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Best all-time center fielders in MLB history

By Bobby Mueller

ANAHEIM, CA - JULY 29: Mike Trout #27 of the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim hits a fly ball to deep center during the ninth inning of the MLB game against the Seattle Mariners at Angel Stadium on July 29, 2018 in Anaheim, California. The Mariners defeated the Angels 8-5. (Photo by Victor Decolongon/Getty Images)
ANAHEIM, CA - JULY 29: Mike Trout #27 of the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim hits a fly ball to deep center during the ninth inning of the MLB game against the Seattle Mariners at Angel Stadium on July 29, 2018 in Anaheim, California. The Mariners defeated the Angels 8-5. (Photo by Victor Decolongon/Getty Images) /
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best all-time center fielders
(Original Caption) Los Angeles, California: If the Dodgers get into the playoffs, one of the big reasons will be the hitting and fielding of Willie Davis. Willie Davis, speedy Dodgers’ center fielder, among the league’s top ten hitters with a .311 average through the 9/28 game, has 197 hits in 156 games. /

Best All-Time Center Fielders #19: Willie Davis

“He (Willie Davis) was so talented. God really blessed him with some great tools—for any sport, really—speed, strength, agility—everything an athlete needs in order to make the big time.”—Former Dodgers shortstop Maury Wills, on Willie Davis.

Willie Davis is the weakest-hitting center fielder on this top 20 list, but one of the best with the glove. He had the bad luck of playing much of his career during a decidedly bad era for hitters and in a park that favored pitchers. As an example, he hit .250/.284/.351 for the Los Angeles Dodgers in 1968. That looks like a terrible hitting line, but when league and ballpark effects were taken into account, he was actually close to average as a hitter (97 wRC+, 100 is average).

For his career, Davis was just slightly above average with the bat. He had his moments, though. Twice he led the NL in triples and he had a string of 11 straight seasons with 20 or more steals. He was a two-time all-star and three-time Gold Glove winner. He was part of two World Series-winning teams in Los Angeles in the 1960s.

Off the field, Davis enjoyed the Hollywood lifestyle. He was an actor, dancer and singer whose voice could be heard often on the program of Dodger announcer Vin Scully. He appeared in an episode of the TV show “Mr. Ed” after the Dodgers won the 1963 World Series. Six years later, he appeared in “The Flying Nun” with Sally Field. His biggest role was in the 1970 Jerry Lewis movie “Which Way to the Front?”

After 14 years with the Dodgers, Davis was traded to the Montreal Expoe for relief pitcher Mike Marshall in December of 1973. This began a nomadic period of Davis’ career. He would play for the Expos, Rangers, Cardinals, Padres and Angels over the last six years of his major league career. He also played one season in the Japan Central League, one in the Japan Pacific League and one in the Mexican League.

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