My rankings of the greatest baseball players ever, starting with number 1, in order.

Another nice team-specific site is at
Twinsgeek

The online sports almanac by fans and for fans is
Fanbase

All Baseball Teams deals with baseball history, stats, players and stadiums
All Baseball Teams

Want to weigh in yourself? Write me at the address below, or surf to rankings on just about everything at
RateItAll

Feedback
e-mail

Archives


09/29/2002 - 10/06/2002 10/06/2002 - 10/13/2002 10/13/2002 - 10/20/2002 10/27/2002 - 11/03/2002 11/03/2002 - 11/10/2002 11/17/2002 - 11/24/2002 12/15/2002 - 12/22/2002 12/22/2002 - 12/29/2002 12/29/2002 - 01/05/2003 01/05/2003 - 01/12/2003 01/19/2003 - 01/26/2003 01/26/2003 - 02/02/2003 02/02/2003 - 02/09/2003 02/09/2003 - 02/16/2003 02/23/2003 - 03/02/2003 04/06/2003 - 04/13/2003 04/13/2003 - 04/20/2003 06/08/2003 - 06/15/2003 07/20/2003 - 07/27/2003 07/27/2003 - 08/03/2003 08/03/2003 - 08/10/2003 08/10/2003 - 08/17/2003 08/17/2003 - 08/24/2003 08/24/2003 - 08/31/2003 08/31/2003 - 09/07/2003 09/07/2003 - 09/14/2003 09/28/2003 - 10/05/2003 10/12/2003 - 10/19/2003 10/19/2003 - 10/26/2003 11/09/2003 - 11/16/2003 11/16/2003 - 11/23/2003 12/21/2003 - 12/28/2003 12/28/2003 - 01/04/2004 01/04/2004 - 01/11/2004 01/11/2004 - 01/18/2004 01/18/2004 - 01/25/2004 02/29/2004 - 03/07/2004 03/07/2004 - 03/14/2004 03/14/2004 - 03/21/2004 03/21/2004 - 03/28/2004 03/28/2004 - 04/04/2004 04/04/2004 - 04/11/2004 04/18/2004 - 04/25/2004 04/25/2004 - 05/02/2004 05/02/2004 - 05/09/2004 05/09/2004 - 05/16/2004 05/23/2004 - 05/30/2004 05/30/2004 - 06/06/2004 06/06/2004 - 06/13/2004 06/20/2004 - 06/27/2004 06/27/2004 - 07/04/2004 07/04/2004 - 07/11/2004 07/11/2004 - 07/18/2004 07/18/2004 - 07/25/2004 08/01/2004 - 08/08/2004 08/08/2004 - 08/15/2004 08/15/2004 - 08/22/2004 08/29/2004 - 09/05/2004 09/05/2004 - 09/12/2004 09/19/2004 - 09/26/2004 10/03/2004 - 10/10/2004 11/07/2004 - 11/14/2004 12/26/2004 - 01/02/2005 01/02/2005 - 01/09/2005 01/09/2005 - 01/16/2005 01/23/2005 - 01/30/2005 01/30/2005 - 02/06/2005 02/06/2005 - 02/13/2005 02/13/2005 - 02/20/2005 02/20/2005 - 02/27/2005 02/27/2005 - 03/06/2005 03/06/2005 - 03/13/2005 03/13/2005 - 03/20/2005 03/20/2005 - 03/27/2005 03/27/2005 - 04/03/2005 04/10/2005 - 04/17/2005 04/17/2005 - 04/24/2005 04/24/2005 - 05/01/2005 05/15/2005 - 05/22/2005 05/22/2005 - 05/29/2005 05/29/2005 - 06/05/2005 06/05/2005 - 06/12/2005 06/12/2005 - 06/19/2005 06/19/2005 - 06/26/2005 06/26/2005 - 07/03/2005 07/10/2005 - 07/17/2005 07/17/2005 - 07/24/2005 07/24/2005 - 07/31/2005 07/31/2005 - 08/07/2005 08/07/2005 - 08/14/2005 08/14/2005 - 08/21/2005 08/21/2005 - 08/28/2005 09/04/2005 - 09/11/2005 09/11/2005 - 09/18/2005 09/18/2005 - 09/25/2005 10/09/2005 - 10/16/2005 10/16/2005 - 10/23/2005 11/06/2005 - 11/13/2005 03/26/2006 - 04/02/2006 04/30/2006 - 05/07/2006 05/14/2006 - 05/21/2006 05/28/2006 - 06/04/2006 06/04/2006 - 06/11/2006 06/11/2006 - 06/18/2006 07/02/2006 - 07/09/2006 07/09/2006 - 07/16/2006 07/23/2006 - 07/30/2006 03/04/2007 - 03/11/2007 06/17/2007 - 06/24/2007 07/13/2008 - 07/20/2008 08/03/2008 - 08/10/2008 08/10/2008 - 08/17/2008 08/17/2008 - 08/24/2008 01/11/2009 - 01/18/2009 11/21/2010 - 11/28/2010 02/20/2011 - 02/27/2011 07/10/2011 - 07/17/2011 07/24/2011 - 07/31/2011 09/04/2011 - 09/11/2011 01/20/2013 - 01/27/2013 01/27/2013 - 02/03/2013 02/03/2013 - 02/10/2013 02/10/2013 - 02/17/2013 02/17/2013 - 02/24/2013 02/24/2013 - 03/03/2013 03/03/2013 - 03/10/2013 03/17/2013 - 03/24/2013 03/24/2013 - 03/31/2013 04/07/2013 - 04/14/2013 04/14/2013 - 04/21/2013 04/21/2013 - 04/28/2013 06/09/2013 - 06/16/2013 06/23/2013 - 06/30/2013 07/14/2013 - 07/21/2013 07/28/2013 - 08/04/2013 08/04/2013 - 08/11/2013 08/11/2013 - 08/18/2013 02/02/2014 - 02/09/2014 05/18/2014 - 05/25/2014 05/25/2014 - 06/01/2014 08/03/2014 - 08/10/2014 08/10/2014 - 08/17/2014 02/01/2015 - 02/08/2015 02/08/2015 - 02/15/2015 02/22/2015 - 03/01/2015 08/28/2016 - 09/04/2016 04/01/2018 - 04/08/2018 09/09/2018 - 09/16/2018 10/14/2018 - 10/21/2018 08/04/2019 - 08/11/2019 08/18/2019 - 08/25/2019 12/15/2019 - 12/22/2019 08/09/2020 - 08/16/2020 08/16/2020 - 08/23/2020 10/04/2020 - 10/11/2020 10/18/2020 - 10/25/2020 04/04/2021 - 04/11/2021 04/25/2021 - 05/02/2021 09/25/2022 - 10/02/2022 03/19/2023 - 03/26/2023 04/07/2024 - 04/14/2024

