My Favorite Top 10 Los Angeles Dodgers of All Time May Not Be Yours
Every fan of every team has a list of their favorite players. These lists can vary from fan to fan but usually include players that almost everyone considers the best of the best.
While my list includes some of the Dodgers that would be on almost everyone's list, there are some notable players missing.
Not because I don't think they represented the Dodgers and their fans well, but mostly because I either never saw them play, or don't remember seeing them play.
So if Jackie Robinson, Gil Hodges, Roy Campanella, Don Newcombe, Pee Wee Reese and other Dodger greats are not on this list it is for that reason, not because I don't recognize the contribution they made to the Dodgers organization during their careers.
So here is my list of favorite Dodgers.
Number Ten on My List of Favorite Dodgers: Davey Lopes
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In a 16-season career, Davey Lopes posted a .263 batting average with 155 home runs and 614 RBI in 1,812 games. He was part of the Cey, Russell, Lopes and Garvey infield that seemed to last forever for the Dodgers.
Lopes had speed on the basepaths, and had the ability to get the clutch hit when the Dodgers needed it.
He was the guy that you could depend on to get a single with two outs in the bottom of the ninth inning with two runners on base.
Lopes provided many a great Dodger moment for me.
Davey Lopes is now the first base coach for the Dodgers, in part because of his abilities on the basepaths.
Number Nine on My List of Favorite Dodgers: Frank Howard
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One of the most physically intimidating hitters in baseball at the time at 6-foot-8, Howard succeeded Carl Furillo as Los Angeles' right fielder in 1960.
In 1962, he batted .296 with 31 home runs and finished among the NL's top five players in RBI (119) and slugging (.560).
When the Dodgers moved into Dodger Stadium in 1962, which did not favor power hitters, Howard's .226 batting average in 1964—combined with regularly high strikeout totals—led to his trade to Washington in a seven-player December deal which brought Claude Osteen to Los Angeles.
While many fans today probably do not remember Frank Howard, I remember being in the left-field pavilion at Dodger Stadium with my baseball glove and getting yelled at by some of the older fans because I would stand up to catch his home run every time he came to bat.
Considering I was born in 1956, I was only eight years-old at the time, but I remember really believing he would hit a home run every time up.
Number Eight on My List of Favorite Dodgers: Pedro Guerrero
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Originally signed as a free agent by the Cleveland Indians, Pedro Guerrero was acquired by the Dodgers in exchange for pitcher Bruce Ellingsen. He broke into the Dodger lineup as a replacement for the injured Davey Lopes (one of my other favorite Dodgers) at second base.
Guerrero had five RBI in the final game of the 1981 World Series, which earned him a piece of the first three-way Series MVP award (sharing the award with Ron Cey and Steve Yeager). In 1982, he became the first Dodger to hit 30 home runs and steal 20 bases in a season, and he did it again in 1983.
Those are some of his stats as a Dodger, but what I remember most about Guerrero as a Dodger is feeling like he could possibly hit a home run every time he came up.
While the Dodgers are known for great pitching over the years, they haven't had the dangerous home run hitters very often.
Guerrero was one of those.
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Number Seven on My List of Favorite Dodgers: Jimmy Wynn
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After being traded to the Los Angeles Dodgers for Claude Osteen before the 1974 season, Wynn helped the Dodgers win the N.L. pennant by batting .271 with 32 home runs and 108 RBI.
While he started off 1975 well, Wynn had a shoulder injury that limited his effectiveness at the plate and making throws from center field.
The Dodgers had to move him to left field and later traded him to the Atlanta Braves for Dusty Baker (a Dodger who almost made this list).
While Wynn's playing time as a Dodger was short, he provided one of my greatest moments at Dodger Stadium early in 1975 (The Dodgers lost the division title by 20 games to the Cincinnati Reds that year, which is how I remember the year).
In an early season game against the Reds at Dodger Stadium that I was at, the Dodgers fell behind early in the game by about six runs (my memory is kind of hazy and I couldn't find anything on the Internet about this game).
What I do remember is Wynn's grand slam in the eighth or ninth inning that tied the game. Joe Ferguson hit a home run in the 10th inning to win the game for the Dodgers.
It is to this day the most exciting Dodgers game that I ever attended.
A few years ago while talking to a co-worker who is a Reds fan I found out he was at the same game—but of course he wasn't so happy with the outcome.
Number Six on My List of Favorite Dodgers: Ron Cey
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Third baseman Ron Cey was part of an All-Star infield that included Steve Garvey, Davey Lopes and Bill Russell. This quartet was one of the most durable infields in baseball history. They stayed together as the Dodgers' starters for eight-and-a-half years.
