Biographical

Portrait of Kenny Lofton

Kenny Lofton CFIndians

Indians Player Cards | Indians Team Audit | Indians Depth Chart

Career Summary
Years PA AVG OBP SLG DRC+ WARP
20 9234 .299 .372 .423 105 50.6
Birth Date5-31-1967
Height5' 11"
Weight190 lbs
Age58 years, 2 months, 20 days
BatsL
ThrowsL
WARP Summary

MLB Statistics

YEAR TEAM AGE G PA H 2B 3B HR BB SO HBP SB CS AVG OBP SLG DRC+ DRAA BRR FRAA BWARP
1991 HOU 24 20 79 15 1 0 0 5 19 0 2 1 .203 .253 .216 56 -3.8 0.8 -1.4 -0.2
1992 CLE 25 148 651 164 15 8 5 68 54 2 66 12 .285 .362 .365 104 5.1 10.7 27.4 6.8
1993 CLE 26 148 657 185 28 8 1 81 83 1 70 14 .325 .408 .408 113 12.9 16.1 0.5 5.1
1994 CLE 27 112 523 160 32 9 12 52 56 2 60 12 .349 .412 .536 128 21.0 11.5 0.5 4.8
1995 CLE 28 118 529 149 22 13 7 40 49 1 54 15 .310 .362 .453 105 4.8 9.5 -3.4 2.7
1996 CLE 29 154 736 210 35 4 14 61 82 0 75 17 .317 .372 .446 106 9.4 4.3 6.6 4.3
1997 ATL 30 122 564 164 20 6 5 64 83 2 27 20 .333 .409 .428 111 10.4 2.4 3.4 3.2
1998 CLE 31 154 698 169 31 6 12 87 80 2 54 10 .282 .371 .413 102 3.6 8.2 -1.8 3.0
1999 CLE 32 120 560 140 28 6 7 79 84 6 25 6 .301 .405 .432 113 12.3 6.3 -1.8 3.2
2000 CLE 33 137 640 151 23 5 15 79 72 4 30 7 .278 .369 .422 100 4.1 8.4 5.5 3.7
2001 CLE 34 133 576 135 21 4 14 47 69 2 16 8 .261 .322 .398 86 -7.5 4.6 1.7 1.7
2002 CHA 35 93 406 91 20 6 8 49 51 0 22 8 .259 .348 .418 98 0.5 0.9 0.7 1.5
2002 SFN 35 46 205 48 10 3 3 23 22 1 7 3 .267 .353 .406 97 0.2 1.5 2.1 1.0
2003 CHN 36 56 236 68 13 4 3 18 22 2 12 4 .327 .381 .471 105 2.2 0.1 3.7 1.3
2003 PIT 36 84 374 94 19 4 9 28 29 2 18 5 .277 .333 .437 103 2.8 5.6 -1.8 1.7
2004 NYA 37 83 313 76 10 7 3 31 27 1 7 3 .275 .346 .395 99 0.3 1.7 5.3 1.7
2005 PHI 38 110 406 123 15 5 2 32 41 2 22 3 .335 .392 .420 105 2.8 3.0 4.6 2.3
2006 LAN 39 129 522 141 15 12 3 45 42 0 32 5 .301 .360 .403 95 -0.6 5.5 -13.8 0.8
2007 CLE 40 52 196 49 9 3 0 17 23 0 2 3 .283 .344 .370 111 3.5 -0.2 0.7 0.8
2007 TEX 40 84 363 96 16 3 7 39 28 2 21 4 .303 .380 .438 110 6.2 -0.4 -6.0 1.1
Career210392342428383116130945101632622160.299.372.42310590.3100.632.850.6

