Atlanta Braves franchise history: top 10 outfielders part 1

Number ten: A solid player

I’d wager most fans today have never heard of Sid Gordon; his SABR biography describes him as:

"a man who came to play every day no matter whether the manager played him in the outfield or third base or where he inserted him in the lineup. An amiable and well-liked ballplayer. . ."

I guess being a star in those days meant something different than it does today. In 1948 Gordon finished fifth in the NL with 30 homers, behind Johnny Mize, Ralph Kiner, Stan Musial, and Hank Sauer, and third in OPS (.927) and OPS+ (142) behind Musial and Mize.

In 1949 Bobby Thompson took fourth place in homers pushing Gordon to number five, while Enos Slaughter, and some kid named Jackie Robinson, meant Gordon landed in fourth-spot with a .909 OPS and a 142 OPS+.

Gordon joined the Boston Braves after the 1949 season in the trade that sent Al Dark and Eddie Stanky to the Giants.

• in 1951, Gordon finished third in MLB  with a 156 OPS+,
• fourth in MLB with 154 wRC+,
• fifth in MLB with 6.4 rWAR,
• tenth in MLB with 5.5 fWAR,
• #17 in MLB with a  409 wOBA, and
• finished #22 in NL MVP voting.

He enjoyed three more seasons as a top 20 batter with the Braves, finishing #22, #16, and #30 in  MVP voting.

Provided by Baseball-Reference.com: View Original Table

Gordon’s Baseball-Reference similarity score compares him to former Atlanta Braves outfielder Brian Jordan at the same age.

Provided by Baseball-Reference.com: View Original Table