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Joe Niekro    \KNEE-kro\

Joseph Franklin Niekro

Position: Pitcher
Bats: Right, Throws: Right
Height: 6' 1", Weight: 185 lb.

Born: November 7, 1944 in Martins Ferry, OH
High School: Bridgeport HS (Bridgeport, OH)
School: West Liberty State College (West Liberty, WV)
Drafted by the Chicago Cubs in the 3rd round of the 1966 amateur draft (June Secondary). (All Transactions)
Debut: April 16, 1967 (Age 22)
Teams (by GP): Astros/Tigers/Cubs/Braves/Padres/... 1967-1988
Agents: Bruce Church [*]
Final Game: April 29, 1988 (Age 43)
Died: October 27, 2006 in Tampa, FL
Cremated
Relatives: Brother of Phil Niekro and Father of Lance Niekro
    About biographical information

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All-Star

Standard Fielding

Year Tm Lg Age Pos G GS CG Inn Ch PO A E DP Fld% RF/9 RF/G lgFld% lgRF9 lgRFG SB CS CS% lgCS% PO Awards
1967 CHC NL 22 P 36 22 7 169.2 36 10 26 0 1 1.000 1.91 1.00 .960 2.00 2.00 11 1 8% 40% 0
1968 CHC NL 23 P 34 29 2 177.1 42 9 33 0 2 1.000 2.13 1.24 .958 2.01 2.02 4 6 60% 40% 0
1969 TOT NL 24 P 41 34 8 221.1 60 21 34 5 2 .917 2.24 1.34 .958 1.95 1.94 6 8 57% 40% 1
1969 CHC NL 24 P 4 3 0 19.1 7 2 5 0 1 1.000 3.26 1.75 .959 1.96 1.95 0 0 0
1969 SDP NL 24 P 37 31 8 202.0 53 19 29 5 1 .906 2.14 1.30 .958 1.95 1.94 6 8 57% 40% 1
1970 DET AL 25 P 38 34 6 213.0 53 17 35 1 1 .981 2.20 1.37 .951 1.86 1.85 3 9 75% 40% 1
1971 DET AL 26 P 31 15 0 122.1 35 9 25 1 1 .971 2.50 1.10 .958 1.98 1.97 5 3 38% 39% 0
1972 DET AL 27 P 18 7 1 47.0 9 5 4 0 1 1.000 1.72 0.50 .950 1.86 1.85 2 1 33% 39% 0
1973 ATL NL 28 P 20 0 0 24.0 7 2 5 0 2 1.000 2.62 0.35 .950 1.88 1.88 3 2 40% 36% 0
1974 ATL NL 29 P 27 2 0 43.0 12 4 8 0 1 1.000 2.51 0.44 .944 1.88 1.88 3 0 0% 33% 0
1975 HOU NL 30 P 40 4 1 88.0 20 7 13 0 0 1.000 2.05 0.50 .946 1.86 1.86 8 2 20% 32% 2
1976 HOU NL 31 P 36 13 0 118.0 25 9 13 3 1 .880 1.68 0.61 .950 1.88 1.87 20 2 9% 33% 0
1977 HOU NL 32 P 44 14 9 180.2 42 11 31 0 7 1.000 2.09 0.95 .950 1.85 1.85 16 6 27% 35% 1
1978 HOU NL 33 P 35 29 10 202.2 39 18 21 0 3 1.000 1.73 1.11 .951 1.91 1.89 33 6 15% 32% 5
1979 HOU NL 34 P 38 38 11 263.2 53 14 39 0 4 1.000 1.81 1.39 .951 1.80 1.80 31 9 23% 34% 1 AS,CYA-2,MVP-6
1980 HOU NL 35 P 37 36 11 256.0 56 17 37 2 2 .964 1.90 1.46 .952 1.91 1.91 34 7 17% 31% 0 CYA-4,MVP-19
1981 HOU NL 36 P 24 24 5 166.0 34 11 23 0 1 1.000 1.84 1.42 .959 1.97 1.98 25 8 24% 33% 0
1982 HOU NL 37 P 35 35 16 270.0 67 22 42 3 2 .955 2.13 1.83 .952 1.96 1.97 27 13 33% 32% 1
1983 HOU NL 38 P 38 38 9 263.2 49 9 36 4 0 .918 1.54 1.18 .952 1.92 1.91 45 9 17% 33% 1
1984 HOU NL 39 P 38 38 6 248.1 60 19 39 2 5 .967 2.10 1.53 .954 1.88 1.87 34 16 32% 31% 0
1985 TOT MLB 40 P 35 35 4 225.1 54 17 36 1 1 .981 2.12 1.51 .953 1.91 1.91 47 7 13% 31% 1
1985 HOU NL 40 P 32 32 4 213.0 49 14 34 1 1 .980 2.03 1.50 .953 1.92 1.92 44 7 14% 30% 1
1985 NYY AL 40 P 3 3 0 12.1 5 3 2 0 0 1.000 3.65 1.67 .952 1.82 1.83 3 0 0% 33% 0
1986 NYY AL 41 P 25 25 0 125.2 23 9 13 1 2 .957 1.58 0.88 .957 1.83 1.81 23 1 4% 34% 0