Statistics for All Levels

'opp' stats - Quality of opponents faced - have been moved and are available only as OPP_QUAL in the Statistics reports now.
Minor league stats are currently shown —Click to hide.
YEAR Team Lg LG G PA oppAVG oppOBP oppSLG BABIP BPF BRAA repLVL POS_ADJ DRC+ DRC+ SD FRAA BRR DRAA BWARP
1988 AUB A- NYP 48 207 .000 .000 .000 .287 0.0 0 0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0
1989 ASH A SAL 22 97 .000 .000 .000 .356 0.0 0 0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0
1989 AUB A- NYP 34 129 .000 .000 .000 .358 0.0 0 0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0
1990 OSC A+ FSL 124 556 .000 .000 .000 .383 0.0 0 0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0
1991 HOU MLB NL 20 79 .241 .301 .358 .273 98 -5.3 2.1 0.2 56 15 -1.4 0.8 -3.8 -0.2
1991 TUC AAA PCL 130 607 .000 .000 .000 .364 0.0 0 0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0
1992 CLE MLB AL 148 651 .259 .325 .383 .307 105 4.7 16.9 1.5 104 8 27.4 10.7 5.1 6.8
1993 CLE MLB AL 148 657 .264 .333 .403 .376 101 19.6 18.8 1.7 113 7 0.5 16.1 12.9 5.1
1994 CLE MLB AL 112 523 .277 .347 .443 .373 101 34.9 15.9 1.4 128 7 0.5 11.5 21.0 4.8
1995 CLE MLB AL 118 529 .271 .343 .429 .332 98 13.7 15.8 1.2 105 10 -3.4 9.5 4.8 2.7
1996 CLE MLB AL 154 736 .279 .348 .449 .343 100 17.9 22.8 2.1 106 6 6.6 4.3 9.4 4.3
1997 ATL MLB NL 122 564 .262 .331 .406 .390 99 20.6 15.0 1.5 111 7 3.4 2.4 10.4 3.2
1998 CLE MLB AL 154 698 .269 .335 .429 .305 103 8.6 19.0 1.9 102 10 -1.8 8.2 3.6 3.0
1999 CLE MLB AL 120 560 .275 .344 .437 .351 105 19.5 15.6 1.5 113 6 -1.8 6.3 12.3 3.2
2000 CLE MLB AL 137 640 .273 .346 .442 .293 92 12.4 20.2 1.7 100 8 5.5 8.4 4.1 3.7
2001 CLE MLB AL 133 576 .270 .334 .438 .276 102 -6.7 17.2 1.5 86 8 1.7 4.6 -7.5 1.7
2002 CHA MLB AL 93 406 .272 .338 .438 .282 101 5.7 11.7 1.1 98 10 0.7 0.9 0.5 1.5
2002 SFN MLB NL 46 205 .254 .322 .409 .290 98 2.7 5.9 0.5 97 9 2.1 1.5 0.2 1.0
2003 CHN MLB NL 56 236 .263 .326 .407 .349 104 7.3 6.2 0.6 105 8 3.7 0.1 2.2 1.3
2003 PIT MLB NL 84 374 .260 .329 .415 .280 102 4.5 9.8 1 103 7 -1.8 5.6 2.8 1.7
2004 NYA MLB AL 83 313 .264 .334 .418 .292 105 1.4 9.3 0.2 99 10 5.3 1.7 0.3 1.7
2004 TRN AA EAS 4 15 .000 .000 .000 .273 0.0 0 0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0
2005 PHI MLB NL 110 406 .265 .330 .407 .373 100 13.1 11.7 0.9 105 10 4.6 3.0 2.8 2.3
2006 LAN MLB NL 129 522 .267 .332 .428 .324 95 2.6 15.7 1.2 95 8 -13.8 5.5 -0.6 0.8
2007 CLE MLB AL 52 196 .261 .324 .415 .322 99 1.8 5.8 -1.2 111 6 0.7 -0.2 3.5 0.8
2007 TEX MLB AL 84 363 .268 .328 .419 .312 102 10.9 10.8 0.9 110 6 -6.0 -0.4 6.2 1.1

