For true seamheads, this was absolutely rotten news. 1 overall pick in Aprils . Bell still sits among the all-time franchise greats, ranking seventh in games played (1,181), fifth in hits (1,284), sixth in home runs (202) and fourth in RBIs (740), and he is one of just seven players to have their name unveiled on the Blue Jays Level of Excellence at Rogers Centre. News on all your favorite celebs, reality TV, and movies. Keith Hernandez was welcomed into Americas living rooms on Seinfeld after a solid Major League career with three teams. It is the most memorable part of a legacy that saw Jones hit .291 with 93 homers and 91 steals over 12 years as a Met. Willie is a 24-time All-Star, 12-time Gold Glove award winner, and two-time MVP Award winner. The Definitive List of the 7 Best Left Fielders Right Now 7. And he pulled it off in only eight seasons as a regular. Key fact: Bell was the first Blue Jays player to win the AL MVP Award (1987), Bell starred for the Blue Jays through the mid- and late 1980s, earning the first MVP Award in club history in 1987. A midfielder is an outfield position in association football. Bottom line: On Opening Day in 2010, the southpaw made a kick save on a shot up the middle, quickly ran down the ball in foul territory then executed a no-look, between-the-legs, glove-handed flip to first base for the out, the most insane, off-the-charts play by a pitcher in the history of history. In baseballs rich history there have been many players that have excelled in the defensive aspects of the game. He's also on the short list of Total Zone Runs (fourth), Range Factor per nine innings (fifth) and jaws dropped (many) in major league history. The four time All-Star has played his entire career with the Colorado Rockies where he has won two Gold Glove Awards and three Fielding Bible Awards. He spent the majority of his career with the Texas Rangers among other teams, but a one year stint with the Florida Marlins earned him a World Series title in 2003. He was enshrined in Cooperstown in 1989 and no Cincinnati Red will ever wear his #5 again. -- David Schoenfield, ESPN.com senior writer, Simmons hit .334 for his career and batted .390 one season. Possessing a cannon for an arm, he terrified base runners with his pick off moves and laser throws to catch runners stealing. Hard to imagine he played for seven -- count 'em, seven -- teams. Yes, his legacy is deservedly controversial, but Ted Williams wasn't close to the all-around player that Bonds was. The adequate fielding was a bonus. The best left fielder of the millennium ranks behind only Barry Bonds and Carl Yastrzemski on the career Total Zone Runs list. Forgot how much ground he covered in his pre-roids days, didnt you? Often the accounts of their plays were passed on in daily summaries of the games, while others were lost to the ages. He did not have the career of his father, but who did? He led outfielders in assists five times and led right fielders in fewest errors committed seven times. Thats short for Three True Outcomes, also known as walks, strikeouts and home runs. Yankees top 5 >, Key fact: Is the only player in MLB history to hit 50 homers and 50 doubles in a single season, Belle may not have left Cleveland on the greatest terms, but theres no denying the contributions that he made to the club during its run in the 1990s. How Many Good Giants Were Good Prospects? His #6 was retired by the Detroit Tigers and in 1980 he was enshrined in Cooperstown as a first ballot Hall of Famer. A five-time NBA Most Valuable Player (MVP) and a 12-time NBA All-Star, he was the centerpiece of the Celtics dynasty that won 11 NBA championships during his 13-year career. When "Little Louie" led the new wave of Hispanic players in the bigs, the position went from 33 1/3 to 78 rpm in terms of athleticism and entertainment value. 