Dodgers: Top 5 Players that you Forgot Played for the Dodgers

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NEW YORK, NY – OCTOBER 12: Jimmy Rollins #11 of the Los Angeles Dodgers reacts after being struck out in the third inning against Matt Harvey #33 of the New York Mets during game three of the National League Division Series at Citi Field on October 12, 2015 in New York City. (Photo by Mike Stobe/Getty Images) /

The Dodgers are one of the most iconic franchises in all of sports. They also have some of the best fans in all of sports. Dodger fans are not like any other. They always seem to have a special connection with their players.

Despite this, some players are not remembered. Let’s take a look at the best players you forgot were Dodgers.

It doesn’t matter how good they were or how good they would become, sometimes fans just forget a player was ever on their team. Whether it’d be because they were not yet as popular or they barely played any games on the team, sometimes you forget big-name players were rostered by your favorite team.

Before we take a look at the list let us look at some honorable mentions.

Babe Ruth

Likely the most notable name in baseball ever, Babe Ruth did wear a Dodger uniform. However, he did so as a coach and not as a player. That is the main reason he was left out of the top 5. Also, Ruth recently had a bobblehead night and that may have tipped fans off to Ruth being associated with the Dodgers.

Andruw Jones

Jones is considered by a lot of people to be one of the best defensive center fielders in history. Unfortunately, his time with the Dodger did not live up to the rest of his career numbers. For some fans that makes him forgettable, however, because of this and the recency of his tenure, some fans remember him and loathe him as a result.

Jimmy Rollins

The one time NL MVP was acquired immediately after Andrew Friedman took over. Most fans will remember his tenure as a Dodger because it happened less than 5 years ago, but my guess is that some fans have already omitted him from their memory of Dodgers and that number will continue to increase as time progresses.

13 Jun 1998: Paul Konerko #7 of the Los Angeles Dodgers in action during a game against the Colorado Rockies at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles, California. The Rockies defeated the Dodgers 4-2. /

Number 5: Paul Konerko

The White Sox great started his career with the Los Angeles Dodgers. He played a grand total of 55 games with the boys in blue over the 1997 and 1998 seasons. Compared to the 2268 games he played on the South side of Chicago. It makes sense that fans would ignore his extremely brief tenure with the Dodgers.

Konerko managed 166 plate appearances with the Dodgers. In those plate appearances, he was woeful. Holding a .271 OBP and .298 SLG while in Los Angeles. This was a far different player than what he would eventually become with the White Sox.

Konerko was traded from the Dodgers to the Cincinnati Reds during the 1998 season. In return, the Dodgers received Jeff Shaw. In hindsight, this was a bad deal for the Dodgers as Konerko would eventually become an all-star.

Not only did Konerko become an all-star, but he also became one of the greatest and most beloved White Sox players of all-time. Konerko is top 3 all-time in White Sox history in Doubles, RBI’s, Home Runs and hits.

Konerko will forever be remembered as a White Sox superstar, but he got his start in the big leagues with the Los Angeles Dodgers. Though the trade may have been a bad overall decision, it was one that made sense at the time and would change the career path of Paul Konerko.

OAKLAND, CA – OCTOBER 3: Dave Stewart #34 of the Oakland Athletics pitches during game one of the 1989 American League Championship Series against the Toronto Blue Jays on October 3, 1989 at Oakland-Alameda Coliseum in Oakland, California. The A’s defeated the Blue Jays 7-3. (Photo by Otto Greule Jr/Getty Images) /

Number 4: Dave Stewart

Dodger fans might remember Stewart from his time with the mighty Oakland Athletics. He was the ace of that staff that was undervalued because of that unreal lineup and bullpen. It was no question that Oakland road their offense to the World Series, but Stewart was stellar that season and was the workhorse of the staff.

Stewart’s tenure with the Dodgers technically started in 1978. However, he threw just 2 innings that season. After 1978, Stewart would not see a lick of big league action until the 1981 season. He was a reliever for that 1981 title run in Los Angeles. Stewart pitched in 32 games and even collected 6 saves.

In 1982, as a 25-year-old, Stewart finally saw some action as a starter. Stewart started 14 games and appeared in 45 total games over the course of his second full season in the bigs. Stewart was pretty average with the Dodgers. He had 3.81 ERA in just over 146 innings of work in 1982. Overall his tenure with the Dodgers was not bad, but not great. Thus making him forgettable in the minds of fans.

After his average season in 1982, Stewart started the following season with the Dodgers before being traded to the Texas Rangers mid-season. The Dodgers would acquire Rick Honeycutt in that deal. After just over 2 seasons with Texas, Stewart was dealt to Philadelphia. Stewart was woeful with the Phillies and was released after pitching in just 12 games.

Stewart would go on to sign with the Oakland Athletics later in the 1986 season. This is where his career would turn. Stewart was very good over the course of eight seasons in Oakland. He will always be remembered as an Oakland Athletic and his time with the Dodgers is often forgotten.

