Baseball's Greatest Outfielders
The Best of The Hard-Hitting Flychasers
The Early Years
Of course, the most recognized name in the sport is Babe Ruth, who made the home run the central tool of offense. After four years as a top-flight pitcher for the Boston Red Sox, Ruth converted to the outfield, was traded to the Yankees, and wrote an entirely new record book at the plate with a season high of 60 homers, a lifetime total of 714, and a career batting average of .342. Although those home run marks have been eclipsed, his per-at-bat home run ratio and slugging percentages remain the best. And the Babe was a more than adequate fielder, in right or left, who was known for a good number of difficult, if unspectacular, running catches.
The other dominator of offensive records in early baseball was Ty Cobb of the Detroit Tigers, though he was not a home run hitter in the dead ball era. Cobb's .367 lifetime average, including three seasons above .400, remains the best by almost ten points. He was also a feared base stealer, compiling season records of 96 and lifetime of 892. Both of those have been broken, as has his career hit total of 4,191, but he obviously wielded a particularly potent combination of offensive weapons through his 24-year career. Cobb was a fine outfielder who played center field as well as right and left for several of those seasons.
For the first half of the last century, a common choice to join Ruth and Cobb in an all-time outfield was Tris Speaker of the Red Sox and Cleveland Indians. Speaker batted .345 for his career and still holds the record for doubles with 792. He was also a base-stealing threat. But he was perhaps most fabled for his coverage of center field. Observers of the ninteen-teens and twenties marveled that he played not far behind second base to cut off bloopers but had the speed and judgement to race back for anything short of the fences.
In Living Memory
But most fans who go back to the fifties and sixties are convinced that Willie Mays of the New York and San Francisco Giants deserves a place among the top three outfielders. A .302 career hitter, Mays blasted 660 home runs, fourth highest in history, ran the bases brilliantly, and played the most sensational center field seen at least in generations. His signature claim to fielding mastery was his running, back-to-the-plate catch of Vic Wertz's drive to the far reaches of the 490-foot Polo Grounds center field in the 1954 World Series--followed by his throw to the infield that prevented runners from advancing. Mays was also valued for his spirit that energized his teammates.
There are those who claim that Ted Williams of the Red Sox was the greatest hitter of all time. His career average was .344, just above Ruth's and well below Cobb's, but he hit 521 home runs despite losing all or most of five seasons to military service. Williams was definitely not applauded for his fielding, but comparisons to some who fought the Fenway Green Monster left fiield wall after his departure suggest he was quite satisfactory.
There are those who still think that Joe DiMaggio was the best all-around player ever, combining his .325 batting average, 361 home runs, and almost unerring coverage of the vast Yankee Stadium center field. In his favor is his key role on nine world champions, but his 13-year career was cut short not only by military service but also injuries. Stan Musial sparked three St. Louis Cardinals championship teams with a .331 batting average and 475 home runs, playing both outfield and first base as needed. Roberto Clemente rates consideration for an 18-year career in which he batted .317 and fielded brilliantly, displaying perhaps the best throwing arm of all.
It remains only to determine the place of Barry Bonds, current holder of the season and lifetime home run records with 73 and 762, respectively, along with three of the five highest slugging percentages ever recorded. An excellent fielder as well, Bonds had earned consideration for all-time status before his "bulking up" led to suspicions of banned substance use. At this point, history will have to judge his ultimate rank.
Source: Baseball-Reference.com
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