Statistics For All Levels

Minor league stats are currently shown —Click to hide.
Year Team lvl LG PA AB R H 2B 3B HR TB RBI BB SO SB CS AVG OBP SLG ISO SF SH
1988 AUB A- NYP 207 187 23 40 6 1 1 51 14 19 51 26 4 .214 .285 .273 .059 1 1
1989 AUB A- NYP 129 110 21 29 3 1 0 34 8 14 30 26 5 .264 .344 .309 .045 1 1
1989 ASH A SAL 97 82 14 27 2 0 1 32 9 12 10 14 6 .329 .412 .390 .061 2 2
1990 OSC A+ FSL 556 481 98 159 15 5 2 190 35 61 77 62 16 .331 .403 .395 .064 8 8
1991 HOU MLB NL 79 74 9 15 1 0 0 16 0 5 19 2 1 .203 .253 .216 .014 0 0
1991 TUC AAA PCL 607 545 93 168 19 17 2 227 50 52 95 40 23 .308 .364 .417 .108 8 8
1992 CLE MLB AL 651 576 96 164 15 8 5 210 42 68 54 66 12 .285 .362 .365 .080 1 4
1993 CLE MLB AL 657 569 116 185 28 8 1 232 42 81 83 70 14 .325 .408 .408 .083 4 2
1994 CLE MLB AL 523 459 105 160 32 9 12 246 57 52 56 60 12 .349 .412 .536 .187 6 4
1995 CLE MLB AL 529 481 93 149 22 13 7 218 53 40 49 54 15 .310 .362 .453 .143 3 4
1996 CLE MLB AL 736 662 132 210 35 4 14 295 67 61 82 75 17 .317 .372 .446 .128 6 7
1997 ATL MLB NL 564 493 90 164 20 6 5 211 48 64 83 27 20 .333 .409 .428 .095 3 2
1998 CLE MLB AL 698 600 101 169 31 6 12 248 64 87 80 54 10 .282 .371 .413 .132 6 3
1999 CLE MLB AL 560 465 110 140 28 6 7 201 39 79 84 25 6 .301 .405 .432 .131 5 5
2000 CLE MLB AL 640 543 107 151 23 5 15 229 73 79 72 30 7 .278 .369 .422 .144 8 6
2001 CLE MLB AL 576 517 91 135 21 4 14 206 66 47 69 16 8 .261 .322 .398 .137 5 5
2002 CHA MLB AL 406 352 68 91 20 6 8 147 42 49 51 22 8 .259 .348 .418 .159 1 4
2002 SFN MLB NL 205 180 30 48 10 3 3 73 9 23 22 7 3 .267 .353 .406 .139 0 1
2003 PIT MLB NL 374 339 58 94 19 4 9 148 26 28 29 18 5 .277 .333 .437 .159 3 2
2003 CHN MLB NL 236 208 39 68 13 4 3 98 20 18 22 12 4 .327 .381 .471 .144 3 5
2004 NYA MLB AL 313 276 51 76 10 7 3 109 18 31 27 7 3 .275 .346 .395 .120 4 1
2004 TRN AA EAS 15 14 0 3 1 0 0 4 2 1 3 0 0 .214 .267 .286 .071 0 0
2005 PHI MLB NL 406 367 67 123 15 5 2 154 36 32 41 22 3 .335 .392 .420 .084 0 5
2006 LAN MLB NL 522 469 79 141 15 12 3 189 41 45 42 32 5 .301 .360 .403 .102 2 6
2007 CLE MLB AL 196 173 24 49 9 3 0 64 15 17 23 2 3 .283 .344 .370 .087 2 4
2007 TEX MLB AL 363 317 62 96 16 3 7 139 23 39 28 21 4 .303 .380 .438 .136 3 2

Plate Discipline

YEAR Pits Zone% Swing% Contact% Z-Swing% O-Swing% Z-Contact% O-Contact% SwStr% CSAA

