Graig Nettles was born on Sunday, August 20, 1944, in San Diego, California. Nettles was 23 years old when he broke into the big leagues on September 6, 1967, with the Minnesota Twins. His biographical data, year-by-year hitting stats, fielding stats, pitching stats (where applicable), career totals, uniform numbers, salary data and miscellaneous items-of-interest are presented by Baseball Almanac on this comprehensive Graig Nettles baseball stats page.
"When I was a little boy, I wanted to be a baseball player and join the circus. With the Yankees I have accomplished both." - Nettles, Graig. If These Walls Could Talk: New York Yankees: Stories from the New York Yankees Dugout, Locker Room, and Press Box. Jennings, Greg. Author. Triumph Books. 1 April 2015. Page 62.
Graig NettlesGraig Nettles Autograph on a 1981 Fleer Baseball Card (#87) |
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Graig NettlesGraig Nettles Pitching Stats |
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Year | Age | Team | G | GS | GF | W | L | PCT | ERA | CG | SHO | SV | IP | BFP | H | ER | R | HR | BB | IBB | SO | WP | HB | BK | HLD |
- | - | Did Not Pitch | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
Career | G | GS | GF | W | L | PCT | ERA | CG | SHO | SV | IP | BFP | H | ER | R | HR | BB | IBB | SO | WP | HB | BK | HLD |
Graig NettlesGraig Nettles Hitting Stats |
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Year | Age | Team | G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | GRSL | RBI | BB | IBB | SO | SH | SF | HBP | GIDP | AVG | OBP | SLG |
1967 | 23 | Twins | 3 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .333 | .333 | .667 |
1968 | 24 | Twins | 22 | 76 | 13 | 17 | 2 | 1 | 5 | 0 | 8 | 7 | 1 | 20 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | .224 | .298 | .474 |
1969 | 25 | Twins | 96 | 225 | 27 | 50 | 9 | 2 | 7 | 0 | 26 | 32 | 1 | 47 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 6 | .222 | .319 | .373 |
1970 | 26 | Indians | 157 | 549 | 81 | 129 | 13 | 1 | 26 | 0 | 62 | 81 | 3 | 77 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 12 | .235 | .336 | .404 |
1971 | 27 | Indians | 158 | 598 | 78 | 156 | 18 | 1 | 28 | 0 | 86 | 82 | 6 | 56 | 1 | 6 | 3 | 15 | .261 | .350 | .435 |
1972 | 28 | Indians | 150 | 557 | 65 | 141 | 28 | 0 | 17 | 0 | 70 | 57 | 5 | 50 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 9 | .253 | .325 | .395 |
1973 | 29 | Yankees | 160 | 552 | 65 | 129 | 18 | 0 | 22 | 0 | 81 | 78 | 3 | 76 | 0 | 4 | 7 | 15 | .234 | .334 | .386 |
1974 | 30 | Yankees | 155 | 566 | 74 | 139 | 21 | 1 | 22 | 1 | 75 | 59 | 8 | 75 | 1 | 9 | 3 | 9 | .246 | .316 | .403 |
1975 | 31 | Yankees | 157 | 581 | 71 | 155 | 24 | 4 | 21 | 0 | 91 | 51 | 3 | 88 | 2 | 11 | 2 | 8 | .267 | .322 | .430 |
1976 | 32 | Yankees | 158 | 583 | 88 | 148 | 29 | 2 | 32 | 1 | 93 | 62 | 6 | 94 | 2 | 5 | 4 | 8 | .254 | .327 | .475 |
1977 | 33 | Yankees | 158 | 589 | 99 | 150 | 23 | 4 | 37 | 0 | 107 | 68 | 8 | 79 | 0 | 4 | 3 | 8 | .255 | .333 | .496 |
1978 | 34 | Yankees | 159 | 587 | 81 | 162 | 23 | 2 | 27 | 0 | 93 | 59 | 6 | 69 | 1 | 9 | 6 | 20 | .276 | .343 | .460 |
