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Top ten third basemen of all time:
1. Mike Schmidt
2. Eddie Mathews
3. Wade Boggs
4. George Brett
5. Brooks Robinson
6. Ron Santo
7. Chipper Jones
8. Frank "Home Run" Baker
9. Scott Rolen
10. Graig Nettles
Honorable Mention: Sal Bando, Darrell Evans, Ken Boyer.

posted by Shawn at 1:55 PM

 

Book Review: The Big Show: Charles M. Conlon's Golden Age Baseball Photographs. Published 2011 by Abrams.

It's a picture book: well, more accurately, it's a photography book. Conlon was a newspaper proofreader who dabbled in photography as a hobby, when one day the editor of the New York Telegram asked him to take some shots of baseball games and players, to be published in the newspaper and in the annual Spalding's Guides. What followed was a career that lasted from 1904 to 1942 and produced the most memorable collection of photographs in baseball history.

Many of Conlon's photos were printed in the 1993 book Baseball's Golden Age, but this is a different selection, though by the same authors. Constance McCabe has prepared the photos for publication, and brother Neal McCabe provides the captions. Roger Kahn writes the foreword, as Roger Angell did for the first book.

The photographs are often stark and frequently stunning. Each takes up the better part of a page, with the captioning to the side. The black-and-whites are stunningly reproduced. Most are posed shots, but there are some action pics, and I find those the most compelling. A good photograph reveals much about the subject. That often seems the case here.

In these pages you will find pictures of the well-knowns, like Babe Ruth, Joe DiMaggio, and Rogers Hornsby, and those you have likely never heard of before, like Buddy Gremp, Al Spohrer, and Jackie Hayes. Most are players, but there are also umpires, managers, and a traffic control officer at a Yankees game. You will find Kid Nichols at the end of his career, Amos Rusie in a picture from after his career had ended, and DiMaggio as a rookie.

One of my favorite parts of the book is how the subjects on facing pages often complement each other. Several times we get a set like on pages 66 and 67, one of a young Hank Gowdy in 1911, the other of a veteran Gowdy in 1936 as a coach. We also get sets of Vince DiMaggio and brother Joe on facing pages, both from 1937. There's Herb Pennock in 1916 facing a Pennock from 1934. And, another favorite, the Bob Feller of 1937 across from the Walter Johnson of 1916. Sheer joy.

The captions convey myth more than information. The story of the invention of catcher shin guards by Roger Bresnahan is repeated with his photograph, even though it is provably false. Still, the book is more about myth than truth, and imagery over cold hard fact. It is a spectacular collection of photographs from a century past. I think you will enjoy it.

Disclaimer: I received a free review copy of this book, and thus did not pay for it. The list price is $35, but it is available from various retailers such as amazon.com, barnesandnoble.com, walmart.com, and others for about $10 less.

posted by Shawn at 9:09 AM

 

Another list, this time the top ten catchers of all time:

1. Johnny Bench
2. Yogi Berra
3. Gary Carter
4. Ivan Rodriguez
5. Mike Piazza
6. Bill Dickey
7. Carlton Fisk
8. Joe Torre
9. Roy Campanella
10. Ted Simmons
*11. Mickey Cochrane

posted by Shawn at 8:24 AM

 

With a nod to Derek Jeter getting his 3000th hit, the top ten shortstops in baseball history (through 2010).

1. Honus Wagner
2. Alex Rodriguez
3. Cal Ripken
4. Arky Vaughan
5. Ernie Banks
6. Pee Wee Reese
7. Luke Appling
8. Joe Cronin
9. Lou Boudreau
10. George Davis

Jeter's defense is what holds him back on this list: he comes in at #13. He could move up, but this year's performance so far does not bode well for that.

posted by Shawn at 11:13 AM

 

That completes a top 250: next we will look at some lists of top by position.

posted by Shawn at 11:10 AM

 

Number 250: Stan Hack.

Hack was a .300 hitter with walks, a leadoff man, a bit unusual for third basemen. A lifelong Cub, Hack joined the team in 1932 at age 22 as a part-timer. Woody English was the regular in those days, but Hack played some, pinch-hit, and even appeared briefly in that October's World Series. He played less in 1933, but became the regular in 1934 and pushed English to the background. He started on the 1935, 1938, and 1945 pennant teams, and scored 100 runs in six consecutive seasons.

Hack led the league in hits twice and stolen bases twice, and received support for the MVP award in eight different seasons. He has never gotten much Hall of Fame consideration, because leadoff men get overlooked with the overemphasis on the RBI column. But he was a good one.

Hack earned 132.43 ratings points.

Hack's stats: .301 average, 2193 hits, 1239 runs, .394 on-base.

posted by Shawn at 11:08 AM

 

Number 249: Kevin Appier.

He never won 20 games in a season, so it doesn't seem he should be this good. However, he pitched for a lot of bad teams in Kansas City, not going elsewhere until he was in his thirties. He also pitched quite well for a number of years. Pitchers are affected by the players around them more than any other players, so sometimes you get the good pitcher masked by the poor team.

Appier reached 200 innings eight times, and 180 three other times. He was durable and effective. The Royals' 1987 1st round draft pick delivered performance year after year.

Appier earned 132.57 ratings points.

Appier's stats: 169-137 record, 3.74 ERA, 121 ERA+.

posted by Shawn at 11:06 AM

 

Number 248: Hack Wilson.

With only twelve years in the major leagues, and only nine of those with 100 games played, Wilson owes his Hall of Fame election to peak value. He led the league in home runs four times and RBI twice, and put together a 1930 season that remains one of the most remarkable of all time. His 56 homers stood as a National League record for years, and his 191 RBI remain the single-season standard. The feat is tainted somewhat by its happening in the offensive peak of its time, but is nonetheless impressive.

Wilson was a short, stocky fellow who moved surprisingly well and played a solid center field in his prime. That prime was shorter than it could have been. His .319 average in two World Series is a plus, though.

Wilson earned 132.68 ratings points.

Wilson's stats: .307 average, 244 HR, 144 OPS+.

posted by Shawn at 11:00 AM

 

Number 247: Don Sutton.

Sutton pitched most of his career for the Los Angeles Dodgers. He was signed by the Dodgers in the pre-draft days of 1964, and was in the rotation of the 1966 NL champs, Sandy Koufax's last year. Sutton was 12-12 but ably filled a rotation spot, then was suddenly thrust into a leading role when Koufax and later Drysdale retired. Sutton was about an average pitcher through 1971, when he hit his prime at age 26 and went 17-12 with a 2.54 ERA. He won 19 in 1972, with a 2.08 ERA in arguably his best year. Sutton continued to anchor the Dodgers' rotation, as part of the 1974, 1977 and 1978 pennant winners. He got his only 20-win season in 1976, with 21 victories. That year was his best showing in the Cy Young voting, at third. He led the league in ERA in 1980, then left the Dodgers as a free agent and went to Houston.

Sutton pitched well in 1981 and started 1982 well, but went to Milwaukee at the end of August for three minor leaguers to champion the Brewers' pennant drive. Sutton went 4-1 down the stretch to help lift the Brewers to the postseason, then to the brink of World Series victory. He slumped in 1983, was better in 1984, and then was traded to the A's after the season. He went to the Angels for the 1985 stretch run, and pitched for them in the 1986 ALCS. He was released by the Angels after 1987, and then picked up by the Dodgers after 1988 but was finished, going 3-6. He was released in August.

Sutton was never spectacular, but he was reliable, taking his turn time after time. He rarely missed a start, and was never injured for an extended period. Blessed with one of those reliable arms, Sutton steadied many a rotation in his career, and was in great demand as a veteran influence up to the end of his career at age 43. His career ERA+ was only 106, but that was lowered partly by hanging on as that "proven veteran."

Sutton earned 132.69 ratings points.

Sutton's stats: 324-256 record, 3.26 ERA, 3574 K, 58 shutouts.

posted by Shawn at 10:57 AM

 

Number 246: Jim Rice.

South Carolina native Jim Ed Rice spent all sixteen years of his major league career with the Boston Red Sox. He led the league in homers three times, RBI twice, won the 1978 MVP award and finished in the top five of voting six times. He was productive and obviously well-respected by people around the game.

