Choked by the power of the reserve clause, he could only settle for a one-year deal worth $125,000but one year was all he had left to give. Guerrero broke into prominence in the final game of the 1981 World Series when he knocked in five runs at Yankee Stadium to help secure the world title over New York; he finished in a three-way tie for the Series MVP with Cey and Steve Yeager. Garveys .294 career average, 2,599 career hits and flair for performing in the clutch certainly make him one of the very best players not in the Hall of Fame. A $300-million (minimum) gondola to Dodger Stadium? Any Dodger fan has to wonder what might have been with Beltre at third for back-to-back NLCS appearances later in the decade. ", Baseball Reference, Los Angeles Dodgers all-time home run leaders as of October 2022 Statista, https://www.statista.com/statistics/857347/all-time-los-angeles-dodgers-home-run-leaders/ (last visited May 01, 2023), Los Angeles Dodgers all-time home run leaders as of October 2022 [Graph], Baseball Reference, October 26, 2022. He also won the MVP last season too. 48: Ramon Martinez (1988-98)Didnt make the HOF like his younger brother, but he also was an NL Cy Young Award runner-up in 1990. The bigger the spotlight, the better Garvey performed. Two years in particular stand out for Vance. And vote you did. The Hall of Fame-bound southpaw has solidified himself as baseball's most dominant pitcher of the 2010s. Scully joined the Dodgers in 1950, working alongside Radio Hall of Famer and baseball legend Red Barber. He leads the team in wins (233), games as a pitcher (550), innings pitched (3,816.1), strikeouts (2,696), shutouts (52) and losses (181). He was as awful with the glove as he was sensational with the bat, and his offensive numbers werent enough to offset his defensive play (even at first base, one of the less demanding positions on the field) and keep from hearing constant booing from his own fans at Ebbets Field. No. After his departure from the Dodgers, Valenzuela bounced around and enjoyed a poetic homecoming when, while pitching for the San Diego Padres in 1996, he was the winning pitcher in the first regular season game played in Mexico at Monterrey. The vote is close with recency bias seeming to have the upper hand in the online vote. Currently here at TrueBlue LA, we're doing a 64-player bracket of your "Favorite Dodgers " of all-time. No. For the next decade, Campanella would reign as the NLs premier catcher, earning eight All-Star Game assignments and, in a space of five years, three NL MVP awards. In order to add to the active roster, the Dodgers optioned LHP Justin Bruihl and IF Luke Williams and placed DH J.D. No. With those factors in mind, here are my 25 best hitters of all time. LOS ANGELES -- Heres another rundown sure to get this writer in trouble. Often compared to Tim Lincecum for his underwhelming faade, his leaning delivery and even his uniform number (55), Hershiser commanded the Dodgers rotation throughout the mid-1980s and peaked with a near out-of-body season performance in 1988. Snider is . If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, crisis counseling and referral services can be accessed by calling 1-800-GAMBLER (1-800-426-2537) (CO/IL/IN/LA/MD/MI/NJ/OH/PA/TN/WV/WY), 1-800-NEXT STEP (AZ), 1-800-522-4700 (KS/NH), 888-789-7777/visit ccpg.org (CT), 1-800-BETS OFF (IA), visit OPGR.org (OR), or 1-888-532-3500(VA). 71: Josh Ravin (2015-17)Hard thrower, but too many injuries. Newcombes ERA never dipped below 3.00 in part because he played in an intimate, live ballpark (Ebbets Field), but those conditions also enhanced his reputation as one of the games best hitting pitchers; he had a lifetime .271 batting average and hit 15 home runs, seven alone in the Dodgers championship season of 1955 when he also sported an outstanding .359 batting average. The seven-time All-Star swatted 389 homers, smacked 814 extra-base hits and drove in 1,271 runs, all of which remain franchise records. He did not have a stadium ready for the Dodgers, so he rented the Coliseum for $200,000 a year for 1958 and 1959, plus 10% of the ticket revenue. No. (Frank Robinson would get that call, over two years later.). No. It's been a while since the Dodgers have. 36: Don Newcombe (1949-51, '54-58)The rotation ace on the Boys of Summer, even with a Korean War stint. 