1987 TOT AL 42 P 27 26 1 147.0 29 11 16 2 1 .931 1.65 1.00 .955 1.84 1.82 32 6 16% 31% 0
1987 NYY AL 42 P 8 8 1 50.2 11 5 5 1 0 .909 1.78 1.25 .955 1.85 1.82 7 3 30% 31% 0
1987 MIN AL 42 P 19 18 0 96.1 18 6 11 1 1 .944 1.59 0.89 .955 1.84 1.82 25 3 11% 31% 0
1988 MIN AL 43 P 5 2 0 11.2 5 2 3 0 1 1.000 3.86 1.00 .960 1.77 1.76 3 0 0% 31% 0
22 Seasons P 702 500 107 3584.1 810 253 532 25 41 .969 1.97 1.12 .954 1.91 1.90 415 122 23% 33% 14
22 Seasons TOT 702 500 107 3584.1 810 253 532 25 41 .969 1.97 1.12 .954 1.91 1.90 415 122 23% 33% 14
Lg Pos G GS CG Inn Ch PO A E DP Fld% RF/9 RF/G lgFld% lgRF9 lgRFG SB CS CS% lgCS% PO Awards
Note: Fielding stats are a combination of official records and RetroSheet records. Both are likely to have substantial errors and will not match perfectly.
View Complete Notes on Fielding Data
Leagues historically made no effort to balance team, league, and player fielding stats. Since 1990 or so, computers have made this feasible, but prior to that there are hundreds or thousands of discrepancies each year in games played (even whether a player played a position), putouts, assists, double plays and errors.
  • Pre-1945 SB & CS data for catchers is estimated from catcher assists, games started and opposition stolen bases.
  • From 1945 on SB, CS, Pickoff, & WP data for catchers and pitchers is taken from play-by-play accounts in the retrosheet files. There are several hundred games without pbp from 1945 to 1973 and for those we may not have any data.
  • CG & GS come from the retrosheet data and should be complete and pretty accurate from 1916 on.
  • Innings played (like SB and CS) come from the retrosheet play-by-play data and should be considered mostly complete from 1945 to 1973 and complete from then on.
  • Stats (PO,A,G, etc) for LF-CF-RF positions (since 1916) is taken from play-by-play or box score data as available.
  • Stats (PO,A,G,etc) for C,P,1B,2B,3B,SS,OF positions is taken from the official reported totals and may have been corrected at various times since their publication.
  • For detailed information on which games retrosheet is missing play-by-play from 1945 to 1973, please see their most wanted games list
  • For detailed information on the availability of data on this site by year, see our data coverage page

Sabermetric Fielding

Year Tm Lg Age Pos Rtot Rtot/yr Rtz Rtzhm Rtzrd Rdp Rof Rctch Rdrs Rdrs/yr Rpm Rdp Rbnt Rof Rhr RerC RsbC RsbP
1967 CHC NL 22 P
1968 CHC NL 23 P
1969 CHC NL 24 P
1969 SDP NL 24 P
1970 DET AL 25 P
1971 DET AL 26 P
1972 DET AL 27 P
1973 ATL NL 28 P
1974 ATL NL 29 P
1975 HOU NL 30 P
1976 HOU NL 31 P
1977 HOU NL 32 P
1978 HOU NL 33 P
1979 HOU NL 34 P
1980 HOU NL 35 P
1981 HOU NL 36 P
1982 HOU NL 37 P
1983 HOU NL 38 P
1984 HOU NL 39 P
1985 HOU NL 40 P
1985 NYY AL 40 P
1986 NYY AL 41 P
1987 NYY AL 42 P
1987 MIN AL 42 P
1988 MIN AL 43 P
22 Seasons P
22 Seasons TOT
Lg Pos Rtot Rtot/yr Rtz Rtzhm Rtzrd Rdp Rof Rctch Rdrs Rdrs/yr Rpm Rdp Rbnt Rof Rhr RerC RsbC RsbP