His election to the Hall of Fame was opposed by a vocal minority, who pointed to mediocre defense, a poor batting record in road games, and a lack of overwhelming statistical evidence. Nonetheless, he did gain election, and certainly qualifies on the fame issue.

Rice earned 132.75 ratings points.

Rice's stats: .298 average, 382 HR, 1451 RBI, 128 OPS+.

posted by Shawn at 10:50 AM

 

Number 245: Bob Elliott.

Elliott began his career as a right fielder but ended up spending most of it at third base. He started out in Pittsburgh with the Pirates, then was dealt to Boston at the end of 1946. He won the 1947 NL MVP, followed by the Braves winning a surprise 1948 NL pennant. That was his only World Series, but Elliot was a solid power hitter and a pretty good third baseman. The San Diego native was on seven All-Star teams. He drove in at least 100 runs in six seasons. Elliott carried a rep as a clutch hitter and an RBI man.

Elliott earned 132.9 ratings points.

Elliott's stats: .289 average, 2061 hits, 382 doubles, 1195 RBI.

posted by Shawn at 5:30 PM

 

Number 244: Jack Stivetts.

Stivetts was a 19th century pitcher who was a major leaguer for just eleven years. Pitchers threw out their arms pretty quickly in those days. He was an above-average pitcher and hitter, and that moves him up the list.

Stivetts led the league in ERA in 1889, his first year as a major leaguer. He pitched over 400 innings each of the next three years, then pitched some more as a regular starter with ERAs that were not impressive, but still better than normal for the era. He spent his career with St. Louis and Boston, with a few games in Cleveland.

Stivetts earned 133.11 ratings points.

Stivetts's stats: 203-132, 120 ERA+, .298 average, 106 OPS+

posted by Shawn at 5:22 PM

 

You may notice some changes: I have converted the rating system to WAR, Fangraphs version, from WARP of Baseball Prospectus. WARP kept changing, apparently due to whim, and WAR has the current cache'. So, I bowed to pressure.

The trouble is, Fangraphs does not have WAR for pitchers posted past the 1970s. So, WAR from then back comes from Baseball-reference.com, and is somewhat different. I am a bit disturbed by the differences, but not enough to worry about. While these rankings are written implying confidence, this system is subject to prejudices like any other.

But what fun is not being sure? So, we will charge ahead, using the system with what I hope if a minimum of my own prejudices. Remember to keep in mind, this is just for fun. It's only baseball. Only, that is, the greatest game in the world.

posted by Shawn at 5:07 PM

 

50 Best Non-Hall of Famers.

Hi, folks, it's been awhile. I've been working on re-doing my rankings list, which has been slow going. I got frustrated with the Baseball Prospectus WARP system, decided to switch to WAR, and ran into complications with the different versions of that. I concluded that the Fangraphs version was better than the one used by Baseball Reference.com, but it is less user-friendly and does not have numbers for 19th century and early 20th century pitchers. Such is the life of the researchers.

At any rate, I am writing again because someone has posed a question that is right in the wheelhouse of a blog like this: the 50 best non-Hall of Famers. Colleague Graham Womack of the blog Baseball: Past and Present poses the question, and well, it's too interesting not to respond. So, here goes.

1. Jeff Bagwell. Bagwell becomes eligible this year. His MVP year, 1994, was interrupted by a strike/lockout. He was excellent for many years, but that was his only year of really standing out. Not sure how writers will react to that.

2. Ron Santo. Our first pick that gets to the heart of this balloting. In a 15-year career, Santo never won an MVP or played in the postseason, and got overlooked. He also played in an era which decreased offense, holding down his stats, though he played in Wrigley Field, a hitters' park. He led the league in walks four times and on-base average twice, not stats that were monitored closely when he played. He was an excellent defensive player, and won five Gold Gloves. Santo finished fourth in the 1967 MVP vote, a year he really should have won, but the Cubs were just third. He is one of the Hall's great injustices.

3. Albert Pujols. Still active.

4. Pete Rose. Rose, of course, is not eligible for the Hall: he is suspended from the game due to gambling on it. Rose has lobbied to be reinstated, but whether his behavior warrants it, or whether writers would vote for him even if he was, is open to question. What is not questioned is his greatness. Based on the numbers, he is certainly a Hall of Famer.

5. Tim Raines. Another of the Hall's great injustices, Raines was never appreciated by the members of the BBWAA. He should have won two or three MVP awards during his career, but never finished higher than fifth in the voting. In three ballots, he has drawn only lukewarm Hall support. This is a guy who should be an obvious Hall of Famer, but his skills as a premier leadoff man are not widely appreciated.

6. Roberto Alomar. Alomar figures to make the Hall this year after falling just short last year, but he faces the same problems as Raines: he was not as valued by the writers as his actual value on the field. Alomar also could easily have won an MVP, but never did. Strong defensive players with a broad range of offensive skills, or in other words good all-around players, are the most often overlooked in MVP and Hall voting. The same is true for Santo, and for many other overlooked players on this list.

7. Bert Blyleven. Eminently deserving.

8. Rafael Palmeiro. Eligible for the first time this year, steroids will likely keep him out of the Hall.

9. Mark McGwire. Sort of the poster boy for steroids, at least as the Hall goes.

10. Will Clark. Yes, he fits that strong defense, good all-around hitter that writers say they like, but don't vote for when the chips are down. Clark spent most of his career in pitchers' parks, holding down his overall stats, but he was excellent.

11. Bobby Grich. Grich is the epitome of the terrific player who cannot win a vote like this. His batting averages were never very high, but he was a tremendous defender, drew lots of walks, hit for good power, and "played the game the right way." But, with a .266 career batting average, he will never get into the Hall.

12. Alan Trammell. Another of the Hall's great oversights, and for the same reason as the others. Some Veteran's Committee someday may correct some of these, but I won't hold my breath.

13. Dick Allen. An often disagreeable sort, and Bill James has gone to great lengths to point out why he doesn't belong. Others have had a go at refuting James, however, and at this point I am an agnostic.

14. Barry Larkin. Falls into that same category of overlooked players, but based on his vote total from last year he will eventually make it into the Hall.

15. Albert Belle. Want to talk about feared hitters? Here's a feared hitter. Belle also wasn't bad defensively, at least when he was younger. His career was cut short but he was terrific: he deserved the 1995 AL MVP over Mo Vaughn.

16. Charlie Bennett. My first 19th century player listing. Bennett would be a tough choice, as he did not have even 1000 career hits, but it was a different game then. Bennett was a catcher back when catchers did not have equipment like shin guards and face masks, and catching was a tough business. Catchers didn't play every day then. Bennett was a great, and so beloved in Detroit they ended up naming the ballpark after him. He threw out the first pitch of the season in Detroit when the American League returned a franchise to the city, every year until he died.

17. Edgar Martinez. Tough as it will be to elect a player who was almost exclusively a DH for much of his career, they already elected Paul Molitor.

18. Keith Hernandez. As obnoxious as I find him on commercials, he was one of those good hitters/excellent defenders that we find overlooked here.

19. Deacon White. Another 19th century guy, he goes back to the very beginning of organized leagues. White was largely a catcher, but they also played him at third base and the outfield to keep him in the lineup. His nickname (given name was James) indicates the high regard for his character.

20. Dwight Evans. Yes, excellent defense, strong hitter. Robbed of the 1981 AL MVP, a common theme here.

21. John Olerud. A player in the Hernandez mode, a Gold Glove level, batting champion first baseman. Olerud also had good power, and should have won the 1993 AL MVP.

22. Bucky Walters. He did not reach 200 career victories, but had the period of dominance that usually propels such pitchers into the Hall, with his 49 wins in 1939-40 and the 1939 NL MVP. It didn't work for him like it did Dean and Koufax, however.

23. Kevin Brown. He goes on the ballot this year, but won't draw much interest. His 211 wins and lack of a Cy Young won't help, though he easily could have won multiple Cys, especially in 1996 and 1998, and was the ace for two unlikely World Series teams, the 1997 Marlins and 1999 Padres.

