Two names that come to my head when trying to determine who the best left fielder is in franchise history are Rusty Greer and Josh Hamilton. There are other names you could throw into the discussion but those are the two that really stand out to me and in the long run, I decided to go with Greer.
Greer spent his entire nine-year career in Texas where he finished with a batting average of .305, 1,166 hits, 643 runs, 614 RBIs and 119 home runs.
He was drafted by the Rangers in the 10th round, making him the 279th overall pick in the 1990 amateur draft.
He eventually made his MLB debut on May 16, 1994.
Greer had three seasons where he had at least 100 RBIs. The first came in 1996 when he finished with exactly 100 to go along with his 180 hits, 18 home runs and a career-high six triples and a career-high batting average of .332.
A year later, he fell just 13 RBIs short of 100, but he a career-high 26 home runs.
The Rangers’ outfielder had a tendency to beat himself up with his aggressive style of play. He only played 62 games in 2001 due to injuries and even less, in 2002 when he played just 51 games.
Greer had several surgeries, including on his neck, shoulder and underwent Tommy John surgery.
Despite that, he attempted to make a comeback but was unable to return after the 2002 season.
Greer was always a fan favorite and beloved by the franchise. On Aug. 11, 2007, Greer was inducted into the Texas Rangers Hall of Fame
He may not be the best Texas Ranger to ever wear No. 29 (that number was retired in honor of Adrian Beltre), but in my mind, there’s no doubt that the former outfielder is the best to ever play the left field position in a Texas Rangers uniform.