1979 | 35 | Yankees | 145 | 521 | 71 | 132 | 15 | 1 | 20 | 0 | 73 | 59 | 6 | 53 | 0 | 8 | 0 | 14 | .253 | .325 | .401 |
1980 | 36 | Yankees | 89 | 324 | 52 | 79 | 14 | 0 | 16 | 0 | 45 | 42 | 5 | 42 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 8 | .244 | .331 | .435 |
1981 | 37 | Yankees | 103 | 349 | 46 | 85 | 7 | 1 | 15 | 0 | 46 | 47 | 4 | 49 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 5 | .244 | .333 | .398 |
1982 | 38 | Yankees | 122 | 405 | 47 | 94 | 11 | 2 | 18 | 1 | 55 | 51 | 4 | 49 | 0 | 4 | 1 | 11 | .232 | .317 | .402 |
1983 | 39 | Yankees | 129 | 462 | 56 | 123 | 17 | 3 | 20 | 0 | 75 | 51 | 2 | 65 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 9 | .266 | .341 | .446 |
1984 | 40 | Padres | 124 | 395 | 56 | 90 | 11 | 1 | 20 | 0 | 65 | 58 | 4 | 55 | 0 | 7 | 5 | 12 | .228 | .329 | .413 |
1985 | 41 | Padres | 137 | 440 | 66 | 115 | 23 | 1 | 15 | 0 | 61 | 72 | 5 | 59 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 10 | .261 | .363 | .420 |
1986 | 42 | Padres | 126 | 354 | 36 | 77 | 9 | 0 | 16 | 0 | 55 | 41 | 8 | 62 | 0 | 3 | 2 | 6 | .218 | .300 | .379 |
1987 | 43 | Braves | 112 | 177 | 16 | 37 | 8 | 1 | 5 | 1 | 33 | 22 | 4 | 25 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 6 | .209 | .294 | .350 |
1988 | 44 | Expos | 80 | 93 | 5 | 16 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 14 | 9 | 2 | 19 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 4 | .172 | .240 | .247 |
Career | G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | GRSL | RBI | BB | IBB | SO | SH | SF | HBP | GIDP | AVG | OBP | SLG | ||
22 Years | 2,700 | 8,986 | 1,193 | 2,225 | 328 | 28 | 390 | 4 | 1,314 | 1,088 | 94 | 1,209 | 12 | 90 | 50 | 197 | .248 | .329 | .421 |
Graig NettlesGraig Nettles Fielding Stats |
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Team | POS | G | GS | OUTS | TC | TC/G | CH | PO | A | E | DP | PB | CASB | CACS | FLD% | RF |
1968 Twins | 1B | 3 | 3 | 48 | 17 | 5.7 | 17 | 17 | 0 | 0 | 1 | n/a | n/a | n/a | 1.000 | 9.56 |
1968 Twins | 3B | 5 | 4 | 111 | 13 | 2.6 | 12 | 5 | 7 | 1 | 1 | n/a | n/a | n/a | .923 | 2.92 |
1968 Twins | CF | 1 | 0 | 12 | 1 | 1.0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | n/a | n/a | n/a | 1.000 | 2.25 |
1968 Twins | LF | 2 | 2 | 48 | 5 | 2.5 | 5 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 0 | n/a | n/a | n/a | 1.000 | 2.81 |
1968 Twins | RF | 13 | 13 | 321 | 24 | 1.8 | 23 | 22 | 1 | 1 | 0 | n/a | n/a | n/a | .958 | 1.93 |
1969 Twins | 3B | 21 | 16 | 420 | 55 | 2.6 | 54 | 12 | 42 | 1 | 3 | n/a | n/a | n/a | .982 | 3.47 |
1969 Twins | CF | 1 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | n/a | n/a | n/a | .000 | 0.00 |
1969 Twins | LF | 53 | 44 | 1,014 | 81 | 1.5 | 80 | 78 | 2 | 1 | 0 | n/a | n/a | n/a | .988 | 2.13 |
1970 Indians | 3B | 154 | 146 | 3,939 | 509 | 3.3 | 492 | 134 | 358 | 17 | 40 | n/a | n/a | n/a | .967 | 3.37 |
1970 Indians | LF | 3 | 0 | 12 | 1 | 0.3 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | n/a | n/a | n/a | 1.000 | 2.25 |
1971 Indians | 3B | 158 | 158 | 420 | 587 | 3.7 | 571 | 159 | 412 | 16 | 54 | n/a | n/a | n/a | .973 | 36.71 |