24. Bill Dahlen. A turn of the century (19th/20th) shortstop who was excellent defensively and a good hitter. Yes, just the type.

25. Joe Torre. A borderline HOFer as a player, he will eventually get in as a manager with his Yankee rings. He was a mediocre defensive catcher, but a fine hitter.

26. George Gore. A 19th century outfielder with a .301 career average, it's a surprise the early Hall voters missed him. Then again, early stats were spotty until the Baseball Encyclopedia project came out in 1969.

27. Jim Wynn. A short outfielder with speed and excellent power, plus good defense, whose stats were held down by playing in the cavernous Astrodome in the 1960s, then Dodger Stadium in the 1970s. He looks terrific with neutralized stats.

28. Robin Ventura. Sort of a Ron Santo-lite, Ventura was excellent defensively and a middle-of-the-order hitter. He would help balance the lack of third basemen in the Hall.

29. Ken Boyer. Another excellent defensive third baseman who could hit. He did win an MVP, but it hasn't helped his Hall candidacy.

30. David Cone. The kind of solid pitcher honored many times by the Hall, but not recently.

31. Bernie Williams. To me, the image of the Yankees of the 1990s and the key to their success. I know the shortstop gets the attention, but I think it was about Bernie. This is a fudge, because he won't be eligible until next balloting cycle, but I think he will be overlooked.

32. Ned Garver. A quirky pick, as he had a losing record for his career, but that was due to playing for terrible teams like the St. Louis Browns and Kansas City A's. In 1951, when he won 20 for the Browns, he was the best pitcher in the league.

33. Paul Hines. A 19th century outfielder, he was the NL's best player in 1878 and 1879.

34. Ted Simmons. A good hitter who was average defensively, but was valuable because he could catch. He lost value in the second half of his career, when managers stopped using him at catcher.

35. Heinie Groh. An overlooked early-20th century player, he was a third baseman who would play second base (or maybe shortstop) in today's game. A little guy who was excellent defensively and a good hitter, he was the NL's best player in 1917 and 1918.

36. Cesar Cedeno. Got off to such a good start at a young age that people were disappointed he didn't turn into Willie Mays. He still had a good career, but people felt it wasn't quite good enough, somehow.

37. Matt Williams. Another strong defensive third baseman, he had excellent power though not very good on-base skills.

38. Lance Parrish. A symbol of the difficulty of evaluating catcher defense. He had a strong arm, but was very big and not exceptionally mobile. He could hit, but evaluating him is a matter of deciding how good his defense was, and that's not easy.

39. Lou Whitaker. Like his double-play partner Trammell, Whitaker got overlooked. What is it about the 1980s Tigers?

40. Bret Saberhagen. Saberhagen was always terrific when he could pitch. Not sure why Dean and Koufax got in, but guys like this were overlooked.

41. Darrell Evans. Excellent defensive third baseman, good power, lots of walks, but a low batting average. Hall voters don't like guys like this.

42. Bob Elliott. "Mr. Team" got a 1947 MVP, but not much Hall support. Another third baseman though he also played the outfield, he got MVP votes while active but drew almost no Hall support for some reason.

43. Brett Butler. The very picture of a leadoff man, but the Hall does not like leadoff men in general (unless your name is Lloyd Waner). Another excellent defender.

44. Stan Hack. A double-whammy: a leadoff man and a third baseman. Never did draw much Hall support: not sure why he didn't, but George Kell did. Hack played for the Cubs, but did so in the 1930s when they still won pennants.

45. Shoeless Joe Jackson. I would never vote for him, but there's a case he was a good enough player. Sure, he was a bit of a patsy in that whole gambling thing, but it looms large.

46. Fred McGriff. I wonder if he will look better, or worse, as time passes. He is one of those guys Hall voters might look at down the road and say, "Hey, this guy deserves it."

47. Orel Hershiser. Had a three-year run, 1987-89, as the best pitcher in the NL. Bad luck and poor support in the bookend years made that less obvious then his terrific 1988 season.

48. Pebbly Jack Glasscock. 19th century shortstop, tremendous defender.

49. Buddy Bell. Another excellent defensive third baseman who could hit.

50. George Foster. People remember how he struggled in New York, in his mid-30s, and forget how incredible he was in Cincinnati in his prime. Again, a true feared hitter.

Whew. An interesting list, if I do say so myself. I wouldn't necessarily vote for all of these guys myself, if I had a vote, but each has a case and each is better than some players already in the Hall. The players are roughly in my ranking order, but if I did it again next week the order might be different. I'll go with this for now.

posted by Shawn at 5:32 AM

 

Congratulations to Rickey Henderson and Jim Rice, just elected to the Hall of Fame in Cooperstown. They join Joe Gordon, selected earlier by the Veteran's Committee.

posted by Shawn at 1:26 PM

 

Number 243: Tommy Leach.

"Wee" Tommy Leach stood just five-foot-six but he was a sturdy baseball player, mostly for the Pittsburgh Pirates in the Honus Wagner era. Leach began his career as an infielder, mostly at third base where a spry fellow was required to field the many bunts of the deadball era. Leach did well at that, but later in his career began to spend most of his time in center field, running down fly balls and pouncing on base hits quickly.

Leach didn't have much power at that small stature but sprayed the ball around the field, collecting lots of hits and stretching out doubles and triples when they hit the gaps. He drew a fair number of walks, too, and was an effective offensive weapon. Leach played in two World Series, getting nine hits in each, with four triples in the 1903 Classic and four doubles in 1909.

Leach earned 133.17 ratings points.

Leach's stats: .269 average, 2143 hits, 361 steals, 172 triples.

posted by Shawn at 7:11 PM

 

Number 242: Stan Coveleski.

Coveleski was a spitballer, his status surviving the 1920 outlawing of the pitch through the "grandfather" clause that went with it. He first appeared in the majors in 1912 with the Philadelphia A's, but his 2-1 record did not impress with a team in the midst of four pennants and he was sent back out. In 1916 he joined the Indians and began a run of success in Cleveland, starting with a 15-13 season that year at age 26.

Coveleski won 20 games four years in a row 1918-21, led the league in ERA in 1923 and 1925, in strikeouts in 1920. He won three games for the Indians in the 1920 World Series, pushing the Tribe over the top. After a 15-16 season in 1924, he was swapped to Washington, and went to another Series in 1925. He was just an occasional pitcher by 1927, and finished up with twelve games for the Yankees in 1928.

Coveleski earned 133.25 ratings points.

Coveleski's stats: 215-142 record, 2.89 ERA, 224 CG, 127 ERA+.

posted by Shawn at 1:12 PM

 

Number 241: Harry Hooper.

A California native, Hooper went to St. Mary's College of California to study engineering and began playing baseball there. His play caught the attention of the Boston Red Sox, who signed him to a contract and brought him east. He soon became the right fielder in one of the greatest outfields in history, with Tris Speaker and Duffy Lewis. The Red Sox were putting together a powerhouse in the 1910s, and Hooper would play in four World Series for Boston, earning a reputation as a top-notch fielder and clutch hitter.

When the Red Sox dismantled that club, Hooper went to the White Sox, decimated by the Black Sox scandal. He finished his career in Chicago, playing a total of 17 years in the majors, then a few more in the free minors, as was common at the time.

Hooper earned 133.37 ratings points.

Hooper's stats: .281 average, 2466 hits, 1136 walks, 375 steals.

posted by Shawn at 7:50 AM

 

Number 240: Early Wynn.

He won 300 games, though he had to hang on awhile to do it. Wynn was 43 when he hung them up, but had a 2.28 ERA in that last year. He began in the majors with the Washington Senators in 1939, and a 5.75 ERA. He got a chance to try again in 1941, and did much better. He spent 1945 in the service, then returned to the Senators. He was up and down in Washington, then after the 1948 season was traded along with Mickey Vernon to the Indians. It was in Cleveland he enjoyed his greatest success. In 9 seasons with Cleveland he won 20 games in a season four times. That was one of the great staffs of all time, featuring Wynn, Bob Lemon, and Mike Garcia.

