Greatest of All Time Lists Archives - Baseball Reference Blog

SUMMARY

Career

WAR

163.6

511

315

ERA

2.63

906

815

7356.0

2803

WHIP

1.130

Before the 20th century began, Cy Young ruled as the sport’s dominant pitcher. A 22-year career that ended in 1911, and a future spot in the first Hall of Fame class, Young had eight straight pre-1900 seasons in which he had an ERA+ higher than 120.

Ty Cobb

Position: Centerfielder

Bats: Left • Throws: Right

6-1, 175lb (185cm, 79kg)

Born: December 18, 1886 in Narrows, GA us

Died: July 17, 1961 (Aged 74-211d) in Atlanta, GA

Buried: Rose Hill Cemetery, Royston, GA

High School: Franklin County HS (Royston, GA)

Debut: August 30, 1905 (Age 18-255d, 2,755th in major league history)
vs. NYY 3 AB, 1 H, 0 HR, 1 RBI, 0 SB

Last Game: September 11, 1928 (Age 41-268d)
vs. NYY 1 AB, 0 H, 0 HR, 0 RBI, 0 SB

Hall of Fame: Inducted as Player in 1936. (Voted by BBWAA on 222/226 ballots)
Induction ceremony in Cooperstown held in 1939.
View Ty Cobb’s Page at the Baseball Hall of Fame (plaque, photos, videos).

Rookie Status: Exceeded rookie limits during 1905 season

Full Name: Tyrus Raymond Cobb

Nicknames: The Georgia Peach

Hall of Fame
MVP
Triple Crown
12x Batting Title

SUMMARY

Career

WAR

151.5

11440

4189

117

.366

2245

RBI

1944

897

OBP

.433

SLG

.512

OPS

.944

OPS+

168

Three players who dominated from the early to mid-1900s are also part of the top 10. Cobb led the league in hits five times between 1907-12 and had the best OPS+ number 11 times over 12 years. He finished with the sixth-best WAR, higher than contemporaries Tris Speaker and Honus Wagner.

Tris Speaker

Position: Centerfielder

Bats: Left • Throws: Left

5-11, 193lb (180cm, 87kg)

Born: April 4, 1888 in Hubbard, TX us

Died: December 8, 1958 (Aged 70-248d) in Lake Whitney, TX

Buried: Fairview Cemetery, Hubbard, TX

High School: Hubbard HS (Hubbard, TX)

School: Texas Wesleyan University (Fort Worth, TX)

Debut: September 12, 1907 (Age 19-161d, 2,972nd in major league history)
vs. PHA 2 AB, 0 H, 0 HR, 0 RBI, 0 SB

Last Game: August 30, 1928 (Age 40-148d)
vs. BOS 1 AB, 0 H, 0 HR, 0 RBI, 0 SB

Hall of Fame: Inducted as Player in 1937. (Voted by BBWAA on 165/201 ballots)
Induction ceremony in Cooperstown held in 1939.
View Tris Speaker’s Page at the Baseball Hall of Fame (plaque, photos, videos).

Rookie Status: Exceeded rookie limits during 1908 season

Full Name: Tristram Edgar Speaker

Nicknames: The Grey Eagle

Relatives: Uncle of Tex Jeanes

SUMMARY

Career

WAR

134.9

10195

3514

117

.345

1882

RBI

1531

436

OBP

.428

SLG

.500

OPS

.928

OPS+

158

Honus Wagner

Positions: Shortstop, Rightfielder and First Baseman

Bats: Right • Throws: Right

5-11, 200lb (180cm, 90kg)

Born: February 24, 1874 in Chartiers, PA us

Died: December 6, 1955 (Aged 81-285d) in Carnegie, PA

Buried: Jefferson Memorial Park, Pittsburgh, PA

Debut: July 19, 1897 (Age 23-145d, 2,011th in major league history)

Last Game: September 17, 1917 (Age 43-205d)
vs. BSN 0 AB, 0 H, 0 HR, 0 RBI, 0 SB

Hall of Fame: Inducted as Player in 1936. (Voted by BBWAA on 215/226 ballots)
Induction ceremony in Cooperstown held in 1939.
View Honus Wagner’s Page at the Baseball Hall of Fame (plaque, photos, videos).

Rookie Status: Exceeded rookie limits during 1897 season

Full Name: John Peter Wagner

Nicknames: The Flying Dutchman

Pronunciation: \HONN-us WAGG-ner\

Relatives: Brother of Butts Wagner

SUMMARY

Career

WAR

131.0

10439

3420

101

.328

1739

RBI

1732

723

OBP

.391

SLG

.467

OPS

.858

OPS+

151

Their WAR numbers of 134.9 and 131.0 rank ninth and tenth, respectively. Speaker had his highest total in 1912: a WAR of 10.1 along with a .464 on-base percentage. Wagner’s high mark came in 1908, also one of eight times he wore the batting crown. Eclipsing 50 doubles was a common accomplishment for Speaker, who ended up with an all-time best of 792.

Honus Wagner

Positions: Shortstop, Rightfielder and First Baseman

Bats: Right • Throws: Right

5-11, 200lb (180cm, 90kg)

Born: February 24, 1874 in Chartiers, PA us

Died: December 6, 1955 (Aged 81-285d) in Carnegie, PA

Buried: Jefferson Memorial Park, Pittsburgh, PA

Debut: July 19, 1897 (Age 23-145d, 2,011th in major league history)

Last Game: September 17, 1917 (Age 43-205d)
vs. BSN 0 AB, 0 H, 0 HR, 0 RBI, 0 SB

Rookie Status: Exceeded rookie limits during 1897 season

Full Name: John Peter Wagner

Nicknames: The Flying Dutchman

Pronunciation: \HONN-us WAGG-ner\

Relatives: Brother of Butts Wagner

SUMMARY

Career

WAR

131.0

10439

3420

101

.328

1739

RBI

1732

723

OBP

.391

SLG

.467

OPS

.858

OPS+

151

Just as Cobb, Speaker, and Wagner were the premier offensive forces of their day, Johnson did the same from the pitcher’s mound. In 21 seasons, Johnson posted sub-2.00 ERAs 11 times. Seven times he had more than 200 strikeouts. Twice he had more than 300. He finished 3,509 K’s. Johnson’s 165.1 WAR is second all-time to the man who brought power hitting to the forefront of baseball and dominated the era in which he played.

Babe Ruth

Positions: Outfielder and Pitcher

Bats: Left • Throws: Left

6-2, 215lb (188cm, 97kg)

Born: February 6, 1895 in Baltimore, MD us

Died: August 16, 1948 (Aged 53-192d) in New York, NY

Buried: Gate of Heaven Cemetery, Hawthorne, NY

High School: St. Mary’s HS (Baltimore, MD)

Debut: July 11, 1914 (Age 19-155d, 4,204th in major league history)
vs. CLE 7.0 IP, 8 H, 1 SO, 0 BB, 2 ER, W

Last Game: May 30, 1935 (Age 40-113d)
vs. PHI 1 AB, 0 H, 0 HR, 0 RBI, 0 SB

Hall of Fame: Inducted as Player in 1936. (Voted by BBWAA on 215/226 ballots)
Induction ceremony in Cooperstown held in 1939.
View Babe Ruth’s Page at the Baseball Hall of Fame (plaque, photos, videos).

Rookie Status: Exceeded rookie limits during 1915 season

Full Name: George Herman Ruth

Nicknames: Babe, The Bambino, The Sultan Of Swat, Jidge, The Colossus of Clout or The King of Crash

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SUMMARY

Career

WAR

182.6

8399

2873

714

.342

2174

RBI

2214

123

OBP

.474

SLG

.690

OPS

1.164

OPS+

206

His all-time leading WAR is the product of being above and beyond every other hitter in nearly every significant category. Of the 13 highest single-season WAR outputs ever, Ruth has six of them. A few of Ruth’s lofty totals have been surpassed, most notably the 714 home runs.

Henry Aaron

Name Note: commonly referred to as Hank Aaron

Positions: Rightfielder and First Baseman

Bats: Right • Throws: Right

6-0, 180lb (183cm, 81kg)

Born: February 5, 1934 in Mobile, AL us

Died: January 22, 2021 (Aged 86-352d) in Atlanta, GA

Buried: Southview Cemetery, Atlanta, GA

High School: Allen Institute (Mobile, AL)

Debut: April 13, 1954 (Age 20-067d, 11,071st in major league history)
vs. CIN 5 AB, 0 H, 0 HR, 0 RBI, 0 SB

Last Game: October 3, 1976 (Age 42-241d)
vs. DET 3 AB, 1 H, 0 HR, 1 RBI, 0 SB

Hall of Fame: Inducted as Player in 1982. (Voted by BBWAA on 406/415 ballots)
View Henry Aaron’s Page at the Baseball Hall of Fame (plaque, photos, videos).

Rookie Status: Exceeded rookie limits during 1954 season

Full Name: Henry Louis Aaron

Relatives: Brother of Tommie Aaron

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SUMMARY

Career

WAR

143.0

12364

3771

755

.305

2174

RBI

2297

240

OBP

.374

SLG

.555

OPS

.928

OPS+

155

That of course was accomplished by Aaron, who falls onto this career WAR list at seventh-best. The remarkably consistent Aaron had the best total among players in 1961 and 1969. Neither season did he lead the league in home runs, but his steadiness allowed him to set career marks not only for homers but RBIs as well.

Willie Mays

Position: Centerfielder

Bats: Right • Throws: Right

5-10, 170lb (178cm, 77kg)

Born: May 6, 1931 (Age: 92-186d) in Westfield, AL us

High School: Fairfield Industrial HS (Fairfield, AL)

Debut: 1948 (10,377th in major league history)

AL/NL Debut: May 25, 1951 (Age 20-019d)
vs. PHI 5 AB, 0 H, 0 HR, 0 RBI, 0 SB

Last Game: September 9, 1973 (Age 42-126d)
vs. MON 2 AB, 0 H, 0 HR, 0 RBI, 0 SB

Hall of Fame: Inducted as Player in 1979. (Voted by BBWAA on 409/432 ballots)
View Willie Mays’s Page at the Baseball Hall of Fame (plaque, photos, videos).

Rookie Status: Exceeded rookie limits during 1951 season

Full Name: Willie Howard Mays

Nicknames: Say Hey Kid

Hall of Fame
2x MVP
Rookie of the Year
24x All-Star
1954 World Series
12x Gold Glove
Batting Title
2x AS MVP
ML PoY

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SUMMARY

Career

WAR

156.1

10924

3293

660

.301

2068

RBI

1909

339

OBP

.384

SLG

.557

OPS

.940

OPS+

155

Mays exceeded a 10 WAR six times. Ten times he led either the National League or the majors, ultimately adding up the sixth-best WAR on the all-time list. Not surprisingly, his highest single-year total (11.2) was the same year he won his second NL MVP Award.

Barry Bonds

Position: Leftfielder

Bats: Left • Throws: Left

6-1, 185lb (185cm, 83kg)

Born: July 24, 1964 (Age: 59-107d) in Riverside, CA us

Draft: Drafted by the San Francisco Giants in the 2nd round of the 1982 MLB June Amateur Draft from Junipero Serra HS (San Mateo, CA) and the Pittsburgh Pirates in the 1st round (6th) of the 1985 MLB June Amateur Draft from Arizona State University (Tempe, AZ).

High School: Junipero Serra HS (San Mateo, CA)

School: Arizona State University (Tempe, AZ)

Debut: May 30, 1986 (Age 21-310d, 15,166th in major league history)
vs. LAD 5 AB, 0 H, 0 HR, 0 RBI, 0 SB

Last Game: September 26, 2007 (Age 43-064d)
vs. SDP 3 AB, 0 H, 0 HR, 0 RBI, 0 SB

Rookie Status: Exceeded rookie limits during 1986 season

Agents: Jeff Borris • Previously: Dennis Gilbert, Rod Wright, Scott Boras

Full Name: Barry Lamar Bonds

Twitter: @BarryBonds

Relatives: Cousin of Reggie Jackson; Son of Bobby Bonds

7x MVP
14x All-Star
HR Derby Champ
8x Gold Glove
12x Silver Slugger
2x Batting Title
3x ML PoY

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SUMMARY

Career

WAR

162.8

9847

2935

762

.298

2227

RBI

1996

514

OBP

.444

SLG

.607

OPS

1.051

OPS+

182

Sitting a spot higher than Mays is his godson. From 2001 through 2004, when he was in his late 30s, Bonds averaged a WAR of 10.8 while adding records and setting new standards for power hitters.

Roger Clemens

Position: Pitcher

Bats: Right • Throws: Right

6-4, 205lb (193cm, 92kg)

Born: August 4, 1962 (Age: 61-096d) in Dayton, OH us

Draft: Drafted by the New York Mets in the 12th round of the 1981 MLB June Amateur Draft from San Jacinto College (Pasadena, TX) and the Boston Red Sox in the 1st round (19th) of the 1983 MLB June Amateur Draft from University of Texas at Austin (Austin, TX).

High School: Spring Woods HS (Houston, TX)

Schools: San Jacinto College (Pasadena, TX), San Jacinto College, North Campus (Houston, TX), University of Texas at Austin (Austin, TX)

Debut: May 15, 1984 (Age 21-285d, 14,897th in major league history)
vs. CLE 5.2 IP, 11 H, 4 SO, 3 BB, 4 ER

Last Game: September 16, 2007 (Age 45-043d)
vs. BOS 6.0 IP, 2 H, 4 SO, 3 BB, 0 ER

Rookie Status: Exceeded rookie limits during 1984 season

Agents: Randy Hendricks, Alan Hendricks

National Team: us USA (WBC)

Full Name: William Roger Clemens

Nicknames: Rocket or The Texas Con Man

Twitter: @rogerclemens

Relatives: Father of Kody Clemens

MVP
7x Cy Young
2x Triple Crown
11x All-Star
2x World Series
7x ERA Title
AS MVP
ML PoY

21 21 12 22 22

SUMMARY

Career

WAR

139.2

354

184

ERA

3.12

709

707

4916.2

4672

WHIP

1.173

Bonds won seven MVPs, while Clemens won seven Cy Young Awards. In 1997, he topped all pitchers with an 11.9 WAR. He led all of baseball again in 2005 at age 42. Clemens pitched for four different teams and is eighth in WAR at 139.2.