51: Jonathan Broxton (2005-11)The two-time All-Star closer saved 84 games for the Dodgers. Dozens of All-Stars and Hall of Famers have donned the Los Angeles Dodgers uniform throughout the franchise's long, illustrious history. For the next 100 days, I am going to have a quick post about the player ranked. Only once did Sutton win 20 games, and he never was a league leader in victories; he never won a Cy Young Award, though he finished in the top five of the vote over five straight years; he never led in strikeouts, though hes seventh on the all-time list with 3,574; and never did he win a World Series, coming closest when he was released midway through the 1988 season by a Dodgers team that would go on to upset Oakland. No. Since 2011, he's finished lower than third in Cy Young voting only onceand won the honor three times. He was 0-4 with an 8.59 ERA in five World Series starts; he also lost the memorable 1950 regular season finale that gave Philadelphias Whiz Kid Phillies the pennant, and set up the New York Giants rally in the decisive game of the 1951 NL playoff, being removed for Ralph Brancawho would only face one batter: Bobby Thomson, who launched the Shot Heard Round the World and won the pennant for the Giants. His .342 batting average paced the National League during his MVP season. Taking full advantage of the wetted welfare, Grimes won 20 games four times over a five-year period for Brooklyn, on his way to becoming the winningest pitcher of the decade with 190 under his belt. Vote up the best Los Angeles Dodgers of 2023 and be sure to check out The Best Los Angeles Dodgers of All Time and Celebrity Dodger Fans to get fully up to date on The Boys in Blue. The last time we saw Muncy play, he was awarded with the reigning National League . Los Angeles Dodgers all-time home run leaders as of October 2022 [Graph]. In terms of impact on baseball as a sport, Jackie Robinson is the runaway winner for the No. 81: Victor Gonzlez (2020-present)A big part of the 2020 World Series title run, he was hampered by injuries in 2021. Robinson won Rookie of the Year honors in 1947, claimed the MVP in 1949 and made six consecutive All-Star teams from 1949 to 1954. Los Angeles Dodgers Team History A decade-by-decade history of the Dodgers, the ballparks theyve played in, and the four people who are on the franchises Mount Rushmore. 35: Cody Bellinger (2017-present)It would take a Rookie of the Year and MVP to edge Bob Welch for this one. Gambling Problem? You only have access to basic statistics. 14: Gil Hodges (1947-61)Finally elected to the Hall of Fame, he gets the nod over Mike Scioscia. That is undeniably true. No. No. The Hall of Fame enshrined Campanella in 1969. So many, that we have decided to expand the list from the top 10 to the top 20. No. Heres how this is going to go down. Along with fellow Dodgers star pitcher Don Drysdale, Koufax held out before the 1966 season, angering management by bringing in an agent and demanding a guaranteed three-year contract totaling $500,000. Why isn't Gil Hodges in the Hall of Fame? No. "Duke was a fine man, a terrific hitter and a great friend, even though he was a Dodger,", Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information. He racked up 6 All-Star appearances and of course, won a World Series ring in . 59: Ismael Valdez (1994-00)He never fulfilled unrealistic expectations, but he was a serviceable starter with 61 wins in six-plus seasons. 1 spot. You make the call. J.D. Kershaw is the best pitcher in baseball (even factoring in his slow start this season), having won the Cy Young Award in 2011, 2013 and 2014, and finishing second in 2012. Each weekday here, we will unveil the top 20, one at a time, until we reach No. 87: Jos De Len (2016)Traded for Logan Forsythe. Nicknamed Old Stubblebeard, Grimes excelled at brushing back hitters and wasnt afraid to nail them; he saved his most savage pitches for hitting star Frankie Frisch, for whom he had a particular dislike after Frisch purposely rubbed him the wrong way during a game early in his career. Branch Rickey with Jackie Robinson in 1950. After the Dodgers moved to Los Angeles, the California-native was the club's biggest star. With his four no-hitters, including an epic perfect game in 1965, he put Los Angeles on the major league. Please do not hesitate to contact me. The right-handed pitcher led the National League in strikeouts for seven straight seasons, including the 1924 campaign whenhe earned the Triple Crown. 