After the 1957 season, Wynn and Al Smith were traded to Chicago for Minnie Minoso. Wynn struggled in 1958 as he had in 1957, but in 1959 he had a great year, winning the Cy Young Award and helping push the White Sox to a surprise pennant. He started 3 World Series games, going 1-1. He stayed with Chicago through 1962, then returned to Cleveland for that last year. Wynn said at the time he would be the last 300-game winner. That hasn't proven true, but he was an effective and durable pitcher, for several good teams.

Wynn earned 133.66 ratings points.

Wynn's stats: 300-244 record, 3.54 ERA, 2334 K, 290 CG.

posted by Shawn at 7:02 AM

 

Number 239: Tony Lazzeri.

"Poosh-em-up Tony" was a power-hitting second baseman who starred for twelve years with the Yankees as part of "Murderer's Row." He wasn't a great defensive second baseman, but he wasn't bad, and he was a solid part of the lineup. He only ever led the league in one offensive category, strikeouts in his rookie year of 1926. However, he got as high as third in MVP voting (1928), was on seven pennant-winning teams (including the Cubs in 1938) and was part of five World Series winners.

Lazzeri earned 134.08 ratings points.

Lazzeri's stats: .292 average, 178 HR, 1191 RBI.

posted by Shawn at 6:21 AM

 

Number 238: Luis Tiant.

"El Tiante" was a Cuban whose father was a famous pitcher in his home country, when the color line kept him out of American baseball. The younger man left the country after Castro came to power, and was playing in Mexico when signed by Cleveland in 1962. He made the majors in 1964 at age 23, posting a 10-4 record in 19 games. He was a solid starter for the Indians through the 1960s, especially 1968 when he went 21-9 with a 1.60 ERA in "The Year of the Pitcher."

In 1969 he struggled a bit, going 9-20 although his ERA was still about league average. Tiant was traded to the Twins after the season, went 7-3 in 18 games, then was released at the end of Spring Training in 1971. He signed with the Braves but never pitched in a game before being released again. The Red Sox picked him up and let him rehab and get back into shape, suffering through his 1-7 in 1971.

Then in 1972, Tiant was back. He went 15-6 as the Sox battled for the division, then won 20 or more in three of the next four seasons. He was the Bosox' ace through most of the 1970s as they contended for division titles and won the 1975 pennant. In that World Series, the Sox took the Big Red Machine of Cincinnati to 7 games, but the three they won were all started by Tiant.

Tiant left Boston after 1978, spent two seasons with the Yankees and one each in Pittsburgh and California. He developed a reputation as an ace and a money pitcher.

Tiant earned 134.15 ratings points.

Tiant's stats: 229-172 record, 3.30 ERA, 2416 K, 49 shutouts.

posted by Shawn at 4:21 PM

 

Number 237: Hughie Jennings.

A 19th century shortstop and early 20th century manager, he was Ty Cobb's manager for the first half of Cobb's career, 1907-20. The Tigers won pennants the first three years of that string, but nothing afterwards, and spent most of that time in the second division in spite of the presence of a great player.

As a player, Jennings played 100 games or more in just seven seasons, and in one of those seasons hit just .222. Oh, but those other seasons. From late 1893 through 1898 Jennings was the shortstop of the Baltimore Orioles, possibly the roughest, toughest group of ballplayers the world has ever seen. And during that streak, perhaps their best player was the hard-hitting shortstop. He certainly was the best in 1896, the best in the whole league, hitting .401 with 121 RBI and 125 runs scored, 209 hits and 70 steals, and terrific defense too.

Jennings is a player with a short actual career (he made a habit of putting himself in for a game or two occasionally while managing, the same when he coached) but a very high peak. His peak is so high, he gets placed high on this list.

Jennings earned 134.16 ratings points.

Jennings' stats: .311 average, 287 HBP (most all-time) 1527 hits, 359 steals.

posted by Shawn at 4:20 PM

 

Not all players debut at the end of the list, and so Albert Pujols makes his first appearance on the list at #144. You'll have to look in the archives to see him. I will get up to current soon.

posted by Shawn at 1:03 PM

 

It's time I revised again. I've been going through the player ratings, so you may be seeing some movement. I have reevaluated some guys, and of course some active players have moved up. A-Rod, for instance.

posted by Shawn at 10:23 AM

 

Number 236: Ed Konetchy.

He was the best first baseman in the NL during the decade of the 1910s. I suppose you could build a Hall of Fame case off of that, if anyone would listen. HOF cases have been built on ground just as shaky, or worse. Konetchy is not Hall-worthy, but he was a good player and is forgotten today.

He spent the first half of his career with the Cardinals in an era where the Cardinals were also-rans. He then bounced to Pittsburgh, Boston, and Brooklyn, becoming part of the 1920 Dodger pennant team. He finished up in the majors with Philly in 1921, then played several more years in the independent minors. Konetchy was mostly a cleanup hitter, hitting for good averages, drawing walks, and providing extra-base hits.

Konetchy earned 134.4 ratings points.

Konetchy's stats: .281 average, 2150 hits, 122 OPS+.

posted by Shawn at 6:52 PM

 

Revision in progress: with a site like this, you always have to keep revising or it quickly gets out of date. After all, they keep playing baseball. Another problem is, the WARP numbers I use as the basis of the ranking system are periodically changed by Clay Davenport, often without notice. So I go through to check something and find the values are different. So more changes. That's all right, because opinions evolve and shift with time and more information. It just keeps me busy.

Jeff Kent moved up about 30 places in the last revision. For my money, the guy is a Hall of Famer.

posted by Shawn at 10:48 AM

 

I have recently made a change to my blog lineup. I publish the Cincinnati Reds blog here at Blogger, and now have moved by Baseball Awards Blog here to Blogger. In it, I list Win Shares and WARP data, and choose who should have won MVP, Cy Young, Rookie and Manager awards. It's a nice walk through baseball history, and I hope you will like it.

posted by Shawn at 9:38 AM

 

Number 235: David Cone

Called "Staff Ace on loan" by Bill James after he was a midseason pickup by contenders a couple of times, Cone was one of the top pitchers of the 1990s. A 3rd round pick by the Royals in 1981, he was traded to the Mets for a bucket of balls before 1987, and went 20-3 in 1988 to burst onto the scene. He didn't win 20 in a season again until 1998, but was a consistent workhorse and fine pitcher in between. In 1992 Toronto picked him up in midseason for Jeff Kent to seal their postseason bid, and won the World Series. Cone became a free agent and signed with the Royals, who were trying to rectify their earlier mistake. A couple years later KC traded him again, back to the Jays for some nobodies, and the Jays dealt him to the Yankees in midseason 1995.

Cone stuck with the Yankees for the next several seasons as they went through a very successful period. Cone was no small part of four championship teams as an anchor of the pitching staff. 2000 was a bad year, and he spent 2001 in Boston, then tried to make a 2003 comeback with little success. He had lots of success in his career.

Cone earned 134.44 ratings points.

Cone's stats: 194-126, 3.46 ERA, 2668 K, 1994 AL Cy Young, 5 World Series rings.

posted by Shawn at 7:47 PM

 

Number 234: Gabby Hartnett

Originally, the nickname of "Gabby" for Charles Leo Hartnett was a bit of a joke: he didn't speak much. As he grew older and more experienced he became more loquacious so that the nickname was no longer a misnomer. He came to Chicago in 1922 at age 21 and played sparingly for the Cubs that year, just 31 games and 79 AB. He started getting more playing time the next year, and his .299 average in 1924 cemented his status. He hit 24 HR in 1925, and was showing excellent defense. He continued to play well, but missed most of 1929 with an injury. The Cubs won the pennant anyway, and Hartnett went 0-for-3 in the World Series.

He returned to the lineup in 1930 for a big year, batting .339 with 37 HR and 122 RBI. That was the year of big offense, and while they were his best raw numbers it wasn't really his best year. He slid off that peak back to lower but respectable levels, and played on the pennant winners of 1932 and 1935. He won the 1935 MVP with a .344 average. Both years, the Cubs lost the World Series.

In 1938, the Cubs were in another pennant race, and Hartnett went down in history for hitting the "Homer in the Gloamin'" a shot that won a game as dusk was falling to clinch the pennant. Hartnett played in four World Series, finishing his career as a bench player with the Cubs in 1940 and the Giants in 1941. He could undoubtedly have continued to play during the War if he wished, with players in short supply, but he didn't.

