This is an intriguing topic; I'm going to go in a different direction with this as it is all but impossible for me to choose a 'greatest' Dodger. Instead:
Best Pitcher
Sandy Koufax - The brevity of Koufax's career may be enough to disqualify him for a designation such as this in most circles... but I cannot buy into that. From 1961 through 1966 Koufax was the greatest pitcher in all of baseball and, perhaps, one of the greatest players in the game. Three Cy Young Awards, an NL MVP, and three Triple Crowns (wins, strikeouts, and ERA). He allowed fewer than seven hits per nine innings for his career, threw four no-hitters (including a perfect game), struck out fifteen or more batters eight times, and had an ERA of 0.95 in his World Series career.
Best Hitter
Duke Snider - Had he not been playing at the same time as Ted Williams and Joe DiMaggio it is possible that Snider would be remembered as one of the all-time greats... as he very well should be. His average season was comprised of a line of .295/.380/.540, 31 HR, 101 RBI, and 95 R. He was a plus defender, to boot. Snider was an eight-time all-star, holds the Dodgers all-time record for home runs and runs batted in, and is the only player to hit four or more home runs in two World Series'.
Best Season
Sandy Koufax - 1965
26-8, 335.7 IP, 216 H, 71 BB, 382 K, 2.04 ERA, 0.855 WHIP
Best Manager
Walter Alston - Seven pennants, four World Series titles, and a wonderful handling of a team moving from one coast to the other. Plus, Alston was lauded for his charm and studious approach to the game - he handed out mostly one-year contracts, yet was able to maintain a high rate of return and low turnover from year to year.
Best Leader
Pee Wee Reese - Pee Wee Reese was the captain of the Dodgers for ten seasons and was beloved by every member of his team. Reese has also garnered a great deal of praise for his acceptance and welcoming of Jackie Robinson and Roy Campanella in an age where teams often created petitions to prevent owners from considering integration. Reese was also a fine baseball player, known mostly for his terrific speed and excellent glovework.
I cannot, out of these men, choose a 'Greatest Dodger.' So many great men have had brilliant careers wearing Dodger blue, and I feel as if I have slighted so many men of note - Jackie Robinson, Don Drysdale, Don Sutton, Dazzy Vance, Steve Garvey, Kirk Gibson, Roy Campanella, and Mike Piazza, to name several. This, to me, is the mark of a brilliant franchise with startling longevity... and I hope that the 2008 Dodgers will add a few men to this list.
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