24. Please explain how you left out Steve Garvey. 50: Mookie Betts (2020-present)For obvious reasons, with apologies to 1988 closer Jay Howell. In his 8 full seasons as an everyday player, he was selected to 4 All-Star games, finished in the top 3 in MVP voting 3 times, and was named 1981 World Series Co-MVP thanks to an epic Game 6 against the Yankees. Lasorda, all the while talking about "bleeding Dodger blue" and "the big Dodger in the sky," compiled a 1,599-1,439 record as Dodgers manager, won two World Series titles (1981, 1988), four National League pennants (1977, 1978, 1981, 1988) and eight division titles (1977, 1978, 1981, 1983, 1985, 1988, 1994 and 1995). Required fields are marked *. The Dodgers 10 Most Memorable Games A list of 10 memorable games and other notable personal achievements that have defined the Dodgers history. All of this despite chronic hand injuries that led to a funky period in which he followed up each of his MVP campaigns with decidedly disappointing numbers at the plate. No disrespect to Turner, but The Penguin is the king of the hot corner. No. Newcombes run hit its apex in 1956 when Newcombe won both the NL MVP and Cy Young Award with a 27-7 record and 3.06 ERA; he thus became the first major leaguer ever to earn an MVP, Cy Young and Rookie of the Year award. Dodgers starting pitcher Clayton Kershaw delivers against the New York Mets on April 18. ), At Willie Nelson 90, country, rock and rap stars pay tribute, but Willie and Trigger steal the show, Plaschke: Lakers live up to their legacy with a close-out win for the ages, Sherman Oaks Notre Dame receives No. From the age of 15, Campanella logged a decade of experience in the Negro Leagues when he was brought into the Dodgers fold a year after Robinson signed on; he starred at Triple-A Montreal and St. Paul before being summoned to Brooklyn midway through the 1948 seasonand instantly showed his potential by going 9-for-15 with a double, triple and two home runs in his first four starts. 88: John Axford (2018)Not the best Trade Deadline pickup. Starting in 1961, Koufax began to transform. Eligibility restrictions apply. The southpaw achieved the feat in 1963, 1965 and 1966, three of the final four seasons in his career. Defensively challenged, Guerrero struggled in both the outfield and (especially) at third base before settling in at first once Garvey left for San Diego. He led the National League in ERA five straight years to end his career, pitched four no-hitters and one perfect game. Your email address will not be published. 22: Clayton Kershaw (2008-present)Hes done it all. (After his trade to San Diego, Garvey recorded an unprecedented 1.000 fielding rate at first in 1984.) Trending Topics: Teams The Lists Top Players By Franchise by Position Best Players From Each State All-Time Rosters. In 1962, Koufax won his first of five straight ERA titles and again struck out 18 in one game, but missed almost a third of the season due to injury. Beltre earned multiple Gold Gloves (5) and Silver Sluggers (4) once he left for Los Angeles. Don Drysdale pitches against the Pittsburgh Pirates in 1965. Some of our partners may process your data as a part of their legitimate business interest without asking for consent. Damn right Mr. James, damn right. It was a first; no player on any team would wear number 42 again. In 1949, Robinson enjoyed his best year statistically when he collected 203 hits, 38 doubles, 12 triples, 16 homers, 124 RBIs, 37 steals and won the NL batting crown with a .342 average. LOS ANGELES The Dodgers have made a new acquisition momentum. boy that must have hurt ! Walt Alston, center, with Dodgers announcers Vin Scully, left, and Connie Desmond in the mid-1950s. 10: Ron Cey (1971-82)Reliable, tough, consistent, productive, clutch, durable.