Top 10 Single-season WAR for Position Players

As mentioned, Babe Ruth takes up a good portion of this list. In fact, he holds the distinction of having the top three highest WAR seasons: 14.1 in 1923, 12.9 in 1921, and 12.6 in 1927 (the year he hit 60 homers). Ruth’s 1920 is good enough for sixth. That year, his first as a member of the New York Yankees, was an explosion of offense unseen in baseball: 54 homers and an unprecedented .847 slugging percentage.

Ruth and Bonds are the only names in both the top ten cumulative total and the top ten single-season totals. Also, Bonds takes up two spots. He matched Ruth’s 1920 WAR total when he hit his single-season record 73 home runs in 2001. A year later, Bonds was at 11.7 in helping lead the San Francisco Giants to the NL pennant.

Rogers Hornsby

Positions: Second Baseman, Shortstop and Third Baseman

Bats: Right • Throws: Right

5-11, 175lb (180cm, 79kg)

Born: April 27, 1896 in Winters, TX us

Died: January 5, 1963 (Aged 66-253d) in Chicago, IL

Buried: Hornsby Bend Cemetery, Hornsby Bend, TX

High School: Northside HS (Fort Worth, TX)

Debut: September 10, 1915 (Age 19-136d, 4,412th in major league history)
vs. CIN 2 AB, 0 H, 0 HR, 0 RBI, 0 SB

Last Game: July 20, 1937 (Age 41-084d)
vs. NYY 1 AB, 0 H, 0 HR, 0 RBI, 0 SB

Hall of Fame: Inducted as Player in 1942. (Voted by BBWAA on 182/233 ballots)
No induction ceremony in Cooperstown held (until 2013).
View Rogers Hornsby’s Page at the Baseball Hall of Fame (plaque, photos, videos).

Rookie Status: Exceeded rookie limits during 1916 season

Full Name: Rogers Hornsby

Nicknames: Rajah

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SUMMARY

Career

WAR

127.1

8173

2930

301

.358

1579

RBI

1584

135

OBP

.434

SLG

.577

OPS

1.010

OPS+

175

Perhaps forgotten in the shadow of Ruth are the seasons produced by quieter, yet nonetheless elite performers. Hornsby in 1924 posted a WAR of 12.1, the fifth-best in baseball history, better than what Bonds did in any of his years and better than just about any other player in his era.

Lou Gehrig

Position: First Baseman

Bats: Left • Throws: Left

6-0, 200lb (183cm, 90kg)

Born: June 19, 1903 in New York, NY us

Died: June 2, 1941 (Aged 37-348d) in Bronx, NY

Buried: Kensico Cemetery, Valhalla, NY

High School: HS of Commerce (New York, NY)

School: Columbia University (New York, NY)

Debut: June 15, 1923 (Age 19-361d, 5,754th in major league history)
vs. SLB 0 AB, 0 H, 0 HR, 0 RBI, 0 SB

Last Game: April 30, 1939 (Age 35-315d)
vs. WSH 4 AB, 0 H, 0 HR, 0 RBI, 0 SB

Hall of Fame: Inducted as Player in 1939. (Voted by Special Election)
View Lou Gehrig’s Page at the Baseball Hall of Fame (plaque, photos, videos).

Rookie Status: Exceeded rookie limits during 1925 season

Full Name: Henry Louis Gehrig

Nicknames: The Iron Horse, Biscuit Pants, Buster, Laruppin’, Crown Prince of Swat or Columbia

SUMMARY

Career

WAR

113.8

8001

2721

493

.340

1888

RBI

1995

102

OBP

.447

SLG

.632

OPS

1.080

OPS+

179

Yankee teammate Lou Gehrig was not as powerful and not as much of a presence as Ruth. But with an eighth-highest WAR of 11.8 in 1927, helped by 52 doubles and 173 RBIs, it makes sense why the New York lineup earned the “Murders Row” nickname.

Carl Yastrzemski

Positions: Leftfielder and First Baseman

Bats: Left • Throws: Right

5-11, 175lb (180cm, 79kg)

Born: August 22, 1939 (Age: 84-078d) in Southampton, NY us

High School: Bridgehampton HS (Bridgehampton, NY)

Schools: Merrimack College (North Andover, MA), University of Notre Dame (South Bend, IN)

Debut: April 11, 1961 (Age 21-232d, 11,805th in major league history)
vs. KCA 5 AB, 1 H, 0 HR, 0 RBI, 0 SB

Last Game: October 2, 1983 (Age 44-041d)
vs. CLE 3 AB, 1 H, 0 HR, 0 RBI, 0 SB

Hall of Fame: Inducted as Player in 1989. (Voted by BBWAA on 423/447 ballots)
View Carl Yastrzemski’s Page at the Baseball Hall of Fame (plaque, photos, videos).

Rookie Status: Exceeded rookie limits during 1961 season

Full Name: Carl Michael Yastrzemski

Nicknames: Yaz or Captain Carl

Pronunciation: \yuh-STREM-skee\

Relatives: Grandfather of Mike Yastrzemski

Hall of Fame
MVP
Triple Crown
18x All-Star
7x Gold Glove
3x Batting Title
AS MVP
ML PoY

SUMMARY

Career

WAR

96.5

11988

3419

452

.285

1816

RBI

1844

168

OBP

.379

SLG

.462

OPS

.841

OPS+

130

Carl Yastrzemski was the driving force behind the Red Sox’s pennant in 1967. With an amazing performance down the stretch as multiple teams were chasing after the AL title, “Yaz” ended up with the Triple Crown, a very lofty OPS+ of 193, and a WAR of 12.4 — which is the highest by anyone not named Babe Ruth.

Cal Ripken Jr.

Positions: Shortstop and Third Baseman

Bats: Right • Throws: Right

6-4, 200lb (193cm, 90kg)

Born: August 24, 1960 (Age: 63-076d) in Havre de Grace, MD us

Draft: Drafted by the Baltimore Orioles in the 2nd round of the 1978 MLB June Amateur Draft from Aberdeen HS (Aberdeen, MD).

High School: Aberdeen HS (Aberdeen, MD)

Debut: August 10, 1981 (Age 20-351d, 14,463rd in major league history)
vs. KCR 0 AB, 0 H, 0 HR, 0 RBI, 0 SB

Last Game: October 6, 2001 (Age 41-043d)
vs. BOS 3 AB, 0 H, 0 HR, 0 RBI, 0 SB

Hall of Fame: Inducted as Player in 2007. (Voted by BBWAA on 537/545 ballots)
View Cal Ripken Jr.’s Page at the Baseball Hall of Fame (plaque, photos, videos).

Rookie Status: Exceeded rookie limits during 1982 season

Agents: Ron Shapiro

Full Name: Calvin Edwin Ripken

Nicknames: Iron Man or Rip

Relatives: Brother of Billy Ripken; Son of Cal Ripken Sr.

Hall of Fame
2x MVP
Rookie of the Year
19x All-Star
HR Derby Champ
1983 World Series
2x Gold Glove
8x Silver Slugger
2x AS MVP
2x ML PoY

8 8

SUMMARY

Career

WAR

95.9

11551

3184

431

.276

1647

RBI

1695

OBP

.340

SLG

.447

OPS

.788

OPS+

112

The MVP for Yastrzemski that year was a foregone conclusion. That award in 1991 went to Cal Ripken, Jr., the second of his Hall of Fame career. Ripken didn’t lead any major category except total bases (and games played, naturally). But he was as consistent as ever: 34 homers, 114 RBIs, and a slash line of .323/.374/.566, adding up to the tenth most-prolific WAR season ever.

Tied with Ripken is with Wagner, whose 11.5 WAR in 1908 was matched 83 years later. Wagner’s excellence with the bat allowed him to be ahead of the 1908 National League field in hits, triples, RBIs, batting average, on-base percentage, and slugging percentage.

Top 10 Highest Career Pitching WAR

The usage of pitchers over time has changed especially this decade. It may be harder for current starting pitchers to accumulate enough WAR to reach this top-ten list, but three of the preeminent hurlers in the last 30 years are properly recognized.

Greg Maddux

Position: Pitcher

Bats: Right • Throws: Right

6-0, 170lb (183cm, 77kg)

Born: April 14, 1966 (Age: 57-208d) in San Angelo, TX us

Draft: Drafted by the Chicago Cubs in the 2nd round of the 1984 MLB June Amateur Draft from Valley HS (Las Vegas, NV).

High School: Valley HS (Las Vegas, NV)

Debut: September 2, 1986 (Age 20-141d, 15,225th in major league history)
vs. HOU 1.0 IP, 1 H, 1 SO, 0 BB, 1 ER, L *
(*game was a suspended game and the player actually debuted the day following the day listed.)

Last Game: September 27, 2008 (Age 42-166d)
vs. SFG 6.0 IP, 2 H, 2 SO, 0 BB, 1 ER, W

Hall of Fame: Inducted as Player in 2014. (Voted by BBWAA on 555/571 ballots)
View Greg Maddux’s Page at the Baseball Hall of Fame (plaque, photos, videos).

Rookie Status: Exceeded rookie limits during 1987 season

Agents: Boras Corporation

Full Name: Gregory Alan Maddux

Nicknames: Mad Dog or The Professor

Pronunciation: \MADD-ucks\

Twitter: @gregmaddux

Relatives: Brother of Mike Maddux

31 31 36 30

SUMMARY

Career

WAR

106.6

355

227

ERA

3.16

744

740

5008.1

3371

WHIP

1.143

He won four Cy Young Awards from 1992 through ’95. During a time when power numbers increased, his got better too. Unfazed by whatever disadvantages he and other pitchers faced, Maddux had an ERA of 2.72 or lower for six straight years during the ’90s while accumulating the eighth-highest pitching WAR of all-time.

Randy Johnson

Position: Pitcher

Bats: Right • Throws: Left

6-10, 225lb (208cm, 102kg)

Born: September 10, 1963 (Age: 60-059d) in Walnut Creek, CA us

Draft: Drafted by the Atlanta Braves in the 4th round of the 1982 MLB June Amateur Draft from Livermore HS (Livermore, CA) and the Montreal Expos in the 2nd round of the 1985 MLB June Amateur Draft from University of Southern California (Los Angeles, CA).

High School: Livermore HS (Livermore, CA)

School: University of Southern California (Los Angeles, CA)

Debut: September 15, 1988 (Age 25-005d, 15,565th in major league history)
vs. PIT 5.0 IP, 6 H, 5 SO, 3 BB, 2 ER, W

Last Game: October 4, 2009 (Age 46-024d)
vs. SDP 1.0 IP, 1 H, 2 SO, 0 BB, 0 ER

Hall of Fame: Inducted as Player in 2015. (Voted by BBWAA on 534/549 ballots)
View Randy Johnson’s Page at the Baseball Hall of Fame (plaque, photos, videos).

Rookie Status: Exceeded rookie limits during 1989 season

Agents: Alan Nero, Barry Meister

Full Name: Randall David Johnson

Nicknames: Big Unit

57 51 51 15 34 51 51 51 41 51 51

+10

SUMMARY

Career

WAR

101.1

303

166

ERA

3.29

618

603

4135.1

4875

WHIP

1.171

Johnson was similar to Maddux in his elite status, but dissimilar in the way he did it. The “Big Unit” enjoyed two separate stretches of four consecutive seasons in which he led his league in strikeouts. Mainly with Seattle and Arizona, Johnson made the claim as the greatest left-hander of his generation.

Power pitching from the third-base side of the rubber in the 80s, 90s, and even into the 2000s was Roger Clemens. Longevity and sustained success over a prolonged period of time allowed him to be above all but two on the career pitching WAR list.

Tom Seaver

Position: Pitcher

Bats: Right • Throws: Right

6-1, 195lb (185cm, 88kg)

Born: November 17, 1944 in Fresno, CA us

Died: August 31, 2020 (Aged 75-288d) in Calistoga, CA

Draft: Drafted by the Los Angeles Dodgers in the 10th round of the 1965 MLB June Amateur Draft from University of Southern California (Los Angeles, CA) and the Atlanta Braves in the 1st round (20th) of the 1966 MLB January Draft-Secondary Phase from University of Southern California (Los Angeles, CA).

High School: Fresno HS (Fresno, CA)

Schools: Fresno City College (Fresno, CA), University of Southern California (Los Angeles, CA)

Debut: April 13, 1967 (Age 22-147d, 12,557th in major league history)
vs. PIT 5.1 IP, 6 H, 8 SO, 4 BB, 2 ER

Last Game: September 19, 1986 (Age 41-306d)
vs. TOR 4.0 IP, 5 H, 1 SO, 2 BB, 3 ER, L

Hall of Fame: Inducted as Player in 1992. (Voted by BBWAA on 425/430 ballots)
View Tom Seaver’s Page at the Baseball Hall of Fame (plaque, photos, videos).

