Will Clark
The Thrill's 1989 NLCS performance remains one of baseball's great October showcases, but his career excellence went far deeper than clutch hitting. Clark's .303 career average and 119 OPS+ across 15 seasons established him as one of the most consistent first basemen of his generation.
What separated Clark wasn't just his sweet left-handed swing, but his complete game. That lone Gold Glove undersells his defensive prowess at first base, where his rangy 6-foot frame and quick hands made him a reliable target. His 1989 peak — a .333 average with a .953 OPS — came during San Francisco's pennant run and showcased a hitter who could work counts, drive in runs, and rise to big moments.
Clark bridged the gap between the slugging first basemen of the 1980s and the offensive explosion of the 1990s, maintaining elite production without the gaudy home run totals that defined his position later.
Career · Batting
15 seasons| Year | Team | G | AB | HR | RBI | AVG | OPS | OPS+ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1986 | SF | 111 | 408 | 11 | 41 | .287 | .787 | 109 |
| 1987 | SF | 150 | 529 | 35 | 91 | .308 | .951 | 127 |
| 1988 | SF | 162 | 575 | 29 | 109 | .282 | .894 | 129 |
| 1989 | SF | 159 | 588 | 23 | 111 | .333 | .953 | 137 |
| 1990 | SF | 154 | 600 | 19 | 95 | .295 | .805 | 113 |
| 1991 | SF | 148 | 565 | 29 | 116 | .301 | .895 | 126 |
| 1992 | SF | 144 | 513 | 16 | 73 | .300 | .860 | 123 |
| 1993 | SF | 132 | 491 | 14 | 73 | .283 | .799 | 109 |
| 1994 | TEX | 110 | 389 | 13 | 80 | .329 | .932 | 122 |
| 1995 | TEX | 123 | 454 | 16 | 92 | .302 | .869 | 115 |
| 1996 | TEX | 117 | 436 | 13 | 72 | .284 | .813 | 106 |
| 1997 | TEX | 110 | 393 | 12 | 51 | .326 | .896 | 119 |
| 1998 | TEX | 149 | 554 | 23 | 102 | .305 | .891 | 118 |
| 1999 | BAL | 77 | 251 | 10 | 29 | .303 | .877 | 113 |
| 2000 | BAL | 130 | 427 | 21 | 70 | .319 | .964 | 123 |
| Career | 1976 | 7173 | 284 | 1205 | .303 | — | — | |
Matchups, projections, comps — grounded in Lahman, Retrosheet, and Statcast.