I haven't done one of these in a while but here are the ten best and worst seasons for Jay center fielders by Wins Above Replacement. The idea stolen from Amazin' Avenue, the Met's SB Nation Blog. The numbers are taken from Sean Smith's WAR Database.
|
Rank |
Year |
Player |
WAR |
|
1 |
2006 |
Vernon Wells |
6.7 |
|
2 |
1984 |
Lloyd Moseby |
6.2 |
|
3 |
1993 |
Devon White |
6.0 |
|
4 |
1991 |
Devon White |
5.8 |
|
5 |
1983 |
Lloyd Moseby |
5.7 |
|
6 |
1992 |
Devon White |
5.3 |
|
7 |
2003 |
Vernon Wells |
4.9 |
|
8 |
1987 |
Lloyd Moseby |
3.5 |
|
9 |
1985 |
Lloyd Moseby |
2.8 |
|
10 |
1999 |
Jose Cruz, Jr |
2.8 |
And the worst seasons:
|
Rank |
Year |
Player |
WAR |
|
28 |
1982 |
Lloyd Moseby |
0.5 |
|
29 |
1997 |
Otis Nixon |
0.5 |
|
30 |
1981 |
Lloyd Moseby |
0.3 |
|
31 |
1979 |
Rick Bosetti |
0.3 |
|
32 |
1996 |
Jacob Brumfield |
0 |
|
33 |
1996 |
Otis Nixon |
0 |
|
34 |
1989 |
Mookie Wilson |
-0.2 |
|
35 |
1977 |
Gary Woods |
-0.9 |
|
36 |
1980 |
Rick Bosetti |
-0.9 |
|
37 |
1977 |
John Scott |
-1.7 |
A few random comments:
- We've had some good seasons from our center fields.
- Moseby was called up too soon but then we didn't have anyone decent to play center field at the time. Fans that focus on his triple crown stats never understood how good a player he was. He did everything well. Even in his first couple of seasons, without having time to learn his craft in the minors, he was a better than replacement value player.
- I have no memory of John Scott or Gary Woods, but Rick Bosetti was a favorite of mine when I was young. He had a couple of decent seasons for us.
- Otis Nixon had a .304 and a .327 slugging average his two seasons with us, as well as having no arm at all out in center. Pretty average range for a speedster too. Seems like he should have been a JP signing, a player than had some good seasons long before he came to the Jays.
- Devon White was as smooth a fielder as you'll ever see. Much of his value was defensive.
- Vernon has the 11, 12 and 15 spot as well and a few more in the top 25. But he's got a bottom 10 season going this year. At the moment he'd be fourth worst on the list.