1972 Indians | 3B | 150 | 150 | 39 | 473 | 3.2 | 452 | 114 | 338 | 21 | 27 | n/a | n/a | n/a | .956 | 312.92 |
1973 Yankees | 3B | 157 | 157 | 408 | 553 | 3.5 | 527 | 117 | 410 | 26 | 39 | n/a | n/a | n/a | .953 | 34.88 |
1974 Yankees | 3B | 154 | 154 | 4,104 | 545 | 3.5 | 524 | 147 | 377 | 21 | 29 | n/a | n/a | n/a | .961 | 3.45 |
1974 Yankees | SS | 1 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | n/a | n/a | n/a | .000 | 0.00 |
1975 Yankees | 3B | 157 | 157 | 4,167 | 533 | 3.4 | 514 | 135 | 379 | 19 | 31 | n/a | n/a | n/a | .964 | 3.33 |
1976 Yankees | 3B | 158 | 156 | 162 | 539 | 3.4 | 520 | 137 | 383 | 19 | 30 | n/a | n/a | n/a | .965 | 86.67 |
1976 Yankees | SS | 1 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 1.0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | n/a | n/a | n/a | 1.000 | 9.00 |
1977 Yankees | 3B | 156 | 155 | 4,137 | 465 | 3.0 | 453 | 132 | 321 | 12 | 31 | n/a | n/a | n/a | .974 | 2.96 |
1978 Yankees | 3B | 159 | 159 | 456 | 446 | 2.8 | 435 | 109 | 326 | 11 | 30 | n/a | n/a | n/a | .975 | 25.76 |
1978 Yankees | SS | 2 | 0 | 9 | 1 | 0.5 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | n/a | n/a | n/a | 1.000 | 3.00 |
1979 Yankees | 3B | 144 | 142 | 3,729 | 465 | 3.2 | 449 | 110 | 339 | 16 | 30 | n/a | n/a | n/a | .966 | 3.25 |
1980 Yankees | 3B | 88 | 85 | 2,304 | 250 | 2.8 | 240 | 58 | 182 | 10 | 18 | n/a | n/a | n/a | .960 | 2.81 |
1980 Yankees | SS | 1 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 1.0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | n/a | n/a | n/a | 1.000 | 9.00 |
1981 Yankees | 3B | 97 | 96 | 2,517 | 285 | 2.9 | 277 | 63 | 214 | 8 | 14 | n/a | n/a | n/a | .972 | 2.97 |
1982 Yankees | 3B | 113 | 109 | 2,883 | 351 | 3.1 | 328 | 73 | 255 | 23 | 23 | n/a | n/a | n/a | .934 | 3.07 |
1983 Yankees | 3B | 126 | 120 | 3,180 | 367 | 2.9 | 351 | 78 | 273 | 16 | 18 | n/a | n/a | n/a | .956 | 2.98 |
1984 Padres | 3B | 119 | 109 | 2,835 | 314 | 2.6 | 294 | 93 | 201 | 20 | 14 | n/a | n/a | n/a | .936 | 2.80 |
1985 Padres | 3B | 130 | 123 | 3,234 | 366 | 2.8 | 351 | 122 | 229 | 15 | 16 | n/a | n/a | n/a | .959 | 2.93 |
1986 Padres | 3B | 114 | 99 | 2,541 | 273 | 2.4 | 257 | 83 | 174 | 16 | 14 | n/a | n/a | n/a | .941 | 2.73 |
1987 Braves | 1B | 6 | 5 | 129 | 59 | 9.8 | 59 | 49 | 10 | 0 | 7 | n/a | n/a | n/a | 1.000 | 12.35 |
1987 Braves | 3B | 40 | 20 | 660 | 61 | 1.5 | 58 | 12 | 46 | 3 | 6 | n/a | n/a | n/a | .951 | 2.37 |
1988 Expos | 1B | 5 | 3 | 72 | 29 | 5.8 | 28 | 27 | 1 | 1 | 2 | n/a | n/a | n/a | .966 | 10.50 |
1988 Expos | 3B | 12 | 9 | 189 | 22 | 1.8 | 18 | 5 | 13 | 4 | 2 | n/a | n/a | n/a | .818 | 2.57 |
Career | POS | G | GS | OUTS | TC | TC/G | CH | PO | A | E | DP | PB | CASB | CACS | FLD% | RF |
3B Totals | 2,412 | 2,324 | 42,435 | 7,472 | 3.1 | 7,177 | 1,898 | 5,279 | 295 | 470 | n/a | n/a | n/a | .961 | 4.57 | |
LF Totals | 58 | 46 | 1,074 | 87 | 1.5 | 86 | 83 | 3 | 1 | 0 | n/a | n/a | n/a | .989 | 2.16 | |
1B Totals | 14 | 11 | 249 | 105 | 7.5 | 104 | 93 | 11 | 1 | 10 | n/a | n/a | n/a | .990 | 11.28 | |