Hartnett earned 134.87 ratings points.

Hartnett's stats: .297 average, 236 HR, 1197 RBI, .370 OBA, .489 SLG.

posted by Shawn at 7:47 PM

 

Number 233: Heinie Groh.

Groh was famous for using a "bottle bat," an oddly-shaped piece of wood that tapered quickly at the end of the barrel, rather than gradually as is typical. He used that type of bat for better control, and it worked very well. Groh was signed for the Giants but traded away for a couple of veterans, typical of John McGraw's operation. Groh went to Cincinnati and for the next nine seasons was the best third baseman in the NL, and over the 1917-19 period one of the best players in the league as well. He was a key figure on the 1919 World Champions, a good defensive third baseman without a lot of power but good at slapping the ball around, drawing walks, hitting doubles, and keeping things moving on the basepaths. McGraw got him back for the last few years of his career to be part of some winning Giants teams as well, and he batted .474 in the 1922 World Series.

Groh earned 135.04 ratings points.

Groh's stats: .292 average, .373 on-base, 1774 hits, 308 doubles.

posted by Shawn at 4:09 PM

 

Number 232: Willie Keeler.

He was "Wee Willie" Keeler and his motto was "hit 'em where they ain't." He was a little guy, about 140 pounds, and a right fielder from 1892 to 1910. He was born (and would die) in Brooklyn, and first came to the major leagues with New York, but would have his greatest success with the Baltimore Orioles of the 1890s. He also played with Brooklyn, and jumped to the New York Highlanders of the fledgling American League in 1903.

Keeler was a slap-and-run type, put the ball in play and go like crazy. He was a leadoff man, a fielder with an anomalous lack of range but a strong arm suited for RF. Keeler had high batting averages, including a .424 mark in 1897, but whatever extra-base hits he got were due to finding a hole in the defense and running until caught. He scored as many as 165 runs in a season, and that in 129 games in 1894.

Keeler was a perennial .300 hitter, until stopped by the twin foes of age and the dead-ball era, hitting .234 at age 35 in 1907. He kept playing for a couple more years, at a decent level but aging still. He led the league in batting twice and hits three times.

Keeler earned 135.13 ratings points.

Keeler's stats: .341 average, 2932 hits, 1719 runs, 495 SB.

posted by Shawn at 7:06 PM

 

Number 231: Tom Glavine

He made a living exploiting the strike zone of the 1990s, which was about two inches below the knee and sometimes extended to six inches outside off the plate. Glavine could have been a successful pitcher in any era, with his good stuff and ability to exploit the conditions given him. Glavine made nine starts for Atlanta in 1987, at the age of 21. The next year he was a rotation regular, but only 7-17. The next two years he was a little short of the league average in ERA, but his record improved as the team did. In 1991 it all came together for him, a 20-11 record and 2.55 ERA. It was the start of an amazing run of success, with 5 20-win seasons, two Cy Young awards (1991 and 1998) as well as a total of six top-three finishes in the CYA balloting, and an amazing record of taking his starting turn that has led him to the 300-win level.

Glavine has had the benefit of a successful team, of course, but it was a team built mostly on its wonderful starting pitching, including Glavine. He has been to 12 postseasons, and in eight World Series starts he has a 4-3 record and a 2.47 ERA, including two wins in the Braves' only WS championship, in 1995. He was the World Series MVP that year. Glavine is this era's smart lefty, like Johnny Podres, Jim Kaat, or Billy Pierce of old. He showed his adaptability in his later exploits with the Mets, before a final season with Atlanta.

Glavine earned 135.32 ratings points.

Glavine's stats: 305-203 record, 3.54 ERA, 2607 K, 118 career ERA+.

posted by Shawn at 8:53 PM

 

Number 230: Dave Stieb.

The first great player for the Toronto Blue Jays was born in California and went to college at Southern Illinois. He was drafted by Toronto in the 5th round, 1978, and made his major league debut in 1979. That was Toronto's third year of existence, and they were searching for any hint of quality. They got it for a lot of years from Stieb.

Stieb could reasonably be considered the AL's best pitcher of the 1980s, although many would give that title to Jack Morris. Morris, however, pitched for much better teams and gave up many more runs than Stieb. Stieb was almost certainly the best pitcher in the league in 1985, among other years, but never won a Cy Young Award, due to a lack of gaudy win totals. He pitched on two postseason teams, 1985 and 1989, and was providing a lot of the push that got them there.

Stieb left the majors after the 1993 season, but returned in 1998 and posted respectable numbers, though not exceptional. Still, he will be remembered as Toronto's first ace, and should be listed among the great pitchers.

Stieb earned 135.39 ratings points.

Stieb's stats: 176-137 record, 3.44 ERA, 1669 K.

posted by Shawn at 6:49 PM

 

Number 229: Phil Rizzuto.

"The Scooter" was a quick, slick-fielding shortstop and the leadoff man for several great Yankees teams. Rizzuto signed with the Yankees in 1937 and in 1941, at age 23, pushed veteran Frank Crosetti out of a job. Rizzuto batted .307 that year, and .284 the next before going into the service during World War II. The war cost him three prime years, and when he returned his bat had slipped a bit. In 1950, though, he was terrific, batting .324 with 92 walks and fielding everything in the infield. He won the MVP that year.

Rizzuto was into his 30s by then, and soon started losing his speed. In 1954 he batted just .195, and that ended his days as a regular. He was released in midseason 1956 at age 38, and soon after went into the broadcast booth, where he was a fixture for many years. Rizzuto finished with a 93 OPS+, which was good considering he lost those three years, and was a terrific fielder.

Rizzuto earned 135.5 ratings points, adjusted for war service.

Rizzuto's stats: .273 average, 1588 hits, five-time All-Star, seven World Series rings.

posted by Shawn at 6:44 AM

 

Number 228: Earl Averill.

He had an interesting if somewhat brief career of 13 seasons, really 11 as a regular, but got a late start with his first game in the majors at age 26. He doesn't really even surface in pro ball until age 22, but the westerner just arrived in the pro game late.

When he did make it, he hit the ground running. He spent most of his career as the Indians' center fielder and hit for excellent power. He was selected to the first six All-Star Games. He got as high as third in the MVP voting, that in 1936. The Indians never won during his career, but a late move to Detroit made him part of the 1940 Tiger pennant winners and he pinch-hit during the World Series.

Averill earned 135.54 ratings points.

Averill's stats: .318 average, 2019 hits, 238 HR.

posted by Shawn at 7:53 PM

 

Number 227: Ted Lyons

Lyons pitched for the White Sox during one of the worst periods in their history, the time following the 1919 Black Sox scandal and its aftermath, as the Chisox spent 40 years between pennants. Lyons pitched for a series of lousy teams, but kept on putting up stellar numbers year after year.

Lyons was 22 in 1923, when he pitched in 9 games for the White Sox. He was 2-1 with a 6.35 ERA, pitching mostly in relief. The next year he began starting and was 12-11 with a 4.87 ERA. In 1925 he won 21 games, and would win 20 or more in three seasons overall. He struggled with injury in 1931, and that affected his stamina thereafter, as his inning totals dropped. However, from 1935, he was below the league average ERA every year. He led the league in ERA in 1942 at age 41, his last full year. By that time he was mostly a "Sunday pitcher," starting once a week and usually in the Sunday doubleheader common at the time. He pitched briefly in 1946 before retiring for good.

Lyons earned 135.56 ratings points.

Lyons' stats: 260-230 record, 3.67 ERA, 356 CG.

posted by Shawn at 6:15 AM

 

Number 226: Joe "Ducky" Medwick.

Like many Depression-era players, he got several nicknames. The common "Ducky" was a shortened form of the original "Ducky Wucky." I guess you had to be there. More descriptively, he was called "Muscles" as he was a slugger of the first rank. He only had a career high in homers of 31, in his 1937 Triple Crown year, but he played mostly in large parks. He hit lots of doubles and triples, as many as 64 doubles in a season (1936) and peaked at 18 triples (1934), with 30 or more doubles in 11 seasons, and 10 or more triples in 7 seasons.