Rookie Status: Exceeded rookie limits during 1967 season

Agents: Bob Lawrence

Full Name: George Thomas Seaver

Nicknames: Tom Terrific or The Franchise

41 41 41 41

SUMMARY

Career

WAR

109.9

311

205

ERA

2.86

656

647

4783.0

3640

WHIP

1.121

Clemens emerged as Seaver was going out. Seaver ended his career with the ’86 Red Sox, but made his mark as a Met. Seaver won the first of three Cy Youngs in 1969 — one of eight seasons in which he posted an ERA+ of 140 or higher. The seventh-highest pitching WAR in history also had 3,640 strikeouts.

Two pitchers from the all-time total WAR list are also in this top ten. Walter Johnson is second on both but was first in an abundance of pitching categories in the 1910s. He still has the most shutouts in history with 110.

Christy Mathewson

Position: Pitcher

Bats: Right • Throws: Right

6-1, 195lb (185cm, 88kg)

Born: August 12, 1880 in Factoryville, PA us

Died: October 7, 1925 (Aged 45-056d) in Saranac Lake, NY

Buried: Lewisburg City Cemetery, Lewisburg, PA

High School: Keystone Academy (Factoryville, PA)

School: Bucknell University (Lewisburg, PA)

Debut: July 17, 1900 (Age 19-339d, 2,212th in major league history)

Last Game: September 4, 1916 (Age 36-023d)
vs. CHC 9.0 IP, 15 H, 3 SO, 1 BB, 8 ER, W

Hall of Fame: Inducted as Player in 1936. (Voted by BBWAA on 205/226 ballots)
Induction ceremony in Cooperstown held in 1939.
View Christy Mathewson’s Page at the Baseball Hall of Fame (plaque, photos, videos).

Rookie Status: Exceeded rookie limits during 1901 season

Full Name: Christopher Mathewson

Nicknames: Big Six or Matty

Relatives: Brother of Henry Mathewson

SUMMARY

Career

WAR

106.5

373

188

ERA

2.13

636

552

4788.2

2507

WHIP

1.058

The only other pitcher to exceed 100 WAR is Mathewson. He commanded the leaderboard during the first decade of the 1900s with a remarkable 224 ERA+ in 1909. His most valuable season, according to WAR was the year before that, with an 11.8 total.

Grover Alexander

Name Note: Also known as Pete Alexander

Position: Pitcher

Bats: Right • Throws: Right

6-1, 185lb (185cm, 83kg)

Born: February 26, 1887 in Elba, NE us

Died: November 4, 1950 (Aged 63-251d) in St. Paul, NE

Buried: Elmwood Cemetery, St. Paul, NE

High School: St. Paul HS (St. Paul, NE)

Debut: April 15, 1911 (Age 24-048d, 3,461st in major league history)
vs. BSN 9.1 IP, 8 H, 4 SO, 5 BB, L

Last Game: May 28, 1930 (Age 43-091d)
vs. BSN 2.0 IP, 2 H, 1 SO, 0 BB, 0 ER

Hall of Fame: Inducted as Player in 1938. (Voted by BBWAA on 212/262 ballots)
Induction ceremony in Cooperstown held in 1939.
View Grover Alexander’s Page at the Baseball Hall of Fame (plaque, photos, videos).

Rookie Status: Exceeded rookie limits during 1911 season

Full Name: Grover Cleveland Alexander

Nicknames: Old Pete

SUMMARY

Career

WAR

119.3

373

208

ERA

2.56

696

600

5190.0

2198

WHIP

1.121

Lefty Grove

Position: Pitcher

Bats: Left • Throws: Left

6-3, 190lb (190cm, 86kg)

Born: March 6, 1900 in Lonaconing, MD us

Died: May 22, 1975 (Aged 75-077d) in Norwalk, OH

Buried: Frostburg Memorial Park, Frostburg, MD

High School: Central HS (Lonaconing, MD)

Debut: April 14, 1925 (Age 25-039d, 6,154th in major league history)
vs. BOS 3.2 IP, 6 H, 0 SO, 4 BB, 4 ER

Last Game: September 28, 1941 (Age 41-206d)
vs. PHA 1.0 IP, 4 H, 0 SO, 0 BB, 3 ER, L

Hall of Fame: Inducted as Player in 1947. (Voted by BBWAA on 123/161 ballots)
View Lefty Grove’s Page at the Baseball Hall of Fame (plaque, photos, videos).

Rookie Status: Exceeded rookie limits during 1925 season

Full Name: Robert Moses Grove

10 10

SUMMARY

Career

WAR

106.8

300

141

ERA

3.06

616

457

3940.2

2266

WHIP

1.278

Mathewson set the bar that Johnson and others who followed aspired to reach. Alexander and Grove come in at fifth and sixth, respectively. Alexander’s career peaked in the latter part of the 1910s. He was a reliable workhorse, exceeding 350 innings in four consecutive years and posting ERAs below 1.85 three straight times. Grove was ascending as Alexander reached his twilight. He excelled with first the Philadelphia A’s and then the Boston Red Sox, claiming nine ERA titles — the latest at age 39. As the All-Star Game came to being, Grove was among the early perennial midsummer classic participants.

Kid Nichols

Position: Pitcher

Bats: Both • Throws: Right

5-10, 175lb (178cm, 79kg)

Born: September 14, 1869 in Madison, WI us

Died: April 11, 1953 (Aged 83-209d) in Kansas City, MO

Buried: Mount Moriah Cemetery, Kansas City, MO

Debut: April 23, 1890 (Age 20-221d, 1,453rd in major league history)

Last Game: May 18, 1906 (Age 36-246d)
vs. CHC 0.1 IP, 2 H, 0 SO, 2 BB

Hall of Fame: Inducted as Player in 1949. (Voted by Old Timers Committee)
View Kid Nichols’s Page at the Baseball Hall of Fame (plaque, photos, videos).

Rookie Status: Exceeded rookie limits during 1890 season

Full Name: Charles Augustus Nichols

Hall of Fame

SUMMARY

Career

WAR

116.3

362

208

ERA

2.96

621

562

5067.1

1881

WHIP

1.224

Ahead of Grove and Alexander and only coming in behind Cy Young, Johnson, and Clemens is Nichols, who had his best years as a member of the Boston Braves. Only once in his first twelve seasons did he have an ERA higher than 4.00. Seven times it was lower than 3.00.

When discussing pitching excellence, it usually centers around how many Cy Youngs one has. So it stands to reason that the man for whom the award was named is the most elite when it comes to pitching WAR. The numbers Cy Young strung together are extraordinary, regardless of the time period. And because of when he did it, they stand alone in baseball history: namely wins, complete games, and innings pitched.

Top 10 Highest Career Defensive WAR

Measuring fielding greatness has been something of a challenge over the years. But seeing that the seven players in this group who were eligible for Gold Gloves snagged a combined 72, it’s evidence that defensive WAR certainly stands up.

Ozzie Smith

Position: Shortstop

Bats: Both • Throws: Right

5-11, 150lb (180cm, 68kg)

Born: December 26, 1954 (Age: 68-317d) in Mobile, AL us

Draft: Drafted by the Detroit Tigers in the 7th round of the 1976 MLB June Amateur Draft from California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo (San Luis Obispo, CA) and the San Diego Padres in the 4th round of the 1977 MLB June Amateur Draft from California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo (San Luis Obispo, CA).

High School: Locke HS (Los Angeles, CA)

School: California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo (San Luis Obispo, CA)

Debut: April 7, 1978 (Age 23-102d, 14,000th in major league history)
vs. SFG 1 AB, 0 H, 0 HR, 0 RBI, 0 SB

Last Game: September 29, 1996 (Age 41-278d)
vs. CIN 2 AB, 0 H, 0 HR, 0 RBI, 0 SB

Hall of Fame: Inducted as Player in 2002. (Voted by BBWAA on 433/472 ballots)
View Ozzie Smith’s Page at the Baseball Hall of Fame (plaque, photos, videos).

Rookie Status: Exceeded rookie limits during 1978 season

Agents: Dennis Gilbert • Previously: Debra Ehlmann, Ed Gottlieb

Full Name: Osborne Earl Smith

Nicknames: The Wizard of Oz

Twitter: @STLWizard

1 1 1

SUMMARY

Career

WAR

76.9

9396

2460

.262

1257

RBI

793

580

OBP

.337

SLG

.328

OPS

.666

OPS+

It’s also not a shock to see Ozzie Smith at the top at 44.2. The 13-time Gold Glove winner was also a 15-time All-Star and made the Hall of Fame in 2002. Smith is one of six shortstops in the top ten.

Mark Belanger

Position: Shortstop

Bats: Right • Throws: Right

6-1, 170lb (185cm, 77kg)

Born: June 8, 1944 in Pittsfield, MA us

Died: October 6, 1998 (Aged 54-120d) in New York, NY

Buried: St. Joseph Cemetery, Pittsfield, MA

High School: Pittsfield HS (Pittsfield, MA)

Debut: August 7, 1965 (Age 21-060d, 12,384th in major league history)
vs. KCA 0 AB, 0 H, 0 HR, 0 RBI, 0 SB

Last Game: October 2, 1982 (Age 38-116d)
vs. SFG 1 AB, 1 H, 0 HR, 1 RBI, 0 SB

Rookie Status: Exceeded rookie limits during 1967 season

Agents: Ron Shapiro

Full Name: Mark Henry Belanger

Nicknames: The Blade

Pronunciation: \buh-LAN-jer\

49 7 7 8

SUMMARY

Career

WAR

41.0

5784

1316

.228

676

RBI

389

167

OBP

.300

SLG

.280

OPS

.580

OPS+

Belanger backed up stout Baltimore Oriole pitching during the late 1960s and through the 1970s and is second at 39.5. He made just one All-Star team but was recognized with six Gold Gloves in an 18-year career.

Ripken followed in Belanger’s cleat marks and his 35.7 is fourth all-time. The “Ironman” eventually transitioned to third base, but his best years from a defensive metric standpoint came at shortstop when he led the American League from 1989-91.

Joe Tinker

Position: Shortstop

Bats: Right • Throws: Right

5-9, 175lb (175cm, 79kg)

Born: July 27, 1880 in Muscotah, KS us

Died: July 27, 1948 (Aged 68-000d) in Orlando, FL

Buried: Greenwood Cemetery, Orlando, FL

High School: Herington HS (Herington, KS)

Debut: April 17, 1902 (Age 21-264d, 2,355th in major league history)
vs. CIN 4 AB, 1 H, 0 HR, 0 RBI, 0 SB

Last Game: September 22, 1916 (Age 36-057d)
vs. NYG 1 AB, 0 H, 0 HR, 0 RBI, 0 SB

Hall of Fame: Inducted as Player in 1946. (Voted by Old Timers Committee)
Induction ceremony in Cooperstown held in 1947.
View Joe Tinker’s Page at the Baseball Hall of Fame (plaque, photos, videos).

Rookie Status: Exceeded rookie limits during 1902 season

Full Name: Joseph Bert Tinker

SUMMARY

Career

WAR

53.2

6441

1690

.262

774

RBI

785

336

OBP

.308

SLG

.353

OPS

.661

OPS+

Tinker’s 34.3 is right behind Ripken and he had the highest defensive WAR six times. Gold Gloves weren’t a reward for fielding excellence during Tinker’s time, but it’s a certainty the Chicago Cub would have had a collection of them.

Rabbit Maranville

Positions: Shortstop and Second Baseman

Bats: Right • Throws: Right

5-5, 155lb (165cm, 70kg)

Born: November 11, 1891 in Springfield, MA us

Died: January 5, 1954 (Aged 62-055d) in New York, NY

Buried: St. Michael Cemetery, Springfield, MA

High School: Springfield HS of Science and Technology (Springfield, MA)

Debut: September 10, 1912 (Age 20-304d, 3,801st in major league history)
vs. CHC 3 AB, 0 H, 0 HR, 0 RBI, 0 SB

Last Game: September 29, 1935 (Age 43-322d)
vs. NYG 4 AB, 0 H, 0 HR, 1 RBI, 0 SB

Hall of Fame: Inducted as Player in 1954. (Voted by BBWAA on 209/252 ballots)
View Rabbit Maranville’s Page at the Baseball Hall of Fame (plaque, photos, videos).

Rookie Status: Exceeded rookie limits during 1913 season

Full Name: Walter James Vincent Maranville

SUMMARY

Career

WAR

44.1

10078

2605

.258

1256

RBI

884

291

OBP

.318

SLG

.340

OPS

.658

OPS+

Maranville led the Boston Braves to the World Series in 1914. Like Ripken, he shifted away from shortstop later in his career. For him, it was second base. Stints in Pittsburgh, Chicago, Brooklyn, and St. Louis preceded a return to the Braves to finish off a 23-year career and the seventh-best total at 30.8.

Luis Aparicio

Position: Shortstop

Bats: Right • Throws: Right

5-9, 160lb (175cm, 72kg)

Born: April 29, 1934 (Age: 89-193d) in Maracaibo, Venezuela ve

High School: Lico Baralt (Maracaibo, Venezuela)

Debut: April 17, 1956 (Age 21-354d, 11,320th in major league history)
vs. CLE 3 AB, 1 H, 0 HR, 0 RBI, 0 SB

Last Game: September 28, 1973 (Age 39-152d)
vs. MIL 3 AB, 1 H, 0 HR, 0 RBI, 0 SB

Hall of Fame: Inducted as Player in 1984. (Voted by BBWAA on 341/403 ballots)
View Luis Aparicio’s Page at the Baseball Hall of Fame (plaque, photos, videos).

Rookie Status: Exceeded rookie limits during 1956 season

Full Name: Luis Ernesto Aparicio

Nicknames: Little Louie

Pronunciation: \ap-pa-REES-ee-oh\

Twitter: @LAparicio11HOF

11 11 11 11 11

SUMMARY

Career

WAR

55.8

10230

2677

.262

1335

RBI

791

506

OBP

.311

SLG

.343

OPS

.653

OPS+

Aparicio distinguished himself as a stolen base artist early in his career with the Chicago White Sox. But at a 31.8 defensive WAR, the sixth-highest, he also showed mastery with the glove. Aparicio actually preceded Belanger in Baltimore before Luis moved back to the South Side a second time.