2 -- Oakland (1989), Toronto ('93), Career stats The players on this list have been recognized as multiple time Gold Glove winners, distinguishing themselves as members to baseballs elite defensive players. Magee ranks first among Modern Era Phillies left fielders in runs (898), doubles (337), triples (127), on-base percentage (.371) and stolen bases (.387); second in hits (1,647), RBIs (885) and batting average (.299); fourth in home runs (75) and OPS (.818) and eighth in slugging percentage (.447). Hes also the all-time leader in Total Zone Runs from here to Funkstown. Pingback: Elysian Fielders The Best Defensive Right Fielders, (c) Copyright 2013-15 ElysianFielders.com, This Day in Giants History: September 25, 1986, Elysian Fielders The Best Defensive Right Fielders, This Day in Giants History, February 27, 1962: Saran Wrap for Candlestick Park. Teams: Chicago White Sox (2000-11), Miami Marlins (2012), Toronto Blue Jays (2013-15). Unique lists featuring pop culture, entertainment and crazy facts. As opposed to the puss arm who couldnt throw out Sid Bream with the 1992 NLCS on the line. -- Caple, When you look at combined value metrics like WAR or Jay Jaffe's JAWS, it might surprise you to find that after LF's all-time trinity of Williams, Bonds and Henderson, Yaz is the guy who doesn't quite rise to their level, but is far better than everyone else on this list. Orioles top 5 >, Key fact: Had four All-Star selections with Rays, the most in franchise history, In his nine seasons with Tampa Bay, Crawford displayed the athleticism and talent that made him a coveted three-sport athlete and a highly regarded prospect. The criteria were a combination of Gold Glove Awards (since 1957) and metrics such as Defensive Wins Above Replacement (dWAR), Total Zone Runs (an estimate of runs saved in the field) and Range Factor per nine innings with an assist from YouTube on occasion. Teams: Pittsburgh Pirates (1986-92), San Francisco Giants (1993-2007). "Mad Dog" dominated the Gold Glove Award for not one but two decades. I dont think you can be any better a hitter than Ryan Braun. Brewers top 5 >, While Stan Musial played all over the outfield and could be included at any of the three positions, were going to rank him with the right fielders in a few weeks. Regarded as one of Italy's greatest ever midfielders, Tardelli was the cornerstone of Juventus' successful side of the late 70s and early 80s, winning five Scudettos during his time in Turin. Gold Glove Awards: 8 (1958, 1960-61, 1963-67). One of the five greatest left-handed hitters in MLB history, "Stan the Man" helped the Cardinals to win World Series titles in 1942, 1944 and 1946. Ted Williams - Boston Red Sox (1939-1942; 1946-1960) -- Lauber, Here's how good Rickey was: Even if he never stole a base he'd be a Hall of Famer. For others, it's the situation. Barry Bonds also had a plus arm. Al Kaline spent his entire career with the Detroit Tigers, which earned him the nickname Mr. Tiger. Bell also ranks fifth in Range Factor per nine innings (3.18) overall. 344 views, 3 likes, 0 loves, 1 comments, 0 shares, Facebook Watch Videos from Field of Dreams Navojoa: Aguerridas Vs Buhas 1. -- Kahrl, Teams He was so feared a hitter that he once was walked intentionally -- with the bases loaded. Mickey Mantle 3. Anyone who believes this guy was one-dimensional doesnt know Michael Jack Schmidt. March 03, 2023 9:51 AM. But he posted a .291/.357/.387 slash line across seven seasons, and he still ranks in the franchise's top five in batting average, runs, position-player WAR, hits, triples and stolen bases. He also appeared in 18 All-Star games, earning the honor in all but four of his Major League seasons. In his 16 year career, he had. He played nearly 1,500 games in the field with nine different teams. 4 jersey will be retired. Mays, who finished with 660 HR, 3,283 hits, and 12 Gold Gloves, was the best of the three and the greatest center fielder of all time. At the age of 29, Troy Tulowitzkistill has a long MLB career ahead of him. Ted Williams is one of the greatest hitters in MLB history. BOSTON (AP) Mikal Bridges was considered a defensive star and complementary offensive player in Phoenix before abruptly having his five-year run there ended when he was shipped to Brooklyn as . Well-renowned for his passing, Gerson is often considered as one of the best passers in World Cup history. Red Sox top 5 >, Key fact: Career 152 OPS+ ranks 27th all time, Though overshadowed somewhat on rosters packed with Hall of Fame talent, Keller was a feared slugger and solid fielder on three Yankees championship clubs (1939, 41 and 43), compiling an eye-popping career OPS+ of 152 that ranks 27th all-time. But they still have some very meaningful football left to play on Sunday against the Kansas City Chiefsand next week when the Pittsburgh Steelers visit FirstEnergy Stadium.If theTennessee Titanssomehow win their next