The best Center Fielders in Major League Baseball history

The best Center Fielders in Major League Baseball history

10) Richie Ashburn – A six time All Star, “Put Put” played 1,948 games in center field for 15 seasons from 1948-1962, mainly with the Phillies. Ashburn batted .308 with a .396 on base percentage and 234 stolen bases, and is credited with saving 39 runs defensively.

 

9) Jim Edmonds – “Jimmy Baseball” won eight Gold Gloves while playing 1,768 games in center field in 17 seasons from 1993-2010, primarily with the Angels and Cardinals. A four time All Star, Edmonds batted .284 with 393 homers and 1,199 RBI’s. He is credited with saving 80 runs on defense.

 

8) Andruw Jones – A five time All Star and winner of 10 Gold Gloves, “The Curacao Kid” played 1,724 games in centerfield and is credited with saving an impressive 220 runs at the position. Jones’ .992 fielding percentage is higher than the league average of .987 for the time of his career, 17 seasons from 1996-2012, mainly with the Braves. He batted .254 with 434 home runs and 1,289 RBI’s.

 

7) Duke Snider – The “Duke of Flatbush” played 1,589 games in center field for the Dodgers in 18 years from 1947-1964. The eight time All Star had a fielding percentage of .985, higher than the league average of .982, and batted .295 with 407 home runs, 1,333 RBI’s, and a .380 on base percentage.

 

6) Ken Griffey Jr. – Winner of 10 Gold Gloves and a 13 time All Star, “Junior” played 2,145 games in center for the Mariners and Reds. For 22 years from 1989-2010 Griffey batted. 284 with 630 home runs and 1,836 RBI’s. He was named the 1997 American League MVP.

 

5) Mickey Mantle – “The Commerce Comet” played 1,742 games in centerfield for the Yankees for 18 seasons from 1951-1968.  Mantle hit .298 with 536 homers, 1,509 RBI’s, a .421 on base percentage, and .557 slugging percentage. He was named to 20 All Star teams (two were played some years), won the AL MVP three times, and was awarded one Gold Glove.

 

4) Joe DiMaggio – A 13 time All Star and winner of the AL MVP award in 1939, 1941, and 1947, “Joltin’ Joe” played 1,634 games in centerfield for the Yankees, leading AL centerfielders in assists for three seasons. DiMaggio batted .325 with 361 home runs, 1,537 RBI’s, a .398 on base percentage and a .579 slugging percentage in 13 seasons from 1936-1951.

 

3) Tris Speaker – The 1912 AL MVP played 2,088 games in centerfield for 22 seasons from 1907-1940, primarily with the Indians and Red Sox. “The Grey Eagle” had a fielding percentage of .972, higher than the league average of .965, and led AL centerfielders eight years in double plays, seven years in assists, and four years in range factor. Speaker batted .345 with 3,514 hits, 1,531 RBI’s, 436 stolen bases, a .428 on base percentage, and a .500 slugging percentage. He is Major League baseball’s all time leader in doubles with 792.

 

2) Ty Cobb – Playing 1,697 games in center for 24 years from 1905-1928, mainly with the Tigers, Cobb won the AL MVP in 1911 and led AL centerfielders twice in fielding percentage and three times in double plays. “The Georgia Peach” is the majors’ all time leader in career batting average with a mark of .366. He had an on base percentage of .433, slugging percentage of .521, 4,189 hits, 1,944 RBI’s, and 897 stolen bases.

 

1) Willie Mays – A 24 time All Star and winner of the 1954 and 1965 NL MVP, the “Say Hey Kid” played 2,829 games in centerfield in 22 seasons from 1951-1973, primarily with the Giants. Mays won 12 Gold Gloves and is credited with saving an impressive 176 runs defensively in centerfield. He batted .302 with a .384 on base percentage, .557 slugging percentage, 660 home runs, 1,903 RBI’s, and 338 stolen bases.

 

The best late round draft picks in Minnesota Vikings history

The Vikings have selected some great players in later rounds of the NFL Draft during their 56 years in the league. You don’t have to be a first round draft pick to have a great career in the NFL, and these Viking players, some of whom played their entire careers with Minnesota, prove that talent can be found anywhere.

10) Terry Allen, RB, round 9, 1991: Allen rushed for over one thousand yards twice in his three years with the Vikings, and totaled 8,614 yards on the ground in a ten year career with five teams.

9) Brad Johnson, QB, round 9, 1992: Johnson played seven seasons with the Vikes; he made the Pro Bowl with the Redskins and the Buccaneers, also winning the Super Bowl with Tampa in 2002. Dumb Dennis Green and ya-hoo owner Red McCombs made the mistake of trading Johnson for draft picks after the 1998 season and instead held on to washed-up choke artist QB Randall Cunningham (who played in a mere six games the following season before being unceremoniously dumped onto the scrap heap).

8) Jeff Wright, S, round 15, 1971: Wright was a solid safety on the Vikings great defenses and Super Bowl teams from 1973-1977.

7) Milt Sunde, G, round 20, 1964: Sunde played in 147 games, starting 106, in his 11 year Viking career, contributing to the top Viking offenses in several championship years.

6) Stu Voight, TE, round 10, 1970: Voight was a steady tight end during his 11 years and 131 games with the team, contributing during the team’s Super Bowl seasons in the mid-’70’s.

5) Dave Osborn, RB, round 13, 1965: A tough runner and reliable receiver out of the backfield, Osborn’s 4,320 rushing yards rank sixth in team history. He was named to one Pro Bowl during his 11 years with the team.

