No. 5: Mike Piazza, C

Tenure: 1992-98

Stats: 177 HR, 563 RBI, .331 average

Achievements: 1993 NL Rookie of the Year, 6-time All Star

Longevity is important to this list, but not the only criteria. And since Piazza was far and away the biggest star and best player of the 1990s Dodgers, he is a no-brainer for this list.

But because he may well be the greatest hitting catcher of all time, he soared up this list.

It may have only been for five years, but what Piazza did from 1993-97 was truly historic: 33 homers, 105 RBI, .336 average per season.

Maybe he was a bigger, more dominant star in Queens for the Mets. Maybe not. But the Dodgers had him first.

 No. 4: Roy Campanella, C

Tenure: 1948-57

Stats: 242 HR, 856 RBI, .276 average

Achievements: Three-time NL MVP, Eight-time All Star

Not only was Campy one of the best hitters in the National League during the 1950s, he handled a somewhat unheralded staff that managed to win five pennants from 1949-56.

Obviously because of his automobile accident in the winter of 1958, the career stats don’t compare with Johnny Bench, Yogi Berra or Mike Piazza.

Nevertheless, he remains one of the most productive offensive catchers of all time and one of the most beloved “Boys of Summer.”

 No. 3: Duke Snider, CF

Tenure: 1947-62

Stats: 1,923 games, 389 HR, 1,271 RBI

Achievements: Seven-time All Star

“The Duke of Flatbush” routinely lost out on the MVP to teammate Roy Campanella, but Snider was the greatest power hitter the Dodgers ever had.

His career totals for homers and RBI still stands as the club record, as does his mark of five straight seasons with 40-or-more home runs.

And even though his teammates, Gil Hodges, Carl Furillo and Pee Wee Reese, were great clutch hitters, there was no one Dodger fans would rather see at the plate with the game on the line than Snider.

Twice he hit four home runs in a single World Series—11 in all, the most in the history of the National League—and has more World Series RBIs than any player who didn’t wear the pinstripes.

 No. 2: Jackie Robinson, 1B/2B/3B/OF

Tenure: 1947-56

Stats: 1,382 games, 137 HR, 734 RBI, 197 stolen bases

Achievements: 1947 Rookie of the Year, 1949 NL MVP, Six-time All Star

Here’s where the controversy should really hit full swing.

Of course Robinson is one of the most important players in sports—not just baseball—history.

For a five-year stretch was arguably the game’s most complete player, averaging over .320, 80 RBI, 100 runs and 60 extra base hits a year from 1949-53, stealing bases and playing great defense.

And in the postseason, he was just as valuable: only a select few New York Yankees ever scored more career runs in the World Series.

But for now (read the next slide for more reasons) let’s just say he was the greatest Brooklyn Dodger of all time.

No. 1: Sandy Koufax, SP

Tenure: 1955-66

Stats: 167-87 W-L record, 2.67 ERA, 2,396 strikeouts

Achievements: 1963 NL MVP, Three-time Cy Young winner, Six-time All Star

Jackie Robinson remains one of the all time legends in baseball history and he was one of the best players in the game from 1949-53. But there are dozens of position players who have more impressive on-the-field resumes than Robinson, even during a five-year stretch.

While there is an endless debate about who “the greatest” pitcher of all-time was, Sandy Koufax has to be in the conversation.

From 1962-66 he threw four no-hitters—including a perfect game—won five consecutive ERA titles, three Cy Young awards and averaged 22 wins and nearly 300 strikeouts per season.

As great as he was in the regular season, Koufax was better in the World Series.

He made seven starts (56 innings) in the Fall Classic and allowed just six earned runs while striking out 61 batters.

Since Koufax was the key component on two World Series winning teams, one more than Robinson—who, for the most part batted in a lineup with Hall of Famers Duke Snider, Roy Campanella, Pee Wee Reese and (should be) Hall of Famer Gil Hodges—Koufax narrowly rises to the top of this list.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Duke Snider: Dodger Family Loses A Legend

Duke Snider, the Dodgers legendary center fielder passed away yesterday at the age of 84.

The Duke might very well be the greatest Dodger of all time. Why? Because his popularity spanned across both sides of the continent. After the Dodgers moved to Los Angeles, the California-native was the club’s biggest star.

But the Dodgers—both in Brooklyn and Los Angeles—have produced literally dozens of All-Stars and Hall of Famers.

We’ve selected the 25 greatest Dodgers of all time and ranked them.

Now, "greatest” is certainly a subjective term and this list is going to spark heated debate. Just to help explain the rankings, we gave slightly more priority to a player’s legacy and popularity than their overall stats.

And to avoid overloading this list with administrators like Branch Rickey and managers like Tommy Lasorda or Walt Alston, we kept this players only. Otherwise this list would blow up!

Honorable Mention: Pete Reiser, CF

Tenure: 1940-42, 1946-48

Stats: .306 average, 44 HR, 298 RBI

Achievements: Three-time All Star, 1941 batting champ

Reiser—who was acquired by the legendary Branch Rickey for next to nothing—had a relatively short stay with the club. Although he did stay with the club for years as a coach and manager and finally won a World Series in 1963 as a member of Walt Alston’s staff.

He was renowned for hard-nosed, scrappy play, stealing bases (twice leading the NL) and crashing into outfield (unpadded) walls.

Honorable Mention: Tommy Davis, LF

Tenure: 1959-66

Stats: 86 HR, 465 RBI, .304 average

Achievements: Two-time batting champion, Two-time All Star

Certainly Sandy Koufax and Don Drysdale were the driving force of the Dodgers pair of titles during the 1960s, but they had to get offense from somewhere.

Frank Howard and Willie Davis were great contributors, but Tommy Davis had provided the best combination of power and average.

He won his first of two consecutive batting crowns in 1962, while setting the franchise record for RBI that still stands.

At a time when pitching dominated the game, that's a remarkable feat.

Honorable Mention: Kirk Gibson, LF

Tenure: 1988-90

Stats: 42 HR, 142 RBI

Achievements: 1988 NL MVP

Since he produced one of the greatest moments in club history, it’s hard to fathom that Gibson spent only three seasons with the Dodgers.

So it’s hard to put him above players who spent a decade-plus with the Dodgers. Since he was a league MVP on the last Dodger team to win the World Series and hit the homer off Dennis Eckersley, he deserves a shout-out here.

Honorable Mention: Pedro Guerrero, OF/3B

Tenure: 1978-88

Stats: .309 average, 171 HR, 585 RBI

Achievements: Five-time All Star, 1981 World Series Co-MVP

Guerrero really only had a few great seasons in LA. But for a few years in the early 1980s, he was one of the better players in the NL.

He hit 30 homers (back when that meant something) three times in a four year stretch and was an MVP candidate each of those seasons as the Dodgers won a pair of NL West titles.

Still, his greatest achievement came before he became a regular starter. In the 1981 World Series, Guerrero had seven hits (four extra base) and homered in Game Five and the clinching Game Six victory over the Yankees, earning a share of the MVP.

No. 25: Van Lingle Mungo, SP

Tenure: 1931-41

Stats: 102-99 W-L record, 3.41 ERA

Achievements: Four-time All Star

Part of the rough-and-tumble generation of ball players, Mungo was as well known for his brawling and his name in a 1969 ballad by David Frishberg.

For a brief stretch in the mid-1930s, he was also one of the best pitchers in the National League.

From 1932-36 he won 81 games, threw 13 shutouts and won an NL strikeout title.