Luis Aparicio

Position: Shortstop

Bats: Right • Throws: Right

5-9, 160lb (175cm, 72kg)

Born: April 29, 1934 (Age: 89-193d) in Maracaibo, Venezuela ve

High School: Lico Baralt (Maracaibo, Venezuela)

Debut: April 17, 1956 (Age 21-354d, 11,320th in major league history)
vs. CLE 3 AB, 1 H, 0 HR, 0 RBI, 0 SB

Last Game: September 28, 1973 (Age 39-152d)
vs. MIL 3 AB, 1 H, 0 HR, 0 RBI, 0 SB

Hall of Fame: Inducted as Player in 1984. (Voted by BBWAA on 341/403 ballots)
View Luis Aparicio’s Page at the Baseball Hall of Fame (plaque, photos, videos).

Rookie Status: Exceeded rookie limits during 1956 season

Full Name: Luis Ernesto Aparicio

Nicknames: Little Louie

Pronunciation: \ap-pa-REES-ee-oh\

Twitter: @LAparicio11HOF

11 11 11 11 11

SUMMARY

Career

WAR

55.8

10230

2677

.262

1335

RBI

791

506

OBP

.311

SLG

.343

OPS

.653

OPS+

Vizquel played in Chicago at the tail end of his career but became an elite defender in Cleveland. He made the routine plays as well as the difficult ones. He ended with 11 Gold Gloves and his 29.5 defensive WAR is ninth all-time.

Bobby Wallace

Positions: Shortstop and Third Baseman

Bats: Right • Throws: Right

5-8, 170lb (173cm, 77kg)

Born: November 4, 1873 in Pittsburgh, PA us

Died: November 3, 1960 (Aged 86-365d) in Torrance, CA

Buried: Inglewood Park Cemetery, Inglewood, CA

Debut: September 15, 1894 (Age 20-315d, 1,821st in major league history)

Last Game: September 2, 1918 (Age 44-302d)
vs. CIN 4 AB, 0 H, 0 HR, 0 RBI, 0 SB

Hall of Fame: Inducted as Player in 1953. (Voted by Veteran’s Committee)
View Bobby Wallace’s Page at the Baseball Hall of Fame (plaque, photos, videos).

Rookie Status: Exceeded rookie limits during 1895 season

Full Name: Roderick John Wallace

Hall of Fame

SUMMARY

Career

WAR

76.4

8618

2309

.268

1057

RBI

1121

201

OBP

.332

SLG

.358

OPS

.690

OPS+

105

Rounding out the top ten is Wallace. His 28.7 total was mostly done in St. Louis, both with the Browns and the Cardinals. He led the National League in WAR as a Redbird in 1901 and followed that up by topping the American League as a Brown in 1902.

Brooks Robinson

Position: Third Baseman

Bats: Right • Throws: Right

6-1, 180lb (185cm, 81kg)

Born: May 18, 1937 in Little Rock, AR us

Died: September 26, 2023 (Aged 86-131d) in Owings Mills, MD

High School: Little Rock Central HS (Little Rock, AR)

School: University of Arkansas at Little Rock (Little Rock, AR)

Debut: September 17, 1955 (Age 18-122d, 11,306th in major league history)
vs. WSH 4 AB, 2 H, 0 HR, 1 RBI, 0 SB

Last Game: August 13, 1977 (Age 40-087d)
vs. OAK 0 AB, 0 H, 0 HR, 0 RBI, 0 SB

Hall of Fame: Inducted as Player in 1983. (Voted by BBWAA on 344/374 ballots)
View Brooks Robinson’s Page at the Baseball Hall of Fame (plaque, photos, videos).

Rookie Status: Exceeded rookie limits during 1957 season

Agents: Jordan Feagan, Ron Shapiro

Full Name: Brooks Calbert Robinson

Nicknames: Human Vacuum Cleaner or Mr. Impossible

40 6 34 5

SUMMARY

Career

WAR

78.4

10654

2848

268

.267

1232

RBI

1357

OBP

.322

SLG

.401

OPS

.723

OPS+

105

No position player in history has more Gold Gloves than Brooks Robinson. He won 16 at third base and did that consecutively. Robinson played alongside Aparicio and Belanger and was a predecessor to Ripken’s talents. During his 23-year career, all in Baltimore, Robinson had a 39.1 defensive WAR while earning the title of “Mr. Oriole” and unofficially being the most beloved player in franchise history.

Who is the all-time leader in WAR?

Of everyone who’s played the game, that honor goes to Babe Ruth at 182.6. Ruth also holds the highest single-season WAR, with 14.1 in 1923. Among pitchers, Cy Young is at the top of the list with a pitching WAR of 165.6.

Who are the all-time leaders in DRS?

Since the Defensive Runs Saved metrics went into effect in 2003, some of the highest-rated fielders in this category have been Adrían Beltré, Yadier Molina, and Andrelton Simmons.

Who has the highest career WAR in baseball history?

Babe Ruth is at the top of the list in career WAR: 182.6.

Who has the highest WAR in a single season?

Among position players, Babe Ruth’s 1923 season stands on top at 14.1. Pud Galvin has the highest single-season WAR for pitchers: 20.5 in 1884.

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The post Top 10 MLB WAR Leaders of All Time appeared first on Baseball Reference Blog.

Top 13 Players with Most Grand Slams in MLB History

Andrew Weiser — Sat, 02 Dec 2023 00:20:33 +0000

No play in baseball is as exciting as the grand slam. Hitting a home run with the bases loaded can instantly turn a game around or blow it wide open. Older fans can enjoy explaining what is a grand slam in baseball to younger fans and watching their face light up the first time they see the bases cleared in one swing.

Grand slams have been enthralling baseball fans as long as the game has been played and many historic grand slams are the stuff of legends. But who has the most grand slams in baseball history? 13 ball players have cleared the bases more than 15 times in their careers. The list of who has the most grand slams is a who’s who of some of the greatest sluggers in the Hall of Fame, and some who may find themselves there someday soon.

Álex Rodríguez

Positions: Shortstop and Third Baseman

Bats: Right • Throws: Right

6-3, 230lb (190cm, 104kg)

Born: July 27, 1975 (Age: 48-096d) in New York, NY us

Draft: Drafted by the Seattle Mariners in the 1st round (1st) of the 1993 MLB June Amateur Draft from Westminster Christian School (Miami, FL).

High School: Westminster Christian School (Miami, FL)

Debut: July 8, 1994 (Age 18-346d, 16,544th in major league history)
vs. BOS 3 AB, 0 H, 0 HR, 0 RBI, 0 SB

Last Game: August 12, 2016 (Age 41-016d)
vs. TBR 4 AB, 1 H, 0 HR, 1 RBI, 0 SB

Rookie Status: Exceeded rookie limits during 1995 season

Agents: Jay Reisinger, Jim Sharp • Previously: Scott Boras, Susy Dunand

National Team: us USA (WBC,18U)

Full Name: Alexander Enmanuel Rodriguez

Nicknames: A-Rod

Pronunciation: \Rod-RI-gez\

Twitter: @AROD

Instagram: @arod

Relatives: Uncle of Joe Dunand

3x MVP
14x All-Star
2009 World Series
2x Gold Glove
10x Silver Slugger
Batting Title
3x ML PoY

3 3 13

SUMMARY

Career

WAR

117.5

10566

3115

696

.295

2021

RBI

2086

329

OBP

.380

SLG

.550

OPS

.930

OPS+

140

With 25 career grand slams over his 22 year career, shortstop and third baseman Alex Rodriguez holds the MLB record for grand slams. Rodriguez’s first grand slam came during his breakout 1996 season with the Seattle Mariners. He would hit three grand slams that season at 36 total home runs. 15 of his grand slams came with the New York Yankees. Despite having the most grand slams in baseball, Rodriguez remains a polarizing figure for induction in the Hall of Fame. He received 35.7 percent of the vote in 2023, his second year of eligibility.

Lou Gehrig

Position: First Baseman

Bats: Left • Throws: Left

6-0, 200lb (183cm, 90kg)

Born: June 19, 1903 in New York, NY us

Died: June 2, 1941 (Aged 37-348d) in Bronx, NY

Buried: Kensico Cemetery, Valhalla, NY

High School: HS of Commerce (New York, NY)

School: Columbia University (New York, NY)

Debut: June 15, 1923 (Age 19-361d, 5,754th in major league history)
vs. SLB 0 AB, 0 H, 0 HR, 0 RBI, 0 SB

Last Game: April 30, 1939 (Age 35-315d)
vs. WSH 4 AB, 0 H, 0 HR, 0 RBI, 0 SB

Hall of Fame: Inducted as Player in 1939. (Voted by Special Election)
View Lou Gehrig’s Page at the Baseball Hall of Fame (plaque, photos, videos).

Rookie Status: Exceeded rookie limits during 1925 season

Full Name: Henry Louis Gehrig

Nicknames: The Iron Horse, Biscuit Pants, Buster, Laruppin’, Crown Prince of Swat or Columbia

SUMMARY

Career

WAR

113.8

8001

2721

493

.340

1888

RBI

1995

102

OBP

.447

SLG

.632

OPS

1.080

OPS+

179

Until A-Rod broke his record on September 20, 2013, Lou Gehrig had the record for grand slams in a career with 23. A decade later, this record still stands as the second-most grand slams in baseball history. Gehrig’s impressive record stood for 75 years, as the final grand slam of his career came on August 20, 1938 against the Philadelphia Athletics. Gehrig was inducted into the Hall of Fame the year he retired, 1939, by special election.

Manny Ramírez

Position: Outfielder

Bats: Right • Throws: Right

6-0, 225lb (183cm, 102kg)

Born: May 30, 1972 (Age: 51-154d) in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic do

Draft: Drafted by the Cleveland Indians in the 1st round (13th) of the 1991 MLB June Amateur Draft from George Washington HS (New York, NY).

High School: George Washington HS (New York, NY)

Debut: September 2, 1993 (Age 21-095d, 16,396th in major league history)
vs. MIN 4 AB, 0 H, 0 HR, 0 RBI, 0 SB

Last Game: April 6, 2011 (Age 38-311d)
vs. LAA 1 AB, 0 H, 0 HR, 0 RBI, 0 SB

Rookie Status: Exceeded rookie limits during 1994 season

Agents: Boras Corporation • Previously: Eric Goldschmidt, Greg Genske, Jeff Moorad

Full Name: Manuel Aristides Ramírez

Nicknames: Man-Ram, Manny Being Manny or Mannywood

Pronunciation: \Ruh-MEER-ez\

24 24 99 99 24

SUMMARY

Career

WAR

69.3

8244

2574

555

.312

1544

RBI

1831

OBP

.411

SLG

.585

OPS

.996

OPS+

154

With 21 career grand slams, Manny Ramirez is the only other player who has the most grand slams to eclipse the 20 mark. Ramirez has hit three grand slams in a season three times, 1996, 2000 and 2005. His first career grand slam came with the Cleveland Indians off Chicago White Sox pitcher Jason Bere. 20 grand slams and two World Series championships later, he would retire in 2011. Despite his Hall of Fame numbers, like many stars of his era Cooperstown continues to evade Ramirez due to his association with PEDs.

Eddie Murray

Position: First Baseman

Bats: Both • Throws: Right

6-2, 190lb (188cm, 86kg)

Born: February 24, 1956 (Age: 67-249d) in Los Angeles, CA us

Draft: Drafted by the Baltimore Orioles in the 3rd round of the 1973 MLB June Amateur Draft from Locke HS (Los Angeles, CA).

High School: Locke HS (Los Angeles, CA)

School: California State University, Los Angeles (Los Angeles, CA)

Debut: April 7, 1977 (Age 21-042d, 13,841st in major league history)
vs. TEX 4 AB, 1 H, 0 HR, 0 RBI, 0 SB

Last Game: September 20, 1997 (Age 41-208d)
vs. COL 1 AB, 0 H, 0 HR, 0 RBI, 0 SB

Hall of Fame: Inducted as Player in 2003. (Voted by BBWAA on 423/496 ballots)
View Eddie Murray’s Page at the Baseball Hall of Fame (plaque, photos, videos).

Rookie Status: Exceeded rookie limits during 1977 season

Agents: Ron Shapiro

Full Name: Eddie Clarence Murray

Nicknames: Steady Eddie or Tired

Relatives: Brother of Rich Murray

33 33 33 33 33 33 33

SUMMARY

Career

WAR

68.6

11336

3255

504

.287

1627

RBI

1917

110

OBP

.359

SLG

.476

OPS

.836

OPS+

129

A member of both the 3000 hit and the 500 home run clubs, first baseman Eddie Murray cleared the bases 19 times in his 21 seasons. Three of these came in the 1985 season with the Baltimore Orioles. During the 1996 season, he was traded back to Baltimore from the Cleveland Indians. In his shorter second stint with the Orioles, he hit 10 home runs, two of which were grand slams–at the age of 40. He was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2003.

Willie McCovey

Positions: First Baseman and Leftfielder

Bats: Left • Throws: Left

6-4, 198lb (193cm, 89kg)

Born: January 10, 1938 in Mobile, AL us

Died: October 31, 2018 (Aged 80-294d) in Palo Alto, CA

Buried: Cypress Lawn Memorial Park, Colma, CA

High School: Central HS (Mobile, AL)

Debut: July 30, 1959 (Age 21-201d, 11,660th in major league history)
vs. PHI 4 AB, 4 H, 0 HR, 2 RBI, 0 SB

Last Game: July 6, 1980 (Age 42-178d)
vs. LAD 0 AB, 0 H, 0 HR, 1 RBI, 0 SB

Hall of Fame: Inducted as Player in 1986. (Voted by BBWAA on 346/425 ballots)
View Willie McCovey’s Page at the Baseball Hall of Fame (plaque, photos, videos).

