Dodgers: Ranking the Top 5 centerfielders in franchise history

Who are the best centerfielders in Dodgers history?

Centerfield is one of the most high-profile positions on the diamond. In our latest installment of ranking the best Dodgers players at each position, we look at the top 5 players to command the outfield for the boys in blue.

But before we get into the ranking, a few honorable mentions.

Jimmy Wynn

Jimmy Wynn was an underrated star of the 1960’s. Unfortunately for his candidacy on this list, he only played two seasons with the Dodgers. However, both campaigns were of the All-Star variety.

After coming to the Dodgers in a trade that sent All-Star lefty and fan favorite Claude Osteen to Houston, Wynn had his best season in years, hitting 32 homers and driving in 108 runs, good enough for a top-five MVP finish and the Comeback Player of the Year Award.

He had another All-Star campaign in ‘75, but injuries limited his production after the Break and he was traded to Atlanta at season’s end. The Toy Cannon may not exactly be a Dodger legend, but his reputation as a dangerous power hitter for the Astros/Colt .45’s should not be overlooked. He was also one of the early three true outcome hitters: striking out as many as 137 times but walking as many as 148 in a single season.

Mike Griffin

If you haven’t heard of Mike Griffin, then like me, you probably didn’t watch baseball in the 19th century. Griffin was the Dodgers’ (or, rather the Bridegrooms as they were known at the time) regular centerfielder for much of the 1890’s, and served as team captain in 1897 and 1898, even serving as interim manager in ‘98.

Griffin was an on-base machine, posting a .305 average and .399 OBP over his eight seasons in Brooklyn. He was also a threat on the bases, stealing as many as 65 bases during his Brooklyn tenure (he swiped a massive 94 bags his rookie year in Baltimore). Perhaps his greatest attribute was his contact skills, striking out only 284 times compared to 809 walks over a 12 year career. The game was a lot different then but those numbers are impressive regardless of era.

Now, let’s get into the ranking of the best centerfielders in Dodger history.

5. Best Dodgers centerfielders: Pete Reiser

Pete Reiser is one of the all-time overlooked Dodgers. After a short stint bouncing around the diamond in 1940, Reiser assumed the centerfield role in his first full season in 1941. He did so in a big way, making the All-Star team and finishing second in MVP voting. Pistol Pete hit a cool .343 with 39 doubles, 17 triples, and 14 homers. He appeared to be destined for stardom, but he was never the same player after that season.

Although he was blessed with great speed and power from both sides of the plate, a lot of Reiser’s game hinged on his hard-nosed style of play. He was known for giving max effort every play, regardless of the toll it took on his body.

Despite being a switch hitter (he was also said to have an arm that rivaled that of Willie Mays from both sides), he would sometimes be relegated to hitting lefty due to injury.

Reiser fractured his skull running into the outfield wall, and was temporarily paralyzed on one occasion. He also forfeited his age 24-26 seasons to fight in WWII, and suffered serious arm and shoulder injuries playing Army baseball.

He managed to appear in two more All-Star games after his 1941 breakout, and showed flashes of his former self, but was forced to abandon centerfield and never stayed healthy for a full season. Over parts of six seasons in Brooklyn, Reiser compiled a .306 average, .845 OPS, 135 doubles, and 78 steals. We can only wonder what he could have accomplished if he had stayed on the field.

4. Best Dodgers centerfielders: Brett Butler

Brett Butler reached his prime with the Dodgers, despite signing with them at age 34. The former Giant is widely considered to be one of the premier leadoff hitters of the 80’s and 90’s. Although never a power threat, he combined speed with a great approach at the plate and was known for using the entire field. He also built a reputation for his exceptional bunting ability.

Butler’s first year in LA was arguably the best of his career. He hit .296 with 38 steals, and walked an absurd 108 times compared to just 79 strikeouts, as well as placing seventh in MVP voting and making his lone All-Star appearance.

