The 20 greatest Dodgers of all time, No. 12: Steve Garvey

Continuing our countdown of the 20 greatest Dodgers of all time, as selected by our readers.

No. 12: Steve Garvey (42 first-place votes, 24,411 points)

One of the most beloved Dodgers while he was playing, Steve Garvey checks in as the 12th-greatest Dodger of all time.

Garvey, a first baseman, was an integral part of the longest-lasting infield in baseball history, the Garvey-Lopes-Russell-Cey infield, and is the only member of that infield to make the top 20.

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Garvey played for the Dodgers from 1969 to 1982 and was an eight-time All-Star with the team, winning the All-Star game MVP award in 1974 and 1978. He was also named NL MVP in 1974 as the Dodgers made it to the World Series before losing to Oakland.

Garvey is one of 29 Dodgers to finish with a career batting average higher than .300 with the team (.301). He is also ninth all-time in games played (1,727) for the Dodgers, 11th in runs (852), fifth in hits (1,968), third in doubles (333), sixth in homers (211) and fifth in runs batted in (992).

Although fans loved him during his tenure, Garvey was a polarizing figure among teammates, getting into a highly publicized fistfight with Don Sutton, and also being disliked to some extent by numerous other teammates over the years for what was described as a “phony” attitude and a perceived pandering for fan and media attention. No one questioned his commitment and focus on the field, however.

Full List: See the top 20 greatest Dodgers of all time