Injury History  —  No longer being updated

Last Update: 12/31/2014 23:59 ET

Date On Date Off Transaction Days Games Side Body Part Injury Severity Surgery Date Reaggravation
2006-03-29 2006-04-14 15-DL 16 10 Left Lower Leg Strain Calf -
2005-04-30 2005-05-20 15-DL 20 19 Right Ankle Inflammation Achilles Tendinitis -
2004-05-28 2004-06-12 15-DL 15 13 Left Thigh Strain Hamstring -
2004-04-17 2004-05-02 15-DL 15 14 Right Thigh Strain Quadriceps -
2001-05-16 2001-06-01 15-DL 16 14 - Abdomen Strain Oblique - -
2001-04-05 2001-04-17 15-DL 12 9 Right Lower Leg Strain Calf - -
2000-06-28 2000-06-29 DTD 1 1 Right Lower Leg Contusion Shin HBP - -
2000-04-27 2000-05-12 15-DL 15 14 Left Shoulder Strain Biceps - -
1999-12-15 1999-12-15 Off 0 0 Left Shoulder Surgery Rotator Cuff 1999-12-15 -
1998-08-15 1998-09-01 15-DL 17 16 - Thigh Strain Hamstring -
1998-07-28 1998-08-14 15-DL 17 15 - Thigh Strain Hamstring - -
1997-07-06 1997-07-28 15-DL 22 19 - Thigh Strain Hamstring - -
1997-06-18 1997-07-05 15-DL 17 16 Left Groin Strain - -

Compensation

Year Team Salary
2007 TEX $6,000,000
2006 LAN $3,850,000
2005 PHI $3,100,000
2004 NYA $3,100,000
2003 PIT $1,025,000
2002 CHA $1,025,000
2001 CLE $8,000,000
2000 CLE $7,500,000
YearsDescriptionSalary
8 yrPrevious$33,600,000
8 yrTotal$33,600,000

 

Service TimeAgentContract Status
16 y 23 dCasey Close

Details
  • 1 year/$6M (2007). Signed as a free agent 12/06. Acquired in trade from Texas 7/27/07.
  • 1 year/$3.85M (2006). Signed as a free agent 12/05. $0.35M signing bonus, 06:$3.5M. Performance bonuses: $50,000 each for 350, 400, 450 plate appearances. Award bonuses: $25,000 each for Silver Slugger, Gold Glove. $0.1M assignment bonus.
  • 2 years/$6.2M (2004-05). Signed as a free agent 12/03. 04:$3.1M, 05:$3.1M. Acquired in trade from NY Yankees 12/04. (Yankees to pay $1.525M of $3.1M 2005 salary.)
  • 1 year/$1.025M (2003). Acquired in trade from Pittsburgh 7/03.
  • 1 year/$1.025M (2002). Acquired in trade from Chicago White Sox 7/02. $0.375M in performance bonuses. $1.4M in attendence bonuses.
  • Cleveland exercised 2001 option at $7.5M.