RF Totals | 13 | 13 | 321 | 24 | 1.8 | 23 | 22 | 1 | 1 | 0 | n/a | n/a | n/a | .958 | 1.93 | |
SS Totals | 5 | 0 | 18 | 3 | 0.6 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | n/a | n/a | n/a | 1.000 | 4.50 | |
CF Totals | 2 | 0 | 15 | 1 | 0.5 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | n/a | n/a | n/a | 1.000 | 1.80 | |
21 Years | 2,504 | 2,394 | 44,112 | 7,692 | 3.1 | 7,394 | 2,099 | 5,295 | 298 | 480 | n/a | n/a | n/a | .961 | 4.53 |
Graig NettlesGraig Nettles Miscellaneous Stats |
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Baserunning Statistics | Other Positions | Common Hitting Ratios | Common Pitching Ratios | |||||||||
Team | SB | CS | SB% | PH | PR | DH | AB/HR | AB/K | AB/RBI | K/BB | K/9 | BB/9 |
1967 Twins | 0 | 0 | .000 | 3 | 0 | n/a | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | - | - | - |
1968 Twins | 0 | 0 | .000 | 0 | 0 | n/a | 15.2 | 3.8 | 9.5 | - | - | - |
1969 Twins | 1 | 2 | .333 | 32 | 0 | n/a | 32.1 | 4.8 | 8.7 | - | - | - |
1970 Indians | 3 | 1 | .750 | 8 | 0 | n/a | 21.1 | 7.1 | 8.9 | - | - | - |
1971 Indians | 7 | 4 | .636 | 0 | 0 | n/a | 21.4 | 10.7 | 7.0 | - | - | - |
1972 Indians | 2 | 3 | .400 | 0 | 0 | n/a | 32.8 | 11.1 | 8.0 | - | - | - |
1973 Yankees | 0 | 0 | .000 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 25.1 | 7.3 | 6.8 | - | - | - |
1974 Yankees | 1 | 0 | 1.000 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 25.7 | 7.5 | 7.5 | - | - | - |
1975 Yankees | 1 | 3 | .250 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 27.7 | 6.6 | 6.4 | - | - | - |
1976 Yankees | 11 | 6 | .647 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 18.2 | 6.2 | 6.3 | - | - | - |
1977 Yankees | 2 | 5 | .286 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 15.9 | 7.5 | 5.5 | - | - | - |
1978 Yankees | 1 | 1 | .500 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 21.7 | 8.5 | 6.3 | - | - | - |
1979 Yankees | 1 | 2 | .333 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 26.1 | 9.8 | 7.1 | - | - | - |
1980 Yankees | 0 | 0 | .000 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 20.3 | 7.7 | 7.2 | - | - | - |
1981 Yankees | 0 | 2 | .000 | 3 | 0 | 4 | 23.3 | 7.1 | 7.6 | - | - | - |
1982 Yankees | 1 | 5 | .167 | 11 | 0 | 3 | 22.5 | 8.3 | 7.4 | - | - | - |
1983 Yankees | 0 | 1 | .000 | 6 | 0 | 1 | 23.1 | 7.1 | 6.2 | - | - | - |
1984 Padres | 0 | 0 | .000 | 14 | 0 | n/a | 19.8 | 7.2 | 6.1 | - | - | - |
1985 Padres | 0 | 0 | .000 | 12 | 0 | n/a | 29.3 | 7.5 | 7.2 | - | - | - |
1986 Padres | 0 | 1 | .000 | 24 | 0 | n/a | 22.1 | 5.7 | 6.4 | - | - | - |
1987 Braves | 1 | 0 | 1.000 | 82 | 0 | n/a | 35.4 | 7.1 | 5.4 | - | - | - |
1988 Expos | 0 | 0 | .000 | 65 | 0 | n/a | 93.0 | 4.9 | 6.6 | - | - | - |
Career | SB | CS | SB% | PH | PR | DH | AB/HR | AB/K | AB/RBI | K/BB | K/9 | BB/9 |
22 Years | 32 | 36 | .471 | 269 | 0 | 11 | 23.0 | 7.4 | 6.8 | - | - | - |