Long after he retired, Dodger fans loved him, even if he spent his last three MLB seasons with the Giants.

No. 24: Hideo Nomo, SP

Simon Barnett/Getty Images

Tenure: 1995-98, 2002-04

Stats: 81-66 W-L record, 3.74 ERA, 1,200 strikeouts

Achievements: 1995 NL Rookie of the Year, No-hitter

Maybe it was just fondness for the days of Fernando-Mania, but in 1995, there wasn’t a more popular figure in Southern California than Nomo. (The unique windup that thousands of little leaguers soon emulated helped.)

Despite not making his debut until May, he led the NL in shutouts (three) and strikeouts (236) and became the ace on a Dodger team that won their first NL West title in seven seasons.

Nomo followed that great season up with two more before bottoming out and being dealt to the Mets in 1998. When he returned to the club a few years later and won 16 games in consecutive seasons, it solidified him as one of the most memorable Dodger careers of the last quarter century.

No. 23: Junior Gilliam, 2B/3B

Tenure: 1953-66

Stats: 1,956 games, 1,889 hits, 203 stolen bases

Achievements: 1953 Rookie of the Year, Three World Series Titles, Seven World Series appearances

The Dodgers are famous for producing Rookie of the Year winners and maybe the greatest single season rookie performance they ever had came from Gilliam in 1953.

He led the NL in triples, hit two home runs in their seven-game series loss to the Yankees and his glove let 34-year old Jackie Robinson move primarily to the outfield.

He would be a fine leadoff hitter, consistent threat on the bases and good defender, for more than a decade as the Dodgers experienced their greatest prolonged stretch of success in team history.

No. 22: Ron Cey, 3B

Tenure: 1971-82

Stats: 228 HR, 842 RBI

Achievements: Six-time All Star, 1981 World Series Co-MVP

“The Penguin” had a great career in LA. Cey averaged better than 25 homer and 85 RBI from 1974 to 1980, went to six consecutive All-Star Games and had seven hits and six RBI in the 1981 World Series win over the Yankees.

He’ll never become a Hall of Famer, but as the clean-up hitter on a team that played in three World Series, he is worth of a spot on this list.

No. 21: Eric Gagne, CL

Stephen Dunn/Getty Images

Tenure: 1999-2006

Stats: 3.27 ERA, 161 saves

Achievements: Three-time All Star, 2003 Cy Young

In terms of longevity, Gagne can’t compare to someone like Jim Gilliam or Pedro Guerrero—Gagne only had three seasons of solid play.

But those three seasons just happened to be arguably the finest run any closer ever had: He saved 152 games, including streak of 84 straight, a major league record.

Tommy John surgery ended his run in 2005 and he was never the same again. But for those three seasons LA had the best closer in baseball and a reason for fans not to leave Dodger Stadium early in order to beat the traffic.

No. 20: Carl Furillo, RF

Tenure: 1946-60

Stats: 192 HR, 1,058 RBI, .299 average

Achievements: Two-time All Star, 1953 batting champion

Before the advent of Roberto Clemente, the greatest arm from the outfield may have belonged to Carl Furillo. “The Reading Rifle” was more than just a great defensive star for the Dodger dynasty of the 1950s.

He was good for roughly 100 RBIs a year and 100 runs as well, but made his greatest contributions in October. When the Dodgers won the World Series in 1955, he collected eight hits, including three off of Whitey Ford in Game One.

No. 19: Babe Herman, RF

Tenure: 1926-31

Stats: 112 HR, 594 RBI, .339

Achievements: Dodgers single-season batting average record holder

Herman didn’t have a very long stay with the Dodgers, but he certainly made his mark.

Despite building a reputation as one of the game’s worst fielders (he was more interested in hitting and keeping lit cigars in his pocket) Herman became one of the NL’s greatest left-handed hitters.

In 1930 he had arguably the greatest single season in Dodgers history, hitting a club-record .393 while posting 241 hits, 143 runs, 35 homers and 130 RBI (remarkably, he didn’t lead the NL in any of those categories).

After another great season in 1931, the Dodgers shipped him to the Reds along with future Hall of Fame catcher Ernie Lombardi. Not surprisingly, Brooklyn soon became a second-division club.

No. 18: Johnny Podres, SP

Tenure: 1953-66

Stats: 136-104 W-L record, 3.66 ERA, 23 shutouts

Achievements: Three-time All Star, 1955 World Series MVP

In the hearts of Brooklyn fans, Podres will always occupy a special place.

He tossed a complete game to beat the Yankees in Game Three of the 1955 World Series, then on three days rest fired a complete game shutout in Yankee Stadium to give the Dodgers their first-ever World Series championship.

In Brooklyn, the Dodgers would never win another title, but after just two seasons in LA, they won another title, thanks in part to Podres, who won Game Two against the White Sox in 1959.

He averaged 15-wins a season during the Dodgers' first six years in Los Angeles and just before his career fell apart at age 30, Podres won Game Two (one ER in 8 1/3 innings) of the 1963 World Series, a four-game sweep of the World Champion Yankees.

No. 17: Eric Karros, 1B

Todd Warshaw/Getty Images

Tenure: 1991-2002

Stats: 1,601 games, 270 HR, 976 RBI

Achievements: 1992 NL Rookie of the Year

Surprisingly, Karros was never elected to an All-Star team and never led the NL in any significant offensive category.

But throughout the 1990s he was a the club's best offensive player behind Mike Piazza, topping 30 homers and 100 RBI five times.

When his career as a Dodger came to an end in 2002, he recorded the third most home runs in club history, more than even Piazza, Roy Campanella and Steve Garvey.

No. 16: Don Sutton, SP

Tenure: 1966-80, 1988

Stats: 233-181 W-L record, 3.09 ERA, 2,696 strikeouts

Achievements: Four-time All Star

The debate over Sutton’s greatness vs. “the product of longevity” is an argument for another list.

For a decade and a half Sutton was one of the most consistent pitchers in baseball, winning 15 or more games nine times and posting at least two shutouts every year from 1966 to 1978.

His dominance on the mound helped Los Angeles win four pennants (he went 5-0 in his first seven postseason starts) and still holds the club record for career wins, starts, shutouts and strikeouts.

No. 15: Zack Wheat, CF

Tenure: 1909-26

Stats: 131 HR, 1,210 RBI, .317 average

Achievements: 1918 NL batting champion

Long before the Dodgers became a dynasty, first in Brooklyn, then later in Los Angeles, the Dodgers were mired in mediocrity. They did have a future Hall of Famer who led them to a pair of pennants in 1916 and 1920.

Leftfielder Zack Wheat—who collected 13 hits in those two World Series—hit better than .300 twelve times during his career in Brooklyn and in 1959 became the first Dodger (position player) enshrined in the Hall of Fame.

No. 14: Fernando Valenzuela, SP

Tenure: 1980-90

Stats: 141-116 W-L record, 3.31 ERA, 1,759 strikeouts

Achievements: 1981 Cy Young, 1981 Rookie of the Year, Six-time All Star

Few pitchers have infused as much energy and excitement into their starts as Valenzuela did.

At age 20, he had one of the greatest rookie years in baseball history (13-7, 2.48 ERA, eight shutouts, 180 strikeouts) during the strike-shortened 1981 season and then won three starts as the Dodgers won the World Series.

Fernando-mania immediately took off, as he won 84 starts from 1982-86, including an NL-best 21 in 1986.

By the later part of the decade injuries slowed him down and Valenzuela was released after the 1990 season. For the first few seasons of his career, there was no more popular player in baseball….and no more effective lefthander in the game.