Medwick was not a real big guy, listed at just 5'10" and 187 pounds, but he was built solid. Not much speed, but a lot of strength. He came to the majors in 1932 at age 20 and was part of the 1934 World Champion St. Louis Cardinals, the Gas House Gang. He was traded to Brooklyn in midseason 1940 and was part of the Dodgers' 1941 pennant team. Those were his only postseason appearances. He wasn't a very good defensive player, but he was a real hitter.

Medwick earned 135.7 ratings points.

Medwick's stats: .324 average, 205 HR, 1383 RBI, 540 doubles, 113 triples, 10-time All-Star, 1937 NL MVP.

posted by Shawn at 6:12 PM

 

Number 225: Johnny Evers.

Evers was very slender, a 5-foot-9 125-pound bundle of energy, all sinew and tendons and nerve. It was said he had so much electricity in his body that a wristwatch did him no good, they wouldn't run right. His infield mate Joe Tinker said he wished Evers had been an outfielder so he wouldn't have had to listen to him.

Evers was never a great hitter, even for the Deadball Era, but he was normally average or a little above at the plate. He didn't have much power but hit for decent averages and drew quite a few walks, not what you would expect from such a nervous personality. He usually hit at or near the top of the order, usually batting second for the Cubs. And during his career the Cubs won and won and won.

He played in three World Series with Chicago, winning two of them, missing the 1910 classic when he was hurt. He was traded to the Braves prior to the 1914 season and became part of Boston's "Miracle Braves" team that roared from last place on the Fourth of July to the pennant and took a shocking World Series win from the heavily favored A's. Evers won the MVP for that season, kind of a last hurrah for him as he never again played 100 games in a season. But he was immortalized in a poem, and the Baseball Hall of Fame.

Evers earned 135.73 ratings points.

Evers' stats: .270 average, .356 on-base, 1659 hits, 324 steals.

posted by Shawn at 6:08 PM

 

Number 224: Whitey Ford

He is the winningest pitcher in World Series history, and also the one with the most losses at 10-8. Ford was signed by the Yankees in 1947, and debuted in New York in 1950, going 9-1 down the stretch. He got his first World Series win that year, too. He also got two years in the military, and returned to the roster in 1953. From there Ford embarked on a stellar career, racking up a dozen years as the ace of the Yankees' staff. During his many years under Casey Stengel, Ford was used somewhat oddly, as Casey tended to save him for the toughest teams, the ones the Yankees had to beat. That makes his record somewhat better than it looks. On the other hand, pitching for all those exceptional teams makes his record look better than it really was, if he had been pitching for the Cubs or Tigers, for instance.

Still, being the best pitcher on the best team is a pretty good feather for your cap. Whitey never won 20 in a season for Stengel, but Stengel never started him more than 33 times in a year. If you wonder why few pitchers now win 20, consider that. When Ralph Houk took over the Yankees in 1961, he established a four-man rotation, and Whitey got 39 starts and won 25 games. He also won 24 in 1963. His arsenal was not overpowering, but he had good movement on his pitches and excellent control. Ford was a dependable guy, very consistent. The 25 wins won him the 1961 Cy Young Award.

He was called "The Chairman of the Board" for his businesslike approach on the mound, and "Slick" for his demeanor off it, as a native New Yorker, and also to rhyme with "Mick" for his buddy Mickey Mantle. After 1965, he had trouble with his arm, and ended his career after the 1967 season. Ford was one of baseball's class acts.

Ford earned 135.74 ratings points.

Ford's stats: 236-106 record, .690 winning percentage, 2.75 ERA, 1956 K.

posted by Shawn at 6:00 PM

 

Number 223: Carlos Beltran.

The 1995 second-round pick from Puerto Rico came up through the Royals system at a time when the Kansas City club was fading from relevance. He hit the big leagues with loads of talent in a place where no one much was watching. He put together several impressive seasons, then in 2004 was ready to test the free agent market when the Astros dealt for him to give them a boost to the postseason.

The plan worked, as Beltran was just fair during the season but exploded during the postseason, carrying the team through the Division Series and nearly through the NLCS, but his .417 average and 4 HR in the seven games weren't quite enough.

Boosted by his playoff showing, Beltran signed a big contract with the Mets. He continued to play well for the Mets, including the 2006 postseason run, but took some of the blame though the team around him was falling short rather than him. In recent years, injuries have begun to slow him.

Beltran has earned 135.89 ratings points through 2010.

Beltran's stats (through 2010): .282 average, 292 HR, 292 steals.

posted by Shawn at 9:59 AM

 

Number 222: George Foster.

For seven seasons, 1975-81, the Alabama native was the top slugger in baseball. He won the 1977 MVP and his season of .320 with 52 HR and 149 RBI was a shock to baseball fans still in the middle of an offensive low point. Those were Babe Ruth or Hank Greenberg numbers, rarely seen in the 1970s. Foster led the league in RBI three times and HR twice, making five All-Star teams. He was also a competent outfielder. His reputation suffers because he was signed to a big free-agent contract in his mid-30s and his stats collapsed at the same time. Judged by what he did, Foster was a terrific player. He is now employed by the Reds to work with inner-city kids. Foster was always a fine man that way.

Foster earned 135.96 ratings points.

Foster's stats: .274 average, 348 HR, 1925 hits, 1239 RBI.

posted by Shawn at 1:27 PM

 

Number 221: Max Carey.

The Indiana native born Maximillian Carnarius had his name shortened early in his career. He came to Pittsburgh as a shortstop but Honus Wagner was already there so the fleet youngster became first a left fielder and then a center fielder. He would lead the NL in stolen bases ten times during a 20-year career, mostly with the Pirates but ending with the Dodgers.

He arrived just too late for the 1909 championship, but was part of the 1925 World Champions and hit .458 in the World Series. Shortly after, he was bumped from his job by Lloyd Waner, another long-time Pirate of similar talents.

Carey earned 136.26 ratings points.

Carey's stats: .285 average, 2665 hits, 1545 runs, 738 steals.

posted by Shawn at 1:21 PM

 

Number 220: Joe Kelley.

The 1890s Orioles got famous on their scheme of bunts, chop hits, steals, and harassing umpires, but every team needs a power source. For the Orioles, that was Kelley.

Kelley was the fulcrum of those great teams with power, speed, and strong defense from left field. He didn't have many league-leading totals, just stolen bases in 1896. He drove in 100 runs five times, scored 100 runs six times, and got a chance to manage later in his career. His leadership was valued.

Kelley earned 136.43 ratings points.

Kelley's stats: .317 average, .402 on-base, 2220 hits.

posted by Shawn at 1:19 PM

 

Update now done through Number 200, and a little extra. New content will begin appearing soon.

posted by Shawn at 8:08 AM

 

Updating now complete through Number 150. Still reshuffling the deck.

That's the thing with a site like this, it's never done.

posted by Shawn at 2:38 PM

 

I have now completed the 2006 update through 100th place, and will continue to reshuffle based on the 2005 stats update for active players. It's a long process!

posted by Shawn at 9:35 AM

 

Being a blogger has its perquisites. A couple of weeks ago, I received in the mail a copy of “The Last Nine Innings” by Charles Euchner, a new book featuring the seventh game of the 2001 World Series between the Arizona Diamondbacks and New York Yankees, with the agreement that I would read it and review it for my blog. Therefore, I am.

Euchner’s book owes much to Daniel Okrent’s seminal book “Nine Innings” about a 1982 midseason game, that Okrent used to veer off onto tangents on just about everything related to baseball. Euchner follows the same formula; only rather than a typical game, he uses a game of supreme importance, because no baseball game can ever be more important than the seventh game of the Series. Aside from that, Euchner follows Okrent’s style of making observations about the game in general by referring from this game specifically.

Baseball changed quite a bit in the nearly twenty years between the playing of these two games, and Euchner focuses on many of the changes. Sabermetrics, the new statistical studies of the game, are a large feature of this book. There is also some attention paid to the evolving TV work done by Fox network in broadcasting the games, and the changing marketplace for baseball talent. Euchner also focuses on the kinesiology research being done to break down the movements used in baseball from batting swings to pitchers’ throwing motions.

