LOS ANGELES — The Dodgers have been around since 1884, and in their nearly century and a half as a franchise Reggie Smith is one of the best hitters they've ever had. The switch-hitter will be honored on the field on Saturday afternoon at Dodger Stadium as the newest inductee into the Legends of Dodger Baseball, an honor that's been a long time coming.
Among every hitter with at least 1,500 plate appearances for the Dodgers, Smith ranks seventh in OPS (.915), seventh in slugging percentage (.528), and fifth in adjusted OPS+ (152).
Smith was already a four-time All-Star when the Dodgers acquired him from the St. Louis Cardinals in June 1976 for catcher Joe Ferguson, outfielder Bob Detherage, and minor league infielder/outfielder Freddie Tisdale. Smith was the middle trade in a 14-month span during which the Dodgers added stud outfielders Dusty Baker, Smith, and Rick Monday to their already-established Infield. In each of the first two seasons with the three new outfielders the Dodgers made it to the World Series, snapping a decade-long drought.
Those Dodgers teams were insanely talented and, at times, contentious. Like when All-Star pitcher and future Hall of Famer Don Sutton told Thomas Boswell in the Washington Post in 1978, "All you hear about on our team is Steve Garvey, the All-American boy. Well, the best player on the team the last two years — and we all know it — is Reggie Smith. As Reggie goes, so goes us."
There was intended venom in Sutton's rant, but there was also substance behind it. Smith in 1977-78 hit .302/.406/.568 with 54 doubles and 61 home runs, and led the majors with a 165 wRC+. Smith finished fourth in National League MVP voting in both seasons.
#smith #Dodgers #long
Among every hitter with at least 1,500 plate appearances for the Dodgers, Smith ranks seventh in OPS (.915), seventh in slugging percentage (.528), and fifth in adjusted OPS+ (152).
Smith was already a four-time All-Star when the Dodgers acquired him from the St. Louis Cardinals in June 1976 for catcher Joe Ferguson, outfielder Bob Detherage, and minor league infielder/outfielder Freddie Tisdale. Smith was the middle trade in a 14-month span during which the Dodgers added stud outfielders Dusty Baker, Smith, and Rick Monday to their already-established Infield. In each of the first two seasons with the three new outfielders the Dodgers made it to the World Series, snapping a decade-long drought.
Those Dodgers teams were insanely talented and, at times, contentious. Like when All-Star pitcher and future Hall of Famer Don Sutton told Thomas Boswell in the Washington Post in 1978, "All you hear about on our team is Steve Garvey, the All-American boy. Well, the best player on the team the last two years — and we all know it — is Reggie Smith. As Reggie goes, so goes us."
There was intended venom in Sutton's rant, but there was also substance behind it. Smith in 1977-78 hit .302/.406/.568 with 54 doubles and 61 home runs, and led the majors with a 165 wRC+. Smith finished fourth in National League MVP voting in both seasons.
#smith #Dodgers #long
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