Rookie Status: Exceeded rookie limits during 1959 season

Full Name: Willie Lee McCovey

Nicknames: Stretch, Mac or Big Mac

44 44 44

SUMMARY

Career

WAR

64.5

8197

2211

521

.270

1229

RBI

1555

OBP

.374

SLG

.515

OPS

.889

OPS+

147

Spending the majority of his 22 season career with the San Francisco Giants, Willie McCovey’s 18 career grand slams make him the National League record holder for who has the most grand slams. All but two of his 18 grand slams came in a Giants uniform. McCovey hit three grand slams during the 1967 season and two grand slams during his 1969 MVP season. He was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1986 and passed away in 2018 at the age of 80.

Robin Ventura

Positions: Third Baseman and First Baseman

Bats: Left • Throws: Right

6-1, 185lb (185cm, 83kg)

Born: July 14, 1967 (Age: 56-109d) in Santa Maria, CA us

Draft: Drafted by the Chicago White Sox in the 1st round (10th) of the 1988 MLB June Amateur Draft from Oklahoma State University (Stillwater, OK).

High School: Righetti HS (Santa Maria, CA)

School: Oklahoma State University (Stillwater, OK)

Debut: September 12, 1989 (Age 22-060d, 15,718th in major league history)
vs. BAL 4 AB, 1 H, 0 HR, 1 RBI, 0 SB

Last Game: October 2, 2004 (Age 37-080d)
vs. SFG 3 AB, 0 H, 0 HR, 0 RBI, 0 SB

Rookie Status: Exceeded rookie limits during 1990 season

Agents: John Boggs & Associates

National Team: us USA (Oly,College)

Full Name: Robin Mark Ventura

21 23 23 4 19 23

SUMMARY

Career

WAR

56.1

7064

1885

294

.267

1006

RBI

1182

OBP

.362

SLG

.444

OPS

.806

OPS+

114

Though he hit less than 300 home runs in his 16 year career, two-time all-star Robin Ventura hit as many grand slams as Willie McCovey with 18. Most grand slams baseball players hit are typically the highlight of the game, as was Ventura’s walk-off grand slam in the 1999 NLCS. However, on September 4, 1995 Ventura hit two home runs in a single game, the only player on this list to accomplish such a feat.

Jimmie Foxx

Positions: First Baseman, Third Baseman and Catcher

Bats: Right • Throws: Right

6-0, 195lb (183cm, 88kg)

Born: October 22, 1907 in Sudlersville, MD us

Died: July 21, 1967 (Aged 59-272d) in Miami, FL

Buried: Flagler Memorial Park, Miami, FL

High School: Sudlersville HS (Sudlersville, MD)

Debut: May 1, 1925 (Age 17-191d, 6,193rd in major league history)
vs. WSH 1 AB, 1 H, 0 HR, 0 RBI, 0 SB

Last Game: September 23, 1945 (Age 37-336d)
vs. BRO 3 AB, 1 H, 0 HR, 2 RBI, 0 SB

Hall of Fame: Inducted as Player in 1951. (Voted by BBWAA on 179/226 ballots)
View Jimmie Foxx’s Page at the Baseball Hall of Fame (plaque, photos, videos).

Rookie Status: Exceeded rookie limits during 1927 season

Full Name: James Emory Foxx

Nicknames: Beast or Double X

3 2 3 16 26 4

SUMMARY

Career

WAR

93.0

8134

2646

534

.325

1751

RBI

1922

OBP

.428

SLG

.609

OPS

1.038

OPS+

163

Three players retired with 17 grand slams in their career, tying for the seventh most grand slams in baseball. The first being Hall of Famer and three time MVP, Jimmie Foxx. Foxx hit three grand slams in a season on four separate occasions, 1932, 1934, 1938 and 1940. This includes 2 grand slams in three days in September 1932. Foxx retired in 1945 with a career batting average of .325 and 534 total homers. He was inducted into Cooperstown in 1951 and passed away in 1967.

Ted Williams

Position: Leftfielder

Bats: Left • Throws: Right

6-3, 205lb (190cm, 92kg)

Born: August 30, 1918 in San Diego, CA us

Died: July 5, 2002 (Aged 83-309d) in Inverness, FL

Buried: Frozen

High School: Herbert Hoover HS (San Diego, CA)

Debut: April 20, 1939 (Age 20-233d, 8,628th in major league history)
vs. NYY 4 AB, 1 H, 0 HR, 0 RBI, 0 SB

Last Game: September 28, 1960 (Age 42-029d)
vs. BAL 3 AB, 1 H, 1 HR, 1 RBI, 0 SB

Hall of Fame: Inducted as Player in 1966. (Voted by BBWAA on 282/302 ballots)
View Ted Williams’s Page at the Baseball Hall of Fame (plaque, photos, videos).

Rookie Status: Exceeded rookie limits during 1939 season

Full Name: Theodore Samuel Williams

Nicknames: The Kid, Teddy Ballgame, Splendid Splinter or Thumper

Hall of Fame
2x MVP
2x Triple Crown
19x All-Star
6x Batting Title
5x ML PoY

SUMMARY

Career

WAR

121.8

7706

2654

521

.344

1798

RBI

1839

OBP

.482

SLG

.634

OPS

1.116

OPS+

191

Arguably the greatest hitter of all time, Ted Williams has 17 grand slams on his resume alongside a .344 lifetime average and 1,839 RBI. Williams spent his entire 19 year career with the Red Sox and hit three grand slams in a single season only once, albeit in 1955 at the age of 37. Williams was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1966 on his first ballot with 93.4 percent of the vote.

Carlos Lee

Positions: Leftfielder and First Baseman

Bats: Right • Throws: Right

6-2, 270lb (188cm, 122kg)

Born: June 20, 1976 (Age: 47-133d) in Aguadulce, Panama pa

High School: Rodolfo Chiari (Aguadulce, Panama)

Debut: May 7, 1999 (Age 22-321d, 17,448th in major league history)
vs. OAK 4 AB, 1 H, 1 HR, 1 RBI, 0 SB

Last Game: October 3, 2012 (Age 36-105d)
vs. NYM 3 AB, 0 H, 0 HR, 0 RBI, 0 SB

Rookie Status: Exceeded rookie limits during 1999 season

Agents: Adam Katz • Previously: Scott Boras

Full Name: Carlos Lee

Nicknames: El Caballo

Twitter: @Carlos45Lee

3x All-Star
2x Silver Slugger

45 45 45 45 45

SUMMARY

Career

WAR

28.3

7983

2273

358

.285

1125

RBI

1363

125

OBP

.339

SLG

.483

OPS

.821

OPS+

113

Tied with Foxx and Williams for the seventh-most grand slams in baseball is Carlos Lee who retired in 2012 with 17. In 2010 while playing with the Houston Astros, Lee became the first player in MLB history to hit three extra-inning grand slams in a career. Lee hit seven of his grand slams with the Astros, a club record he shares with Alex Bregman and Jose Altuve. Lee’s 17 grand slams came in just 358 career home runs, though this total makes him the all-time leading home run leader among players born in Panama.

Babe Ruth

Positions: Outfielder and Pitcher

Bats: Left • Throws: Left

6-2, 215lb (188cm, 97kg)

Born: February 6, 1895 in Baltimore, MD us

Died: August 16, 1948 (Aged 53-192d) in New York, NY

Buried: Gate of Heaven Cemetery, Hawthorne, NY

High School: St. Mary’s HS (Baltimore, MD)

Debut: July 11, 1914 (Age 19-155d, 4,204th in major league history)
vs. CLE 7.0 IP, 8 H, 1 SO, 0 BB, 2 ER, W

Last Game: May 30, 1935 (Age 40-113d)
vs. PHI 1 AB, 0 H, 0 HR, 0 RBI, 0 SB

Rookie Status: Exceeded rookie limits during 1915 season

Full Name: George Herman Ruth

Nicknames: Babe, The Bambino, The Sultan Of Swat, Jidge, The Colossus of Clout or The King of Crash

3 3

SUMMARY

Career

WAR

182.6

8399

2873

714

.342

2174

RBI

2214

123

OBP

.474

SLG

.690

OPS

1.164

OPS+

206

Four players with 16 round out this list of who has the most grand slams, beginning with Babe Ruth. Ruth’s first career grand slam came during the 1919 season with the Boston Red Sox…as did his second, and third, and fourth. He would infamously be sold to the Yankees the following season where he would go on to hit 12 more grand slams and win four World Series. The Bambino is also the only player to hit a grand slam in consecutive games twice in his career, in 1927 and 1929.

Henry Aaron

Name Note: commonly referred to as Hank Aaron

Positions: Rightfielder and First Baseman

Bats: Right • Throws: Right

6-0, 180lb (183cm, 81kg)

Born: February 5, 1934 in Mobile, AL us

Died: January 22, 2021 (Aged 86-352d) in Atlanta, GA

Buried: Southview Cemetery, Atlanta, GA

High School: Allen Institute (Mobile, AL)

Debut: April 13, 1954 (Age 20-067d, 11,071st in major league history)
vs. CIN 5 AB, 0 H, 0 HR, 0 RBI, 0 SB

Last Game: October 3, 1976 (Age 42-241d)
vs. DET 3 AB, 1 H, 0 HR, 1 RBI, 0 SB

Hall of Fame: Inducted as Player in 1982. (Voted by BBWAA on 406/415 ballots)
View Henry Aaron’s Page at the Baseball Hall of Fame (plaque, photos, videos).

Rookie Status: Exceeded rookie limits during 1954 season

Full Name: Henry Louis Aaron

Relatives: Brother of Tommie Aaron

5 44 44 44 44 44 44

SUMMARY

Career

WAR

143.0

12364

3771

755

.305

2174

RBI

2297

240

OBP

.374

SLG

.555

OPS

.928

OPS+

155

Hammerin’ Hank finds himself among players with the most grand slams in baseball with 16. Perhaps unsurprising considering he hit 755 total home runs in a career, an all-time record that stood for over three decades. Shortly after breaking Babe Ruth’s home run record of 714, Aaron hit his 719th home run and 15th grand slam. At the time, he passed Willie McCovey the National League record for grand slams. However, McCovey would end up with two more than Aaron when it was all said and done. The two still lead the National League in grand slams.

Dave Kingman

Positions: Leftfielder, First Baseman and Third Baseman

Bats: Right • Throws: Right

6-6, 210lb (198cm, 95kg)

Born: December 21, 1948 (Age: 74-314d) in Pendleton, OR us

Draft: Drafted by the California Angels in the 2nd round of the 1967 MLB June Amateur Draft from Prospect HS (Mount Prospect, IL), the Baltimore Orioles in the 1st round (9th) of the 1968 MLB January Draft-Secondary Phase and the San Francisco Giants in the 1st round (1st) of the 1970 MLB June Draft-Secondary Phase from University of Southern California (Los Angeles, CA).

High School: Prospect HS (Mount Prospect, IL)

Schools: William Rainey Harper College (Palatine, IL), University of Southern California (Los Angeles, CA)

Debut: July 30, 1971 (Age 22-221d, 13,155th in major league history)
vs. PIT 1 AB, 0 H, 0 HR, 0 RBI, 0 SB

Last Game: October 5, 1986 (Age 37-288d)
vs. KCR 4 AB, 0 H, 0 HR, 0 RBI, 0 SB

Rookie Status: Exceeded rookie limits during 1972 season

Full Name: David Arthur Kingman

Nicknames: Kong or Sky King

45 26 26 26 10 48 10 10 26

3x All-Star

SUMMARY

Career

WAR

17.3

6677

1575

442

.236

901

RBI

1210

OBP

.302

SLG

.478

OPS

.780

OPS+

115

In 1986, Dave Kingman retired with 16 grand slams out of 442 home runs, placing him in the same company as Babe Ruth and Hank Aaron with the then-fourth most grand slams in baseball. Despite this, he was never inducted into the Hall of Fame, making him the first 400 home run hitter kept out of Cooperstown. Kingman’s career showed early promise of slugging greatness. His first career home run in 1971 was a go-ahead grand slam in the seventh against the Pirates.

Albert Pujols

Positions: First Baseman, Leftfielder and Third Baseman

Bats: Right • Throws: Right

6-3, 235lb (190cm, 106kg)

Born: January 16, 1980 (Age: 43-288d) in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic do

Draft: Drafted by the St. Louis Cardinals in the 13th round of the 1999 MLB June Amateur Draft from Metropolitan Community College-Maple Woods (Kansas City, MO).

High School: Fort Osage HS (Independence, MO)

School: Metropolitan Community College-Maple Woods (Kansas City, MO)

Debut: April 2, 2001 (Age 21-076d, 17,809th in major league history)
vs. COL 3 AB, 1 H, 0 HR, 0 RBI, 0 SB

Last Game: October 4, 2022 (Age 42-261d)
vs. PIT 2 AB, 1 H, 0 HR, 2 RBI, 0 SB

Rookie Status: Exceeded rookie limits during 2001 season

Agents: MVP Sports Group

Full Name: Jose Alberto Pujols

Nicknames: Prince Albert, Phat Albert, The Machine, La Maquina or Tio Albert

Pronunciation: \POO-hulse\

Twitter: @PujolsFive

Instagram: @albertpujols

3x MVP
Rookie of the Year
11x All-Star
2x World Series
2x Gold Glove
6x Silver Slugger
Batting Title
NLCS MVP
3x ML PoY

5 5 55

SUMMARY

Career

WAR

101.5

11421

3384

703

.296

1914

RBI

2218

117

OBP

.374

SLG

.544

OPS

.918

OPS+

145

One of only four players to mash 700 home runs, Albert Pujols ended his career in 2022 tied with Ruth, Aaron and Kingman with 16 grand slams. Pujols is tied with Ernie Banks for the National League record for grand slams in a season with five in 2009. He will be eligible for the Hall of Fame in 2028.