two games, two losses by the Browns would secure them the No. -- Kahrl, Who's the greatest left fielder of all-time? He. He also knew how to play the Green Monster pretty well. The differences seen in baseball across different eras are significant, and television and radio were not always available to document the miraculous plays of major leaguers on a daily basis. Teams: Philadelphia/Kansas City Athletics (1954-1958), Cleveland Indians (1958-61) Minnesota Twins (1962-64), Los Angeles-California Angels (1964), Philadelphia Phillies (1964-65). His best work was done in the outfield where he earned seven Gold Glove Awards. Barry Bonds is Major League Baseball's all-time home run leader and the only player to win more than three MVP awards he ended up with seven but is that enough to declare the infamous,. Don't think so. Marlins top 5 >, Key fact: Caught final out of 1969 World Series, One of the engines of the 1969 Miracle Mets, Jones hit .340 in 137 games that season, starting in left field for 119 of them. "Campy" had no weaknesses other than the assorted hurts that went with the position. Securing a pennant or even the World Series. Seven-time NL All-Star (1981-87), NL Silver Slugger ('86), All-Star Game MVP ('87), Career stats Defensive WAR shows as much. Relying on positioning and reading hitters proved inadequate to maintain the standards hed set. Moore was installed as the Giants leadoff hitter by Bill Terry in one of his first acts after taking over for John McGraw in 1932. He was a six-time All-Star and won two Gold Gloves as a member of the White Sox, topping .300 in six seasons. Fernando Redondo. Saving a perfect game or no-hitter. For most of his career, Ozzie Smith was the premier defensive shortstop in baseball. Robinson was also recognized as an 18-time All-Star and 16-time Gold Glove Award Winner. Yaz led all outfielders in assists seven times, total zone runs four times, and putouts as a left fielder four times. His great first step, speed and knowledge of the tendencies of his own teams pitchers and opposing hitters allowed him to get to everything hit his way. Yaz excelled at playing balls off of Fenways Green Monster and for his efforts has had his #8 retired by the Boston Red Sox. The adequate fielding was a bonus. -- Caple, The best leadoff man in the history of the game, Rickey was a joy to watch: the deep crouch at the plate, the coiled spring taking his lead at first base, the swagger. Tim Kurkjian, Eduardo Perez and Dallas Braden weigh in on who is the greatest left fielder in MLB history. Bench led the league in total zone runs as a catcher six times and caught stealing percentage three times. Some of the players on this list have been inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame and are considered among the games greatest players. Simmons remains the A's all-time leader in batting average (.356), RBIs (1,179), total bases (2,998) and extra-base hits (655). His was known for his trademark tumbling skills which dazzled fans young and old. Teams: Kansas City Royals (2004-10), Milwaukee Brewers (2011-12), Los Angeles Angels (2012), Los Angeles Dodgers (2013-15), Arizona Diamondbacks (2016-19), Houston Astros (2019-present). The Say Hey Kid is a living baseball treasure. How We Ranked Baseballs Greatest Players, PRIME = WAR in 5 Best Consecutive Seasons. He won eleven Gold Glove Awards and was named 1979 NL MVP. When the last out settled into his glove a half-inning later, Jones had to leap the left-field fence to avoid a mob of Mets fans streaming onto the field. "The Curacao Kid" ranks second in Total Zone Runs (253) in baseball history. -- Tim Kurkjian, ESPN.com senior writer, For as much as we dwell on the video-arcade numbers from his final 10 seasons, sometimes we don't make enough of what he did in his first 12: .288/.408/.551, 374 HR, 417 SB, three NL MVP awards. While Bobby Veach has a strong case as one of the Tigers' great run producers of the Dead Ball Era, Horton's legacy as a hometown hero and clutch performer in the Tigers' 1968 World Series have secured his place in franchise history. Mike Schmidt is the only third baseman among the top 10 in Gold Gloves (second), Range Factor per nine innings (seventh) and Total Zone Runs (ninth). William Felton Russell (February 12, 1934 - July 31, 2022) was an American professional basketball player who played as a center