The best Left Fielders in Major League Baseball history
10) Ralph Kiner –
A six time All Star, Kiner played 1,307 games in left field in 10 seasons from
1946-1955, primarily with the Pirates. He batted .279 with a .398 on base
percentage, 369 homers and 1,015 RBI’s.
9) Ed Delahanty –
“Big Ed” played 1,346 games in left for 16 seasons from 1888-1903, mainly with
the Phillies. He had a career batting average of .346 with a .411 on base
percentage, .505 slugging percentage, and 455 stolen bases.
8) Jim Rice – An
eight time All Star and the 1978 AL MVP, Rice played 1,503 games in left field
for the Red Sox for 15 years from 1974-1989. He batted .298 with 382 home runs
and 1,451 RBI’s.
7) Billy Williams –
“Sweet Swingin’” played 1,738 games in left during 17 seasons with the Cubs
from 1959-1976. A six time All Star, Williams hit .290 with 426 home runs and
1,475 RBI’s.
6) Goose Goslin –
Playing 1,948 games in left field for 18 seasons from 1921-1938, mainly with
the Washington Senators, Hall of Famer Goslin batted .316 with a .387 on base
percentage, 248 home runs, 1,612 RBI’s, and 176 stolen bases.
5) Al Simmons –
“Bucketfoot Al” played 1,372 games in left for seven teams, mostly with the
A’s, for 20 years from 1924-1944. A three time All Star, he also played
centerfield. Simmons hit .334 with 307 home runs and 1,828 RBI’s.
4) Lou Brock –
“The Rocket” spent 19 seasons with the Cubs and Cardinals from 1961-1979.
Playing 2,161 games in left field Brock amassed 3,043 hits while batting .293.
A six time All Star, he is second in baseball history with 938 stolen bases.
3) Rickey Henderson –
“Man of Steal” played 2,421 games in left in 25 years for nine different teams,
14 seasons with the A’s, from 1979-2003. Henderson holds the MLB stolen base
record with 1,406; he batted .279 with a .401 on base percentage, 3,055 hits,
2,295 runs scored, and 2,190 walks. A ten time All Star selection and winner of
the 1990 AL MVP, he won one Gold Glove and is credited with saving 58 runs in
left field.
2) Carl Yastrzemski – An 18 time All Star in 22
years from 1961-1983 for the Red Sox, “Yaz” won seven Gold Gloves and is
credited with saving 134 runs defensively while playing 1,912 games in left
field. The 1967 AL MVP totaled 3,419 hits while batting .285 with a
.379 on base percentage, 452 home runs, 1,844 RBI’s, and 168 stolen bases.
1) Ted Williams – In 19 seasons from 1939-1960 “The Splendid
Splinter” had a career batting average of .344, on base percentage of .482,
slugging percentage of .634, 521 home runs, 1,839 RBI’s, and 2,021 walks. Williams played 1,982 games in left field for
the Red Sox, was a 19 time All Star, and won the AL MVP in 1946 and 1949.
