#6 Brian Downing, C, LF, DH (1978-1990)

Brian was traded to the Halos with Dave Frost and Chris Knapp in exchange for Bobby Bonds, Thad Bosley, and Richard Dotson prior to the 1978 season. He was an All-Star in 1979, when he batted .326 as a catcher, and joined Bobby Grich as the core of the team’s first three AL West championship teams in ’79, ’82, and ‘86. Downing set a pair of AL records with 244 consecutive errorless games by an OF (5/25/81 – 7/21/83) and most chances (330) in an errorless season (1982). His career .995 fielding % (LF) ranks #1 all-time in ML history. Most of all, Downing excelled at getting on base, and therefore often batted leadoff, despite also being a power threat. He won the AL Player of the Month Award in April, 1987.

Brian signed with the Texas Rangers for the 1991 season. After 13 years in Anaheim, Downing left as the career leader in many offensive categories. Downing was inducted into the Angels’ Hall of Fame in 2009. The Angels’ Player of the 80’s is still the team’s career leader with:

- 105 hit by pitch

- a 22.1 WPA

- 598 games at DH

- 2 postseason SF (T1^st)

Downing ranks among the Angels’ all-time career Top Ten with:

- a 37.7 WAR (2^nd)

- a .372 OB% (5^th)

- a .813 OPS (10^th)

- 1,661 games (3^rd)

- 5,854 at bats (3^rd)

- 889 runs (3^rd)

- 1,588 hits (3^rd)

- 2,580 total bases (3^rd)

- 1,062 singles (3^rd)

- 282 doubles (3^rd)

- 222 home runs (3^rd)

- 846 RBI (3^rd)

- 866 walks (2^nd)

- 526 extra base hits (3^rd)

- 2,559 times on base (3^rd)

- a .614 offensive win % (5^th)

- 54 sacrifice flies (3^rd)

- 2,967 putouts (10^th)

- 16 postseason games (T10^th)

- 73 postseason PA (10^th)

- 7 postseason runs (T10^th)

- 8 postseason walks (T4^th)

As an Angel, Brian holds Top Ten seasonal marks in:

- WAR (once - ’79)

- OB% (once - ’79)

- PA (once - ’82)

- Walks (once - ’87)

- TOB (twice – ’82, ’87)

- HBP (3x - ’86, ’87, ‘88)