15 AUG 1993: PEDRO MARTINEZ OF THE LOS ANGELES DODGERS PITCHES AGAINST THE SAN DIEGO PADRES. Mandatory Credit: Stephen Dunn/ALLSPORT /

Number 3: Pedro Martinez

Arguably, one of the greatest pitchers to ever toe the rubber. He is most known for his tenure in Boston, Montreal, and New York. However, like the first two players on this list, Martinez got his start in the bigs with the Los Angeles Dodgers.

In Los Angeles, Martinez was paired with his older brother Ramón. The brothers would spend just one complete season together in Los Angeles. Pedro played in just two games during the 1992 season. The following year, Pedro got the real start to his career.

Martinez made the majority of his appearances as a reliever in 1993 with the Dodgers. He was very good (of course he was he’s Pedro Martinez) in his rookie season. Pedro had 119 strikeouts in 107 innings pitched. In those 107 innings, he gave up just five home runs. That would equate to an unreal 0.4 HR/9.

This would be the opening to a hall-of-fame career. Unfortunately, the Dodgers would not be able to reap the benefits of his remarkable career. That is because the Dodgers pulled off one of the most lopsided trades in not just MLB history, but all of sports history.

The Dodgers traded one of the greatest pitchers ever for…….. Delino DeShields. Going on and on about Martinez’s career accolades would just make me sad so this is where the Pedro Martinez slide is going to end.

Pedro Martinez for Delino DeShields.

LOS ANGELES, CA – APRIL 15: Former MLB player Frank Robinson speaks onstage during the Los Angeles Dodgers Jackie Robinson statue unveiling at Dodger Stadium on April 15, 2017 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Victor Decolongon/Getty Images) /

Number 2: Frank Robinson

Unlike the first three names on the list, Robinson was already a bonafide star upon his arrival to the Dodgers. Before getting to the Dodgers, Robinson had already notched a rookie of the year, a World Series MVP, two MVP’s (one NL and one AL), a gold glove, and fourteen all-star game appearances ( twice in 1959 and twice in 1961 because the MLB had two all-star games for some reason).

The Dodgers would acquire Robinson via trade prior to the 1972 season. The Dodgers would not get the same Robinson that was that star who had collected an abundance of hardware and accolades.

He was rather underwhelming in Los Angeles. He played in just 103 games in 1972 for the Dodgers. Those 103 games would be the fewest number of games he had ever played up to that point. His previous low was 129. He also posted career lows in average, hits and doubles.

It’s no question that Frank Robinson is one of the greatest hitters of all-time. Unfortunately, the Dodgers acquired him when he was 36 and past his prime. Robinson would be traded to the California Angels following the 1972 season. He found new life with the Angels and had some success and made his 14th and final all-star game while he was a member of the Angels.

Despite his high-end status as a player, Robinson’s time with the Dodgers was forgettable. He still is one of the greatest players in history. However, Dodger fans did not get to see him on their team while he was in his prime.

SAN FRANCISCO, CA – APRIL 13: Fans entering the ball park walk a statue former San Francisco Giants pitcher and MLB Hall of Famer Juan Marichal prior to the start of the game between the Colorado Rockies and San Francisco Giants on Opening Day at AT&T Park on April 13, 2015 in San Francisco, California. (Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images) /

Number 1: Juan Marichal

The Dominican sensation Marichal is known for tormenting the Dodgers while he spent nearly his entire career with the rival San Francisco Giants. He was one of the greatest Giants of all-time. Marichal spent 14 seasons with the Giants, and over those 14 seasons, he would make earn himself a spot in Cooperstown.

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Marichal was an absolute workhorse with the Giants. He managed to eclipse the 300 innings pitched mark 3 times during his career and one season he came just one out short of that mark which would be 4. That is something that is unheard of nowadays with 100 pitches serving as a hard cap for pitchers in a game today.

While in the bay, Marichal would collect 10 all-star game appearances, an all-star game MVP and an NL pitching title. He was and still is beloved by the folks up north. As mentioned before, Marichal spent 14 seasons in San Francisco. It looked like he would be a Giant for life. That was until he was purchased by the Boston Red Sox prior to the 1974 season.

Marichal would make just 11 appearances before he was released by Boston during the 1974 season. He would be signed the following season by the Dodgers. In Los Angeles, he would make just 2 appearances. Which is exactly why most fans will forget he was ever a Dodger.

Next. The Dodgers add Justin Grimm to their bullpen competition. dark

I’m sure Giants hate the fact that he ever wore blue. Marichal is arguably the greatest Giants pitcher ever. So it’d be like Sandy Koufax wearing a Giants uniform to Dodger fans. Marichal was a great pitcher. He was a lifetime Giant but put on the Dodgers uniform for two games. Dodger fans may not remember it, and Giants fans purposely forget it, but Marichal was at one point a pitcher for the Los Angeles Dodgers.

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