Butler gave the Dodgers consistent production from the leadoff spot for the next three seasons, until signing with the Mets in 1995. However, the Dodgers missed his presence atop the lineup and traded for him at the Deadline.

All was seemingly going well for Butler and the Dodgers until his throat cancer early the following season. Butler defied all odds and completed his treatment early enough to return to the team in September. He had one more productive season in LA before calling it quits at age 40. He compiled a .298 average and .768 OPS with the Dodgers over seven seasons, as well as 179 steals and struck out 338 times compared to 432 walks.

2. Best Dodgers centerfielders: Willie Davis

Willie Davis is another often overlooked Dodger. Most people might not guess that he’s the Los Angeles Dodger leader in total bases, triples, extra base hits, runs, and hits.

Davis was signed out of high school in 1958. Scouts were enamored with his speed, as he was said to have run a 9.5 second 100-yard dash and scored from first on a single nine times in one season. It only took two years for the LA native to reach the majors, and he was the regular centerfielder by 1961, a title he wouldn’t relinquish until 1974.

Davis was considered one of baseball’s premier leadoff men in the 60’s and 70’s. He stole 20 or more bases in a season 13 times, with a career high 42 in 1964. The Willie Davis-Maury Wills speed combo at the top of the Dodger lineup was second to none in the early 60’s, as they propelled the team to World Series titles in 1963 and 1965. The speedy duo combined for a National League record 136 steals in 1962.

Davis wasn’t a one trick pony though. Although he didn’t walk all that much, he hit over .300 on four occasions, had a 20/20 season, and holds the record for longest hitting streak by a Dodger at 31 games. Davis also hit as many as 16 triples in a season, and his 138 career triples are the fourth most by any player since 1945. He was also considered to be a superb defensive centerfielder, winning three Gold Glove awards.

Over his 14 year Dodger tenure, Davis compiled 2,091 hits, a .279 average, 321 doubles, 154 homers, and 335 steals. He was also named to two All-Star teams, and was a part of two World Series championship squads.

1. Best Dodgers centerfielders: Duke Snider

Shocker, right? If your name appears in the title of a song about legendary baseball players, you’re probably pretty good.

Edwin Donald Snider was signed out of Compton High School by the Brooklyn Dodgers in 1943. After working through the Minor Leagues and serving in WWII, Snider landed the starting center field job in 1949. He made a strong first impression, hitting .292 with 23 homers, but he really took off the following season. The Duke started a string of seven consecutive All-Star appearances, hitting .321 with 31 doubles, 10 triples, 31 homers, 107 RBI, and 16 stolen bases.

Snider became the focal point of an already potent Dodger lineup, and was an integral piece during 6 playoff runs, two of which culminated in World Series wins. During his All-Star run, the Duke hit as high as .341, hit as many as 43 home runs, and drove in as many as 136.

Snider’s dominance led to a debate between the three New York centerfielders of the era: Willie, Mickey, and the Duke. Obviously Willie Mays and Mickey Mantle have more hardware and longevity, but things get a lot closer if you look at just their prime years.

Speaking of hardware, Snider somehow managed to end his unbelievable run without an MVP award. He finished as high as second in 1955 to fellow Dodger Roy Campanella in a very controversial vote. There was some uncertainty regarding the balloting that appears as if it will never be cleared up, but we do know that Snider had a career year, leading the league in runs and RBI and finishing with an OPS of 1.046.

Snider continued to be an effective player after his All-Star streak, although a bad knee, combined with the cavernous dimensions of the LA Coliseum, limited his power and time on the field. He did his .302 with 23 homers in the Dodgers second season in Los Angeles, but he’d play in a part-time role the rest of his Dodger career.

The long-time Dodger favorite was sold to the Mets following the 1962 season, and was an All-Star for the final time his lone year in Queens. Snider finished his career the following season with the rival Giants, primarily as a pinch hitter. He may not have the long-term greatness to carry his weight in the Mays vs Mantle vs Duke debate, but there’s no debate that Duke Snider was the best Dodger to roam center field.