4) Matt Birk, C, round 6, 1998: Birk played in 146 games and started 123 from 1998-2008, earning six Pro Bowl nods while snapping the ball at center.

3) Steve Jordan, TE, round 7, 1982: A six time Pro Bowl selection, Jordan was a consistent and durable tight end, appearing in 176 games and starting 149 in 13 seasons. He had 498 receptions and scored 28 touchdowns.

2) Carl Lee, CB, round 7, 1983: Selected three times to the Pro Bowl, Lee played in 169 games, starting 144, during 11 seasons with the team. A key player at cornerback on the team’s great defenses in the late 1980’s, he is the all-time leader in passes defensed with 128, recovered 6 fumbles, and is sixth with 29 interceptions, two of which he returned for touchdowns.

1) Scott Studwell, MLB, round 9, 1977: Fifth in team history with 201 games played, Studwell started 161 at middle linebacker and was selected to the Pro Bowl twice. He forced 12 fumbles, recovered 16, intercepted 11 passes, had 9 QB sacks, and ranks ninth with 46 tackles-for-loss. Studwell is the best late round draft pick in Vikings history.

Vikings’ Bridgewater sometimes looks like Ponder

Minnesota Vikings second year quarterback Teddy Bridgewater has shown the poise of a veteran at times. Other times, he has looked intimidated and indecisive. 

Unfortunately, this is the same pattern exhibited by 2011 number draft pick quarterback Christian Ponder, during his four seasons wearing the purple. 

Granted, Bridgewater has been running for his life on many passing downs, as the offensive line in front of him is mediocre at best. Still, he hasn’t always reacted quickly, and his arm isn’t the cannon that you see in other star NFL quarterbacks. 

If the front office brings in some quality offensive linemen through free agency and the draft in the offseason, blockers that give Bridgewater time to read the defense and find open receivers, then we may have a better perspective on what he will become as a quarterback. He does have some decent weapons in Adrian Peterson, Mike Wallace, Kyle Rudolph, and Stefon Diggs, so if the blocking improves, we’ll know if Bridgewater is the man who will lead Minnesota to the Super Bowl.

 

The best linebackers in Minnesota Vikings history

The Vikings have had some outstanding linebackers who played important roles in the team’s dominant defenses through the years; here are the ten best.

10) Mike Merriweather: Starting each of the 63 games he appeared in from 1989-92, Merriweather registered 10 sacks and intercepted 7 passes, returning two for touchdowns. He also recovered 7 fumbles, taking one back for a score. Remembered for blocking a punt in an overtime game against the Rams that bounced out of the end zone for a safety, winning the game for the Vikes.

9) Jack Del Rio: Selected to one Pro Bowl in four seasons, Del Rio started all 57 games he played in from 1992-95. He intercepted 10 passes, returning one for a touchdown; recorded 7.5 QB sacks; forced three fumbles, and recovered five.

8) Lonnie Warwick: Warwick played in 92 games and started 75. The middle linebacker in a defense that dominated opponents’ offenses in 1968, 1969, and 1970, he intercepted 12 passes, recorded 7.5 sacks and recovered 6 fumbles in his eight year career with the Vikes.

7) Fred McNeil: Playing in 167 games and starting 122 at outside linebacker during his 12 years with the team, McNeil recovered 16 fumbles, intercepted 7 passes, and recorded 13 quarterback sacks.

6) Ed McDaniel: The team leader in tackles for loss with 90.5, he ranks second among Viking linebackers with 20.5 sacks. McDaniel is also sixth on the team with 17 forced fumbles. He has 5 fumble recoveries, intercepted 4 passes and was named to the Pro Bowl once during his nine seasons and 125 games, 109 starts, with the Vikings.

5) Wally Hilgenberg: A tough outside linebacker on the Vikings’ great defenses of the late 60’s and throughout the 70’s, Hilgenberg played in 158 games, starting 118, in 12 seasons. He recovered 13 fumbles, recorded 8 sacks, picked off 8 passes and scored two touchdowns.

4) Roy Winston: In 15 seasons Winston played in 191 games, starting 158 at outside linebacker on dominant Viking defenses in the late ’60’s and early ’70’s. A playmaker, he had 16 sacks and 14 fumble recoveries, both third among linebackers, and 12 interceptions, second among linebackers, and scored 3 touchdowns. He also is fifth all-time with 68 tackles-for-loss.

3) Scott Studwell: Fifth in team history with 201 games played, Studwell started 161 at middle linebacker and was selected to the Pro Bowl twice in his 14 year career. He forced 12 fumbles, recovered 15, intercepted 11 passes, and had 9 QB sacks. He ranks ninth with 46 tackles-for-loss.

2) Jeff Siemon: A key player as the middle linebacker on the team’s top defenses in the mid-1970’s, Siemon played in 156 games, starting 123, and was selected to four Pro Bowls during his eleven year career with the Vikings. He is ninth in team history with 14 forced fumbles; he recovered 11, had 6 QB sacks, and 11 interceptions.

1) Matt Blair: Selected to six Pro Bowls in his 12 seasons, Blair played in 160 games, starting 130. He is fourth in forced fumbles with 19, third in fumble recoveries with 20, and tenth in tackles-for-loss with 44. His 23 sacks and 16 interceptions are first among Vikings linebackers. He also blocked 20 kicks in his career. Blair is the best linebacker in Minnesota’s history.