Bay Area Sports: Ranking the Top 30 Players

Oct 2, 2015; Seattle, WA, USA; Oakland Athletics third base coach Ron Washington high fives with right fielder Josh Reddick (22) as Seattle Mariners relief pitcher Danny Farquhar (40) waits for the ball after third baseman Danny Valencia (not pictured) hit a two-run home run in the eighth inning at Safeco Field. Mandatory Credit: Jennifer Buchanan-USA TODAY Sports

#23 – Josh Reddick, Oakland Athletics

A career year in 2012 had some thinking Reddick would be leading the Athletics for years to come, injuries derailed him over the next two seasons. In 2015, he bounced back with a fine season, providing a bright spot for a bad A’s team.

After averaging just over 100 games played in the past two seasons, Reddick played in 149 games in 2015 season, and was among the A’s best hitters. Along with a career-high .272 average, Reddick led Oakland with 20 home runs, 77 runs batted in, and a .449 slugging percentage, was second with 67 runs scored, and was third with 143 hits and 35 doubles. Reddick won a Gold Glove in 2012, and was a finalist this year in right field.

Reddick is a great player, but he’s a lot of fun as well. A couple years ago, he made a bet with Daniel Bryan, a professional wrestler, as to which one of the two could grow the better beard. Bryan, the former WWE Champion, won the contest, and in a weird, and a little awkward segment, shaved off Reddick’s beard. Reddick himself is a huge wrestling fan, and has been photographed a number of times sporting a replica championship belt.

Reddick is also routinely sporting some of the best walk-up music in baseball, from “Careless Whisper” to “Rowdy” Roddy Piper’s entrance music in memory of the professional wrestling superstar after his death. Baseball is a kid’s game, and Reddick is a big kid playing the game. He’s pretty good at it, too.

Next: The Leader of the Bench Mob