The World of Baseball

Major League Baseball (MLB) has had its share of great athletes throughout its history. There are few who were as gifted as Dave Winfield. He played for 22 seasons.

Dave Winfield was drafted 4th overall by the San Diego Padres in the June 1973 MLB Draft. He was also drafted by the Utah Stars of American Basketball Association (ABA), the Atlanta Hawks of the National Basketball Association (NBA), and the Minnesota Vikings of the National Football League (NFL) in 1973. Winfield decided to chose baseball for his professional career. He did not spend a day in the minor leagues. Winfield made his MLB debut in 1973 with the Padres.

Winfield became an everyday player for the Padres the following season in 1974. He brought a lot of excitement and enthusiasm to the game. Winfield was a natural athlete. He made his first All-Star game in 1977. He became one of the best outfielders in the National League (NL). His best season with the Padres was in 1979. Winfield hit 34 home runs, led the NL in runs batted in with 118, while he also led the NL in Wins Above Replacement (WAR), and total bases with 333. Despite Winfield’s excellent play, the Padres were never in contention to make the playoffs.

Winfield would become a free agent after the 1980 season. He signed with the New York Yankees for 10 years, $23 Million Dollars, which made him the highest paid player in baseball. Winfield would lead the Yankees in his first season there in 1981 to the World Series, where they lost to the Los Angeles Dodgers in 6 games. He would be one of the most productive offensive players in baseball for the rest of the 1980s. Winfield drove 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 as a Yankee from 1981 to 1988.

Winfield would continue 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. Winfield would have a great season for a 40 year old. He hit .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.

Winfield collected his 3,000th career hit as a member of his hometown team, the Minnesota Twins, in 1993. He retired after the 1995 season as a member of the then Cleveland Indians. Winfield finished with 3,1110 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.