Steve Kliafas proved hard on self, saw five seasons, AA

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Steve Kliafas 1992 Bakersfield Dodgers baseball card

Baylor hitter Steve Kliafas had a .403 average in early April 1990, making his coaches happy, The Waco Tribune-Herald wrote.

For Kliafas, he continued looking to improve, The Tribune-Herald wrote.

"I guess I'm never really pleased with myself," Kliafas told The Tribune-Herald. "I'm probably a little harder on myself than I should be. If I mess up, it's usually because of a dumb mistake."

Kliafas went on from Baylor to play in the pros. His pro career lasted five seasons. He made AA.

Kliafas' career began that year in 1990, signed by the Dodgers as an undrafted free agent out of Baylor University. Kliafas was also credited by his formal name Stephen Kliafas.

Kliafas started with the Dodgers in the rookie Gulf Coast League. He also started well. He hit .400 over his first eight games. 

He also soon got moved to short-season Yakima. He saw 20 games in the GCL and 39 at Yakima. At Yakima in August, he hit a rare home run to break out of a slump, The Spokane Spokesman-Review wrote.

"I saw the umpire, and he looked kind of puzzled, just like I was," Kliafas told The Spokesman-Review after that home run. "I got around the bases in about 10 seconds. There was not trot - if you saw me run around the bases, you knew I'm not used to it."

Kliafas returned to Yakima for 1991 and saw 31 games at high-A Vero Beach. He hit .273 in 80 games. He then played 1992 between high-A Bakersfield, Vero Beach and AA San Antonio. He saw 13 games at San Antonio and hit .257.

For 1993, he played 88 games at Bakersfield and six more at San Antonio. He then saw 27 at San Antonio in 1994 to end his career.

Steve Kliafas 1992 Bakersfield Dodgers baseball card


1990 Minor League Tally 
Players/Coaches Featured:4,566
Made the Majors:1,446-31.7%
Never Made Majors:3,120-68.3%-X
5+ Seasons in the Majors:590
10+ Seasons in the Minors:361

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