for the Boston Celtics of the National Basketball Association (NBA) from 1956 to 1969. theScore examines the most important developments and biggest talking points from Saturday's slate of action in England's top flight.Foden bouncing back in a big wayTroubled by his ankle and out . His #33 is retired by the Pittsburgh Pirates and he was honored as part of the first class inducted to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1936. The. Positions: Second base, third base, shortstop. Maddux was an eight-time All-Star, four time NL Cy Young winner, and racked up an impressive eighteen Gold Glove Awards. Thatd be Sweet Swinging Billy Williams, who won the 1961 NL Rookie of the Year Award, made six All-Star teams, picked up a batting title (72), finished as the runner-up for the NL MVP twice and was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1987. Roberto Alomar was a fixture on the Toronto Blue Jays World Series winning teams and would go on to have an impact on several other exciting teams. Lets also not forget how the "Little General" revolutionized the position with his hinged glove and one-handed technique. Blue Jays top 5 >, Key fact: Only O's player to rank among top 10 in homers (209, eighth) and steals (307, first), Before he grew into a slugging center fielder, Anderson was the Orioles everyday and amply productive left fielder. The only 3 left fielders with 4 or more Gold Gloves are Barry Bonds (8), Alex Gordon (7, so far), and Yastrzemski (7). To put it simply, Royals coach Rusty Kuntz said, he is the gold standard of left fielders in baseball. Royals top 5 >, Key facts: Four-time All-Star; led 1968 World Series champion Tigers in average, homers and OPS, This is the only position where the Tigers don't have a Hall of Famer to consider, and it makes for an interesting debate. He led all left fielders in range factor per game five times, assists six times, and is the all-time leader in putouts by a left fielder. No Gavin Lux -- big problem. His defensive skills were so highly regarded that his glove was known as the place where triples go to die. The three-time World Series champion was named MVP in 1912 and won the batting title in 1916. Worthy of this list as well as the Hall of Fame. Matthews, too, was primarily a good hitter. No one did it so well for so long. Ty Cobb 4. "The Say Hey Kid.". If not for a relatively short shelf life, he might have more than one All-Star Game and two Gold Gloves on his resume. The contribution to championship teams (player performance in seasons where his team wins the pennant) is a small factor in most cases. Mays is the all-time leader in putouts in center field, fifth in assists, and second in double plays as a center fielder. He was elected to the Hall of Fame in '53. Not only as an outfielder, mind you, but at any position. Some call him the Babe Ruth of defense. Cleveland Indians (1993-2000), Boston Red Sox ('01-08), Los Angeles Dodgers ('08-10), Chicago White Sox ('10), Tampa Bay Rays ('11), Honors Teams: Toronto Blue Jays (1981-89), New York Yankees (1989-92). Welcome to All-Time #MLBRank, our ranking of the top 100 players in baseball history. He was a 16-time Gold Glove winner and was a three time All-Star. For all of his on field accomplishments, Bonds remains an underrated defensive player. At 35, Alex Gordon is a good bet to rank second when all is said and done. Only Keith Hernandez won more Gold Gloves among National Leaguers at his best position. -- Caple, Still judged for his inclusion in the Black Sox scandal, and still condemned for it. He committed the fewest errors by a pitcher twice, range factor per nine innings twice, and assists once. He won one MVP award and probably should have won three. It seems reasonable to require greater longevity than 23 innings when trying to identify the greatest outfield in major-league history. No player did so at a higher rate in the free-agent era. Three-time AL All-Star (1933-35), Hall of Fame ('53), Championships During his time with the ballclub, Keller was a five-time All-Star, four-time World Series. He led the American League in fielding percentage as a second basemen four times, assists twice, and committed the fewest errors as a second baseman twice. Mariners top 5 >, Rangers: Rusty Greer (1994-2002)Key fact: Tied for fourth in franchise history (min. Phillies top 5 >, Key facts: Won