In many ways, it was time for a new book like this, as so much has changed since Okrent first wrote his tome. Euchner’s prose suffers a bit by comparison, as he is not the writer that Okrent is. However, the language is straightforward and solid, the storytelling sure. Euchner reaches no literary heights, but states his points clearly. Introducing a Luis Gonzalez at-bat, Euchner writes, “With a runner on base and one out in the home half of the third inning, baseball’s most improbable power hitter steps to the plate.” It’s not Red Smith, but it is certainly readable.

The problems with this book are mostly editorial. A firmer hand by the editor would have made for a much better book. There are specific instances that show this as well as general ones. In the 9th inning, Tony Womack tied the game with a bloop double. On page 273, it says, “Womack hit the ball hard to left field.” Then, on page 274, it reads, “The ball bounces two feet inside the right-field line.” The ball was actually hit to right field. There are a few small factual errors like this that better proofreading could have caught. Then again, I have that complaint about a lot of books, as well as my own work.

My other complaint is stylistic. The book is divided into nine sections, by inning, but the sections have between two and four chapters of varying length. A nine-chapter book, or eighteen chapters following each half inning, would have been preferable. Enough of the jumping-off points are flexible enough that they could have been used in multiple places, and the book could have been better balanced by giving nearly equal space to each inning, with more tangents in the early innings and concentrating more on the game in the late innings, much as broadcasters do. A good editing job would have gone a long way here.

For all that, there is much to like here. Euchner delves into many aspects of the game with a fan’s eye. He looks at Steve Finley’s odd conditioning routine, and examines the touchy subject of Derek Jeter’s fielding. He follows the thought patterns of the managers, and looks at how the strategy affects the game. He profiles the biggest stars of the game, from Curt Schilling and Randy Johnson to Jeter and Alfonso Soriano. Euchner interviewed a number of the principles, and I only wish he could have interviewed more. Their comments help give the book depth.

Euchner presents the story but strives not to take sides. It makes for a very interesting work that may by turns interest, involve, and frustrate you. Either way, it will certainly prove of interest.

posted by Shawn at 11:08 AM

 

Number 219: Chase Utley.

Utley rises this high on a fantastic peak, combining middle-of-the-order hitting on a winning team with terrific defense as the unrewarded most valuable player of this era of Phillies. Infield mates Jimmy Rollins and Ryan Howard have won awards while Utley was the best of them all. Joe Morgan did this dance before finally getting his due. It remains to be seen if Utley will.

The question becomes whether Utley's struggles with injuries the last two years are harbingers. To truly make a mark and become a top 200 or even top 100 player Utley must add some bulk to his numbers. That's going to take more resilience than he's shown thus far.

Utley has earned 136.53 ratings points through 2010.

Utley's stats (through 2010): .293 average, 181 HR, .380 on-base, .512 slugging.

posted by Shawn at 2:48 PM

 

Number 218: Willie Davis.

So how does Willie Davis get on this list? He wasn't an exceptional hitter, it's true, but he is better than he was remembered for two reasons. One is his era and the other is his home park. Davis played in the 1960s and 1970s, the Second Deadball Era, and in Dodger Stadium when that park was one of the strongest pitchers' parks in baseball. His stats suffered for it.

Davis was also an excellent defensive player, adventures in the 1966 World Series aside. He ran down a lot of balls hit off Koufax and Drysdale to keep their ERAs pretty. He stole a lot of bases, hit a respectable number of home runs in a huge ballpark, and batted third most of the time on a winning team. Voters being what they are, the three time Davis won a Gold Glove were the three years he hit .300, in 1969-71.

Davis earned 136.72 ratings points.

Davis's stats: .279 average, 2561 hits, 418 steals.

posted by Shawn at 4:23 PM

 

Number 217: Mickey Welch.

Welch was a 19th century pitcher born in Brooklyn who began his career in Troy, New York, when that was a major league franchise. He quickly established himself as a quality pitcher in three years with Troy. Economic realities being what they were and are, the franchise was shifted to New York City the next year, and Welch had a homecoming of sorts.

His 1884 and 1885 seasons were among the best of the time, though overshadowed by contemporaries like Old Hoss Radbourn. Welch's value lay more in consistency and reliability, hard to come by in those years when many aces pitched 500 innings a year...but not for very long. Mickey's arm was sturdier than most, with eleven straight years of at least 250 innings from 1880 through 1890.

Welch earned 136.79 ratings points.

Welch's stats: 307-210, 2.71 ERA, 525 complete games.

posted by Shawn at 10:19 AM

 

Number 216: Kiki Cuyler.

Hazen Shirley "Kiki" Cuyler got his nickname because of a stutter, as the story runs. Plus, what ballplayer would want to be called Hazen, or even Shirley? Cuyler worked his way up the minor league ladder, hitting .300 along the way, then burst onto the major league scene with the Pirates in 1924. He hit .354 in 117 games and was eighth in MVP voting, then second in the voting the next year as the Pittburgh club won the World Series for the first time since 1909 with Cuyler batting .357 and leading the league in triples and runs scored.

He had another strong season in 1926, leading the league in runs and steals, but found himself in the doghouse in 1927 and played little down the stretch as the Pirates won the pennant again, but with Paul Waner in right field. He didn't play at all in the World Series and was traded to the Cubs.

Cuyler took over in right field for the Cubs and played well, as a key part of the 1929 and 1932 pennant teams. Again (36) and slumping, he was released in the 1935 pennant drive, and picked up by Cincinnati. He had one more strong season left, in 1936, and left the majors after 1938 then, as was common at the time, spent a few more years in the minors.

Cuyler earned 137.15 ratings points.

Cuyler's stats: .321 average, 2299 hits, 157 triples, 328 steals.

posted by Shawn at 5:39 PM

 

Number 215: Jim Fregosi.

A six-time All-Star shortstop who got as high as seventh in the MVP voting, Fregosi was the best SS in the 1960s AL. He combined good defense with moderate power and solid on-base skills. In an era where shortstops did not usually hit much, he was an above-average hitter and thus one of the best in the game. His stats did not always reflect it, because of the low-offense era when he played.

He played through much of the 1970s, but back trouble often kept him off the field or limited his production. He became a bench player in his later years.

Fregosi earned 137.29 ratings points.

Fregosi's stats: .265 average, 151 HR, 1726 hits, 113 OPS+.

posted by Shawn at 5:19 PM

 

Number 214: Dazzy Vance.

Vance got a trial with Pittsburgh for one game in 1915, and with the Yankees for 8 games in 1915 and two games in 1918, but didn't stick. He was a hard thrower with poor control and a continually sore arm. But one day, something went snap, and the pain was gone. Could be a bone spur broke loose, or something else, but he suddenly started throwing free and easy and his control improved. Brooklyn picked him up in 1922 when he was 31, and he became an instant star with an 18-12 record.

Through 1932 Vance was about the only good thing the Dodgers had going for them, including a lights-out season in 1924 where he went 28-6. He led the NL in strikeouts seven seasons in a row, 1922-28, led in ERA three times and wins twice, and the 1924 MVP. The Dodgers were second in 1924 and it was almost all about Vance. He reportedly did not like to pitch in Philadelphia's bandbox Baker Bowl, and so manager Wilbert Robinson acquiesced to his ace's wishes. That probably helped his ERA, but he was still a great pitcher even with half a career.

Vance had brief stints in St. Louis and Cincinnati before finishing up back in Brooklyn in 1935 at age 44, going 3-2.

Vance earned 138.57 ratings points.

Vance's stats: 197-140 record, 3.24 ERA, 2045 K, 125 ERA+.

posted by Shawn at 4:42 PM

 

Number 213: Pud Galvin.

"The Little Steam Engine" earned his nickname as one of the hardest-throwing pitchers of his era. That was an era when pitchers could not raise their arms above shoulder height, and also were expected to pitch nearly every game. For example, Galvin started 75 games in 1883, 72 in 1884. He was a busy pitcher, busy enough to win 365 games in his career.

Galvin pitched mostly for Buffalo, when that was a National League franchise, then for Pittsburgh. A short and stocky fellow, he was a good pitcher for a long time.