Appearances

Year Tm Lg Age G GS Batting Defense P C 1B 2B 3B SS LF CF RF OF DH PH PR
1967 CHC NL 22 36 22 36 36 36 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
1968 CHC NL 23 34 29 34 34 34 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
1969 SDP NL 24 38 31 38 37 37 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1
1969 CHC NL 24 4 3 4 4 4 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
1970 DET AL 25 39 34 39 38 38 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0
1971 DET AL 26 32 15 32 31 31 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1
1972 DET AL 27 18 7 18 18 18 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
1973 ATL NL 28 20 0 20 20 20 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
1974 ATL NL 29 27 2 27 27 27 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
1975 HOU NL 30 40 4 40 40 40 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
1976 HOU NL 31 36 13 36 36 36 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
1977 HOU NL 32 44 14 44 44 44 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
1978 HOU NL 33 36 29 36 35 35 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0
1979 HOU NL 34 38 38 38 38 38 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
1980 HOU NL 35 37 36 37 37 37 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
1981 HOU NL 36 24 24 24 24 24 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
1982 HOU NL 37 35 35 35 35 35 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
1983 HOU NL 38 38 38 38 38 38 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
1984 HOU NL 39 38 38 38 38 38 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
1985 HOU NL 40 32 32 32 32 32 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
1985 NYY AL 40 3 3 0 3 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
1986 NYY AL 41 25 25 0 25 25 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
1987 MIN AL 42 19 18 0 19 19 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
1987 NYY AL 42 8 8 0 8 8 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
1988 MIN AL 43 5 2 0 5 5 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
22 Seasons 706 500 646 702 702 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 2
Lg G GS Batting Defense P C 1B 2B 3B SS LF CF RF OF DH PH PR
Appearances table is calculated solely from full RetroSheet play-by-play data available from 1973 on. A combination of RetroSheet (starting with the 1916 season) and non-RetroSheet data is used for other seasons.