Who hit 3 grand slams in one game?

No player has hit three grand slams in one game. The 2011 New York Yankees became the first team to hit for three grand slams in a single game as Robinson Cano, Russell Martin and Curtis Granderson all hit one in a 22-9 rout of the Oakland A’s.

Has any MLB player hit 2 grand slams in one game?

The record for grand slams in a game is two, a feat accomplished by 13 players. The most recent was Josh Willingham in 2009. Fernando Tatis, Sr. hit two grand slams in one inning in 1999, the only player to do so.

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The post Top 13 Players with Most Grand Slams in MLB History appeared first on Baseball Reference Blog.

Longest hitting streaks in MLB history: Top 10

Brett Baker — Thu, 30 Nov 2023 18:55:57 +0000

Whenever the subject of unbeatable records comes up, Joe DiMaggio’s 56-game hitting streak is near the top of the list. And, of course, with good reason. In addition to remaining locked in for almost two months to reach 56 games, a player has to have a fair amount of luck, too. DiMaggio’s streak would have stopped at 29 games had the official scorer not scored his lone hit against the White Sox a hit instead of an error on Luke Appling. In his 36th game he got his first hit in the eighth inning after Browns pitcher Bob Muncrief ignored his manager’s instructions to walk Joltin’ Joe. Pete Rose has come closest to reaching DiMaggio, and he was still twelve games away, stalling out at 44. There have only been 80 instances of players reaching at least a 28 game streak – just half of DiMaggio’s – in the history of baseball. Here are the top 10 longest hitting streaks in the history of baseball (since 1900).

Joe DiMaggio

Position: Centerfielder

Bats: Right • Throws: Right

6-2, 193lb (188cm, 87kg)

Born: November 25, 1914 in Martinez, CA us

Died: March 8, 1999 (Aged 84-103d) in Hollywood, FL

Buried: Holy Cross Cemetery, Colma, CA

High School: Galileo HS (San Francisco, CA)

Debut: May 3, 1936 (Age 21-160d, 8,007th in major league history)
vs. SLB 6 AB, 3 H, 0 HR, 1 RBI, 0 SB

Last Game: September 30, 1951 (Age 36-309d)
vs. BOS 1 AB, 1 H, 0 HR, 0 RBI, 0 SB

Hall of Fame: Inducted as Player in 1955. (Voted by BBWAA on 223/251 ballots)
View Joe DiMaggio’s Page at the Baseball Hall of Fame (plaque, photos, videos).

Rookie Status: Exceeded rookie limits during 1936 season

Full Name: Joseph Paul DiMaggio

Nicknames: Joltin’ Joe, The Yankee Clipper or Deadpan

Relatives: Brother of Dom DiMaggio, Vince DiMaggio

9 5

SUMMARY

Career

WAR

79.1

6821

2214

361

.325

1390

RBI

1537

OBP

.398

SLG

.579

OPS

.977

OPS+

155

Joe DiMaggio – 56 games — 1941

Among the 150 or so seasons of professional baseball, few can match 1941 for hitting feats. Not only did Ted Williams hit .406, but DiMaggio got a hit in every game from mid-May through mid-July. 56 games. That’s 36% of the season. It started quietly enough, with first inning single off of Eddie Smith of the White Sox to drive in Phil Rizzuto – the Yankees only run in a 15-1 loss – on May 15. DiMaggio had been in a bit of a slump, hitting just .197 in the previous 21 games. But DiMaggio caught fire, hitting .408 over the next 56 games, with a 1.181 OPS. His 15 home runs and 55 RBI in that span is impressive, but only 5 strikeouts in 247 plate appearances may be even more amazing. However, that wasn’t even his best stretch of making contact in 1941. From June 10 to August 7 – 56 games, 257 plate appearances – he struck out once! DiMaggio’s streak ended when he went 0-for-3 with a walk on July 17. But the next day he started a 16-game hit streak. DiMaggio won the MVP.

Pete Rose

Positions: Outfielder, First Baseman and Third Baseman

Bats: Both • Throws: Right

5-11, 192lb (180cm, 87kg)

Born: April 14, 1941 (Age: 82-194d) in Cincinnati, OH us

High School: Western Hills HS (Cincinnati, OH)

Debut: April 8, 1963 (Age 21-359d, 12,064th in major league history)
vs. PIT 3 AB, 0 H, 0 HR, 0 RBI, 0 SB

Last Game: August 17, 1986 (Age 45-125d)
vs. SDP 1 AB, 0 H, 0 HR, 0 RBI, 0 SB

Rookie Status: Exceeded rookie limits during 1963 season

Agents: Jordan Feagan, Reuven Katz • Previously: Jerry Kapstein

Full Name: Peter Edward Rose

Nicknames: Charlie Hustle

Twitter: @PeteRose_14

Relatives: Father of Pete Rose

MVP
Rookie of the Year
17x All-Star
3x World Series
2x Gold Glove
Silver Slugger
WS MVP
3x Batting Title

14 14 14 14

SUMMARY

Career

WAR

79.6

14053

4256

160

.303

2165

RBI

1314

198

OBP

.375

SLG

.409

OPS

.784

OPS+

118

Pete Rose – 44 games — 1978

It should be no surprise that the player with more base hits than anyone else who ever played is near the top for the longest hitting streak in the history of the game. Rose didn’t have much pop, and went homer-less in his streak. But he did hit .385, and also only struck out 5 times. His streak began June 14 against the Cubs with a single in the bottom of the first off of Dave Roberts. (Not the Dodgers manager.) A single in the sixth inning off of Phil Niekro on July 31 extended his streak to 44 games, but was the final hit of the streak. The streak ended the next night against the Braves. Rose walked to leadoff the game, but then went 0-for-4, striking out against Gene Garber to end the game and the streak.

George Sisler

Position: First Baseman

Bats: Left • Throws: Left

5-11, 170lb (180cm, 77kg)

Born: March 24, 1893 in Manchester, OH us

Died: March 26, 1973 (Aged 80-002d) in Richmond Heights, MO

Buried: Old Meeting House Presbyterian Church Cemetery, Frontenac, MO

High School: Akron HS (Akron, OH)

School: University of Michigan (Ann Arbor, MI)

Debut: June 28, 1915 (Age 22-096d, 4,346th in major league history)
vs. CHW 3.0 IP, 2 H, 2 SO, 1 BB, 0 ER

Last Game: September 22, 1930 (Age 37-182d)
vs. CHC 1 AB, 0 H, 0 HR, 0 RBI, 0 SB

Hall of Fame: Inducted as Player in 1939. (Voted by BBWAA on 235/274 ballots)
View George Sisler’s Page at the Baseball Hall of Fame (plaque, photos, videos).

Rookie Status: Exceeded rookie limits during 1915 season

Full Name: George Harold Sisler

Nicknames: Gorgeous George

Relatives: Father of Dave Sisler, Dick Sisler

Hall of Fame
MVP
2x Batting Title

SUMMARY

Career

WAR

57.2

8267

2812

102

.340

1284

RBI

1178

375

OBP

.379

SLG

.468

OPS

.847

OPS+

125

George Sisler – 41 games – 1922

Sisler’s average had remained above .400 throughout the 1922 season. However, by July 26, he had hit just .242 in his last 15 games, and his average threatened to dip below .400 for the first time, standing at .406. But the next day, July 27, Sisler doubled off of Bob Shawkey of the Yankees in the bottom of the fourth inning. That started a 41-game hitting streak, during which Sisler hit .454, to raise his batting average to .421, and added a 1.104 OPS. He also only struck out 5 times. His streak ended September 18 against the Yankees with three groundouts and a pop out. Sisler finished a .420 average, 51 steals, and 134 runs, all of which led the league. He won the MVP, but missed the entire next season with vision trouble. He would return for seven more seasons in 1924, but “only” hit .320 for the rest of his career.

Ty Cobb

Position: Centerfielder

Bats: Left • Throws: Right

6-1, 175lb (185cm, 79kg)

Born: December 18, 1886 in Narrows, GA us

Died: July 17, 1961 (Aged 74-211d) in Atlanta, GA

Buried: Rose Hill Cemetery, Royston, GA

High School: Franklin County HS (Royston, GA)

Debut: August 30, 1905 (Age 18-255d, 2,755th in major league history)
vs. NYY 3 AB, 1 H, 0 HR, 1 RBI, 0 SB

Last Game: September 11, 1928 (Age 41-268d)
vs. NYY 1 AB, 0 H, 0 HR, 0 RBI, 0 SB

Rookie Status: Exceeded rookie limits during 1905 season

Full Name: Tyrus Raymond Cobb

Nicknames: The Georgia Peach

Hall of Fame
MVP
Triple Crown
12x Batting Title

SUMMARY

Career

WAR

151.5

11440

4189

117

.366

2245

RBI

1944

897

OBP

.433

SLG

.512

OPS

.944

OPS+

168

Ty Cobb – 40 games – 1911

No one on this list had a higher batting average during their streak than Cobb did during his 1911 streak: .476. He also had more stolen bases – 21 – during his streak than any other player on the list. His 26 multi-hit games were also the most multi-hit games of anyone on this list. And he’s the only player with a five-hit game during his streak. Cobb’s streak started with a single and a double against Smokey Joe Wood and the Red Sox on May 15. Ed Walsh and his 0.55 ERA through 162.1 innings pitched ended Cobb’s streak in the first game of a doubleheader on July 4. Cobb, who was hitting .444 in 307 plate appearances at that point, “struggled” this rest of the season, hitting .398 the rest of the way to finish at .419. However, leading the AL in runs, hits, RBI, stolen bases, batting average, slugging, OPS, and OPS+ translated into Cobb winning the MVP.

Paul Molitor

Positions: Designated Hitter, Third Baseman and Second Baseman

Bats: Right • Throws: Right

6-0, 185lb (183cm, 83kg)

Born: August 22, 1956 (Age: 67-064d) in St. Paul, MN us

Draft: Drafted by the St. Louis Cardinals in the 28th round of the 1974 MLB June Amateur Draft from Cretin HS (St. Paul, MN) and the Milwaukee Brewers in the 1st round (3rd) of the 1977 MLB June Amateur Draft from University of Minnesota (Minneapolis, MN).

High School: Cretin HS (St. Paul, MN)

School: University of Minnesota (Minneapolis, MN)

Debut: April 7, 1978 (Age 21-228d, 14,000th in major league history)
vs. BAL 5 AB, 1 H, 0 HR, 1 RBI, 0 SB

Last Game: September 27, 1998 (Age 42-036d)
vs. CLE 4 AB, 2 H, 0 HR, 0 RBI, 0 SB

Hall of Fame: Inducted as Player in 2004. (Voted by BBWAA on 431/506 ballots)
View Paul Molitor’s Page at the Baseball Hall of Fame (plaque, photos, videos).

Rookie Status: Exceeded rookie limits during 1978 season

Agents: Ron Simon

National Team: us USA (College)

Full Name: Paul Leo Molitor

Nicknames: The Ignitor

4 4 19 4

SUMMARY

Career

WAR

75.7

10835

3319

234

.306

1782

RBI

1307

504

OBP

.369

SLG

.448

OPS

.817

OPS+

122

Paul Molitor – 39 games – 1987

With a double off of Kirk McCaskill of the Angels in the bottom of the second inning on July 16, Paul Molitor started a streak that would take him through the dog days of August. His 25 walks is the most of anyone on the list, which just makes his feat more impressive. After a hot start, Molitor had hit just .261 in the two months before his streak began. But hitting .415 for six weeks is a good way to forget about that. Molitor’s streak ended against the Indians on August 26. Rick Manning hit a single in the bottom of the tenth to give the Brewers a 1-0 victory after Teddy Higuera pitched a 3-hit, 10-inning complete game. Molitor was on deck. Only ten players have more career hits than Molitor.

Jimmy Rollins

Position: Shortstop

Bats: Both • Throws: Right

5-7, 175lb (170cm, 79kg)

Born: November 27, 1978 (Age: 44-332d) in Oakland, CA us

Draft: Drafted by the Philadelphia Phillies in the 2nd round of the 1996 MLB June Amateur Draft from Encinal HS (Alameda, CA).

High School: Encinal HS (Alameda, CA)

Debut: September 17, 2000 (Age 21-295d, 17,797th in major league history)
vs. FLA 4 AB, 2 H, 0 HR, 0 RBI, 1 SB

Last Game: June 8, 2016 (Age 37-194d)
vs. WSN 2 AB, 0 H, 0 HR, 0 RBI, 0 SB

Rookie Status: Exceeded rookie limits during 2001 season

Agents: Dan Lozano

National Team: us USA (WBC)

Full Name: James Calvin Rollins

Nicknames: J-Roll

Pronunciation: \RAH-linz\

Twitter: @JimmyRollins11

Relatives: Cousin of Tony Tarasco

29 11 6 11 7

SUMMARY

Career

WAR

47.6

9294

2455

231

.264

1421

RBI

936

470

OBP

.324

SLG

.418

OPS

.743

OPS+

Jimmy Rollins – 38 games – 2005-06

Few players have probably been more disappointed for the end of a baseball season than Jimmy Rollins in 2005. He finished the season with a 36-game hitting streak, and had to wait six months for the regular season to begin again so he could extend it. After hitting safely in his first two games of the 2006, Rollins went 0-for-4, getting shut down by Jason Marquis and Josh Hancock of the Cardinals. Rollins had 22 doubles during his streak, which is more than anyone else on this list. Rollins had been struggling prior to the streak, hitting only .156 in the three weeks before the streak began on August 23. The streak was a prelude to his 2007 season – the only 20 triple, 30 homer, 40 steal season in baseball history, which earned him the NL MVP.

