List of Major League Baseball career fielding errors as a left fielder leaders

Zack Wheat, the modern leader in fielding errors as a left fielder

In baseball statistics, an error is an act, in the judgment of the official scorer, of a fielder misplaying a ball in a manner that allows a batter or baserunner to advance one or more bases or allows an at bat to continue after the batter should have been put out. The left fielder (LF) is one of the three outfielders, the defensive positions in baseball farthest from the batter. Left field is the area of the outfield to the left of a person standing at home plate and facing toward the pitcher's mound. The outfielders' duty is to try to catch long fly balls before they hit the ground or to quickly catch or retrieve and return to the infield any other balls entering the outfield. The left fielder must also be adept at navigating the area of left field where the foul line approaches the corner of the playing field and the walls of the seating areas. Being the outfielder closest to third base, the left fielder generally does not have to throw as far as the other outfielders to throw out runners advancing around the bases, so they often do not have the strongest throwing arm, but their throws need to be accurate. The left fielder normally plays behind the third baseman and shortstop, who play in or near the infield; unlike catchers and most infielders (excepting first basemen), who are virtually exclusively right-handed, left fielders can be either right- or left-handed. In the scoring system used to record defensive plays, the left fielder is assigned the number 7.

The list of career leaders is dominated by players from the early 20th century; only two of the top 16 players were active after 1945. Only four of the top 28 single-season totals were recorded after 1916, none after 1935; only four of the top 81 totals were recorded after 1940. To a large extent, the leaders reflect longevity rather than lower skill. Barry Bonds, whose 89 errors are the most by a National League (NL) left fielder since 1971, won eight Gold Glove Awards for defensive excellence.

Because game accounts and box scores often did not distinguish between the outfield positions, there has been some difficulty in determining precise defensive statistics prior to 1901; because of this, and because of the similarity in their roles, defensive statistics for the three positions are frequently combined. Although efforts to distinguish between the three positions regarding games played during this period and reconstruct the separate totals have been largely successful, separate error totals are unavailable; players whose totals are missing the figures for pre-1901 games are notated in the table below. Zack Wheat, who held the major league records for career games and putouts in left field for over 70 years, is the modern (post-1900) leader in career errors committed by a left fielder with 186, including the modern National League record of 184. Goose Goslin (184), Lou Brock (168), Bobby Veach (146), Jimmy Sheckard (139), Patsy Dougherty (133), Duffy Lewis (123), Bob Johnson (121), Jack Graney (114), Rickey Henderson (113), Ken Williams (109), Jesse Burkett (108), and Charlie Jamieson (103) are the only other left fielders charged with over 100 career errors after 1900. Justin Upton, who had 39 errors through the 2022 season to place him tied for 112th all-time, is the leader among active players.

Key

Rank Rank amongst leaders in career fielding errors. A blank field indicates a tie.
Player Name of player
E as LF Total career errors committed as a left fielder
* Denotes elected to National Baseball Hall of Fame
Denotes total is missing figures for pre-1901 games

List

Goose Goslin holds the American League record.
Rank Player E as LF
1 Zack Wheat * 186
2 Goose Goslin * 184
3 Lou Brock * 168
4 Bobby Veach 146
5 Jimmy Sheckard 139
6 Patsy Dougherty 133
7 Duffy Lewis 123
8 Bob Johnson 121
9 Jack Graney 114
10 Rickey Henderson * 113
11 Ken Williams 109
12 Jesse Burkett * † 108
13 Charlie Jamieson 103
14 Bob Bescher 99
Sherry Magee 99
16 Topsy Hartsel 93
17 Ted Williams * 92
18 Barry Bonds 89
19 Joe Medwick * 86
Minnie Miñoso * 86
Burt Shotton 86
Lonnie Smith 86
23 Gary Matthews 85
24 George Bell 83
25 Irish Meusel 82
Tillie Walker 82
27 Bibb Falk 80
Alex Johnson 80
Willie Stargell * 80
30 George Burns 79
Del Ennis 79
32 José Cruz 78
Billy Williams * 78
34 Fred Clarke * † 76
35 Roy Johnson 74
36 Ralph Kiner * 73
37 Carson Bigbee 72
38 Gus Zernial 71
39 Jeff Heath 68
George Stone 68
Carl Yastrzemski * 68
42 George Barclay 67
Rube Ellis 67
44 Luis Gonzalez 64
Jo-Jo Moore 64
46 Matty McIntyre 63
Joe Vosmik 63
Gee Walker 63
49 Jim Rice * 62
Kip Selbach 62
Rank Player E as LF
51 Babe Ruth * 61
Moose Solters 61
53 Adam Dunn 60
Sam Mertes 60
55 Vince Coleman 59
Leon Wagner 59
57 Albert Belle 58
58 Mike Donlin 57
Lefty O'Doul 57
60 Jimmy Slagle 56
61 Willie Horton 55
Greg Luzinski 55
63 Ralph Garr 54
Heinie Manush * 54
Alfonso Soriano 54
66 Pat Burrell 53
67 Ron Gant 52
Steve Henderson 52
Bob Meusel 52
Hank Sauer 52
71 Max Carey * 50
Tommy Davis 50
George Foster 50
Matt Holliday 50
Carlos Lee 50
76 Cliff Floyd 49
Dick Harley 49
Davy Jones 49
Al Martin 49
Ben Oglivie 49
Rip Radcliff 49
Bob Skinner 49
83 Bob Fothergill 48
Chick Hafey * 48
Tim Raines * 48
86 Joe Carter 47
Pat Duncan 47
Larry Herndon 47
Al Simmons * 47
Dick Wakefield 47
91 Augie Galan 46
Jack McCarthy 46
93 Moisés Alou 45
Rube Bressler 45
Les Mann 45
96 Rico Carty 44
97 Gil Coan 43
Pete Incaviglia 43
Mike Menosky 43
John Stone 43

Other Hall of Famers

Player E
Stan Musial * 35
Frank Robinson * 33
Joe Kelley * † 25
Dave Winfield * 25
Kiki Cuyler * 23
Monte Irvin * 23 (includes incomplete Negro league totals)
Enos Slaughter * 23
Ed Delahanty * † 22
Chuck Klein * 22
Willie McCovey * 21
Mule Suttles * 19 (includes incomplete Negro league totals)
Hank Greenberg * 18
Harmon Killebrew * 17
Chipper Jones * 14
Hank Aaron * 13
Craig Biggio * 11
Hack Wilson * 10
Orlando Cepeda * 9
Billy Southworth * 8
Lloyd Waner * 8
Harry Hooper * 7
Cool Papa Bell * 6 (includes incomplete Negro league totals)
Freddie Lindstrom * 6
Mickey Mantle * 6
Robin Yount * 6
Earl Averill * 5
Earle Combs * 5
Sam Crawford * † 5
Cristóbal Torriente * 5 (includes incomplete Negro league totals)
Hugh Duffy * † 4
Martín Dihigo * 2 (includes incomplete Negro league totals)
Joe DiMaggio * 2
Mel Ott * 2
Edd Roush * 2
Willard Brown * 1 (includes incomplete Negro league totals)
Pete Hill * 1 (includes incomplete Negro league totals)
Cap Anson * † 0
Billy Hamilton * † 0
Ned Hanlon * † 0
Todd Helton * 0
Tommy McCarthy * † 0
Jim O'Rourke * † 0

This page was last updated at 2024-03-16 18:01 UTC. Update now. View original page.

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