Major League Baseball (MLB) has had its share of great athletes throughout its history. Few were as gifted as Dave Winfield, who played 22 seasons.
Dave Winfield was drafted 4th overall by the San Diego Padres in the June 1973 MLB Draft. A University of Minnesota multi-sport star, he was also drafted by the Utah Stars of the American Basketball Association (ABA), the Atlanta Hawks of the National Basketball Association (NBA), and the Minnesota Vikings of the National Football League (NFL).
Winfield chose baseball for his professional career, and he did not spend a day in the minor leagues, making his MLB debut with the Padres that same year. Winfield became an everyday player for the Padres the following season in 1974.
He brought excitement and enthusiasm to the game. A natural athlete, Winfield made his first All-Star game in 1977 and became one of the best outfielders in the National League (NL). His best season with the Padres was in 1979, when he hit 34 home runs, led the NL in runs batted in (118), Wins Above Replacement (WAR), and total bases (333). Despite his excellent play, the Padres were never in contention to make the playoffs.
Winfield became a free agent after the 1980 season and signed a 10-year, $23 million deal with the New York Yankees, making him the highest-paid player in baseball. In his first season there, he led the Yankees to the 1981 World Series, where they lost to the Los Angeles Dodgers in 6 games.
One of the best … EVER! (photo courtesy Pioneer Press)
That was just the beginning. He remained one of the most productive offensive players in baseball for the rest of the 1980s, driving in at least 100 runs five straight seasons from 1982 to 1986 and again in 1988. He finished 2nd in the American League batting race to his teammate, Don Mattingly, in 1984. Winfield made the All-Star team with the Yankees from 1981 to 1988.
Winfield continued his career with a few more teams. After a stint with the California Angels, he signed with the Toronto Blue Jays prior to the 1992 season. He had a great season for a 40-year-old, hitting .290 with 26 home runs and 108 runs batted in as the designated hitter. His play helped lead Toronto to its first World Series championship and also Winfield’s first. Later, in 1993, Winfield collected his 3,000th career hit as a member of his hometown team, the Minnesota Twins.
He retired after the 1995 season as a member of the then-Cleveland Indians. Winfield finished with 3,111 career hits, 465 home runs, and 1,833 runs batted in. He won six Silver Slugger awards and eight Gold Glove awards.
Winfield was inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame on the first ballot in 2001. He is one of the best all-around players to ever touch the baseball diamond.
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The original version of this article was published on Anthony’s blog.
