The Dodgers announced today that Davey Lopes passed away today at the age of 80. Lopes made his debut as a player in the early 1970s and went on to have a career as a coach and manager, making him a staple of the game for the bulk of five decades.
Lopes was a late bloomer. He didn’t make it to the majors until 1972, which was his age-27 season. Even then, he only got into 11 games for the Dodgers. The following year, his age-28 campaign, he finally established himself as a big league regular. He became the club’s second baseman and showed off the speed that would become his standout trait. He swiped 36 bags that year, his first of what would eventually be a 14-year streak of stealing at least 15 bases.
He stayed on the Dodger roster through the 1981 season, mostly covering the keystone but also with occasional action at shortstop, third base and in the outfield. The Dodgers had a very consistent infield during that stretch, with Steve Garvey the mainstay at first, Lopes at second, Bill Russell at short and Ron Cey at third.
Lopes played in 1,207 games for the Dodgers from his 1972 debut until the end of that 1981 campaign. He hit .262 in that time and launched 99 home runs but the eye-popping stat was his 418 stolen bases. He led the league in steals in both 1975 and 1976, with 77 in the former and 63 in the latter. The second instance was particularly impressive as injuries limited him to only 117 games. In 1978, he won a Gold Glove and also made the All-Star team, the first of four straight All-Star selections.
The Dodgers were quite good in that time but couldn’t quit win a title for most of it. They lost the World Series to the Athletics in 1974, then to the Yankees in both 1977 and 1978. In 1981, they were able to get the job done, topping the Yankees 4-2. Lopes stole ten bases in in 16 postseason games that year.
Prior to the 1982 season, he was traded to the A’s, kicking off the journeyman phase of his career. He would also bounce to the Cubs and Astros, playing past his 42nd birthday. He finished his career with 7,340 plate appearances over 1,812 games. He racked up 1,671 hits, including 155 home runs. He scored 1,023 runs and drove in 614. His 557 steals put him 26th on the all-time list.
He quickly pivoted to his post-playing career by becoming a bench coach with the Rangers. That was followed by stints as a first base coach with the Orioles and Padres. He was hired to manage the Brewers for the 2000 season. The club did not fare well and he was fired early in 2002. He never got another managerial gig and had a 144-195 record in that job. He then went back to being a first base coach, starting with a return to the Padres, followed by stints with the Nationals, Phillies, Dodgers and back to the Nationals. He retired from coaching after the 2017 season.
We at MLB Trade Rumors join the rest of the baseball world in sending condolences to the Lopes family as well as everyone else mourning him today.
Photo courtesy of Jayne Kamin-Oncea, Imagn Images
Damn. This is getting too real for me. I was not a Dodger fan, I rooted for the Pirates, but really respected Lopes and the Dodgers of that era. Just damn, I’m getting old.
Those Pirates teams back then were some of my favorites!
I’m only 41 but man all our childhood heros are passing away. It’s so sad. Not limited to former MLB players everyone sports actors, comedians etc. All passing away.
At least in all our own childhoods.
Condolences to the family. As a Sox fan, I still “root” for the Dodgers when watching highlights of the 77 and 78 WS. Dodgers had a solid infield then and Lopes’ two way abilities were fun to watch. He wasn’t spectacular but like Willie Randolph for the Yankees was dependable. His base running abilities though is what should always be remembered first.
Windowpane—
I was going to say the same thing, except I hated the Dodgers, but not Davey Lopes. He was fun to watch. His passing—at only the age of 80—reminds me how brief out time is here. May he RIP and condolences to his family.
Very sorry to hear. Seemed like yesterday with that Cey, Garvey, Russell infield.
The LA/Cincy rivalry was heated in those days.
He’s was the motor that got those Dodger teams rolling. Rest in Peace, Davey…
I recall his baseball cards well from my childhood. RIP.
I distinctly remember his ‘78 topps card. His stache is so pitch black and it dominates the center of the shot, it’s like staring into the interstellar abyss.
Rip
He was still good during his time with the Cubs. Good player. Sad to hear this.
Rest in Paradise Mr. Lopes 🌹
Rest in Paradise to Miguel Rojas’ father who passed suddenly today as well. Miguel Rojas Sr. 🌹
RIP, D Lope…you were a great ballplayer and will always be remembered as a key part of my learning the game of baseball.
R.I.P. Davey
A hard couple days for the Dodgers. RIP Davey and Mr Rojas
5 decades in the sport is a very long time. What a legend. Rest in peace, great legend.
Rest in peace sir. You were truly a boon to our Phillies when we won it all in 2008. God bless his family through this difficult time.
The greatest first base coach ever?
When this ABS took flight, the first person I thought of was Davey Lopes. Opening day, 1982. Lopes took a pitch right down the middle, above the knees. The umpire called a ball, and it was a bases loaded walk off, walk.
Everyone knew it was a strike.
Lopes is known for a lot of things, but for me and maybe Don Aase, we are the only ones who will remember him for that.
Lopes was a real throwback player. Gritty as hell and well known for being gruff at times. He was an extremely tough player and as a manager, may not have been cut out to molly coddle the next generation but he did know how to teach the game the right way and was an excellent coach. I remember Lopes well and as a young Dodger fan that infield was just amazing. Always sad to hear when one of your old favorites passes on.
RIP Davey. The man was a stolen base machine, and was still an effective player at age 41. I’m old enough to remember his last few years in The Show, he was respected by all, and for good reason. Big hugs and much love to his family, friends, and fellow fans.
Good player
This Giants fan is sad to hear this. Lopes was a damn good ballplayer. May he rest in peace.
Tremendous base running coach, particularly with the Phillies.
He was a great 1st base coach for the Phillies. Was sad to see him go. RIP good sir.
The guy knew what he was doing on the diamond. Man I miss those kind of ballplayers. RIP DL.
What a fierce individual he was! Just a hardnosed player, manager and coach. He scared me when we would see him up close at Dodger games, like Reggie Smith he exuded that kind of toughness. When I was a reporter covering the Dodgers/Phillies (when he was a coach) NLCS in 2008, he still had that intimidating behavior. On one of the workout games I approached him and he sneered with more than a little contempt thinking correctly that I was going to ask him a question. Instead, I lied to him saying I was at Game 1 of the ’78 Series, the game where he hit two home runs . I swear to god he almost smiled and said, “That was a pretty good game. But we lost that Series, you know.”