2019 Preseason Forecast

Last Update: 1/27/2017 12:35 ET

PCT PA R H 2B 3B HR RBI BB SO SB CS AVG OBP SLG DRC+ VORP FRAA WARP
Weighted Mean???????00??.000.000.00000.0?0.0

BP Annual Player Comments

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BP Articles

Click here to see articles tagged with Kenny Lofton

BP Chats

DateQuestionAnswer
2015-04-16 17:00:00 (link to chat)What missing tool concerns you the most as far as a player not reaching full development? It seems to me that the hit tool is something a player never learns. He either has it or he doesn't. Just my perception, no actual data to confirm it.
(ssauve25 from Here)		I think you hit the nail on the head. I think back to Michael Jordan trying to hit a baseball. Kenny Lofton quit baseball for awhile and started again in college. He said that if he had waited another year he doesn't think he could have done it (hit a baseball). The elites make it look so normal but it's next to impossible to do. (Mike Gianella)
2013-11-14 13:00:00 (link to chat)Jared Mitchell - small sample size illusion or toolsy player who is finally healthy and has finally figured it all out? Thanks.
(GrinnellSteve from Grinnell)		Mitchell isn't the player the White Sox drafted out of LSU. Way back then he was a freakish athlete that had tools galore and drew comps to Kenny Lofton. Today, he's more of a left fielder with some thump in his bat and a bench profile; still a useful player, but not the guy his AFL numbers may be suggesting. (Mark Anderson)
2013-01-11 14:00:00 (link to chat)Jeff Bagwell and Craig Biggio are both easily Top 15 players all-time at their position (and Bagwell maybe even Top 5); Schilling is one of the best RH pitchers of the last fifty years, both regular season and certainly post-season, couldn't even get 40%; Bernie Williams and Kenny Lofton, two of the best CF of the last 30 years, didn't even get enough to stay on the ballot. How broken is the system? Can it even be fixed? What would you say to someone that says that, considering there are mediocre guys that have been elected and excellent ones that have been snubbed, that the Hall of Fame has been rendered meaningless as an honor?
(Ashitaka1110 from Houston, TX)		I don't think the system is as broken as you suggest, by any means - one year is a small sample size by which to judge the results you mention. Bagwell and Biggio will be in very soon. I have Bernie well below the standard, and Lofton slightly below, so I can't really get too up in arms over that portion of what you wrote.

The Hall is still a pretty great honor; even if some of the wrong guys are getting in, to me it's far more worth fighting for the right guys getting in than walking away in disgust. The presence of Jim Rice or even Jack Morris in Cooperstown shouldn't ruin it for anyone. (Jay Jaffe on the Hall of Fame)
2013-01-11 14:00:00 (link to chat)To me, the most overlooked thing regarding the results of the voting is Kenny Lofton's not receiving the requisite 5% of the vote to remain on the ballot. 1. Do you think in a regular year without a polarizing issue like steroids, would he have received the vote? 2. Now that he can only be inducted by the veterans committee, what do you think his chances are? 3. Do you think his bouncing around from team to team later in his career hurts the voter's perception of him? I think it's very unfortunate that he won't stay on the ballot. I'm one who, after reading your analysis and through my own observation of him when he was active, certainly would get my vote if I had one.
(Mike Shumka from Milton, Ontario)		I think Lofton suffers less because of the steroid protest than the size of the crowd on the ballot and the fact that a certain segment of the electorate dramatically undervalues walks and defense. Nearly all of the Hall's recent injustices fit into that pattern - think of Ron Santo, Bobby Grich and Tim Raines, for example.