I can still hear Vin Scully giving the starting lineup as, Garvey, Lopes, Russell and Cey.
I remember cheering Ron Cey on in a series at San Francisco's Candlestick Park that I attended with my dad. Every time he came to bat, the Giants' fans booed him, so I cheered him on, much to the dislike of Giants fans sitting around us.
I also remember winning five dollars off the father of a high school girlfriend when Cey hit a home run during an at bat. I called the home run before he hit it, and her father bet me five dollars he wouldn't hit one.
He did hit a home run and the Dodgers won the game and I had five dollars.
Number Five on My List of Favorite Dodgers: Don Sutton
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Don Sutton pitched for the Dodgers from 1966 to 1980 and in 1988, and is the team's all-time wins leader.
Don Sutton was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1998, his number 20 was retired by the Los Angeles Dodgers in 1998.
While Sutton provided Dodger fans with many a great memory, what I remember most is meeting him in 2004.
I was working at Office Depot in Palm Desert, Calif., and I was reaching down below the customer counter for something when I heard a voice say, "I need to ship a few items to Georgia."
I knew the voice immediately without even seeing the face.
When I stood up Sutton started laughing because he could see by the look on my face I knew who he was. He said, "I guess you are a Dodger fan." And I said you bet, and I know that voice anywhere.
Number Four on My List of Favorite Dodgers: Maury Wills
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Let's face it, Maury Wills was a great baserunner who brought new prominence to the tactic of stealing bases.
At the time he played for the Dodgers they didn't have a lot of power hitters, so pitching, defense and speed were their greatest assets.
Wills was a distraction to opposing pitchers every time he got on base even if he didn't try to steal. I remember the fans at Dodger Stadium chanting "Go! Go! Go!" anytime he got on base.
Wills provided me with many a great Dodger moment.
Number Three on My List of Favorite Dodgers: Don Drysdale
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Don Drysdale teamed with Sandy Koufax during the early to mid 1960s to form one of the most dominating pitching duos in baseball history.
Drysdale took part in a famous salary holdout in the spring of 1966 along with Koufax, which was the beginning of what would eventually become collective bargaining (I remember my dad being rather upset with them both).
Nicknamed "Big D" Drysdale was famous for brushback pitches and an intimidating sidearm fastball. His 154 hit batsmen remains a modern National League record.
In 1968 Drysdale set a record with 58 consecutive scoreless innings; the record was ultimately broken by fellow Dodger Orel Hershiser 20 years later.
I remember listening to Vin Scully call each game during Drysdale's streak, and being so overjoyed when he broke the record held by Walter Johnson.
I had the pleasure to meet Don Drysdale on several occasions, usually when he went through my line at the grocery store I worked at, or at the Bob Hope Classic near Palm Springs.
Drysdale was always very friendly to me and we talked about the Dodgers often.
Number Two on My List of Favorite Dodgers: Sandy Koufax
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Koufax was just so overpowering as a pitcher that even a young person like me couldn't help but be impressed. Koufax was named the National League's Most Valuable Player in 1963, and won the 1963, 1965, and 1966 Cy Young Awards by unanimous votes.
Koufax was the first major leaguer to pitch four no-hitters—including the eighth perfect game in baseball history.
He was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1972, the youngest former player to receive that honor.
As a kid I remember my dad would try to time our visits to Dodger Stadium around Koufax's starts.
I remember how shocked and sad my dad was when Koufax announced his retirement due to his arthritic elbow—after the Dodgers were swept in the 1966 World Series by the Baltimore Orioles.
Number One on My List of Favorite Dodgers: Kirk Gibson
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I know, I know. Gibson wasn't a Dodger that long, but his pinch-hit home run in the first game of the 1988 World Series against A's closer Dennis Eckersley was just something I will never forget.
I remember I was talking on the phone to a friend when Gibson came up and I said, "I have to go, Gibson is going to hit a home run." And then I hung up.
Of course I know that was just wishful thinking, but when the ball sailed into the right field pavilion, the phone rang and my friend asked how I knew.
I couldn't really answer, I just knew.
So What Do You Think of My List of Favorite Dodgers of All Time?
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So that is my list of favorite Dodgers of all time.
I'm sure many of you will disagree with some of the players on this list, so why not tell me why you think they don't belong on a list of favorite Dodgers.
While you're at it tell me about your list of favorite Dodgers, and why you think they do belong there.
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