Last call: Greatest Dodgers of all-time: Nos. 4-6
We're finally coming into the home stretch of the countdown of my choices for the 12 greatest L.A. Dodgers of all time. I have received 732 ballots from Fabulous Forum readers, and Sandy Koufax and Mike Piazza are still virtually tied for first place. So I'm extending the balloting one more week. E-mail your list of the 12 greatest L.A. Dodgers of all time to houston.mitchell@latimes.com. And remember, we are looking for L.A. Dodgers only. If they played most of their career in Brooklyn, they aren't eligible. Next week, the three greatest L.A. Dodgers of all time will be revealed, along with reader voting.
The 6th-greatest L.A. Dodger of all time:
Ron Cey
Some may be surprised by the fact that Cey finishes higher than Steve Garvey, but, while Garvey was good, Cey was better. Garvey got almost 200 hits every season, but Cey walked far more frequently, leaving him with higher on-base percentages every year from 1974-81.
The 5th-greatest L.A. Dodger of all time is:
Hershiser is best known for his 1988 season, when he won the Cy Young Award and broke the all-time record for consecutive scoreless innings with 59. He also carried the Dodgers through the playoffs. But it is often forgotten that Hersisher finished 19-3 in 1985, and pitched just as well in 1989 as he did in 1988.
The 4th-greatest L.A. Dodger of all time:
Before his arm was ruined by overuse, Fernando was the best left-hander in baseball. He won the Cy Young and Rookie of the Year award in 1981. And if Tommy Lasorda had started him instead of Dave Freakin' Goltz in the 1980 playoff game to decide the NL West winner, the Dodgers would have had one more title in the 1980s.
-- Houston Mitchell
Fernando and Bulldog were unbelievable but Cey? I say, no way Cey, OK? I can name at least 15 other dodgers who certainly should be ranked above him. My guesses for the top three...Jackie, Sandy and Don.
Posted by: Dodger Fan | October 24, 2008 at 11:02 PM
Simple....after Vin Scully, it is Sandy Koufax as the Greatest L.A. Dodger. In person with over 99,000 others, in the L.A. Coliseum, I saw Koufax pitch the fifth game of the 1959 World Series. Over the ensuing years, I witnessed many more Koufax classics. There was no one like him then, or since then.
Posted by: Don Scrivner | October 24, 2008 at 11:32 PM
12-Mike Piazza
11-Pedro guerrero
10-Maury Wills
9-Ron Cey
8-Fernando
7-Orel Hershiser
6-Tommy Lasorda
5-Dusty Baker
4-Don Sutton
3-Steve Garvey
2-Don Drysdale
1-Sandy Koufax
Posted by: Paul Nassif | October 25, 2008 at 09:07 AM
it's just completely stooooooopid to disqualify those greats who happened to play most of their careers in Brooklyn, as the '59 world championship likely would not have been attained w/o the considerable contributions of the Duke and Gil Hodges, both of whom had fine yrs in '59 as full-time position players, batting in the heart of the order, and playing key roles in L.A.'s first ever dodger world championship.......
each of these two greats ought to be included in ANY list of all-time dodger greats, as their greatness spanned two cities, from one coast to another!!!!!!!
Posted by: WeMustNevaForget | October 25, 2008 at 09:09 AM
Sandy Koufax was the greatest pitcher ever in baseball. Won his Cy Young awards when only one was given for baseball, not one for each league. No hitters, strikeouts, and a shortened career only highlights this beautiful athlete's superiority. Also, I'd include Tommy Lasorda and Walter Alston if I thought you were including non-players.
1. Sandy Koufax
2. Don Drysdale
3. Orel Hershiser
4. Maury Wills
5. Fernando Valenzuela
6. Mike Piazza
7. Steve Garvey
8. Ron Cey
9. Don Sutton
10. Tommy Davis
11. Pedro Guerrero
12. Mike Sciosia
Posted by: Bobby B | October 25, 2008 at 11:51 AM
It can only be Sandy Koufax. Anyone else is a travesty. In fact he is so far above teh others there should be no 2nd, 3rd or 4th. The rankings should go 1,5,6,7,8,9,10...
He carried the team in 63,65,66 which led to pennants and if he didn't have the finger problem in 62 they would have won the pennant then as well. Sorry Don Drysdale, Sorry Willie Davis, Sorry Mike Piazza. And if you don't believe he was the sole reason for those pennants, check out their record in 67 and 68 after his retirement. The survived the loss of Tommy Davis in his prime but they couldn't survive his retirement in 67.
Posted by: Donald Davis | October 25, 2008 at 01:22 PM