Twins Top Ten: Center Field - Minnesota Sports Today

Kirby and the Gang

Introducing “Twins Top Ten”

Over the past few months, I’ve been taking a weekly look at the history of each position on the diamond and figuring out who is the best of the best since the franchise moved to Minnesota. This means that only players from 1961-on will be considered, but I will be taking into account their entire tenures with the franchise for those who moved along with the team. You can find prior entries in the series linked below. Next Up: Center Fielders!

The Best Center Fielders in Twins History

Center Field is one of baseball’s premier positions. These speedsters capture our imagination with their high-flying athletics. The Twins have a deep and rich history with leading men in the outfield- the total bWAR of the ten guys who made the cut added up to nearly 30(!) more than any other non-pitcher position I’ve done. To determine who the top center fielders in Twins history are, I’ll be looking at a variety of criteria, including years with the team, number of games, bWAR, OPS+ (to compare different eras of baseball), home runs, stolen bases, defensive assists, defensive WAR, and accolades. All stats are for Twins years only, and in center field only. All players considered had more appearances in center than at any other position for the team. Who are the top ten in Twins history (according to me)?

Honorable Mentions

Ben Revere (2010-2012): 3 Years – 254 Games – 3.2 bWAR – 79 OPS+ – 0 HR – 74 SB – 5 A – 0.5 dWAR
Aaron Hicks (2013-2015): 3 Years – 247 Games – 2.5 bWAR – 81 OPS+ – 20 HR – 26 SB – 21 A – 0.8 dWAR
Ted Uehlander (1965-1969): 5 Years – 543 Games – 3.2 bWAR – 87 OPS+ – 23 HR – 46 SB – 20 A – -2.2 dWAR

10. Carlos Gomez (2008-2009)

2 Years – 290 Games – 2.6 bWAR – 73 OPS+ – 10 HR – 47 SB – 12 A – 2.5 dWAR

Carlos Gomez was brought on in a bad trade (Johan Santana) and let go too soon. His best years were with the Brewers, but we’ll always remember Go-Go Gomez diving headfirst into home plate to win Game 163 in 2009.

9. Rich Becker (1993-1997)

5 Years – 417 Games – 6.5 bWAR – 88 OPS+ – 25 HR – 51 SB – 34 A – 1.8 dWAR

Rich Becker had gigantic shoes to fill (figuratively speaking) when he took over center field for the Twins. He had a respectable career, but will always be overshadowed by who came before him (a short, round shadow) and after him (a taller, skinnier shadow).

8. Lenny Green (1959-1964)

6 Years – 700 Games – 6.8 bWAR – 99 OPS+ – 34 HR – 66 SB – 17 A – -1.6 dWAR

The first center fielder in Twins history isn’t as well-known as many of his teammates, but held down a premier position very well, both at the plate and in the field, for a number of years.

7. Lyman Bostock (1975-1977)

3 Years – 379 Games – 10.3 bWAR – 127 OPS+ – 18 HR – 30 SB – 16 A – -0.5 dWAR

Lyman Bostock was a great ball player, a beloved teammate, and a man of great character. Unfortunately, his career and his life came to an end in 1978 as he was accidentally shot to death in Gary, Indiana while visiting his uncle, which will always overshadow the fact that he was the kind of hitter that drew comparisons to Rod Carew.

6. Denard Span (2008-2012)

5 Years – 589 Games – 17.2 bWAR – 104 OPS+ – 23 HR – 90 SB – 14 A – 4.6 dWAR

Taking over center field after Carlos Gomez’s departure, Denard Span was always just rock-solid. A consistent, stereotypical leadoff man who performed excellent in time at every outfield position. I am excited to listen to his analysis on Twins broadcasts this year!

5. Jimmie Hall (1963-1966)

4 Years – 573 Games – 14.8 bWAR – 124 OPS+ – 98 HR – 23 SB – 29 A – 1.4 dWAR – 2x All-Star

Jimmie Hall blasted onto the scene in 1963 as a power-hitting lefty and posted 5.4 bWAR as a rookie center fielder. After two more excellent years, he took a major step back and never recovered. A steady decline in effectiveness against left-handed pitchers eventually made him a part-time player.

4. Cesar Tovar (1965-1972)

8 Years – 1090 Games – 25.9 bWAR – 102 OPS+ – 38 HR – 186 SB – 25 A – 3.4 dWAR

Cesar Tovar is difficult to judge at any one position. The original super-utilityman famously played every position in a single game, but center field is where he played the most during his time on the Twins. In the end, it doesn’t matter- his numbers would play at any spot on the diamond.

3. Byron Buxton (2015-Present)

10 Years – 772 Games – 24.5 bWAR – 110 OPS+ – 133 HR – 93 SB – 22 A – 8.0 dWAR – All-Star, Gold Glove, Platinum Glove

There’s a reality where Byron Buxton is a worthy challenger for the top spot on this list, and that’s disappointing to think about. The tools have translated, the numbers are excellent, but the best ability is availability, and he just hasn’t had that. I will say I’ve looked at a lot of dWAR numbers during this exercise, and 8.0 is a truly jaw-dropping total.

2. Torii Hunter (1997-2007, 2015)

12 Years – 1373 Games – 26.4 bWAR – 103 OPS+ – 214 HR – 128 SB – 70 A – 6.2 dWAR – 2x All-Star, 7x Gold Glove

There’s no surprises left at this point on this list, as Torii Hunter played center field with a swashbuckling swagger, incredible athletics, and a heavy bat, to boot. Between Torii, Kirby, and Buck, the Twins have enjoyed the luxury of all-world centerfielders for 30 of the past 40 years (and the guys filling those other years were pretty good, too).

1. Kirby Puckett (1984-1995)

12 Years – 1783 Games – 51.1 bWAR – 124 OPS+ – 207 HR – 134 SB – 110 A – -0.3 dWAR – Hall of Famer, 10x All-Star, 6x Gold Glove, 6x Silver Slugger, Batting Champion

What can I say about Kirby that the long list of accolades doesn’t? He’s truly one of the greatest to ever play. He didn’t look the part, but he had every tool you’d want, and he delivered two World Series titles and a Hall of Fame career to the people of Minnesota.

What do you think? Who did I miss? Who do I overrate, and who do I underrate? Remember, your favorite outfielder that’s not here or on the LF list likely will be on the RF list. Let me know in the comments! I’ll be back next week as we move to Center.