A member of the Los Angeles Dodgers for the entirety of his Major League career, Bill Russell began his Major League career in the Outfield, but it was when he took over for Maury Wills at Shortstop in 1972 that his value became apparent.
Russell remained L.A.’s starting Shortstop for well over a decade, and defensively he was in the upper class. He led the NL in Defensive bWAR in 1973, and four other times was in the top ten. Russell also led the NL in Assists in '73, with three additional years seeing him finish third.
Russell had limited power with his bat, but he collected 1,926 Hits over his career with a respectable .263 Batting Average. A three-time All-Star, Russell was a key figure in the Dodgers' 1981 World Series win.
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