No. 13: Dazzy Vance, SP

Tenure: 1922-32

Stats: 190-131 W-L record, 3.17 ERA, 1,918

Achievements: Three-time NL ERA champion, Six-time NL strikeout champion

Valenzuela and Vance shared more than just the same last-name initial. Both were extremely dominant pitchers for a relatively brief period.

But since Vance collected a few more accolades and may have won as many as three Cy Youngs if the award was given in his day, he edges out Valenzuela on this list.

At a time when strikeouts weren’t nearly as common as they were in the early 1980s, Vance averaged nearly 200 a season from 1923-28 and still owns the franchise record for wins in a season: 28 in 1924.

Since he didn’t win his first big league game until age 31, he had a remarkable career.

No. 12: Maury Wills, SS

Tenure: 1959-66, 1969-72

Stats: 1,732 hits, 586 stolen bases, .281 average

Achievements: 1962 NL MVP, Five-time All Star

After largely disappearing from the game for over three decades, Wills revived the art of the stolen base in the early 1960s.

Before Lou Brock broke it a decade later, Wills snapped 1915 Ty Cobb’s record by swiping an incredible 104 bases in 1962.

That, coupled with his .299 average and NL-best 10 triples, earned Wills the NL MVP.

Three years later, he recorded 11 hits and three stolen bases in the Dodgers seven-game World Series victory over the Twins to help LA win a third title in less than a decade in Los Angeles.

No. 11: Pee Wee Reese, SS

Tenure: 1940-42, 1946-58

Stats: 2,166 games, 2,170 hits, 1,338 runs, 885 RBI

Achievements: 10-time All Star

The only Dodger to play on every one of the Dodger dynasty teams from 1941-56, Reese did it all for the Dodgers. He was a great leader, stole bases, occasionally hit for power and was the starter at shortstop for over a decade.

His play in the 1952 World Series (nine hits in the first five games) gave Brooklyn a 3-2 lead over the Yankees and nearly got the club over the hump.

Three years later, in the Dodgers seven-game triumph over the mighty Yankees, Reese collected eight more hits. By the time his career was over, he would total 46 World Series hits, second most in National League history.

No. 10: Don Newcombe, SP

Tenure: 1949-51, 1954-58

Stats: 123-66 W-L record, 3.51 ERA, 913 strikeouts

Achievements: 1956 NL MVP, 1956 Cy Young, 1949 Rookie of the Year

As good as Dazzy Vance and Van Lingle Mungo were, Don Newcomb meant much more to the Brooklyn Dodgers franchise.

By the middle of his rookie season, he became the club’s ace, a position he only relinquished for two seasons when he served in the military during the Korean War. He was a three-time 20-game winner and was the recipient of the first-ever Cy Young award, thanks to an incredible 1956.

“Newk” won a league-best 27 games, tossed five shutouts, and was named the NL MVP.

He was never able to repeat that dominance in the postseason (0-4 in five starts with an 8.59 ERA), but without him, the Dodgers wouldn’t have won three pennants.

No. 9: Orel Hershiser, SP

Tenure: 1983-94

Stats: 135-107 W-L record, 3.12 ERA, 1,456 strikeouts

Achievements: 1988 NL Cy Young, 1988 NLCS MVP, 1988 World Series MVP, Three-time All Star

Sure, Hershiser only won 20 games once in his career. He only made three All-Star Game appearances and he even led the NL in LOSSES twice during his stay in Los Angeles.

But from 1985-88 Hershiser was almost unhittable.

Three years after his 19-3 record and 2.03 ERA helped the Dodgers earn the NL West title, Hershiser had one of the most remarkable seasons in modern history.

In addition to his NL best 23 wins, 15 complete games and eight shutouts, he rewrote the record books with a 59-consecutive inning scoreless streak.

In that year’s postseason, Hershiser allowed just five earned runs in five starts while LA won a second World Series in eight years.

No. 8: Don Drysdale, SP

Tenure: 1956-69

Stats: 209-166 W-L record, 2.95 ERA, 2,486 strikeouts

Achievements: 1962 Cy Young, Eight-time All Star

Physically imposing (6’5”) and never afraid to throw at batters, Drysdale may have played second-fiddle to his famous left-handed counterpart, but he became an ace long before Koufax and remained on after Koufax retired.

He was the game’s greatest workhorse throughout the 1960s, averaging nearly 240 strikeouts, 40 starts and just under 300 innings per season from 1959-68. He also hit 29 home runs and drove in 113 for the team.

In his first four World Series starts, Drysdale went 3-0 with two complete game victories.

No. 7: Gil Hodges, 1B

Tenure: 1943, 1947-61

Stats: 2,006 games, 361 HR, 1,254 RBI

Achievements: Eight-time All Star

Although Hodges would later become a hero to baseball fans in Queens by managing the Miracle Mets to the World Series title in 1969, he was already a legend in Brooklyn.

The Gold Glove first basement averaged better than 30 home runs and 100 RBI a season from 1949-57.

On top of homering in five different World Series, he drove in both runs in the Dodgers 2-0 Game Seven victory over the Yankees in the 1955 World Series.

No. 6: Steve Garvey, 1B

Tenure: 1969-82

Stats: 1,727 games, 211 HR, 992 RBI, .301 average

Achievements: 1974 NL MVP, 4-time Gold Glove, 8-time All Star

Steve Garvey did a pretty good job taking the place as the Dodgers star first baseman.

He didn’t have quite the same power numbers as Hodges, but from 1974 to 1980 he collected 200 or more hits all but once, and still holds the NL record for consecutive games played with 1,207.

And like Hodges, Garvey was a remarkable clutch performer.

He blasted eight home runs and drove in 21 runs in just 22 career NLCS games, and collected 10 hits in the Dodgers 1981 World Series win over the Yankees.

No. 5: Mike Piazza, C

Todd Warshaw/Getty Images

Tenure: 1992-98

Stats: 177 HR, 563 RBI, .331 average

Achievements: 1993 NL Rookie of the Year, 6-time All Star

Longevity is important to this list, but not the only criteria. And since Piazza was far and away the biggest star and best player of the 1990s Dodgers, he is a no-brainer for this list.

But because he may well be the greatest hitting catcher of all time, he soared up this list.

It may have only been for five years, but what Piazza did from 1993-97 was truly historic: 33 homers, 105 RBI, .336 average per season.

Maybe he was a bigger, more dominant star in Queens for the Mets. Maybe not. But the Dodgers had him first.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Duke Snider: Dodger Family Loses A Legend

Duke Snider, the Dodgers legendary center fielder passed away yesterday at the age of 84.

The Duke might very well be the greatest Dodger of all time. Why? Because his popularity spanned across both sides of the continent. After the Dodgers moved to Los Angeles, the California-native was the club’s biggest star.

But the Dodgers—both in Brooklyn and Los Angeles—have produced literally dozens of All-Stars and Hall of Famers.

We’ve selected the 25 greatest Dodgers of all time and ranked them.

Now, "greatest” is certainly a subjective term and this list is going to spark heated debate. Just to help explain the rankings, we gave slightly more priority to a player’s legacy and popularity than their overall stats.

And to avoid overloading this list with administrators like Branch Rickey and managers like Tommy Lasorda or Walt Alston, we kept this players only. Otherwise this list would blow up!

