Dodgers: Ranking the Top 5 left fielders in franchise history

Best Dodgers left fielders: 3) Tommy Davis

Tommy Davis had one of the more peculiar career paths in baseball history. After a couple of years bouncing around the diamond, Davis found himself as the Dodgers’ Opening Day left fielder in 1962. He exploded onto the scene, leading the league in batting average, hits, and runs batted in.

Davis’ 153 RBI is still a franchise record, and his 230 hits remain the most ever by a right-handed Dodger batter. His .346 average was also the highest by a Dodger until Mike Piazza hit .362 in 1997 (Piazza hit .346 in 1995).

Although never quite reaching his absurd 1962 output, Davis hit a cool .326 average in 1963, good enough to become the only Dodger to ever win consecutive batting titles; a feat even more impressive considering how he did it in the pitching-dominant 1960’s.

Davis appeared destined for greatness, but fell back to Earth in 1964 (although he drove in 86 runs), and suffered a devastating ankle injury in 1965. He managed to play 100 games for Dodgers in 1966, and hit .313, but his injury robbed him of his power and he only hit three homers.

Davis was then shipped to the Mets, beginning a saga where he would play for 10 different teams in as many years. After a productive season in Queens, he suited up for the White Sox, Seattle Pilots (now the Milwaukee Brewers), Astros, A’s, Cubs, A’s again, Cubs again, Orioles, and Angels before calling it quits with the Royals in 1976.

Davis drove in as many as 89 runs, won an Outstanding Designated Hitter award, and even finished in top-10 in MVP voting in his post-Dodger career. Although he never became the all-time great some thought he’d be, Tommy Davis was a three-time All-Star in LA, and had one of the greatest offensive seasons in Dodger history.