gold star for USAHOF

21. Bobby Grich

21. Bobby Grich
  1. General
  2. Awards
  3. Career Stats
  • Born: January 15, 1949 in Muskegon, MI USA
  • Weight: 180 lbs.
  • Height: 6'2"
  • Bats: R
  • Throws: R
  • Debut: June 29, 1970
  • Final Game: October 02, 1986
  • Gold Glove - 1973
  • Gold Glove - 1974
  • Gold Glove - 1975
  • Gold Glove - 1976
  • TSN All-Star - 1976
  • TSN All-Star - 1979
  • Silver Slugger - 1981
  • TSN All-Star - 1981
  • MVP - 1972
  • MVP - 1973
  • MVP - 1974
  • MVP - 1979
  • MVP - 1981
 
ABRHHRRBISBAVG
13780206636664481728208 0.266
 

The favorite of many sabremetricians, Bobby Grich, is known more for his latter stay with the California Angels, but he cut his teeth initially with the Baltimore Orioles.

Perhaps, it is with Baltimore where he should be best remembered.  The 1967 First Round Pick debuted in 1970 but had to wait until 1972 when the Orioles traded Davey Johnson until he became a starting Second Baseman.  Grich would be their main man at that position for five seasons, and he was an All-Star in three of them.  Baltimore was loaded with defensive talent, and Grich fit right into that mold, winning four Gold Gloves, and accruing a Defensive bWAR of 1.06, including a 4.0 in 1973.  That season he would lead the entire American League in bWAR with 8.3.

Grich was never going to win a Batting Title, as he only had a .262 Batting Average for Baltimore, but he had a .372 On Base Percentage and showed five seasons of 13 Home Runs or more.  

He left Baltimore to sign with the California Angels as a Free Agent, and his offense improved there, while his defense regressed, which might be why he was a more nation-wide known baseball player there.  Grich played 436 more Games with the Angels than he did with the O’s, but he had a higher bWAR with Baltimore (36.0 to 35.1).

The Bullet Points

  • Position: Second Base
  • Acquired: Selected in the 1st Round, 19th Overall in the Amateur Draft 6/6/67.
  • Departed: Signed as a Free Agent by the California Angels 11/24/76.
  • Games Played: 786
  • Notable Statistics: 432 Runs Scored
    730 Hits
    137 Doubles
    27 Triples
    70 Home Runs
    307 Runs Batted In
    77 Stolen Bases
    .262/.372/.405 Slash Line
    36.0 bWAR

    9 Playoff Games
    3 Runs Scored
    6 Hits
    1 Double
    0 Triples
    2 Home Runs
    3 Runs Batted In
    0 Stolen Bases
    .167/.211/.361 Slash Line
  • Major Accolades and Awards:

    All-Star (1972, 1974 & 1976)
    Gold Glove (1973, 1974, 1975 & 1976)
    Highest bWAR for Position Players (1973)
    Most Times Hit By Pitch (1974)
    Most Total Zone Runs (1973)
    Most Putouts by a Second Baseman (1973, 1974, 1975 & 1976)
    Most Assists by a Second Baseman (1973, 1974 & 1975)
    Most Double Plays Turned by a Second Baseman (1973, 1974 & 1975)
    Most Total Zone Runs by a Second Baseman (1973 & 1975)
    Highest Range Factor per Game by a Second Baseman (1973, 1974 & 1975)
    Highest Fielding Percentage by a Second Baseman (197

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