Lofton will have a long wait ahead of him if his cause is taken up by the Veterans Committee. Among center field contemporaries, Jim Edmonds, Andruw Jones and Carlos Beltran will all have their cases taken up by the BBWAA, and they've got reasonable merits and similar JAWS scores too. (Jay Jaffe on the Hall of Fame)
2012-01-09 13:00:00 (link to chat)Kenny Lofton goes on the ballot in 2012. How does he fare by JAWS? Also, do you think a case can be made in part based on his having been the best leadoff hitter in the game during the HR-happy '90s, with not much real competition? Sort of contextual/lineup value above replacement.
(Dan from Brooklyn)		Lofton (56.2/34.1/45.2) is a bit below Bernie Williams (54.0/40.3/47.2) with far less postseason mojo (.247/.315/.352 in 95 games). If Tim Raines isn't over the top thanks to credit for being the second-best leadoff hitter of the modern era, there's no way in hell Lofton deserves credit for doing so in the homer-happy Nineties. (Jay Jaffe's Hall of Fame Special)
2011-03-09 13:00:00 (link to chat)Can Dexter Fowler turn into Kenny Lofton-esque player?
(Eli from Tucson)		Kenny Lofton was a Hall of Fame quality player. Fowler is still fighting to not get platooned. He strikes out so much that I don't see him hitting hitting above .280, while Lofton was a .300 career hitter. But Fowler's supposedly going to lead off this year and play center, so I think that he'll definitely have some fantasy and real-world value. (Jeremy Greenhouse)
2011-03-09 13:00:00 (link to chat)Who is the best player out of the group - Kenny Lofton, Brian “The Beard” Wilson, Todd Zeile, Eddie Murray, and fellow professional escort fan, Lenny Dykstra - Charlie Sheen flew in to his Major League viewing party?
(ackley from pencey)		I don't know what this question means, but I like it. (Jeremy Greenhouse)
2009-08-17 14:00:00 (link to chat)Will Nyjer Morgan keep up his Kenny Lofton impression next year?
(iorg34 from Buckland)		Not much of an impression even now. I love watching him play, actually, but he's really just a useful fourth outfielder. (Ken Funck)
2009-06-25 13:00:00 (link to chat)Your thoughts on the future production of Dexter Fowler and Colby Rasmus? What is their upside as you see it and who gets there first? Thanks.
(tommybones from brooklyn)		Fowler's upside is Kenny Lofton, but maybe more of a Devon White type of player. Rasmus...Curtis Granderson? (Joe Sheehan)
2009-06-24 13:00:00 (link to chat)How about Kenny Lofton's HOF chances?
(Jim from (Cleveland))		My guess is he's got a very small chance, especially when a legitimately superior leadoff man like Tim Raines can't get a fair shake. Nor do I think he should go... He started a bit late, so his peak came up quickly, and then that was followed by a long coda that had some good in it but also a lot of just decent performances. (Steven Goldman)
2008-05-28 13:00:00 (link to chat)Wouldn't Kenny Lofton be a better solution to the Met's LF woes in Alou's absence than what they've come up with so far?
(Glenn from NJ)		Wrong park for that player. Still, I guess something is better than nothing. I'd like to see Evans given a little bit of a chance before they turn to yet another 2000-year-old ballpayer. (Steven Goldman)
2008-05-09 14:00:00 (link to chat)Your writeup of the Indians seemed to indicate that the vanishing of Hafner magnified the problems on the corners. What can Shapiro do to break the stalemate, given that the minors are just a long line of mediocrity in the near future like Francisco? They don't have assets to move and they don't have much money.
(johnny from mpls)		My expectation is that they'll stall as long as they can to lower the price on their targets, which I anticipate will be guys who, like Kenny Lofton last year, are free agents-to-be. (Christina Kahrl)
2008-03-14 13:00:00 (link to chat)Do you see the Rays bringing Kenny Lofton or someone else to replace Rocco ?
(Tommy from OPS,FL)		I don't think they need to with Gomes around and the possibility that they could bring up someone like Justin Ruggiano or Fernando Perez. As good as Baldelli can be, I don't think this is a case where they have to react to strongly. (Steven Goldman)
2008-03-11 12:00:00 (link to chat)I can't help but think that the Padres still have half a dozen better options for their outfield then the guys they have slated now. The Red Sox and Angels have extra outfielders to trade. Kenny Lofton or Corey Patterson seem like reasonable fits when you consider the salary they'll be paying out to Jim Edmonds. When did KT get all Pat Gillick-y?
(Wilson from Cambridge)		I would have liked to see them snag Patterson so that Edmonds could play left field. The man cannot cover the ground in that park. He'd be an upgrade in left for one year, though. Lofton isn't the answer to play next to him...honestly, it might be worth seeing how much of Gary Matthews' Jr.'s contract the Angels are willing to eat.

If the outfield is Hairston/Headley, Edmonds and Giles, I weep for that flyball pitching staff. (Joe Sheehan)
2008-01-21 13:00:00 (link to chat)Re: the trivia question, is Kenny Lofton playing for the Giants or Patriots this year?
(Bird from Knoxville, TN)		I guess it's oddly refreshing that it appears nobody watched football yesterday. I'll give a hint: the player in question was a turnover machine in college and was a turnover machine yesterday as well. No, it's not Brett Favre. (Ken Pomeroy (Basketball))


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PITCHf/x Hitter Profile

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