Joe Yeager
Encyclopedia
Joseph Francis Yeager nicknamed "Little Joe," was a Major League Baseball
player who played 10 seasons with the Brooklyn Superbas (1898-1900), Detroit Tigers
(1901-03), New York Highlanders (1905-06), and St. Louis Browns
(1907-08). Born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
, Little Joe Yeager played in 574 major league games, including 295 as a third baseman
, 94 as a pitcher, 83 as a shortstop, 48 as a second baseman, and 18 as an outfielder.
In his rookie season, Yeager was a pitcher for the Brooklyn Superbas. He had 32 complete games and a respectable earned run average but lost 22 games for a Superbas team that finished in 10th place.
Yeager played for the Detroit Tigers
as a right-handed starting pitcher during their first major league season in 1901. He pitched 199-2/3 innings in 1901, with 22 complete games, 2 shutouts, and a 12-11 record. His 2.61 earned run average was 3rd best in the American League behind Cy Young
. And his adjusted ERA+ of 147 was 2nd best in the league behind Cy Young
. Yeager also played 12 games at shortstop for the 1901 Tigers and had a batting average of .296 with a .343 on base percentage and .416 slugging percentage.
After a 6-12 season as a pitcher in 1902, Yeager made the switch from pitcher to third baseman
. He was the Tigers' starting third baseman
in 1903 and went on to play third base for the New York Highlanders and St. Louis Browns
.
Yeager is credited by some with originating the squeeze play.
Yeager died in Detroit, Michigan
in 1937.
Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League...
player who played 10 seasons with the Brooklyn Superbas (1898-1900), Detroit Tigers
Detroit Tigers
The Detroit Tigers are a Major League Baseball team located in Detroit, Michigan. One of the American League's eight charter franchises, the club was founded in Detroit in as part of the Western League. The Tigers have won four World Series championships and have won the American League pennant...
(1901-03), New York Highlanders (1905-06), and St. Louis Browns
Baltimore Orioles
The Baltimore Orioles are a professional baseball team based in Baltimore, Maryland in the United States. They are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's American League. One of the American League's eight charter franchises in 1901, it spent its first year as a major league...
(1907-08). Born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Philadelphia is the largest city in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the county seat of Philadelphia County, with which it is coterminous. The city is located in the Northeastern United States along the Delaware and Schuylkill rivers. It is the fifth-most-populous city in the United States,...
, Little Joe Yeager played in 574 major league games, including 295 as a third baseman
Third baseman
A third baseman, abbreviated 3B, is the player in baseball whose responsibility is to defend the area nearest to third base — the third of four bases a baserunner must touch in succession to score a run...
, 94 as a pitcher, 83 as a shortstop, 48 as a second baseman, and 18 as an outfielder.
In his rookie season, Yeager was a pitcher for the Brooklyn Superbas. He had 32 complete games and a respectable earned run average but lost 22 games for a Superbas team that finished in 10th place.
Yeager played for the Detroit Tigers
Detroit Tigers
The Detroit Tigers are a Major League Baseball team located in Detroit, Michigan. One of the American League's eight charter franchises, the club was founded in Detroit in as part of the Western League. The Tigers have won four World Series championships and have won the American League pennant...
as a right-handed starting pitcher during their first major league season in 1901. He pitched 199-2/3 innings in 1901, with 22 complete games, 2 shutouts, and a 12-11 record. His 2.61 earned run average was 3rd best in the American League behind Cy Young
Cy Young
Denton True "Cy" Young was an American Major League Baseball pitcher. During his 22-year baseball career , he pitched for five different teams. Young was elected to the National Baseball Hall of Fame in 1937...
. And his adjusted ERA+ of 147 was 2nd best in the league behind Cy Young
Cy Young
Denton True "Cy" Young was an American Major League Baseball pitcher. During his 22-year baseball career , he pitched for five different teams. Young was elected to the National Baseball Hall of Fame in 1937...
. Yeager also played 12 games at shortstop for the 1901 Tigers and had a batting average of .296 with a .343 on base percentage and .416 slugging percentage.
After a 6-12 season as a pitcher in 1902, Yeager made the switch from pitcher to third baseman
Third baseman
A third baseman, abbreviated 3B, is the player in baseball whose responsibility is to defend the area nearest to third base — the third of four bases a baserunner must touch in succession to score a run...
. He was the Tigers' starting third baseman
Third baseman
A third baseman, abbreviated 3B, is the player in baseball whose responsibility is to defend the area nearest to third base — the third of four bases a baserunner must touch in succession to score a run...
in 1903 and went on to play third base for the New York Highlanders and St. Louis Browns
Baltimore Orioles
The Baltimore Orioles are a professional baseball team based in Baltimore, Maryland in the United States. They are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's American League. One of the American League's eight charter franchises in 1901, it spent its first year as a major league...
.
Yeager is credited by some with originating the squeeze play.
Yeager died in Detroit, Michigan
Detroit, Michigan
Detroit is the major city among the primary cultural, financial, and transportation centers in the Metro Detroit area, a region of 5.2 million people. As the seat of Wayne County, the city of Detroit is the largest city in the U.S. state of Michigan and serves as a major port on the Detroit River...
in 1937.