Some of the greatest offensive players in the history of the game have manned left field. From Shoeless Joe Jackson, Ken Williams, Al Simmons, Babe Ruth, and Joe Medwick to Ted Williams, Hank Greenberg, Ralph Kiner, Stan Musial to Billy Williams, Willie McCovey, Carl Yastrzemski, and Jim Rice to Rickey Henderson, Tim Raines, Barry Bonds, Albert Belle, and Manny Ramirez. Narrowing all those great players down to just 10 seasons was nearly impossible. You could have a list of 40-50 that you could argue belong on this list. Here is my list.
Honorable Mention
- Ted Williams, Boston Red Sox, 1957
- Barry Bonds, San Francisco Giants, 2003
- Barry Bonds, San Francisco Giants, 1993
- Ted Williams, Boston Red Sox, 1946
- Albert Pujols, St. Louis Cardinals, 2003
-
10. Carl Yastrzemski, Boston Red Sox, 1967
- Age: 27
- AL MVP
- AL All-Star
-
9. Babe Ruth, New York Yankees, 1926
- Age: 31
-
8. Al Simmons, Philadelphia Athletics, 1930
- Age: 28
-
7. Ted Williams, Boston Red Sox, 1949
- Age: 30
- AL MVP
- AL All-Star
-
6. Babe Ruth, New York Yankees, 1921
- Age: 26
-
5. Barry Bonds, San Francisco Giants, 1996
- Age: 31
- NL Silver Slugger
- NL All-Star
-
4. Ted Williams, Boston Red Sox, 1948
- Age: 29
- AL All-Star
-
3. Barry Bonds, San Francisco Giants, 2001
- Age: 36
- NL MVP
- NL Silver Slugger
- NL All-Star
-
2. Barry Bonds, San Francisco Giants, 2002
- Age: 37
- NL MVP
- NL Silver Slugger
- NL All-Star
-
1. Barry Bonds, San Francisco Giants, 2004
- Age: 39
- NL MVP
- NL Silver Slugger
- NL All-Star
| WAR | G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | CS | BB | SO | BA | OBP | SLG | OPS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 12.4 | 161 | 579 | 112 | 189 | 31 | 4 | 44 | 121 | 10 | 8 | 91 | 69 | .326 | .418 | .622 | 1.040 |
| WAR | G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | CS | BB | SO | BA | OBP | SLG | OPS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 11.5 | 152 | 495 | 139 | 184 | 30 | 5 | 47 | 153 | 11 | 9 | 144 | 76 | .372 | .516 | .737 | 1.253 |
| WAR | G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | CS | BB | SO | BA | OBP | SLG | OPS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 7.8 | 138 | 554 | 152 | 211 | 41 | 16 | 36 | 165 | 9 | 2 | 39 | 34 | .381 | .423 | .708 | 1.130 |
| WAR | G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | CS | BB | SO | BA | OBP | SLG | OPS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 9.2 | 155 | 566 | 150 | 194 | 39 | 3 | 43 | 159 | 1 | 1 | 162 | 48 | .343 | .490 | .650 | 1.141 |
| WAR | G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | CS | BB | SO | BA | OBP | SLG | OPS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 12.9 | 152 | 540 | 177 | 204 | 44 | 16 | 59 | 168 | 17 | 13 | 145 | 81 | .378 | .512 | .846 | 1.359 |
| WAR | G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | CS | BB | SO | BA | OBP | SLG | OPS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 9.6 | 158 | 517 | 122 | 159 | 27 | 3 | 42 | 129 | 40 | 7 | 151 | 76 | .308 | .461 | .615 | 1.076 |
| WAR | G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | CS | BB | SO | BA | OBP | SLG | OPS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 8.5 | 137 | 509 | 124 | 188 | 44 | 3 | 25 | 127 | 4 | 0 | 126 | 41 | .369 | .497 | .615 | 1.112 |
| WAR | G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | CS | BB | SO | BA | OBP | SLG | OPS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 11.9 | 153 | 476 | 129 | 156 | 32 | 2 | 73 | 137 | 13 | 3 | 177 | 93 | .328 | .515 | .863 | 1.379 |
| WAR | G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | CS | BB | SO | BA | OBP | SLG | OPS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 11.8 | 143 | 403 | 117 | 149 | 31 | 2 | 46 | 110 | 9 | 2 | 198 | 47 | .370 | .582 | .799 | 1.381 |
| WAR | G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | CS | BB | SO | BA | OBP | SLG | OPS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10.6 | 147 | 373 | 129 | 135 | 27 | 3 | 45 | 101 | 6 | 1 | 232 | 41 | .362 | .609 | .812 | 1.422 |
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Ever consider Stan Musial’s 1948? Guy led the NL in everything but stolen jock straps.
Fred, Musial played 81 games in RF and 42 in LF during the 1948 season. For this exercise that made his 1948 season eligible for RF. And his 1948 season is ranked 6th. Here’s a link to that list… https://thebaseballscholar.com/2017/09/18/10-best-offensive-seasons-by-a-right-fielders/
I like this list. Nice job. Two questions: What about Ted Williams .400 season? And Yaz in 1970 had numbers as good or better than ’67.
Yaz played 1B in 1970 so they could get Billy Conigliaro’s bat in the lineup.
George Foster? 1977, .320, 52 HR, 149 RBI’s?? Led in slugging and OPS also. Greatest season ever by a Red.