Honorable Mention: Pete Reiser, CF

Tenure: 1940-42, 1946-48

Stats: .306 average, 44 HR, 298 RBI

Achievements: Three-time All Star, 1941 batting champ

Reiser—who was acquired by the legendary Branch Rickey for next to nothing—had a relatively short stay with the club. Although he did stay with the club for years as a coach and manager and finally won a World Series in 1963 as a member of Walt Alston’s staff.

He was renowned for hard-nosed, scrappy play, stealing bases (twice leading the NL) and crashing into outfield (unpadded) walls.

Honorable Mention: Tommy Davis, LF

Tenure: 1959-66

Stats: 86 HR, 465 RBI, .304 average

Achievements: Two-time batting champion, Two-time All Star

Certainly Sandy Koufax and Don Drysdale were the driving force of the Dodgers pair of titles during the 1960s, but they had to get offense from somewhere.

Frank Howard and Willie Davis were great contributors, but Tommy Davis had provided the best combination of power and average.

He won his first of two consecutive batting crowns in 1962, while setting the franchise record for RBI that still stands.

At a time when pitching dominated the game, that's a remarkable feat.

Honorable Mention: Kirk Gibson, LF

Tenure: 1988-90

Stats: 42 HR, 142 RBI

Achievements: 1988 NL MVP

Since he produced one of the greatest moments in club history, it’s hard to fathom that Gibson spent only three seasons with the Dodgers.

So it’s hard to put him above players who spent a decade-plus with the Dodgers. Since he was a league MVP on the last Dodger team to win the World Series and hit the homer off Dennis Eckersley, he deserves a shout-out here.

Honorable Mention: Pedro Guerrero, OF/3B

Tenure: 1978-88

Stats: .309 average, 171 HR, 585 RBI

Achievements: Five-time All Star, 1981 World Series Co-MVP

Guerrero really only had a few great seasons in LA. But for a few years in the early 1980s, he was one of the better players in the NL.

He hit 30 homers (back when that meant something) three times in a four year stretch and was an MVP candidate each of those seasons as the Dodgers won a pair of NL West titles.

Still, his greatest achievement came before he became a regular starter. In the 1981 World Series, Guerrero had seven hits (four extra base) and homered in Game Five and the clinching Game Six victory over the Yankees, earning a share of the MVP.

No. 25: Van Lingle Mungo, SP

Tenure: 1931-41

Stats: 102-99 W-L record, 3.41 ERA

Achievements: Four-time All Star

Part of the rough-and-tumble generation of ball players, Mungo was as well known for his brawling and his name in a 1969 ballad by David Frishberg.

For a brief stretch in the mid-1930s, he was also one of the best pitchers in the National League.

From 1932-36 he won 81 games, threw 13 shutouts and won an NL strikeout title.

Long after he retired, Dodger fans loved him, even if he spent his last three MLB seasons with the Giants.

No. 24: Hideo Nomo, SP

Simon Barnett/Getty Images

Tenure: 1995-98, 2002-04

Stats: 81-66 W-L record, 3.74 ERA, 1,200 strikeouts

Achievements: 1995 NL Rookie of the Year, No-hitter

Maybe it was just fondness for the days of Fernando-Mania, but in 1995, there wasn’t a more popular figure in Southern California than Nomo. (The unique windup that thousands of little leaguers soon emulated helped.)

Despite not making his debut until May, he led the NL in shutouts (three) and strikeouts (236) and became the ace on a Dodger team that won their first NL West title in seven seasons.

Nomo followed that great season up with two more before bottoming out and being dealt to the Mets in 1998. When he returned to the club a few years later and won 16 games in consecutive seasons, it solidified him as one of the most memorable Dodger careers of the last quarter century.

No. 23: Junior Gilliam, 2B/3B

Tenure: 1953-66

Stats: 1,956 games, 1,889 hits, 203 stolen bases

Achievements: 1953 Rookie of the Year, Three World Series Titles, Seven World Series appearances

The Dodgers are famous for producing Rookie of the Year winners and maybe the greatest single season rookie performance they ever had came from Gilliam in 1953.

He led the NL in triples, hit two home runs in their seven-game series loss to the Yankees and his glove let 34-year old Jackie Robinson move primarily to the outfield.

He would be a fine leadoff hitter, consistent threat on the bases and good defender, for more than a decade as the Dodgers experienced their greatest prolonged stretch of success in team history.

No. 22: Ron Cey, 3B

Tenure: 1971-82

Stats: 228 HR, 842 RBI

Achievements: Six-time All Star, 1981 World Series Co-MVP

“The Penguin” had a great career in LA. Cey averaged better than 25 homer and 85 RBI from 1974 to 1980, went to six consecutive All-Star Games and had seven hits and six RBI in the 1981 World Series win over the Yankees.

He’ll never become a Hall of Famer, but as the clean-up hitter on a team that played in three World Series, he is worth of a spot on this list.

No. 21: Eric Gagne, CL

Stephen Dunn/Getty Images

Tenure: 1999-2006

Stats: 3.27 ERA, 161 saves

Achievements: Three-time All Star, 2003 Cy Young

In terms of longevity, Gagne can’t compare to someone like Jim Gilliam or Pedro Guerrero—Gagne only had three seasons of solid play.

But those three seasons just happened to be arguably the finest run any closer ever had: He saved 152 games, including streak of 84 straight, a major league record.

Tommy John surgery ended his run in 2005 and he was never the same again. But for those three seasons LA had the best closer in baseball and a reason for fans not to leave Dodger Stadium early in order to beat the traffic.

No. 20: Carl Furillo, RF

Tenure: 1946-60

Stats: 192 HR, 1,058 RBI, .299 average

Achievements: Two-time All Star, 1953 batting champion

Before the advent of Roberto Clemente, the greatest arm from the outfield may have belonged to Carl Furillo. “The Reading Rifle” was more than just a great defensive star for the Dodger dynasty of the 1950s.

He was good for roughly 100 RBIs a year and 100 runs as well, but made his greatest contributions in October. When the Dodgers won the World Series in 1955, he collected eight hits, including three off of Whitey Ford in Game One.

No. 19: Babe Herman, RF

Tenure: 1926-31

Stats: 112 HR, 594 RBI, .339

Achievements: Dodgers single-season batting average record holder

Herman didn’t have a very long stay with the Dodgers, but he certainly made his mark.

Despite building a reputation as one of the game’s worst fielders (he was more interested in hitting and keeping lit cigars in his pocket) Herman became one of the NL’s greatest left-handed hitters.

In 1930 he had arguably the greatest single season in Dodgers history, hitting a club-record .393 while posting 241 hits, 143 runs, 35 homers and 130 RBI (remarkably, he didn’t lead the NL in any of those categories).

After another great season in 1931, the Dodgers shipped him to the Reds along with future Hall of Fame catcher Ernie Lombardi. Not surprisingly, Brooklyn soon became a second-division club.

No. 18: Johnny Podres, SP

Tenure: 1953-66

Stats: 136-104 W-L record, 3.66 ERA, 23 shutouts

Achievements: Three-time All Star, 1955 World Series MVP

In the hearts of Brooklyn fans, Podres will always occupy a special place.

He tossed a complete game to beat the Yankees in Game Three of the 1955 World Series, then on three days rest fired a complete game shutout in Yankee Stadium to give the Dodgers their first-ever World Series championship.

In Brooklyn, the Dodgers would never win another title, but after just two seasons in LA, they won another title, thanks in part to Podres, who won Game Two against the White Sox in 1959.

He averaged 15-wins a season during the Dodgers' first six years in Los Angeles and just before his career fell apart at age 30, Podres won Game Two (one ER in 8 1/3 innings) of the 1963 World Series, a four-game sweep of the World Champion Yankees.