the 2007 Rookie of the Year Award and the 2011 NL MVP Award, From a statistical standpoint, only two players have generated more value to the Brewers than Braun, and both (Robin Yount and Paul Molitor) are in the Hall of Fame. Greg Maddux is widely considered to be the greatest fielding pitcher of all-time. Yaz won the Triple Crown and AL MVP in 1967. Cruz is undoubtedly the best left-fielder in Astros history, and is one of the greatest Astros of All-Time. In 1966, the National League All-Star team fielded a lineup with arguably the greatest outfield ever to appear in a baseball game: Willie Mays, Roberto Clemente, and Hank Aaron. The talented footballer was voted UEFA Men's Player of the Year. The Ultimate Compendium for the Baseball Fan, Including All-Time Teams for Your Favorite Franchise From Yankees to Dodgers and More. Brooks was a two time World Series Champion and was named World Series MVP in 1970. Some had stronger arms. He could have won two more Gold Gloves if they had been awarded, in which case he would rank second in American League history. ALL-TIME #MLBRANK, Top 100: 100-91 | 90-81 | 80-71 | 70-61 | 60-51 | 50-41 | 40-31 | 30-21 | 20-11 | 10-1, Insider analysis: 100-81 | 80-61 | 60-41 | 40-21 | 20-1, Top 10s: LHP | RHP | C | SS | 3B | 2B | 1B | LF | CF | RF, My Top 10: Kurkjian | Stark | Olney | Crasnick | Schoenfield, Stark: The perception of greatness in the Top 100, Szymborski: Who's in the future 100? Teams: Cleveland Indians (1972-78), Texas Rangers (1979-85, 1989), Cincinnati Reds (1985-88), Houston Astros (1988). D-backs top 5 >, Key fact: Is the Dodgers franchise leader in hits, doubles, triples and total bases, Wheat was a rookie more than 110 years ago, and hes still the Dodgers franchise leader in career hits (2,804), doubles (464), triples (171) and total bases (4,003). Ben Zobrist also spent time at shortstop and right field in his career. All you need to know about his defensive prowess can be seen on one epic play in the 1954 World Series opener. But Bonds is among the greatest players of all time, with 762 home runs, a career OPS of 1.051. Right field really does have it all. 10-time AL All-Star (1980, '82-88, '90-91), AL Gold Glove ('81), three AL Silver Sluggers ('81, '85, '90), AL MVP ('90), Hall of Fame (2009), Championships No argument here. And Williams never posted a .609 OBP. Before developing into the most prolific home run hitter of all time, Barry Bonds was an outfielder with amazing range. His defensive contribution to his teams were so significant that he was inducted to the Hall of Fame in 2001 and had his #9 retired by the Pirates despite underwhelming stats at the plate. A career .300 hitter with over 2,700 hits, he matches his prowess at the plate with solid defensive play in the middle infield. Left field has been the position of some of baseball's greatest players, including Ted Williams, Stan Musial, Carl Yastrzemski, and Frank Robinson, and was one of the primary positions on a . As even the Cubbies discovered, you can win a World Series with a guy like this. Greg Maddux is widely considered to be the greatest fielding pitcher of all-time. In Pirates history, only Willie Stargell -- whom we ranked as the Bucs best first baseman of all time -- has hit more home runs (475) than Kiners 301, and only six Pirates have driven in more runs than his 801. Elegance personified on the field of play. Thanks to advanced statistics and extensive game logs, these spectacular performances have not gone forgotten. Robinson is 3rd all-time in fielding percentage among third baseman. Which helped him earn the 1979 MVP award at age 39. We feel its important to acknowledge that baseball is harder to play today than it was 25 years ago, and 50 years ago, and so on. He was inducted to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 2011 and had his #12 retired by the Toronto Blue Jays. Others are not included in those categories, but excelled in the defensive aspects of the game to such an extent that their inclusion was necessary. As a left fielder he has a .979 fielding percentage. We'll run you through the top 50 below, with the likes of Javier . The teams are set for action with an 8 p.m. tipoff on SEC Network. He also leads the club in total steals (409), as well as hits (1,480), batting average (.296) and triples (105). 