Call to the pen
Fansided

Best All-Time Left Fielders in MLB history

ByBobMueller|
(Original Caption) Oakland, Calif.: Oakland A's Ricky Henderson races toward the all-time Major League stolen base record, 118 in one season, held by Lou Brock. Notching his 109th against the California Angels, he leads off 1st base (Rod Carew 1b); (B) sprints away (pitcher Ken Forsch turns); (C) dives toward 2nd (Tim Foli waits to throw with Bobby Grich back up); (D) slides under Foli; (E) beats Foli's tag; and (F) gets the safe sign.
(Original Caption) Oakland, Calif.: Oakland A's Ricky Henderson races toward the all-time Major League stolen base record, 118 in one season, held by Lou Brock. Notching his 109th against the California Angels, he leads off 1st base (Rod Carew 1b); (B) sprints away (pitcher Ken Forsch turns); (C) dives toward 2nd (Tim Foli waits to throw with Bobby Grich back up); (D) slides under Foli; (E) beats Foli's tag; and (F) gets the safe sign.
8 of 21
Best All-Time Left fielders
PHILADELPHIA – 1971: Baseball player Willie Stargell (R), of the Pittsburgh Pirates, swings at a pitch during a 1971 season MLB game against the Philadelphia Phillies. (Photo by Bill Pierce/The LIFE Images Collection/Getty Images)

Best All-Time Left Fielders: Willie Stargell (#14)

“I found myself in a race with Mother Nature to play as much baseball as I could before she forced me to stop.”—Willie Stargell

Willie Stargell previously appeared on the list of the top 25 first basemen in MLB History. He also gets a spot here among the top 20 left fielders. In his career, he played more than ten thousand innings at each position.

Left field was Stargell’s primary position for the first dozen years of his career. He came up with the Pirates in 1962 but didn’t play full-time until 1965. From 1966 to 1970, the Pirates’ starting outfield was Willie Stargell in left field, Matty Alou in center field, and the great Roberto Clemente in right field.

Stargell provided the pop, Alou was a good on-base guy who could steal 15-20 bases and Clemente was the all-around superstar.

In 1971, Al Oliver took over in center field, with Stargell and Clemente flanking him in left and right. This was one of Stargell’s best years in the big leagues. He hit .295/.398/.628 and led the league with 48 home runs. Joe Torre and his .363 batting average won the NL MVP Award, with Stargell finishing second.

During this time, Stargell primarily played left field but also spent time at first base almost every year. In 1972, he was the primary first baseman for one year, then went back to left field in 1973 and had his best season.

He hit .299/.392/.646 and led the league in doubles, home runs, RBI, and slugging percentage. Once again, he finished second in MVP voting, this time losing the award to Pete Rose.

In 1974, the 34-year-old Stargell played his final season as the Pirates’ starting left fielder. He hit .301/.407/.537, but saw his home run and RBI totals drop from 44 and 119 to 25 and 96. The next season, he was moved to first base, which is where he played the rest of his career.

Home/MLB History