No. 17: Eric Karros, 1B

Todd Warshaw/Getty Images

Tenure: 1991-2002

Stats: 1,601 games, 270 HR, 976 RBI

Achievements: 1992 NL Rookie of the Year

Surprisingly, Karros was never elected to an All-Star team and never led the NL in any significant offensive category.

But throughout the 1990s he was a the club's best offensive player behind Mike Piazza, topping 30 homers and 100 RBI five times.

When his career as a Dodger came to an end in 2002, he recorded the third most home runs in club history, more than even Piazza, Roy Campanella and Steve Garvey.

No. 16: Don Sutton, SP

Tenure: 1966-80, 1988

Stats: 233-181 W-L record, 3.09 ERA, 2,696 strikeouts

Achievements: Four-time All Star

The debate over Sutton’s greatness vs. “the product of longevity” is an argument for another list.

For a decade and a half Sutton was one of the most consistent pitchers in baseball, winning 15 or more games nine times and posting at least two shutouts every year from 1966 to 1978.

His dominance on the mound helped Los Angeles win four pennants (he went 5-0 in his first seven postseason starts) and still holds the club record for career wins, starts, shutouts and strikeouts.

No. 15: Zack Wheat, CF

Tenure: 1909-26

Stats: 131 HR, 1,210 RBI, .317 average

Achievements: 1918 NL batting champion

Long before the Dodgers became a dynasty, first in Brooklyn, then later in Los Angeles, the Dodgers were mired in mediocrity. They did have a future Hall of Famer who led them to a pair of pennants in 1916 and 1920.

Leftfielder Zack Wheat—who collected 13 hits in those two World Series—hit better than .300 twelve times during his career in Brooklyn and in 1959 became the first Dodger (position player) enshrined in the Hall of Fame.

No. 14: Fernando Valenzuela, SP

Tenure: 1980-90

Stats: 141-116 W-L record, 3.31 ERA, 1,759 strikeouts

Achievements: 1981 Cy Young, 1981 Rookie of the Year, Six-time All Star

Few pitchers have infused as much energy and excitement into their starts as Valenzuela did.

At age 20, he had one of the greatest rookie years in baseball history (13-7, 2.48 ERA, eight shutouts, 180 strikeouts) during the strike-shortened 1981 season and then won three starts as the Dodgers won the World Series.

Fernando-mania immediately took off, as he won 84 starts from 1982-86, including an NL-best 21 in 1986.

By the later part of the decade injuries slowed him down and Valenzuela was released after the 1990 season. For the first few seasons of his career, there was no more popular player in baseball….and no more effective lefthander in the game.

No. 13: Dazzy Vance, SP

Tenure: 1922-32

Stats: 190-131 W-L record, 3.17 ERA, 1,918

Achievements: Three-time NL ERA champion, Six-time NL strikeout champion

Valenzuela and Vance shared more than just the same last-name initial. Both were extremely dominant pitchers for a relatively brief period.

But since Vance collected a few more accolades and may have won as many as three Cy Youngs if the award was given in his day, he edges out Valenzuela on this list.

At a time when strikeouts weren’t nearly as common as they were in the early 1980s, Vance averaged nearly 200 a season from 1923-28 and still owns the franchise record for wins in a season: 28 in 1924.

Since he didn’t win his first big league game until age 31, he had a remarkable career.

No. 12: Maury Wills, SS

Tenure: 1959-66, 1969-72

Stats: 1,732 hits, 586 stolen bases, .281 average

Achievements: 1962 NL MVP, Five-time All Star

After largely disappearing from the game for over three decades, Wills revived the art of the stolen base in the early 1960s.

Before Lou Brock broke it a decade later, Wills snapped 1915 Ty Cobb’s record by swiping an incredible 104 bases in 1962.

That, coupled with his .299 average and NL-best 10 triples, earned Wills the NL MVP.

Three years later, he recorded 11 hits and three stolen bases in the Dodgers seven-game World Series victory over the Twins to help LA win a third title in less than a decade in Los Angeles.

No. 11: Pee Wee Reese, SS

Tenure: 1940-42, 1946-58

Stats: 2,166 games, 2,170 hits, 1,338 runs, 885 RBI

Achievements: 10-time All Star

The only Dodger to play on every one of the Dodger dynasty teams from 1941-56, Reese did it all for the Dodgers. He was a great leader, stole bases, occasionally hit for power and was the starter at shortstop for over a decade.

His play in the 1952 World Series (nine hits in the first five games) gave Brooklyn a 3-2 lead over the Yankees and nearly got the club over the hump.

Three years later, in the Dodgers seven-game triumph over the mighty Yankees, Reese collected eight more hits. By the time his career was over, he would total 46 World Series hits, second most in National League history.

No. 10: Don Newcombe, SP

Tenure: 1949-51, 1954-58

Stats: 123-66 W-L record, 3.51 ERA, 913 strikeouts

Achievements: 1956 NL MVP, 1956 Cy Young, 1949 Rookie of the Year

As good as Dazzy Vance and Van Lingle Mungo were, Don Newcomb meant much more to the Brooklyn Dodgers franchise.

By the middle of his rookie season, he became the club’s ace, a position he only relinquished for two seasons when he served in the military during the Korean War. He was a three-time 20-game winner and was the recipient of the first-ever Cy Young award, thanks to an incredible 1956.

“Newk” won a league-best 27 games, tossed five shutouts, and was named the NL MVP.

He was never able to repeat that dominance in the postseason (0-4 in five starts with an 8.59 ERA), but without him, the Dodgers wouldn’t have won three pennants.

No. 9: Orel Hershiser, SP

Tenure: 1983-94

Stats: 135-107 W-L record, 3.12 ERA, 1,456 strikeouts

Achievements: 1988 NL Cy Young, 1988 NLCS MVP, 1988 World Series MVP, Three-time All Star

Sure, Hershiser only won 20 games once in his career. He only made three All-Star Game appearances and he even led the NL in LOSSES twice during his stay in Los Angeles.

But from 1985-88 Hershiser was almost unhittable.

Three years after his 19-3 record and 2.03 ERA helped the Dodgers earn the NL West title, Hershiser had one of the most remarkable seasons in modern history.

In addition to his NL best 23 wins, 15 complete games and eight shutouts, he rewrote the record books with a 59-consecutive inning scoreless streak.

In that year’s postseason, Hershiser allowed just five earned runs in five starts while LA won a second World Series in eight years.

No. 8: Don Drysdale, SP

Tenure: 1956-69

Stats: 209-166 W-L record, 2.95 ERA, 2,486 strikeouts

Achievements: 1962 Cy Young, Eight-time All Star

Physically imposing (6’5”) and never afraid to throw at batters, Drysdale may have played second-fiddle to his famous left-handed counterpart, but he became an ace long before Koufax and remained on after Koufax retired.

He was the game’s greatest workhorse throughout the 1960s, averaging nearly 240 strikeouts, 40 starts and just under 300 innings per season from 1959-68. He also hit 29 home runs and drove in 113 for the team.

In his first four World Series starts, Drysdale went 3-0 with two complete game victories.

No. 7: Gil Hodges, 1B

Tenure: 1943, 1947-61

Stats: 2,006 games, 361 HR, 1,254 RBI

Achievements: Eight-time All Star

Although Hodges would later become a hero to baseball fans in Queens by managing the Miracle Mets to the World Series title in 1969, he was already a legend in Brooklyn.

The Gold Glove first basement averaged better than 30 home runs and 100 RBI a season from 1949-57.