Graig Nettles was a Major League Baseball player with the Minnesota Twins (1967-1969), Cleveland Indians (1970-1972), New York Yankees (1973-1983), San Diego Padres (1984-1986), Atlanta Braves (1987), and Montreal Expos (1988). Did you know that Graig Nettles switched to #9 after being traded to the Bronx Bombers in late 1972, and was named Team Captain of the New York Yankees in 1982 — their ninth team captain? Some additional numbers of interest, courtesy of Baseball Almanac, appear below his Topps rookie card:
Graig Nettles Rookie Card | 1969 Topps Baseball Card (#99 | Checklist)
Baseball Almanac Research Library
0 - Graig Nettles had twelve at-bats during the 1981 American League Championship Series. He collected six hits, drove in 9 runs, did not strikeout once, had a .500 batting average, and won the American League Championship Most Valuable Player Award. The LCS MVP was first awarded in 1980, making Nettles just the second player in American League history to win. Who won in 1980? [Answer]
2 - Graig Nettles won two Gold Gloves at Third Base (1977-1978), the first Yankee third baseman to receive the award. Sixteen years later, another Yankee finally won at the hot-corner (3B), who was it? [Answer]
7 - Graig Nettles had a TERRIFIC sense of humor that dozens of teammates have mentioned. One of our favorite appeared in Wits, Flakes, and Clowns: The Colorful Characters of Baseball (Stewart, Wayne. Rowman & Littlefield Publishers. 11 March 2020. Page 141.), "Nettles was outspoken and he didn't pull back if he had criticism of Mr. Steinbrenner. Like most Yankee veterans; he had a falling out with Steinbrenner. They always had a back-and-forth going. Steinbrenner had been very critical about Nettles gaining weight. one day after a game Nettles was coming out of the shower and he noticed a crowd around his locker. Steinbrenner was there, holding court. Nettles joined the group saying, 'You know what? George is right, Nettles is fat,' then walked away." Later on, Graig told the media, "It's a good thing Babe Ruth still isn't here. If he was, George would have him hit seventh and say he's overweight."
9 - Graig Nettles was the last New York Yankee to wear #9 in a regular season game, but the Yanks did not retire #9 for him. Who did they retire it for on July 21, 1984? [Answer]
11 - Graig Nettles won the American League Player of the Month Award in April 1974. He had a .301 average, drove in 23 runs, and hit a record setting 11 home runs that month, one more thank Frank Robinson had in April 1969! Do you know who holds the current American League record (14) for most home runs hit during the month of April? [Answer]
Did you know that "Glory Days" was written by Bruce Springsteen, released on May 31, 1985, the fifth single from the album Born in the U.S.A., and it reached #5 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart? Why did we mention this here? Watch the video and listen to the pitcher (Bruce Springsteen) explain why he lost:
Bruce Springsteen | Glory Days | Born in the U.S.A.
Graig Nettles spent twenty-two amazing years in the majors, appearing in 2,412 games at third base, while only committing 295 career errors. He hit 390 career home runs, 368 while playing third base, and 319 of them were in the junior circuit — a still-standing record for most home runs by an American League third baseman!