953, in Compton, IL, USA. On the record, Joe Zdeb was born Joseph Edmund Zdeb.
Across 180 games at the plate, Zdeb's career line reads 94 hits in 345 at bats for a .272 average, adding 2 home runs and 34 RBI. Reaching base at a .317 clip and slugging .348, Zdeb finished with a .665 OPS. The .272 career average is close to the .263 the league hit across the same seasons. The OPS comparison is .665 to a league .720, 7.6% below average. 1977 produced Zdeb's most hits, 58 of them for the Kansas City Royals. The Lg AVG column puts Zdeb's 1977 at .297 against .264, the widest margin among the busiest seasons at 13%.
Frequently Asked Questions about Joe Zdeb
- What years did Joe Zdeb play?
- Joe Zdeb played in Major League Baseball from 1977 to 1979.
- Was Joe Zdeb a pitcher?
- No. Joe Zdeb was a position player (Outfielder).
- How many home runs did Joe Zdeb hit?
- Joe Zdeb hit 2 career home runs with 94 hits.
- What teams did Joe Zdeb play for?
- Joe Zdeb played for one team, the Kansas City Royals (1977–1979).
- What were Joe Zdeb's career stats?
- In 180 games, Joe Zdeb had 94 hits, 2 home runs, 34 RBI, 47 runs, and 10 stolen bases, with a .272 batting average.
- What position did Joe Zdeb play?
- Joe Zdeb played primarily as an outfielder, the position where he appeared in the most games.
- How tall was Joe Zdeb and how much did he weigh?
- Joe Zdeb was listed at 5 feet 11 inches and 185 pounds.
- How many home runs did Joe Zdeb hit each season?
- Joe Zdeb's home runs by season: 2 in 1977, 0 in 1978, and 0 in 1979. His most in one season was 2, in 1977.
- What was Joe Zdeb's career batting average?
- Joe Zdeb batted .272 over his career, with 94 hits in 345 at bats.
- How many RBI did Joe Zdeb have?
- Joe Zdeb drove in 34 runs in his career.
- Is Joe Zdeb in the Hall of Fame?
- No. Joe Zdeb has not been inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame.