MLB: Top 30 leadoff hitters of all-time
17. . 2000-2014. Braves, Dodgers, Cardinals, Marlins. Rafael Furcal. 23. player
If he hadn’t been derailed by injuries in the prime of his career, Rafael Furcal may have become not only one of the best leadoff hitters of the 2000s, but perhaps one of the best in baseball history.
Following six years as the shortstop and leadoff man for the Atlanta Braves in which he hit .284/.348/.409 with 924 hits and 554 runs scored in 817 games (making him arguably the best leadoff hitter in franchise history), Furcal signed with the Los Angeles Dodgers.
His first year in LA was his best and the switch-hitter put up a .300/.369/.445 slash with 31 doubles, a career-high 11 triples, 12 home runs and 58 RBI. He also set a single-season personal best with 73 walks. Furcal was solid the following season and was off to a torrid start in 2008 before missing more than 100 games due to injury – and he had trouble shaking off the injury bug the rest of his career.
In 14 Major League seasons, the rocket-armed shortstop hit atop the batting order 1,381 times and started the game with a home run on 30 occasions, which ranks 12th all-time. He posted a solid career slash of .281/.346/.402, won the 2000 National League Rookie of the Year Award, was a three-time All-Star, hit .300 twice, hit double-digit triples twice, and stole 314 bases.
Overall, Furcal had a very solid career. Unfortunately, from 2008 to 2014, he played more than 100 games only twice and played less than 40 games four times.
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