All-Time Teams: Dodgers

Today we'll review a franchise that actually plays in Los Angeles. Here's the All-Time Team for the L.A. Dodgers:

Manager: Walter Alston

Home: Dodger Stadium

Leading off for the Dodgers.. the Second Baseman.. Jackie Robinson

This needs no explanation, but we'll give him one anyway. In just ten MLB seasons Jackie Robinson won Rookie of the Year, NL MVP, a batting title, and a World Series. The six-time All-Star is fifth in franchise history with a 61.4 WAR, a number that he might have doubled had he been allowed to start his career in the previously whites-only league. While his impact on the field gets overlooked at times, his impact on the game and the country will never be forgotten.






Batting second for Los Angeles.. the Right Fielder.. Babe Herman

The other lefty-swinging right fielder named Babe played seven years for the other New York team. Babe Herman slashed an astounding .339/.396/.557 for Brooklyn, but never led the league in any category. He finished eighth in MVP voting in 1929, posting a .381 average with 21 homers and 113 RBI. In 1930 Herman was even better, slamming 35 home runs, 48 doubles, and batting .393. The Dodgers - er, Robins - improved from 6th place to 4th that year. However there was no MVP awarded in 1930.





Batting third.. the Center Fielder.. Duke Snider

Part of the great trinity of New York City center fielders, Duke Snider belted 40 or more home runs in each of the Dodgers' last five seasons in Flatbush. The Hall of Fame slugger played in eight All-Star games and six World Series, and narrowly lost the 1955 NL MVP vote to the next player in this lineup. Snider is the Dodgers' career leader in offensive WAR, hone runs, and RBI. He led the league in runs scored three times, total bases three times, and slugging twice. Over his sixteen seasons with the team, Duke batted an even .300.





Batting fourth.. the Catcher.. Roy Campanella

Like Jackie Robinson, Roy Campanella started his career in the Negro Leagues and played ten seasons with the Dodgers. The Hall of Fame catcher ranks fourth in franchise history with 242 career home runs and led the NL with 143 RBI in 1953. An eight-time All-Star, "Campy" batted over .310 in 1951, 1953, and 1955 - earning NL MVP honors in all three seasons. A core member of the "Boys of Summer", Campanella powered Brooklyn to the Fall Classic five times and caught all 32 World Series games. His career slugging percentage of .500 is second all-time among catchers.





Batting fifth.. the Designated Hitter.. Pedro Guerrero

I have to admit, I was expecting to put Gil Hodges here. However, Pedro Guererro's power numbers in the 1980s popped off the page. From 1981-1989 Guerrero batted .300 or better six times, finished top-4 in NL MVP voting four times and was named to the All-Star team five times. He won a Silver Slugger in 1982 and led the majors with a 182 OPS+ in 1985. Over his eleven seasons with L.A. Guerrero slashed .309/.381/.512 and his 149 OPS+ is fifth in team history. Let that be a lesson, kids: look at the numbers, then the names.





Batting sixth.. the Left Fielder.. Zack Wheat

In the storied history of the Dodgers franchise, no one played in more games or collected more hits than Zack Wheat. The Hall of Famer sits atop the team leader board in several other categories including doubles, triples, total bases, and runs created. A Veteran's Committee selection to the Hall of Fame in 1959, Wheat won a batting title in 1918, led the NL in slugging and total bases in 1916, and tied for third in MVP voting in 1924 after batting .375 at age 36. Only forty players in history have more career hits than Zack's 2,884.





Batting seventh.. the First Baseman.. Gil Hodges

Gil Hodges was an essential part of the Dodgers' lineup from the late 1940s to the early 1960s. An eight-time All-Star, Hodges posted seven straight seasons of 100+ RBI and eleven straight seasons of 20+ home runs. His career totals in both categories are second to Duke Snider in franchise history. Hodges played in seven World Series and won the first three Gold Gloves awarded to NL first basemen. A single Veteran's Committee vote - voided by Ted Williams - kept Hodges out of the Hall of Fame.





Batting eighth.. the Third Baseman.. Ron Cey

One of the top third basemen of the 1970s, Ron Cey represented the Dodgers in six consecutive All-Star games from 1974-1979. Only a strike-shortened 1981 season prevented the "Penguin" from posting an eleven-year streak of 20+ home runs. Cey shared World Series MVP honors that year with Pedro Guerrero and Steve Yeager, batting .350 with six RBI against the Yankees. Cey is fifth in Dodgers history with 228 home runs and sixth among position players with a 47.7 WAR.






Batting ninth.. the Shortstop.. Pee Wee Reese

A stalwart at shortstop for sixteen seasons, Harold Henry Reese missed three more while serving in the Navy during World War II. "Pee Wee" was named to ten All-Star teams and played in 44 World Series games over seven series, all against the Yankees. Elected to Cooperstown by the Veteran's Committee in 1984, Reese placed in the top ten of NL MVP voting eight times, finishing fifth in 1949. His career WAR total of 66.3 is higher than any position player in Dodgers history.






The Starting Pitcher for the Dodgers.. Clayton Kershaw

The highest WAR total of all players in Dodgers history belongs to Clayton Kershaw. The 8-time All-Star has accumulated 68 WAR in just twelve seasons as L.A.'s ace, and has plenty of time to add to that total. Kershaw won three Cy Young awards, finished top-3 in three other seasons, and earned NL MVP honors in 2014. The most dominant pitcher of the past decade, "The Claw" led the NL in strikeouts three times and ERA five times from 2011-2017. He's the active leader in career ERA, ERA+, fielding-independent ERA, shutouts, and WHIP. And he accomplished all of this before his 32nd birthday.

Now let's take a look at the Dodgers' bench and bullpen:

Catcher: John Roseboro
1st Base: Steve Garvey
Infield: Davey Lopes
Outfield: Matt Kemp
Outfield: Carl Furillo

Mike Scioscia can't manage the Angels and back up Campy, so Roseboro will take his spot here. Garvey made ten All-Star teams, won the NL MVP in 1974, and played in five World Series. Lopes was the best option among a handful of notable middle infielders. Justin Turner nearly made the team - after just six seasons in Dodger blue. Kemp won two Gold Gloves, two Silver Sluggers, and nearly won the 2011 NL MVP award. Furillo won a batting title in 1953 and hit .299 over 15 seasons for the franchise. 



#2 Starter: Sandy Koufax
#3 Starter: Don Drysdale
#4 Starter: Dazzy Vance
#5 Starter: Don Sutton

It shocked me that Koufax was not the ace of this All-Time team. His six-year run from 1961-1966 is unparalleled but Kershaw's peak has lasted longer - look at the numbers, then the names. Drysdale won the 1962 Cy Young award and three World Series rings before retiring at age 33. Vance won an MVP award at age 33, and led the league in strikeouts seven straight seasons. Sutton is the Dodgers' all-time leader in wins, starts, whiffs, and innings pitched. All four of these hurlers are in the Hall of Fame.



LH Reliever: Ron Perranoski
RH Reliever: Clem Labine
RH Reliever: Jonathan Broxton
LH Reliever: Jim Brewer
RH Reliever: Eric Gagne
RH Reliever: Kenley Jansen

Perranoski led the league in appearances three times and finished 4th in NL MVP voting in 1963. Labine led the NL in saves and made the All-Star team in 1956 and 1957. Gagne saved 152 games in an astounding three-year run and won the Cy Young award in 2003. Jansen is the franchise leader in appearances, saves, ERA+, K/9, and WHIP. 




Our next All-Time Team is a slightly less historically significant franchise. Hope to see you back here for the Miami Marlins. 


Thanks for reading!


 
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