Advanced Fielding -- P*

Putouts Assists Errors Double Plays
Year Tm Lg Age PA BIP% GBIP% Fld F2O% FC Tot Cgt 31 Tot 1B 2B Tot Cch Fld Thr ROE Tot 163 GB LD bFld bF2O%
1967 CHC NL 22 705 86% 33% 30 97% 0 9 2 7 27 25 2 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 1 0 1 100%
1968 CHC NL 23 769 85% 31% 37 95% 1 9 2 6 34 27 3 0 0 0 0 0 2 1 1 1 4 100%
1969 SDP NL 24 794 90% 30% 42 88% 3 18 4 9 31 27 2 5 0 0 5 0 1 0 1 0 6 100%
1969 CHC NL 24 86 85% 38% 6 100% 2 1 0 1 6 3 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 1 0 0
1970 DET AL 25 914 83% 25% 32 100% 0 17 1 14 34 24 1 1 0 0 1 0 1 0 1 0 3 100%
1971 DET AL 26 540 85% 32% 29 93% 0 9 3 6 24 22 1 1 0 0 1 0 1 1 1 0 4 100%
1972 DET AL 27 199 86% 25% 5 60% 0 5 0 5 3 2 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 1 0 2 100%
1973 ATL NL 28 97 85% 24% 5 100% 0 2 2 0 5 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 0 2 2 100%
1974 ATL NL 29 178 78% 24% 10 100% 0 4 2 0 7 6 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 1 5 100%
1975 HOU NL 30 378 81% 26% 11 100% 1 7 1 4 12 7 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 100%
1976 HOU NL 31 516 82% 26% 18 89% 0 10 1 5 15 10 2 3 0 0 3 0 1 0 1 0 2 100%
1977 HOU NL 32 737 82% 28% 34 97% 0 12 3 6 31 20 6 0 0 0 0 0 7 4 5 2 7 86%
1978 HOU NL 33 860 86% 28% 23 78% 2 19 0 14 20 12 2 0 0 0 0 0 3 2 3 0 4 25%
1979 HOU NL 34 1095 85% 27% 46 93% 1 14 4 5 39 30 4 0 0 0 0 0 4 1 3 1 5 100%
1980 HOU NL 35 1096 87% 28% 46 87% 1 19 5 10 35 29 2 2 0 1 1 1 3 1 3 0 3 67%
1981 HOU NL 36 676 88% 29% 24 100% 1 9 1 5 21 16 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 4 100%
1982 HOU NL 37 1067 89% 31% 52 94% 0 23 6 12 44 37 3 3 0 2 1 1 2 0 2 0 11 100%
1983 HOU NL 38 1113 85% 28% 39 87% 1 10 1 9 33 28 1 4 0 3 1 3 0 0 0 0 5 100%
1984 HOU NL 39 1027 86% 29% 40 98% 0 18 0 11 37 28 3 2 0 1 1 1 5 3 5 0 1 0%
1985 HOU NL 40 925 86% 26% 38 92% 1 16 1 13 35 29 2 1 0 0 1 0 1 1 1 0 5 100%
1985 NYY AL 40 58 84% 29% 2 100% 0 3 0 3 2 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
1986 NYY AL 41 571 86% 28% 16 88% 2 8 3 5 13 7 1 1 0 1 0 1 2 1 1 1 1 100%
1987 MIN AL 42 443 87% 30% 12 100% 0 5 0 4 11 10 1 1 1 0 0 0 1 1 1 0 2 100%
1987 NYY AL 42 211 82% 27% 7 86% 0 5 0 3 5 5 0 1 0 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 1 100%
1988 MIN AL 43 59 90% 37% 3 100% 0 2 0 2 3 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 1 0
22 Seasons 15114 86% 29% 607 93% 16 254 42 159 527 411 41 25 1 9 15 8 41 19 32 9 80 93%
MLB Averages 81% 28% 91% 87%
Lg PA BIP% GBIP% Fld F2O% FC Tot Cgt 31 Tot 1B 2B Tot Cch Fld Thr ROE Tot 163 GB LD bFld bF2O%

* Many Detailed Statistics are based on play-by-play accounts accumulated by RetroSheet. These totals may be incomplete (3.6% of all plays from 1916 to 1973 are missing or have incomplete accounts, click link for year and team summary) for some players prior to 1974 and even complete seasons may not match the official totals due to errors in both the official totals and the play-by-play accounts. Pre-1954 seasons have a substantial numbers of games missing play-by-play accounts and should be viewed as essentially incomplete.

Appearances on Leader Boards, Awards, and Honors

Stats are Year-Value-Rank · Glossary

Hall of Fame
1994 BBWAA ( 1.3%)

All-Star Games
1979

Awards (yr lg award)
1979 NL TSN Pitcher of the Year

MVP (yr lg (rk, shr))
1979 NL (6, 22%)
1980 NL (19, 1%)
0.23 Career Shares (699th)

Cy Young (yr lg (rk, shr))
1979 NL (2, 55%)
1980 NL (4, 9%)
0.64 Career Shares (85th)

Def. Games as P s c a p y
Career  702 (94th)

Putouts as P s c a p y
1969 NL  21 (3rd)
1978 NL  18 (4th)
1982 NL  22 (1st)
Career  253 (39th)

Errors Committed as P s c a p y
1969 NL  5 (3rd)

Range Factor/Game as P s c a p y
1982 NL  1.83 (3rd)

Fielding % as P s c a p y
1967 NL  1.000 (1st)
1968 NL  1.000 (1st)
1977 NL  1.000 (1st)
1978 NL  1.000 (1st)
1979 NL  1.000 (1st)
1981 NL  1.000 (1st)
Career  .969 (90th)

Oldest s c a p y
1984 NL  born 1944-11-07 (7th)
1985 AL  born 1944-11-07 (3rd)
1985 NL  born 1944-11-07 (6th)
1986 AL  born 1944-11-07 (3rd)
1987 AL  born 1944-11-07 (3rd)
1988 AL  born 1944-11-07 (2nd)

             

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Viewed 60,699 times through May 21, 2013.
Name and misspellings: Joseph Franklin Joe jose joseph neikro Niekro

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