Rusty Staub
Le Grand Orange carved out one of baseball's most enduring careers by mastering the art of professional hitting across four different decades. Staub's .279 average over 23 seasons reflects remarkable consistency — he never posted an OPS+ below 100 in any full season, a feat that speaks to his disciplined approach and ability to adapt as the game evolved around him.
What made Staub special wasn't explosive peak performance but rather his chameleon-like ability to reinvent himself. He transformed from a doubles machine in Houston to Montreal's franchise cornerstone, then became the Mets' beloved clutch hitter before finishing as a dangerous pinch-hitter in his 40s. His 1971 campaign in Montreal showcased his ceiling — a .311 average with an .874 OPS that placed him 28% above league average.
Six All-Star selections tell only part of Staub's story. His true legacy lies in longevity and versatility, playing effectively into his age-41 season while accumulating nearly 3,000 games across two countries and four franchises.
Career · Batting
23 seasons| Year | Team | G | AB | HR | RBI | AVG | OPS | OPS+ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1963 | HOU | 150 | 513 | 6 | 45 | .224 | .617 | — |
| 1964 | HOU | 89 | 292 | 8 | 35 | .216 | .618 | — |
| 1965 | HOU | 131 | 410 | 14 | 63 | .256 | .751 | — |
| 1966 | HOU | 153 | 554 | 13 | 81 | .280 | .756 | — |
| 1967 | HOU | 149 | 546 | 10 | 74 | .333 | .871 | — |
| 1968 | HOU | 161 | 591 | 6 | 72 | .291 | .761 | — |
| 1969 | MON | 158 | 549 | 29 | 79 | .302 | .952 | — |
| 1970 | MON | 160 | 569 | 30 | 94 | .274 | .891 | 125 |
| 1971 | MON | 162 | 599 | 19 | 97 | .311 | .874 | 128 |
| 1972 | NYM | 66 | 239 | 9 | 38 | .293 | .824 | 124 |
| 1973 | NYM | 152 | 585 | 15 | 76 | .279 | .781 | 111 |
| 1974 | NYM | 151 | 561 | 19 | 78 | .258 | .754 | 109 |
| 1975 | NYM | 155 | 574 | 19 | 105 | .282 | .818 | 117 |
| 1976 | DET | 161 | 589 | 15 | 96 | .299 | .818 | 120 |
| 1977 | DET | 158 | 623 | 22 | 101 | .278 | .784 | 107 |
| 1978 | DET | 162 | 642 | 24 | 121 | .273 | .782 | 111 |
| 1979 | DET | 106 | 332 | 12 | 54 | .244 | .744 | 102 |
| 1980 | TEX | 109 | 340 | 9 | 55 | .300 | .828 | 116 |
| 1981 | NYM | 70 | 161 | 5 | 21 | .317 | .864 | 125 |
| 1982 | NYM | 112 | 219 | 3 | 27 | .242 | .633 | 89 |
| 1983 | NYM | 104 | 115 | 3 | 28 | .296 | .797 | 112 |
| 1984 | NYM | 78 | 72 | 1 | 18 | .264 | .652 | 92 |
| 1985 | NYM | 54 | 45 | 1 | 8 | .267 | .800 | 112 |
| Career | 2951 | 9720 | 292 | 1466 | .279 | — | — | |
Matchups, projections, comps — grounded in Lahman, Retrosheet, and Statcast.