Tommy Holmes

Position: Outfielder

Bats: Left • Throws: Left

5-10, 180lb (178cm, 81kg)

Born: March 29, 1917 in Brooklyn, NY us

Died: April 14, 2008 (Aged 91-016d) in Boca Raton, FL

Buried: Forest Lawn North Cemetery, Pompano Beach, FL

High School: Brooklyn Technical HS (Brooklyn, NY)

Debut: April 14, 1942 (Age 25-016d, 9,202nd in major league history)
vs. PHI 5 AB, 2 H, 0 HR, 0 RBI, 0 SB

Last Game: September 28, 1952 (Age 35-183d)
vs. BSN 3 AB, 0 H, 0 HR, 0 RBI, 0 SB

Rookie Status: Exceeded rookie limits during 1942 season

Full Name: Thomas Francis Holmes

Nicknames: Kelly

2x All-Star

1 1 1 29

SUMMARY

Career

WAR

35.6

4992

1507

.302

698

RBI

581

OBP

.366

SLG

.432

OPS

.798

OPS+

122

Tommy Holmes – 37 games – 1945

Tommy Holmes had the definition of a career year in 1945, which saw his career highs in nearly every offensive category, while leading the National League in home runs, doubles, hits, OBP, OPS, OPS+ and total bases. His 8.4 WAR also led the league, but he finished second in NL MVP voting to Phil Cavaretta of the pennant-winning Chicago Cubs. Holmes was already hitting .378 before game 1 of a doubleheader against the Phillies on June 6, when he went 3-for-6 to begin his streak. Holmes’ 1.193 OPS is the highest of anyone on this list, and his 2 strikeouts are the least of anyone.

Chase Utley

Position: Second Baseman

Bats: Left • Throws: Right

6-1, 195lb (185cm, 88kg)

Born: December 17, 1978 (Age: 44-312d) in Pasadena, CA us

Draft: Drafted by the Los Angeles Dodgers in the 2nd round of the 1997 MLB June Amateur Draft from Long Beach Polytechnic HS (Long Beach, CA) and the Philadelphia Phillies in the 1st round (15th) of the 2000 MLB June Amateur Draft from University of California, Los Angeles (Los Angeles, CA).

High School: Long Beach Polytechnic HS (Long Beach, CA)

School: University of California, Los Angeles (Los Angeles, CA)

Debut: April 4, 2003 (Age 24-108d, 18,237th in major league history)
vs. PIT 1 AB, 0 H, 0 HR, 0 RBI, 0 SB

Last Game: September 30, 2018 (Age 39-287d)
vs. SFG 1 AB, 0 H, 0 HR, 0 RBI, 0 SB

Rookie Status: Exceeded rookie limits during 2003 season

Agents: Wasserman • Previously: Arn Tellem

National Team: us USA (WBC)

Full Name: Chase Cameron Utley

Nicknames: The Man or Silver Fox

Pronunciation: \UTT-lee\

Instagram: @chaseutley

26 26

SUMMARY

Career

WAR

64.5

6857

1885

259

.275

1103

RBI

1025

154

OBP

.358

SLG

.465

OPS

.823

OPS+

117

Chase Utley – 35 games – 2006

With his teammate’s streak ending early in the season, Utley began his own hit streak on June 23, with a home run off of Josh Beckett of the Red Sox in the top of the 7th. By the time his streak ended with an 0-for-4 on August 4 against the Mets, Utley had raised his batting average from .290 to .330 over the course of his streak, but then fell off the last two months of the year hitting .266. But, like with Rollins, 2006 was just a preview of the six-time all-star’s ability, and leadership, which would culminate in the 2008 World Series championship in Philadelphia.

Luis Castillo

Position: Second Baseman

Bats: Both • Throws: Right

5-11, 145lb (180cm, 65kg)

Born: September 12, 1975 (Age: 48-043d) in San Pedro de Macoris, Dominican Republic do

High School: Colegio San Benito Abad (San Pedro de Macoris, Dominican Republic)

Debut: August 8, 1996 (Age 20-331d, 16,937th in major league history)
vs. NYM 3 AB, 0 H, 0 HR, 0 RBI, 0 SB

Last Game: October 3, 2010 (Age 35-021d)
vs. WSN 1 AB, 0 H, 0 HR, 0 RBI, 0 SB

Rookie Status: Exceeded rookie limits during 1996 season

Agents: ACES

Full Name: Luis Antonio Castillo

Pronunciation: \cas-ti-YO\

34 1 1 1 1

SUMMARY

Career

WAR

29.1

6510

1889

.290

1001

RBI

443

370

OBP

.368

SLG

.351

OPS

.719

OPS+

Luis Castillo – 35 games – 2002

Two hits on May 8 against the Padres began Castillo’s streak, which is the longest by a player born outside the United States. Castillo’s slap-hitting style resulted in 56 singles of the 62 hits during his streak. His 48 steals in 2002 led the NL, so he was always a threat to take an extra base any time he got on. The Tigers held him to 0-for-4 on June 22, which ended his streak. But his hot hitting in the first half resulted in the first of three All-Star selections.

George Sisler

Position: First Baseman

Bats: Left • Throws: Left

5-11, 170lb (180cm, 77kg)

Born: March 24, 1893 in Manchester, OH us

Died: March 26, 1973 (Aged 80-002d) in Richmond Heights, MO

Buried: Old Meeting House Presbyterian Church Cemetery, Frontenac, MO

High School: Akron HS (Akron, OH)

School: University of Michigan (Ann Arbor, MI)

Debut: June 28, 1915 (Age 22-096d, 4,346th in major league history)
vs. CHW 3.0 IP, 2 H, 2 SO, 1 BB, 0 ER

Last Game: September 22, 1930 (Age 37-182d)
vs. CHC 1 AB, 0 H, 0 HR, 0 RBI, 0 SB

Hall of Fame: Inducted as Player in 1939. (Voted by BBWAA on 235/274 ballots)
View George Sisler’s Page at the Baseball Hall of Fame (plaque, photos, videos).

Rookie Status: Exceeded rookie limits during 1915 season

Full Name: George Harold Sisler

Nicknames: Gorgeous George

Relatives: Father of Dave Sisler, Dick Sisler

Hall of Fame
MVP
2x Batting Title

SUMMARY

Career

WAR

57.2

8267

2812

102

.340

1284

RBI

1178

375

OBP

.379

SLG

.468

OPS

.847

OPS+

125

George Sisler – 35 games – 1924-25

Had Sisler known how long his hit streak would extend, he may have been as disappointed about the season’s end as Rollins. But instead of reaching the end of the season while on a long streak, Sisler’s 1924 season ended with him hitting safely in the last game. When things got started again in April, Sisler hit safely in the first 34 games that he played, the longest streak to start a season in baseball history. By the end of the streak he was hitting .399 for the season. He hit “only” .329 the rest of the season. Of his 60 hits, 54 were singles, which contributed to his lowest OPS – .874 – on this list.

What is the longest hitting streak in MLB history?

Joe DiMaggio’s 56-game hitting streak in 1941 is the longest hitting streak in MLB history. Pete Rose has the longest hitting streak in NL history with 44 games in 1978.

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Best right fielders of all time

Brett Baker — Fri, 27 Oct 2023 18:50:43 +0000

Right field can be a tricky position for a number of reasons. It’s the farthest from third base, so right fielders usually have the best arm in the outfield. However, of the 25 right fielders with the highest career WAR, only 6 have a positive dWAR. Yet most teams want a good fielder in that position, especially if right field is a sun field at their park, which is often the case. As you’ll see below, some of the greatest hitters of all time have been right fielders, with four members of the 500-home run club, seven members of the 3,000-hit club, and seven with a career OPS+ of 140 or higher. Here are the top 10 right fielders of all time, according to WAR.

Henry Aaron

Name Note: commonly referred to as Hank Aaron

Positions: Rightfielder and First Baseman

Bats: Right • Throws: Right

6-0, 180lb (183cm, 81kg)

Born: February 5, 1934 in Mobile, AL us

Died: January 22, 2021 (Aged 86-352d) in Atlanta, GA

Buried: Southview Cemetery, Atlanta, GA

High School: Allen Institute (Mobile, AL)

Debut: April 13, 1954 (Age 20-067d, 11,071st in major league history)
vs. CIN 5 AB, 0 H, 0 HR, 0 RBI, 0 SB

Last Game: October 3, 1976 (Age 42-241d)
vs. DET 3 AB, 1 H, 0 HR, 1 RBI, 0 SB

Hall of Fame: Inducted as Player in 1982. (Voted by BBWAA on 406/415 ballots)
View Henry Aaron’s Page at the Baseball Hall of Fame (plaque, photos, videos).

Rookie Status: Exceeded rookie limits during 1954 season

Full Name: Henry Louis Aaron

Relatives: Brother of Tommie Aaron

5 44 44 44 44 44 44

SUMMARY

Career

WAR

143.0

12364

3771

755

.305

2174

RBI

2297

240

OBP

.374

SLG

.555

OPS

.928

OPS+

155

Hank Aaron is near the top of the list in almost any offensive category that exists. The all-time leader in RBI (2,297) and total bases (6,856), he’s also second in home runs (755), third in hits (3,771), fourth in runs (2,174), and fifth in position player WAR (143.0). The twenty-five time all-start somehow only won one MVP, in 1957, but he also had six third-place finishes. Despite a negative career dWAR, he won three Gold Gloves. A great clutch hitter, he hit .317 with a .981 OPS in late & close situations. He missed the 1963 Triple Crown by .007. Somehow 9 Hall of Fame voters didn’t include him on their ballot when he received 97.8% of the vote in 1982.

Mel Ott

Positions: Rightfielder and Third Baseman

Bats: Left • Throws: Right

5-9, 170lb (175cm, 77kg)

Born: March 2, 1909 in Gretna, LA us

Died: November 21, 1958 (Aged 49-264d) in New Orleans, LA

Buried: Metairie Cemetery, New Orleans, LA

High School: Gretna HS (Gretna, LA)

Debut: April 27, 1926 (Age 17-056d, 6,397th in major league history)
vs. PHI 1 AB, 0 H, 0 HR, 0 RBI, 0 SB

Last Game: July 11, 1947 (Age 38-131d)
vs. STL 1 AB, 0 H, 0 HR, 0 RBI, 0 SB

Hall of Fame: Inducted as Player in 1951. (Voted by BBWAA on 197/226 ballots)
View Mel Ott’s Page at the Baseball Hall of Fame (plaque, photos, videos).

Rookie Status: Exceeded rookie limits during 1927 season

Full Name: Melvin Thomas Ott

Nicknames: Master Melvin

5 4 4 3 4 4

SUMMARY

Career

WAR

110.9

9456

2876

511

.304

1859

RBI

1860

OBP

.414

SLG

.533

OPS

.947

OPS+

155

When Mel Ott retired in 1947 only Babe Ruth and Jimmie Foxx had more home runs than Ott’s 511, which led the National League. Chuck Klein was second in the NL, with 300. A twelve time all-star, Ott had three top-5 MVP finishes, and led the NL in WAR in 1932, 1938, and 1942. He led the league in home runs and walks six times each, and had an OPS over 1.000 seven times. One of very few players to move directly from high school to the majors, Ott hit .383 in 35 games before turning 18.

Roberto Clemente

Position: Rightfielder

Bats: Right • Throws: Right

5-11, 175lb (180cm, 79kg)

Born: August 18, 1934 in Carolina, Puerto Rico pr

Died: December 31, 1972 (Aged 38-135d) in San Juan, Puerto Rico

Buried: Died at Sea

High School: Julio C. Vizarrondo (Carolina, Puerto Rico)

Debut: April 17, 1955 (Age 20-242d, 11,226th in major league history)
vs. BRO 4 AB, 1 H, 0 HR, 0 RBI, 0 SB

Last Game: October 3, 1972 (Age 38-046d)
vs. STL 0 AB, 0 H, 0 HR, 0 RBI, 0 SB

Hall of Fame: Inducted as Player in 1973. (Voted by Special Election)
View Roberto Clemente’s Page at the Baseball Hall of Fame (plaque, photos, videos).

Rookie Status: Exceeded rookie limits during 1955 season

Full Name: Roberto Clemente

Nicknames: Arriba or The Great One

Relatives: Uncle of Edgard Clemente

13 21 21

SUMMARY

Career

WAR

94.8

9454

3000

240

.317

1416

RBI

1305

OBP

.359

SLG

.475

OPS

.834

OPS+

130

With one of the best right-field arms in the history of baseball, Roberto Clemente’s 266 outfield assists leads all outfielders since 1920. With three seasons of 20+ home runs, Clemente wasn’t a power hitter, but he won four National League batting titles, and earned his 3000th career hit in his second-to-last game in 1972. The 1966 NL MVP with an 8.2 WAR, Clemente actually earned a 9.0 WAR the next season, and then led the league with an 8.2 in 1968. He hit .362 in 14 World Series games, collecting a hit in each. His fifteen all-star selections and twelve Gold Gloves put him among the premier mid-century players in baseball.