Galvin earned 138.72 ratings points.

Galvin's stats: 365-310 record, 2.85 ERA, 6003 innings (second all-time).

posted by Shawn at 6:10 PM

 

Number 212: John McGraw.

McGraw is best known as the long-time manager of the New York Giants, but before (and briefly during) that period he was also a star third baseman. McGraw was the ringleader of the rollicking 1890s Baltimore Orioles, a short third baseman who would go to any lengths to win a game. His own game involved slapping singles, drawing lots of walks, and running the bases with abandon.

McGraw was also a fine defensive player at a time when third base was a more important position, partly because of the fielding of bunts necessary in that era. McGraw was quick on the trigger at fielding the placed hits. He was a user of that strategy himself, and led the league in on-base average three times, walks and runs twice.

McGraw earned 138.97 ratings points.

McGraw's stats: .334 average, .446 on-base average, 436 steals.

posted by Shawn at 4:26 PM

 

Number 211: Cesar Cedeno.

People have already forgotten how good he was, because the memory is of promise unfulfilled; but for several seasons, even held back by the Astrodome, he was one of the best players in the NL, and the best center fielder in the league. The Astros signed Cedeno as a Dominican amateur in 1967 at age 16, and played 90 games for Houston in 1970 at age 19 and batted .310. He was one of the great "young players" in history in his early 20s, leading the league in doubles in 1971 and 1972, batting .320 in 1972 and '73, and driving in 102 runs in 1974 before he turned 25 years old.

Nevertheless, after five Gold Gloves in a row, it was all downhill for Cedeno. He didn't become Willie Mays, and his last year as an All-Star was 1976. He batted .309 in 1980, but he didn't seem special anymore. The spark wasn't there, the power waned, the speed faded. Cedeno had one last moment of glory when he was traded to St. Louis for the stretch drive in 1985 and batted .434 in 28 games down the stretch, keying the team's World Series run. After a part-time year in 1976, he was done. It was an anticlimactic end to a career that looked like it might belong to one of the all-time greats. Cedeno was still pretty darn good.

Cedeno earned 139.06 ratings points.

Cedeno's stats: .285 average, 2087 hits, 199 HR, 550 SB.

posted by Shawn at 10:43 AM

 

Number 210: Tony Mullane.

"The Apollo of the Box" and occasional switch-pitcher, born in Ireland, won 284 games in a rather lengthy career for a 19th century pitcher. Mullane spent most of his storied and often stormy career with Cincinnati.

Mullane was regarded as a good-looking man, and the tradition of "Ladies' Day" promotions is said to have begun with him, using his appearance as a drawing card to get women into the ballpark. This is spite of his noted miserly tendencies: Mullane was said to wear his clothes until they wore out, practically falling off of him.

While he played the longest with Cincinnati, they had to wait an extra year to get him: Mullane was suspended by the American Association for the 1885 season for contract-jumping. After that, he stayed in Cincinnati for more than seven seasons, so perhaps the message-sending worked. He was also a solid hitter: his 661 career hits are the most for anyone who spent most of their career as a pitcher.

Mullane earned 139.49 ratings points.

Mullane's stats: 284-220 record, 3.05 ERA, 118 ERA+.

posted by Shawn at 7:10 AM

 

Number 209: Bobby Doerr

Doerr debuted with the Red Sox in 1937 at the age of 19, and he would play his whole career with Boston. He played 55 games that rookie year, and batted .224. He would never bat lower than .258 again, and only the one time below .270. He drew some walks, hit for moderate power, and played superb defense at second base. He batted .289 in 1938, then in 1939 hit .318, and the next year .291 with 22 homers and 105 RBI. He became a fixture on the AL all-star team starting in 1941. He missed only 1945 to the war, and in 1946 he batted .271 with 116 RBI as Boston won the pennant, then went to the 7th game of the World Series as Doerr hit .409.

He left the majors after 1951, although he had hit .289, but aches and pains caught up to him at age 33. He drove in 100 or more runs in 6 seasons, though he only reached the postseason once. Doerr was elected to the Hall of Fame by the Veteran's Committee in 1986.

Doerr earned 139.49 ratings points.

Doerr's stats: .288 average, 223 home runs, 1247 RBI, 2042 hits, 115 OPS+.

posted by Shawn at 5:39 PM

 

Number 208: Jeff Kent.

California native Kent was a 20th round pick of the Blue Jays in 1989. By 1992 he hit the majors and played 65 games for Toronto, batting .240 playing mostly 3B. The Jays wanted some pennant insurance (they were in the process of winning the first of two straight World Series) so they swapped Kent and Ryan Thompson to the Mets for David Cone. He played 37 games for the Mets down the stretch and hit .239 there.

He was the Mets' 1993 second baseman, hitting .270 with 21 HR, and now an established major leaguer. The Mets traded him to Cleveland in mid-1996 for Carlos Baerga, and after the season he was traded to San Francisco for Matt Williams. It was with the Giants that Kent became a star.

Usually batting behind Barry Bonds, Kent drove in 100 runs in each of his 6 seasons with the Giants. He won the MVP in 2000 for a big year, hitting .334 with 33 HR and 125 RBI. In 2002 he and the Giants got all the way to World Series Game 7. Kent left SF after 2002 and went to Houston for two years, amassing 200 RBI over the two seasons. He began 2005 in Los Angeles and spent the last four years of his career there.

Kent has earned 139.96 ratings points.

Kent's stats: .290 average, 377 HR, 1518 RBI, .500 slugging, 2461 hits.

posted by Shawn at 6:00 PM

 

Number 207: Brian Giles.

It was the fate of Giles to always play in the shadow of others. In Cleveland, he was behind people like Manny Ramirez and Albert Belle. In Pittsburgh he was the big star, but on a poor team far from the limelight. In San Diego, the big ballpark swallowed his long shots and the team went from a winner to an also-ran.

Giles came up with Cleveland, held back by the depth of the system and the strong club at the major league level, becoming a platoon LF and fourth OF. He was swapped to Pittsburgh in an ill-advised deal for a lefty reliever, then became a star for the Pirates. In nearly five years in Pittsburgh, Giles established himself as one of the best in the game. A short, muscular fellow, Giles has good speed, excellent power, and hits for a solid average.

Giles earned 140.37 ratings points.

Giles' stats: .291 average, 287 HR, .40 OBP, 411 doubles.

posted by Shawn at 5:12 PM

 

Number 206: Dave Winfield

Winfield was a tremendous schoolboy athlete, tall and strong, and drafted by teams in pro baseball, basketball, and hockey, despite coming from the northern clime of Minnesota. He opted for baseball, and it wasn't long before his sad-sack San Diego Padres dropped him into the lineup, and he quickly became their best player. He had little help at first on this just-past-early-stage expansion team, but posted steadily improving numbers while learning on the job. He played mostly left field at first, then switched to right and occasionally to center. He wasn't really a very good outfielder, but his bat made a mark.

The Padres had their first year over .500 in 1978, and Winfield was an MVP candidate, finishing 10th. He was 3rd in voting in 1979, but the team had slipped back. After the 1980 season, he left as a free agent and signed with the Yankees. He got to his first postseason in 1981's split season, but went 1-for-22 in the World Series. This earned the wrath of Yankee owner George Steinbrenner, who began calling him "Mr. May" and would hire shady characters to follow him. This even though he was a consistent performer and drove in at least 100 runs five years in a row, 1982-86. But the Yankees weren't winning.

Winfield missed the 1989 season with an injury, then returned in 1990 and was sent by the Yankees to the Angels early in the year. He went to Toronto for 1992, and once again got to the postseason. He redeemed himself with a double to win Game 6 of the World Series, and finally got a championship ring. He then went home to Minnesota, and after that finished his career with the Indians. He played 22 years in all, not counting the entire 1989 missed, and piled numbers that were not noted for their peaks, but were consistently solid. He never hit more than 37 homers nor drove in more than 118 runs in a season, but every season he put up strong numbers.

Winfield earned 140.39 ratings points.

Winfield's stats: .283 average, 465 homers, 1883 RBI, 1669 runs, 223 SB.

posted by Shawn at 7:09 PM