Best All-Tiem Center Fielders #16: Andre Dawson
“The inevitable did happen and they moved, but I think baseball will always live on here . You really hate to see the city lose its franchise because it’s going to be very tough to get it again. But to see the banner hanging and knowing that the fans will always remember, not the names, necessarily, but the support that was here and how it was successful for a long time.”—Andre Dawson
When the Montreal Expos drafted Andre Dawson in the 11th round of the 1975 MLB June Amateur Draft, they likely had no idea how good Dawson would be. There were 24 players drafted that round and Dawson was one of just three to get major league playing time. He appeared in 2627 games in his career. The other two players were Rick Leach (799 games) and Danny Garcia (12 games). Dawson was a true find.
After a 24-game sample in the big leagues in 1976, Dawson established himself with the Expos in his Rookie of the Year season in 1977. In his early years in Montreal, Dawson showed off his ability to hit for power and steal bases while being an asset in the field.
He had five seasons in which he hit at least 20 homers and stole at least 20 bases. He is also one of only five players in baseball history to hit at least 400 homers and steal at least 300 bases. The others are Barry Bonds, Willie Mays, Alex Rodriguez, and Carlos Beltran. That’s impressive company, to say the least.
Dawson was at his very best from 1980 to 1983, when he averaged 6.6 WAR per season and was a regular winner of the Gold Glove Award and the Silver Slugger. Twice during this four-year stretch he finished second in NL MVP voting. His average season during this period, with the 1981 strike year included, consisted of 94 runs scored, 24 homers, 87 RBI, 31 steals, and a .302/.350/.518 batting line in 140 games.
The 1984 and 1985 seasons weren’t as impressive for Dawson. He struggled a bit with injuries and didn’t hit for the power that was expected. He was particularly bad in 1985, when he hit just .255/.295/.444. Despite bouncing back in 1986, the Expos let him become a free agent following the season.
After playing his home games for more than a decade on the artificial surface of Olympic Stadium, Dawson was looking for a new home that would be easier on his knees. He took his talents to Chicago, where he reportedly offered the Cubs a blank contract. The team couldn’t turn down that offer and signed Dawson for $500,000.
Dawson’s 1987 season is the stuff of legends. He launched 49 home runs and had 137 RBI, both totals leading the NL. He was an all-star, Gold Glove winner, and Silver Slugger winner. Oh, and he won the NL MVP Award (which should have gone to Tony Gwynn or Eric Davis). Dawson’s new home, Wrigley Field, was very friendly to the slugger in 1987. He hit .332/.373/.668 at home and just .246/.288/.480 on the road. Here’s a clip of his 47th home run that year. The ball just explodes off his bat.
Dawson never again came close to hitting that many long balls or driving in that many runs, but he was a productive player for the next five years. Unfortunately, injuries really began to take their toll as he aged into his late 30s. He left the Cubs after the 1992 season and spent two years with the Red Sox and two more with the Marlins.
In retirement, he first appeared on the Baseball Hall of Fame ballot in 2002, getting 45.3 percent of the vote. His vote totals gradually increased over the next eight years and he finally crossed the threshold in 2010. That year, he was the only player to earn enough votes through the BBWAA, but six other players on that ballot would eventually make it to Cooperstown.