On top of homering in five different World Series, he drove in both runs in the Dodgers 2-0 Game Seven victory over the Yankees in the 1955 World Series.

No. 6: Steve Garvey, 1B

Tenure: 1969-82

Stats: 1,727 games, 211 HR, 992 RBI, .301 average

Achievements: 1974 NL MVP, 4-time Gold Glove, 8-time All Star

Steve Garvey did a pretty good job taking the place as the Dodgers star first baseman.

He didn’t have quite the same power numbers as Hodges, but from 1974 to 1980 he collected 200 or more hits all but once, and still holds the NL record for consecutive games played with 1,207.

And like Hodges, Garvey was a remarkable clutch performer.

He blasted eight home runs and drove in 21 runs in just 22 career NLCS games, and collected 10 hits in the Dodgers 1981 World Series win over the Yankees.

No. 5: Mike Piazza, C

Todd Warshaw/Getty Images

Tenure: 1992-98

Stats: 177 HR, 563 RBI, .331 average

Achievements: 1993 NL Rookie of the Year, 6-time All Star

Longevity is important to this list, but not the only criteria. And since Piazza was far and away the biggest star and best player of the 1990s Dodgers, he is a no-brainer for this list.

But because he may well be the greatest hitting catcher of all time, he soared up this list.

It may have only been for five years, but what Piazza did from 1993-97 was truly historic: 33 homers, 105 RBI, .336 average per season.

Maybe he was a bigger, more dominant star in Queens for the Mets. Maybe not. But the Dodgers had him first.

No. 4: Roy Campanella, C

Tenure: 1948-57

Stats: 242 HR, 856 RBI, .276 average

Achievements: Three-time NL MVP, Eight-time All Star

Not only was Campy one of the best hitters in the National League during the 1950s, he handled a somewhat unheralded staff that managed to win five pennants from 1949-56.

Obviously because of his automobile accident in the winter of 1958, the career stats don’t compare with Johnny Bench, Yogi Berra or Mike Piazza.

Nevertheless, he remains one of the most productive offensive catchers of all time and one of the most beloved “Boys of Summer.”

No. 3: Duke Snider, CF

Tenure: 1947-62

Stats: 1,923 games, 389 HR, 1,271 RBI

Achievements: Seven-time All Star

“The Duke of Flatbush” routinely lost out on the MVP to teammate Roy Campanella, but Snider was the greatest power hitter the Dodgers ever had.

His career totals for homers and RBI still stands as the club record, as does his mark of five straight seasons with 40-or-more home runs.

And even though his teammates, Gil Hodges, Carl Furillo and Pee Wee Reese, were great clutch hitters, there was no one Dodger fans would rather see at the plate with the game on the line than Snider.

Twice he hit four home runs in a single World Series—11 in all, the most in the history of the National League—and has more World Series RBIs than any player who didn’t wear the pinstripes.

 

 

Duke Snider: Dodger Family Loses A Legend

Duke Snider, the Dodgers legendary center fielder passed away yesterday at the age of 84.

The Duke might very well be the greatest Dodger of all time. Why? Because his popularity spanned across both sides of the continent. After the Dodgers moved to Los Angeles, the California-native was the club’s biggest star.

But the Dodgers—both in Brooklyn and Los Angeles—have produced literally dozens of All-Stars and Hall of Famers.

We’ve selected the 25 greatest Dodgers of all time and ranked them.

Now, "greatest” is certainly a subjective term and this list is going to spark heated debate. Just to help explain the rankings, we gave slightly more priority to a player’s legacy and popularity than their overall stats.

And to avoid overloading this list with administrators like Branch Rickey and managers like Tommy Lasorda or Walt Alston, we kept this players only. Otherwise this list would blow up!

Honorable Mention: Pete Reiser, CF

Tenure: 1940-42, 1946-48

Stats: .306 average, 44 HR, 298 RBI

Achievements: Three-time All Star, 1941 batting champ

Reiser—who was acquired by the legendary Branch Rickey for next to nothing—had a relatively short stay with the club. Although he did stay with the club for years as a coach and manager and finally won a World Series in 1963 as a member of Walt Alston’s staff.

He was renowned for hard-nosed, scrappy play, stealing bases (twice leading the NL) and crashing into outfield (unpadded) walls.

Honorable Mention: Tommy Davis, LF

Tenure: 1959-66

Stats: 86 HR, 465 RBI, .304 average

Achievements: Two-time batting champion, Two-time All Star

Certainly Sandy Koufax and Don Drysdale were the driving force of the Dodgers pair of titles during the 1960s, but they had to get offense from somewhere.

Frank Howard and Willie Davis were great contributors, but Tommy Davis had provided the best combination of power and average.

He won his first of two consecutive batting crowns in 1962, while setting the franchise record for RBI that still stands.

At a time when pitching dominated the game, that's a remarkable feat.

Honorable Mention: Kirk Gibson, LF

Tenure: 1988-90

Stats: 42 HR, 142 RBI

Achievements: 1988 NL MVP

Since he produced one of the greatest moments in club history, it’s hard to fathom that Gibson spent only three seasons with the Dodgers.

So it’s hard to put him above players who spent a decade-plus with the Dodgers. Since he was a league MVP on the last Dodger team to win the World Series and hit the homer off Dennis Eckersley, he deserves a shout-out here.

Honorable Mention: Pedro Guerrero, OF/3B

Tenure: 1978-88

Stats: .309 average, 171 HR, 585 RBI

Achievements: Five-time All Star, 1981 World Series Co-MVP

Guerrero really only had a few great seasons in LA. But for a few years in the early 1980s, he was one of the better players in the NL.

He hit 30 homers (back when that meant something) three times in a four year stretch and was an MVP candidate each of those seasons as the Dodgers won a pair of NL West titles.

Still, his greatest achievement came before he became a regular starter. In the 1981 World Series, Guerrero had seven hits (four extra base) and homered in Game Five and the clinching Game Six victory over the Yankees, earning a share of the MVP.

No. 25: Van Lingle Mungo, SP

Tenure: 1931-41

Stats: 102-99 W-L record, 3.41 ERA

Achievements: Four-time All Star

Part of the rough-and-tumble generation of ball players, Mungo was as well known for his brawling and his name in a 1969 ballad by David Frishberg.

For a brief stretch in the mid-1930s, he was also one of the best pitchers in the National League.

From 1932-36 he won 81 games, threw 13 shutouts and won an NL strikeout title.

Long after he retired, Dodger fans loved him, even if he spent his last three MLB seasons with the Giants.

No. 24: Hideo Nomo, SP

Simon Barnett/Getty Images

Tenure: 1995-98, 2002-04

Stats: 81-66 W-L record, 3.74 ERA, 1,200 strikeouts

Achievements: 1995 NL Rookie of the Year, No-hitter

Maybe it was just fondness for the days of Fernando-Mania, but in 1995, there wasn’t a more popular figure in Southern California than Nomo. (The unique windup that thousands of little leaguers soon emulated helped.)

Despite not making his debut until May, he led the NL in shutouts (three) and strikeouts (236) and became the ace on a Dodger team that won their first NL West title in seven seasons.

Nomo followed that great season up with two more before bottoming out and being dealt to the Mets in 1998. When he returned to the club a few years later and won 16 games in consecutive seasons, it solidified him as one of the most memorable Dodger careers of the last quarter century.

