MM
1974–1982 · SS
Mario Mendoza
5' 11", 170 lbs·Lived to 76·Bats R / Throws R
The Almanac's Take
The shortstop's name became synonymous with futility—Mendoza's career .215 average and 67 OPS+ defined the lower bound of offensive competence. Over 686 games from 1974 to 1982, he accumulated just four home runs while posting a peak season in 1980 at .245 with an 83 OPS+, still well below league average. Though he lacked the bat to sustain a major-league career, Mendoza's tenure left an indelible mark on baseball vernacular, his struggles immortalized in the statistical lexicon.
Career Highs
.596
Best OPS · 1980
2
Most HR · 1980
29
Most RBI · 1979
.245
Best AVG · 1980
Career Arc · OPS
9 seasonsStatistical Comps
Career · Batting
9 seasons| Year | Team | G | AB | HR | RBI | AVG | OPS | OPS+ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1974 | PIT | 91 | 163 | 0 | 15 | .221 | .510 | 74 |
| 1975 | PIT | 56 | 50 | 0 | 2 | .180 | .426 | 61 |
| 1976 | PIT | 50 | 92 | 0 | 12 | .185 | .456 | 67 |
| 1977 | PIT | 70 | 81 | 0 | 4 | .198 | .461 | 63 |
| 1978 | PIT | 57 | 55 | 1 | 3 | .218 | .574 | 82 |
| 1979 | SEA | 148 | 373 | 1 | 29 | .198 | .466 | 64 |
| 1980 | SEA | 114 | 277 | 2 | 14 | .245 | .596 | 83 |
| 1981 | TEX | 88 | 229 | 0 | 22 | .231 | .521 | 76 |
| 1982 | TEX | 12 | 17 | 0 | 0 | .118 | .235 | 33 |
| Career | 686 | 1337 | 4 | 101 | .215 | — | — | |
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