 

Number 203: Willie Randolph.

Drafted by the Pirates in 1972's 7th round, and surfaced in the majors in 1975, at age 20. But the mid-1970s Pirates were flush with second basemen, choosing between Rennie Stennett and Dave Cash, and passed Randolph to the Yankees in a trade for Doc Medich. Randolph made that deal pay off for the Yankees as a key cog in their successful run. He was the leadoff man and rally starter for 13 years in the Big Apple, a central man on a great team. He bounced around a bit at the end of his career, with LA, Oakland, Milwaukee and the Mets.

Randolph batted around .280 each year with a good number of walks, stole 20-30 bases at a good percentage, and played good defense. He was consistent, not spectacular, but he was a great player.

Randolph earned 141 ratings points.

Randolph's stats: .276 average, .353 on-base, 2210 hits, 271 steals, 1239 runs.

posted by Shawn Weaver at 4:41 PM

 

Number 202: Fred McGriff.

Back in the 1990s when ESPN broadcaster Chris Berman was handing out nicknames to baseball players based on all kinds of pop culture references, he hung McGriff with "Crime Dog," a reference to McGruff, the Crime Dog, a public service cartoon character. It stuck, and is one of Berman's most successful and memorable nicknames.

McGriff himself has never been much of a colorful character. He was a 9th round pick by the Yankees in 1981, but was traded to the Blue Jays after 1982 as part of the swag for Dave Collins and hit the big time in Toronto. The Jays traded him to the Padres after 1990, and he went from San Diego to Atlanta in mid-1993. Then it was Tampa Bay, the Cubs, and briefly the Dodgers before finishing with Tampa Bay just short of 500 home runs.

McGriff was a slugger, a decent defensive first baseman in his younger days, and a solid citizen. If he were white instead of black we would probably have heard a lot about his "work ethic" and how great his intangibles were. As it was, you never heard a bad word about him, and he hit .303 in postseason games. He never got higher than 4th in MVP voting, and will certainly not gain quick entrance to the Hall of Fame, but with time he might get elected. He's always been a slow and steady sort of fellow, so I wouldn't bet against it.

McGriff earned 141.14 ratings points.

McGriff's stats: .284 average, 493 HR, 1550 RBI, 2490 hits, .509 slugging.

posted by Shawn Weaver at 11:30 AM

 

Number 201: Joe Tinker.

A gifted defensive shortstop, Tinker was part of the famous Cubs infield of the first decade of the 20th century, part of the greatest era of that club's history. He was brilliant afield, a solid hitter, and a key part of four pennant winners and two World Series champs. Tinker was also noted for his ability to hit the greatest pitcher of the time, Christy Mathewson.

Tinker spent the last four years of his career as a playing manager, and also took a turn in management of minor league clubs after leaving the majors. He was a highly respected baseball man.

Tinker earned 141.39 ratings points.

Tinker's stats: .262 average, 1690 hits, 114 triples.

posted by Shawn Weaver at 11:51 AM

 

A milestone, as we reach the 200 level, so to speak. My thanks to those who have read these rankings and profiles. I plan to continue. Onward!

posted by Shawn Weaver at 11:30 AM

 

Number 200: Robin Ventura

Ventura was a 1988 first round draft choice of the White Sox, and debuted in 1989 with Chicago. The Oklahoma State alumnus played 16 games in his "cup of coffee," batting .178. He was handed the regular 3B job in 1990, and batted .249 with 5 HR at age 22 as a rookie. In 1991 he exploded onto the scene, winning his first Gold Glove while hitting .284 with 23 HR and 100 RBI. This was to set the standard for his performance.

Ventura provided a good average, good power, lots of walks, and Gold Glove-level defense for a number of years with the White Sox. His only postseason appearance with Chicago was 1993, when they lost the ALCS in 6 games. Ventura missed much of 1997 with an injury, but made a solid comeback in 1998. After 1998 he became a free agent and signed with the Mets. Ventura had his last great season in 1999 as the Mets made the playoffs, then slipped in 2000 but his team made it to the World Series. Another low average in 2001 led the Mets to trade him....to the Yankees, for David Justice. Ventura had a solid 2002 but the Yankees lost in the ALDS. He was traded from the Yankees to the Dodgers during 2003, and spent 2004 as a Dodger bench player.

Ventura was a good power hitter with excellent on-base skills, and was a terrific glove man during his career. He is actually very reminiscent of Graig Nettles in his skills, but better Ventura was the best 3B of the 1990s.

Ventura earned 141.58 ratings points.

Ventura's stats: .267 average, 294 HR, 1182 RBI, six Gold Gloves.

posted by Shawn Weaver at 11:22 AM