No. 23: Junior Gilliam, 2B/3B

Tenure: 1953-66

Stats: 1,956 games, 1,889 hits, 203 stolen bases

Achievements: 1953 Rookie of the Year, Three World Series Titles, Seven World Series appearances

The Dodgers are famous for producing Rookie of the Year winners and maybe the greatest single season rookie performance they ever had came from Gilliam in 1953.

He led the NL in triples, hit two home runs in their seven-game series loss to the Yankees and his glove let 34-year old Jackie Robinson move primarily to the outfield.

He would be a fine leadoff hitter, consistent threat on the bases and good defender, for more than a decade as the Dodgers experienced their greatest prolonged stretch of success in team history.

No. 22: Ron Cey, 3B

Tenure: 1971-82

Stats: 228 HR, 842 RBI

Achievements: Six-time All Star, 1981 World Series Co-MVP

“The Penguin” had a great career in LA. Cey averaged better than 25 homer and 85 RBI from 1974 to 1980, went to six consecutive All-Star Games and had seven hits and six RBI in the 1981 World Series win over the Yankees.

He’ll never become a Hall of Famer, but as the clean-up hitter on a team that played in three World Series, he is worth of a spot on this list.

No. 21: Eric Gagne, CL

Stephen Dunn/Getty Images

Tenure: 1999-2006

Stats: 3.27 ERA, 161 saves

Achievements: Three-time All Star, 2003 Cy Young

In terms of longevity, Gagne can’t compare to someone like Jim Gilliam or Pedro Guerrero—Gagne only had three seasons of solid play.

But those three seasons just happened to be arguably the finest run any closer ever had: He saved 152 games, including streak of 84 straight, a major league record.

Tommy John surgery ended his run in 2005 and he was never the same again. But for those three seasons LA had the best closer in baseball and a reason for fans not to leave Dodger Stadium early in order to beat the traffic.

No. 20: Carl Furillo, RF

Tenure: 1946-60

Stats: 192 HR, 1,058 RBI, .299 average

Achievements: Two-time All Star, 1953 batting champion

Before the advent of Roberto Clemente, the greatest arm from the outfield may have belonged to Carl Furillo. “The Reading Rifle” was more than just a great defensive star for the Dodger dynasty of the 1950s.

He was good for roughly 100 RBIs a year and 100 runs as well, but made his greatest contributions in October. When the Dodgers won the World Series in 1955, he collected eight hits, including three off of Whitey Ford in Game One.

No. 19: Babe Herman, RF

Tenure: 1926-31

Stats: 112 HR, 594 RBI, .339

Achievements: Dodgers single-season batting average record holder

Herman didn’t have a very long stay with the Dodgers, but he certainly made his mark.

Despite building a reputation as one of the game’s worst fielders (he was more interested in hitting and keeping lit cigars in his pocket) Herman became one of the NL’s greatest left-handed hitters.

In 1930 he had arguably the greatest single season in Dodgers history, hitting a club-record .393 while posting 241 hits, 143 runs, 35 homers and 130 RBI (remarkably, he didn’t lead the NL in any of those categories).

After another great season in 1931, the Dodgers shipped him to the Reds along with future Hall of Fame catcher Ernie Lombardi. Not surprisingly, Brooklyn soon became a second-division club.

No. 18: Johnny Podres, SP

Tenure: 1953-66

Stats: 136-104 W-L record, 3.66 ERA, 23 shutouts

Achievements: Three-time All Star, 1955 World Series MVP

In the hearts of Brooklyn fans, Podres will always occupy a special place.

He tossed a complete game to beat the Yankees in Game Three of the 1955 World Series, then on three days rest fired a complete game shutout in Yankee Stadium to give the Dodgers their first-ever World Series championship.

In Brooklyn, the Dodgers would never win another title, but after just two seasons in LA, they won another title, thanks in part to Podres, who won Game Two against the White Sox in 1959.

He averaged 15-wins a season during the Dodgers' first six years in Los Angeles and just before his career fell apart at age 30, Podres won Game Two (one ER in 8 1/3 innings) of the 1963 World Series, a four-game sweep of the World Champion Yankees.

No. 17: Eric Karros, 1B

Todd Warshaw/Getty Images

Tenure: 1991-2002

Stats: 1,601 games, 270 HR, 976 RBI

Achievements: 1992 NL Rookie of the Year

Surprisingly, Karros was never elected to an All-Star team and never led the NL in any significant offensive category.

But throughout the 1990s he was a the club's best offensive player behind Mike Piazza, topping 30 homers and 100 RBI five times.

When his career as a Dodger came to an end in 2002, he recorded the third most home runs in club history, more than even Piazza, Roy Campanella and Steve Garvey.

No. 16: Don Sutton, SP

Tenure: 1966-80, 1988

Stats: 233-181 W-L record, 3.09 ERA, 2,696 strikeouts

Achievements: Four-time All Star

The debate over Sutton’s greatness vs. “the product of longevity” is an argument for another list.

For a decade and a half Sutton was one of the most consistent pitchers in baseball, winning 15 or more games nine times and posting at least two shutouts every year from 1966 to 1978.

His dominance on the mound helped Los Angeles win four pennants (he went 5-0 in his first seven postseason starts) and still holds the club record for career wins, starts, shutouts and strikeouts.

No. 15: Zack Wheat, CF

Tenure: 1909-26

Stats: 131 HR, 1,210 RBI, .317 average

Achievements: 1918 NL batting champion

Long before the Dodgers became a dynasty, first in Brooklyn, then later in Los Angeles, the Dodgers were mired in mediocrity. They did have a future Hall of Famer who led them to a pair of pennants in 1916 and 1920.

Leftfielder Zack Wheat—who collected 13 hits in those two World Series—hit better than .300 twelve times during his career in Brooklyn and in 1959 became the first Dodger (position player) enshrined in the Hall of Fame.

No. 14: Fernando Valenzuela, SP

Tenure: 1980-90

Stats: 141-116 W-L record, 3.31 ERA, 1,759 strikeouts

Achievements: 1981 Cy Young, 1981 Rookie of the Year, Six-time All Star

Few pitchers have infused as much energy and excitement into their starts as Valenzuela did.

At age 20, he had one of the greatest rookie years in baseball history (13-7, 2.48 ERA, eight shutouts, 180 strikeouts) during the strike-shortened 1981 season and then won three starts as the Dodgers won the World Series.

Fernando-mania immediately took off, as he won 84 starts from 1982-86, including an NL-best 21 in 1986.

By the later part of the decade injuries slowed him down and Valenzuela was released after the 1990 season. For the first few seasons of his career, there was no more popular player in baseball….and no more effective lefthander in the game.

No. 13: Dazzy Vance, SP

Tenure: 1922-32

Stats: 190-131 W-L record, 3.17 ERA, 1,918

Achievements: Three-time NL ERA champion, Six-time NL strikeout champion

Valenzuela and Vance shared more than just the same last-name initial. Both were extremely dominant pitchers for a relatively brief period.

But since Vance collected a few more accolades and may have won as many as three Cy Youngs if the award was given in his day, he edges out Valenzuela on this list.

At a time when strikeouts weren’t nearly as common as they were in the early 1980s, Vance averaged nearly 200 a season from 1923-28 and still owns the franchise record for wins in a season: 28 in 1924.

Since he didn’t win his first big league game until age 31, he had a remarkable career.

No. 12: Maury Wills, SS

Tenure: 1959-66, 1969-72

Stats: 1,732 hits, 586 stolen bases, .281 average

Achievements: 1962 NL MVP, Five-time All Star

After largely disappearing from the game for over three decades, Wills revived the art of the stolen base in the early 1960s.

