Top 106 Baseball Players: #54 - Bernie Williams

Bernie Williams

Bernie Williams was the centerfielder for the most recent Yankee dynasty, and his consistent performance in the playoffs each year was a big part of the reason for their success.

Bernie first reached the Yankees in 1991, but it took a few years before he became a solid player, and the Yankees made several failed attempts to trade him during those early years, and they were later grateful they hadn't gone through.

He played in his first postseason series in 1995 against Seattle, and while they lost in 5 games, he hit .429 with 7 walks and 8 runs, a sure sign of what was to come. In 1996 he reached 100 runs and 100 RBI for the first time each, and he tore it up in the playoffs, batting .471 through the first two rounds and taking home the ALCS MVP. He only recorded 4 hits in the World Series, but he did earn his first championship ring that year.

Williams had his best overall season in 1998, when he led the league in batting with a .339 average, and the Yankees won another World Series after setting an AL record for wins during the regular season. That year he became the first player ever to win a batting title, World Series, and Gold Glove in the same season.

During the three straight championship seasons from 1998 to 2000, Williams always played well in the AL playoffs, but struggled at the plate in the World Series. He helped the Yankees get there each year, which was important, then his teammates helped bring it home, and he ended up with 4 rings in 5 years for it.

The Yankees made the playoffs in 12 straight seasons during Bernie's prime, which helped him to become one of the all-time playoff leaders in many categories. He is the all-time leader in playoff RBI's, and #2 in hits, doubles, homers, runs, and total bases.

During the middle of his career, Williams reached .300 batting in 8 straight seasons. He reached 100 runs scored 8 times as well, and reached 200 hits twice. After 16 years with the Yankees, he was let go, and he decided to call it a career rather than play elsewhere. Even though he was not considered a superstar at any point in his career, he was a very important part of the Yankees latest dynasty, and one of the greatest baseball players of all time.