1 among White Sox left fielders and ranks fifth overall behind Hall of Famers Luke Appling, Frank Thomas, Eddie Collins and Nellie Fox. Indians top 5 >. But despite sitting out those two seasons, he still easily ranks first among Braves left fielders in bWAR. "Charlie Hustle" was durable and one of baseball's greatest hitters. 1. -- Caple, In the conversation because he was the NL's answer to Rickey Henderson and arguably the greatest player in Expos history, he was also one of the players robbed of his best opportunities to star in a bigger market by the owners' collusion conspiracy of the '80s. Not only was Mays the best center fielder, he might have been the best all-around player to play the game. The top 100 will roll out next week. Mets top 5 >, Key fact: Was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 2017, Raines accomplishments go far beyond his standing among the franchises left fielders. Ashburn has remained one of the best Phillies center fielders of all time and was elected to the Hall of Fame in 1995. Hernandez also delivered the iconic Seinfeld line I am Keith Hernandez, perhaps making up for him missing out on Cooperstown. The Man of Steal swiped an astonishing 130 bags in 1982, which remains a single-season record in the Modern Era (since 1900), and became MLB's all-time stolen-base king in '91. He deserves to be in the Hall of Defense at the very least. Left field is located down the third baseline when viewing the field from home plate. Photo: Elsa Source: Getty Images Rookie of the Year (1963), 17-time All-Star ('65, '67-71, '73-82, '85), MVP ('73), World Series MVP ('75), two Gold Gloves ('69, '70), Silver Slugger ('81), Championships No, not in home runs, Sluggo, but Total Zone Runs among left fielders. Photo credit (Getty Images) 2. Ken Griffey Jr. 5. Indeed, he turned the double play into an art form, sort of like a Mikhail Baryshnikovski in cleats. Yaz had better range than many center fielders and a stronger arm than some right fielders. The best center fielder since Willie Mays combined great instincts, a quick first step and precise routes to the ball. Braves top 5 >, Marlins: Cliff Floyd (1997-2002)Key fact: Was an All-Star in 2001, when he had 31 home runs with 103 RBIsAfter gaining valuable experience as a reserve on the 1997 World Series championship team, Floyd became a regular in '98 and blossomed into an All-Star in 2001. But with the Rays' best defensive alignment being Arozarena in left, Kevin Kiermaier in center field, and Margot in right field, Meadows figures to see a lot more at-bats as the designated hitter. Two-time MVP (1946, '49), two Triple Crowns ('42, '47), 19-time All-Star ('40-42, '46-51, '53-60*), Hall of Fame ('66). Here's a list of my top ten defensive left fielders, these guy's all had speed, a powerful arm & knew how to read the ball both off the bat & off the wall. -- Caple, "Pops" was a legend long before his last great season in '79, but the high-mound '60s muted his greatness: He slugged .491 in his 20s before they lowered the mound, then .555 afterward in 1969-1979. 297/.355/.536 with 21 home runs, 69 RBIs, 30 walks, .892 OPS, 137 OPS+, three defensive runs saved, zero outs above average and a 3.0 fWAR. Bottom line: His dWar number is skewed by misspent time in center field. The 18 greates Coaches in College Football History. The six-time All-Star led the NL in homers every year from 1946-52, and he hit 35 or more homers every season from 47-53. A. Richards would depart before the Padres 1984 run to the NL pennant. He is considered to be one of the greatest five tool players of all time. Answer (1 of 21): The first player that comes to mind would be Suzuki Ichiro, who could throw seeds all the way to the third-base bag from rightfield. We believe our rankings are the most comprehensive, fair, and accurate. -- Caple, The last .400 hitter, decorated veteran, the pull hitter so great the shift couldn't stop him, Williams' legend as the patron saint of the art of hitting is unchallengeable. Reds top 5 >, Key fact: Had 30 bWAR with D-backs, second most among position players in franchise history, The acquisition of Gonzalez from the Tigers in exchange for outfielder Karim Garcia on Dec. 28, 1998, received little attention at the time, but it would go down as one of the best trades in franchise history. -- Kahrl, Honors He also played the Green Monster at Fenway Pahk like it was his rec room wall.