Before Lou Brock broke it a decade later, Wills snapped 1915 Ty Cobb’s record by swiping an incredible 104 bases in 1962.

That, coupled with his .299 average and NL-best 10 triples, earned Wills the NL MVP.

Three years later, he recorded 11 hits and three stolen bases in the Dodgers seven-game World Series victory over the Twins to help LA win a third title in less than a decade in Los Angeles.

No. 11: Pee Wee Reese, SS

Tenure: 1940-42, 1946-58

Stats: 2,166 games, 2,170 hits, 1,338 runs, 885 RBI

Achievements: 10-time All Star

The only Dodger to play on every one of the Dodger dynasty teams from 1941-56, Reese did it all for the Dodgers. He was a great leader, stole bases, occasionally hit for power and was the starter at shortstop for over a decade.

His play in the 1952 World Series (nine hits in the first five games) gave Brooklyn a 3-2 lead over the Yankees and nearly got the club over the hump.

Three years later, in the Dodgers seven-game triumph over the mighty Yankees, Reese collected eight more hits. By the time his career was over, he would total 46 World Series hits, second most in National League history.

No. 10: Don Newcombe, SP

Tenure: 1949-51, 1954-58

Stats: 123-66 W-L record, 3.51 ERA, 913 strikeouts

Achievements: 1956 NL MVP, 1956 Cy Young, 1949 Rookie of the Year

As good as Dazzy Vance and Van Lingle Mungo were, Don Newcomb meant much more to the Brooklyn Dodgers franchise.

By the middle of his rookie season, he became the club’s ace, a position he only relinquished for two seasons when he served in the military during the Korean War. He was a three-time 20-game winner and was the recipient of the first-ever Cy Young award, thanks to an incredible 1956.

“Newk” won a league-best 27 games, tossed five shutouts, and was named the NL MVP.

He was never able to repeat that dominance in the postseason (0-4 in five starts with an 8.59 ERA), but without him, the Dodgers wouldn’t have won three pennants.

No. 9: Orel Hershiser, SP

Tenure: 1983-94

Stats: 135-107 W-L record, 3.12 ERA, 1,456 strikeouts

Achievements: 1988 NL Cy Young, 1988 NLCS MVP, 1988 World Series MVP, Three-time All Star

Sure, Hershiser only won 20 games once in his career. He only made three All-Star Game appearances and he even led the NL in LOSSES twice during his stay in Los Angeles.

But from 1985-88 Hershiser was almost unhittable.

Three years after his 19-3 record and 2.03 ERA helped the Dodgers earn the NL West title, Hershiser had one of the most remarkable seasons in modern history.

In addition to his NL best 23 wins, 15 complete games and eight shutouts, he rewrote the record books with a 59-consecutive inning scoreless streak.

In that year’s postseason, Hershiser allowed just five earned runs in five starts while LA won a second World Series in eight years.

No. 8: Don Drysdale, SP

Tenure: 1956-69

Stats: 209-166 W-L record, 2.95 ERA, 2,486 strikeouts

Achievements: 1962 Cy Young, Eight-time All Star

Physically imposing (6’5”) and never afraid to throw at batters, Drysdale may have played second-fiddle to his famous left-handed counterpart, but he became an ace long before Koufax and remained on after Koufax retired.

He was the game’s greatest workhorse throughout the 1960s, averaging nearly 240 strikeouts, 40 starts and just under 300 innings per season from 1959-68. He also hit 29 home runs and drove in 113 for the team.

In his first four World Series starts, Drysdale went 3-0 with two complete game victories.

No. 7: Gil Hodges, 1B

Tenure: 1943, 1947-61

Stats: 2,006 games, 361 HR, 1,254 RBI

Achievements: Eight-time All Star

Although Hodges would later become a hero to baseball fans in Queens by managing the Miracle Mets to the World Series title in 1969, he was already a legend in Brooklyn.

The Gold Glove first basement averaged better than 30 home runs and 100 RBI a season from 1949-57.

On top of homering in five different World Series, he drove in both runs in the Dodgers 2-0 Game Seven victory over the Yankees in the 1955 World Series.

No. 6: Steve Garvey, 1B

Tenure: 1969-82

Stats: 1,727 games, 211 HR, 992 RBI, .301 average

Achievements: 1974 NL MVP, 4-time Gold Glove, 8-time All Star

Steve Garvey did a pretty good job taking the place as the Dodgers star first baseman.

He didn’t have quite the same power numbers as Hodges, but from 1974 to 1980 he collected 200 or more hits all but once, and still holds the NL record for consecutive games played with 1,207.

And like Hodges, Garvey was a remarkable clutch performer.

He blasted eight home runs and drove in 21 runs in just 22 career NLCS games, and collected 10 hits in the Dodgers 1981 World Series win over the Yankees.

No. 5: Mike Piazza, C

Todd Warshaw/Getty Images

Tenure: 1992-98

Stats: 177 HR, 563 RBI, .331 average

Achievements: 1993 NL Rookie of the Year, 6-time All Star

Longevity is important to this list, but not the only criteria. And since Piazza was far and away the biggest star and best player of the 1990s Dodgers, he is a no-brainer for this list.

But because he may well be the greatest hitting catcher of all time, he soared up this list.

It may have only been for five years, but what Piazza did from 1993-97 was truly historic: 33 homers, 105 RBI, .336 average per season.

Maybe he was a bigger, more dominant star in Queens for the Mets. Maybe not. But the Dodgers had him first.

No. 4: Roy Campanella, C

Tenure: 1948-57

Stats: 242 HR, 856 RBI, .276 average

Achievements: Three-time NL MVP, Eight-time All Star

Not only was Campy one of the best hitters in the National League during the 1950s, he handled a somewhat unheralded staff that managed to win five pennants from 1949-56.

Obviously because of his automobile accident in the winter of 1958, the career stats don’t compare with Johnny Bench, Yogi Berra or Mike Piazza.

Nevertheless, he remains one of the most productive offensive catchers of all time and one of the most beloved “Boys of Summer.”

No. 3: Duke Snider, CF

Tenure: 1947-62

Stats: 1,923 games, 389 HR, 1,271 RBI

Achievements: Seven-time All Star

“The Duke of Flatbush” routinely lost out on the MVP to teammate Roy Campanella, but Snider was the greatest power hitter the Dodgers ever had.

His career totals for homers and RBI still stands as the club record, as does his mark of five straight seasons with 40-or-more home runs.

And even though his teammates, Gil Hodges, Carl Furillo and Pee Wee Reese, were great clutch hitters, there was no one Dodger fans would rather see at the plate with the game on the line than Snider.

Twice he hit four home runs in a single World Series—11 in all, the most in the history of the National League—and has more World Series RBIs than any player who didn’t wear the pinstripes.

No. 2: Jackie Robinson, 1B/2B/3B/OF

Tenure: 1947-56

Stats: 1,382 games, 137 HR, 734 RBI, 197 stolen bases

Achievements: 1947 Rookie of the Year, 1949 NL MVP, Six-time All Star

Here’s where the controversy should really hit full swing.

Of course Robinson is one of the most important players in sports—not just baseball—history.

For a five-year stretch was arguably the game’s most complete player, averaging over .320, 80 RBI, 100 runs and 60 extra base hits a year from 1949-53, stealing bases and playing great defense.

And in the postseason, he was just as valuable: only a select few New York Yankees ever scored more career runs in the World Series.

But for now (read the next slide for more reasons) let’s just say he was the greatest Brooklyn Dodger of all time.