No. 87: Greatest seasons in Angels history: Rick Burleson, 1981

Rick Burleson, 1981

Stats: .293/.357/.372/.729, 5 HR, 33 RBI, 126 H, 53 R, 112 OPS+

Awards: All-Star, Silver Slugger

Baseball Reference WAR: 4.5

FanGraphs WAR: 4.0

Combined WAR: 4.25

After spending the first seven seasons of his career with the Boston Red Sox, Rick Burleson came over to the Angels in 1981. He made a splash with the team in his first season, as he cracked this top 100 list.

Through the first ³⁄₄ of the season, Burleson was really swinging the bat well. Over the course of his first 75 games, he had a slash line of .314/.379/.408/.788. He had 96 hits in 75 games, which over the course of a 162 game season would have been a pace of 207 hits, not too bad.

His best stretch of the season was from August 12 through August 29, where he hit .377 with an OPS of .927.

Game of the year

June 3 at Toronto: 5-for-5, 3 RBI, 2 R

Get caught up on the rest of the “All-Time Angels” lists!

• 100 Greatest Angels of All-Time
• 100 Greatest Seasons in Angels History