Al Kaline

Positions: Rightfielder and First Baseman

Bats: Right • Throws: Right

6-1, 175lb (185cm, 79kg)

Born: December 19, 1934 in Baltimore, MD us

Died: April 6, 2020 (Aged 85-109d) in Bloomfield Hills, MI

High School: Southern HS (Baltimore, MD)

Debut: June 25, 1953 (Age 18-188d, 11,033rd in major league history)
vs. PHA 1 AB, 0 H, 0 HR, 0 RBI, 0 SB

Last Game: October 2, 1974 (Age 39-287d)
vs. BAL 2 AB, 0 H, 0 HR, 0 RBI, 0 SB

Hall of Fame: Inducted as Player in 1980. (Voted by BBWAA on 340/385 ballots)
View Al Kaline’s Page at the Baseball Hall of Fame (plaque, photos, videos).

Rookie Status: Exceeded rookie limits during 1954 season

Full Name: Albert William Kaline

Nicknames: Mr. Tiger or Six

Pronunciation: \KAY-line\

25 6 6

SUMMARY

Career

WAR

92.8

10116

3007

399

.297

1622

RBI

1582

137

OBP

.376

SLG

.480

OPS

.855

OPS+

134

Al Kaline played in his first Major League Baseball game June 25, 1953, a few weeks after graduating high school. He only got 30 plate appearances that season, but finished third in Rookie of the Year voting in 1954 and earned the first of 18 all-star selections in 1955 while finishing third in MVP voting at age 20. He’d go on to earn four more top-5 MVP finishes, and ten Gold Gloves. He hit .379 with two home runs in Detroit’s 1968 World Series win over the Cardinals. He became the twelfth player to collect 3,000 hits, and finished in the top-10 in OPS+ nine times.

Sam Crawford

Positions: Rightfielder and First Baseman

Bats: Left • Throws: Left

6-0, 190lb (183cm, 86kg)

Born: April 18, 1880 in Wahoo, NE us

Died: June 15, 1968 (Aged 88-058d) in Hollywood, CA

Buried: Inglewood Park Cemetery, Inglewood, CA

Debut: September 10, 1899 (Age 19-145d, 2,180th in major league history)

Last Game: September 16, 1917 (Age 37-151d)
vs. CLE 1 AB, 0 H, 0 HR, 0 RBI, 0 SB

Hall of Fame: Inducted as Player in 1957. (Voted by Veteran’s Committee)
View Sam Crawford’s Page at the Baseball Hall of Fame (plaque, photos, videos).

Rookie Status: Exceeded rookie limits during 1899 season

Full Name: Samuel Earl Crawford

Nicknames: Wahoo Sam

Hall of Fame

SUMMARY

Career

WAR

75.3

9570

2961

.309

1391

RBI

1523

367

OBP

.362

SLG

.452

OPS

.814

OPS+

144

Besides being born in the fabulously-named Wahoo, Nebraska, Sam Crawford has the distinction of being the all-time AL/NL leader in triples with 309. He finished 39 hits short of 3,000, and had seasons of leading the league in doubles, triples, home runs, RBI, and runs. He finished second in MVP voting in 1914, had six 100-RBI seasons. He was fifth all-time in RBI when he retired in 1917.

Paul Waner

Position: Rightfielder

Bats: Left • Throws: Left

5-8, 153lb (173cm, 69kg)

Born: April 16, 1903 in Harrah, OK us

Died: August 29, 1965 (Aged 62-135d) in Sarasota, FL

Buried: Manasota Memorial Park, Bradenton, FL

High School: Central HS (Oklahoma City, OK)

School: East Central University (Ada, OK)

Debut: April 13, 1926 (Age 22-362d, 6,362nd in major league history)
vs. STL 0 AB, 0 H, 0 HR, 0 RBI, 0 SB

Last Game: April 26, 1945 (Age 42-010d)
vs. PHA 0 AB, 0 H, 0 HR, 0 RBI, 0 SB

Hall of Fame: Inducted as Player in 1952. (Voted by BBWAA on 195/234 ballots)
View Paul Waner’s Page at the Baseball Hall of Fame (plaque, photos, videos).

Rookie Status: Exceeded rookie limits during 1926 season

Full Name: Paul Glee Waner

Nicknames: Big Poison

Relatives: Brother of Lloyd Waner

11 9 24 31 8 1 24 22

SUMMARY

Career

WAR

74.8

9459

3152

113

.333

1627

RBI

1309

104

OBP

.404

SLG

.473

OPS

.878

OPS+

134

Paul Waner has one of the best nicknames in the history of the game: Big Poison. Waner hit above .300 each of his first twelve seasons, and fourteen times overall, winning three batting titles. In 1927, he won the MVP, hitting .380 and driving in 131. He was the seventh player to collect 3,000 career hits, holding the record for the most hits in the first nine years of a career (1,860) until Ichiro. He and his brother Lloyd Waner hold the record for most hits by brothers with 5,611.

Reggie Jackson

Position: Rightfielder

Bats: Left • Throws: Left

6-0, 195lb (183cm, 88kg)

Born: May 18, 1946 (Age: 77-162d) in Abington, PA us

Draft: Drafted by the Kansas City Athletics in the 1st round (2nd) of the 1966 MLB June Amateur Draft from Arizona State University (Tempe, AZ).

High School: Cheltenham HS (Wyncote, PA)

School: Arizona State University (Tempe, AZ)

Debut: June 9, 1967 (Age 21-022d, 12,584th in major league history)
vs. CLE 3 AB, 0 H, 0 HR, 0 RBI, 0 SB

Last Game: October 4, 1987 (Age 41-139d)
vs. CHW 3 AB, 2 H, 0 HR, 1 RBI, 0 SB

Hall of Fame: Inducted as Player in 1993. (Voted by BBWAA on 396/423 ballots)
View Reggie Jackson’s Page at the Baseball Hall of Fame (plaque, photos, videos).

Rookie Status: Exceeded rookie limits during 1967 season

Full Name: Reginald Martinez Jackson

Nicknames: Mr. October

Twitter: @mroctober

Relatives: Cousin of Barry Bonds

31 9 9 44 44 44

SUMMARY

Career

WAR

73.9

9864

2584

563

.262

1551

RBI

1702

228

OBP

.356

SLG

.490

OPS

.846

OPS+

139

Mr. October got his nickname by hitting .357 with 10 home runs and 24 RBI in 27 World Series games, including the famous 3-home run game in series-clinching game 6 of the 1977 World Series. With World Series MVP awards in 1973 and 1977, he’s the only position player to win it twice. Unanimous MVP for Oakland in 1971, Jackson led the league with 32 home runs and 117 RBI. He’d lead the AL in home runs three more time, amassing 563 for his career, which was sixth all-time when he retired. He led the league in OPS+ four times and drove in 100 runs six times. He’s also the career leader in strikeouts with 2,597.

Larry Walker

Positions: Rightfielder and First Baseman

Bats: Left • Throws: Right

6-2, 185lb (188cm, 83kg)

Born: December 1, 1966 (Age: 56-330d) in Maple Ridge, Canada ca

High School: Maple Ridge HS (Maple Ridge, BC)

Debut: August 16, 1989 (Age 22-258d, 15,668th in major league history)
vs. SFG 1 AB, 1 H, 0 HR, 0 RBI, 0 SB

Last Game: October 2, 2005 (Age 38-305d)
vs. CIN 2 AB, 1 H, 0 HR, 0 RBI, 0 SB

Hall of Fame: Inducted as Player in 2020. (Voted by BBWAA on 304/397 ballots)

Rookie Status: Exceeded rookie limits during 1990 season

Agents: Bob Gilhooley, Jim Bronner, Pat Rooney

Full Name: Larry Kenneth Robert Walker

Nicknames: Booger

Twitter: @Cdnmooselips33

Hall of Fame
MVP
5x All-Star
7x Gold Glove
3x Silver Slugger
3x Batting Title

33 33 33 33

SUMMARY

Career

WAR

72.7

6907

2160

383

.313

1355

RBI

1311

230

OBP

.400

SLG

.565

OPS

.965

OPS+

141

Larry Walker’s 1997 seasons is one of the greatest seasons in the history of baseball. His 49 home runs, 130 RBI, .366 batting average and 1.172 OPS earned the NL MVP. And while it’s easy to dismiss those numbers as the effect of playing at Coors Field in Denver, he actually had more home runs and a higher OPS away from Coors than at Coors. Walker won three batting titles, and seven Gold Gloves. He’s the only player in baseball history with a .310 batting average, 300 home runs, and 200 stolen bases.

Harry Heilmann

Positions: Rightfielder and First Baseman

Bats: Right • Throws: Right

6-1, 195lb (185cm, 88kg)

Born: August 3, 1894 in San Francisco, CA us

Died: July 9, 1951 (Aged 56-340d) in Southfield, MI

Buried: Holy Sepulchre Cemetery, Southfield, MI

High School: Sacred Heart Cathedral Preparatory (San Francisco, CA)

Debut: May 16, 1914 (Age 19-286d, 4,153rd in major league history)
vs. BOS 1 AB, 0 H, 0 HR, 0 RBI, 0 SB

Last Game: May 31, 1932 (Age 37-302d)
vs. PIT 4 AB, 1 H, 0 HR, 0 RBI, 0 SB

Hall of Fame: Inducted as Player in 1952. (Voted by BBWAA on 203/234 ballots)
View Harry Heilmann’s Page at the Baseball Hall of Fame (plaque, photos, videos).

Rookie Status: Exceeded rookie limits during 1914 season

Full Name: Harry Edwin Heilmann

Nicknames: Slug

Pronunciation: \HILE-man\

SUMMARY

Career

WAR

72.2

7787

2660

183

.342

1291

RBI

1543

113

OBP

.410

SLG

.520

OPS

.930

OPS+

148

Before Ted Williams in 1941, Harry Heilmann is the most recent AL player to hit .400 with a .403 average in 1923. That was one of four times he led the league in hitting, while hitting .380 over a span of seven seasons. He’s tenth all-time (5000 min plate appearances) with a .342 career batting average. He drove in at least 100 runs in eight different seasons and had five top-10 MVP finishes.

Tony Gwynn

Position: Rightfielder

Bats: Left • Throws: Left

5-11, 185lb (180cm, 83kg)

Born: May 9, 1960 in Los Angeles, CA us

Died: June 16, 2014 (Aged 54-038d) in Poway, CA

Buried: Dearborn Memorial Park, Poway, CA

Draft: Drafted by the San Diego Padres in the 3rd round of the 1981 MLB June Amateur Draft from San Diego State University (San Diego, CA).

High School: Long Beach Polytechnic HS (Long Beach, CA)

School: San Diego State University (San Diego, CA)

Debut: July 19, 1982 (Age 22-071d, 14,627th in major league history)
vs. PHI 4 AB, 2 H, 0 HR, 1 RBI, 0 SB

Last Game: October 7, 2001 (Age 41-151d)
vs. COL 1 AB, 0 H, 0 HR, 0 RBI, 0 SB

Hall of Fame: Inducted as Player in 2007. (Voted by BBWAA on 532/545 ballots)
View Tony Gwynn’s Page at the Baseball Hall of Fame (plaque, photos, videos).

Rookie Status: Exceeded rookie limits during 1982 season

Agents: John Boggs & Associates • Previously: Lew Muller

Full Name: Anthony Keith Gwynn

Nicknames: Mr. Padre or Captain Video

Relatives: Brother of Chris Gwynn; Father of Tony Gwynn

Hall of Fame
15x All-Star
5x Gold Glove
7x Silver Slugger
8x Batting Title

19 19 19 19

SUMMARY

Career

WAR

69.2

9288

3141

135

.338

1383

RBI

1138

319

OBP

.388

SLG

.459

OPS

.847

OPS+

132

With eight batting titles, Tony Gwynn was the pre-eminent contact hitter of the 1980s and 90s. He hit .289 his rookie season in 1982, and then hit above .300 for the last 19 seasons of his career. Led the National League in WAR in 1986 and 1987. Played 2,440 games, and struck out three times in a game once, while collecting 5 hits nine times. Fifteen time All-star and five time Gold Glove winner. Seven top-10 MVP finishes. Gwynn finished with 3,141 hits.

Right field has been home to some of the greatest players to ever play the game. Whether it’s Hank Aaron’s copious home runs, Roberto Clemente and Larry Walker’s unbelievable throwing arms, Tony Gwynn’s consistent contact, or the amazing accomplishments of the other players above, right fielders have left their mark on the game. Six of the players above started their career age 20 or younger, and four of them played into their 40s. Their greatness lasted decades.

Who is the greatest right fielder ever?

Hank Aaron leads all right fielders with a career WAR of 143.0. He also has the most home runs, hits, RBI, and runs.

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Best left-handed pitchers of all time

Brett Baker — Thu, 12 Oct 2023 11:19:19 +0000

There may be no more sure-fire way to remain in Major League Baseball than to be an effective left-handed pitcher. A southpaw is practically worth his weight in gold, whether he just throws the ball so hard that hitters can’t catch up to it, or he’s a bit more crafty and keeps hitters off-balance, inducing soft contact. Pitchers like Jamie Moyer, Tommy John, and Kenny Rogers likely had longer careers as left-handers than they would have had if they were right-handers. And it’s not just starting pitchers. The top-3 in career games pitched are lefties Jesse Orosco, Mike Stanton, and John Franco, who had five career starts combined out of more than 3,500 games pitched. Only 10% of the general population is left-handed, but the numbers suggest that among all-time greats, left-handedness is a bit more common. The 10th-greatest lefty and the 46th-greatest righty have the same career WAR, which means that among the greatest 56 pitchers according to WAR, 17.8% are left-handed. More than we would think. Here are the top ten, presented alphabetically.

Steve Carlton

Position: Pitcher

Bats: Left • Throws: Left

6-4, 210lb (193cm, 95kg)

Born: December 22, 1944 (Age: 78-286d) in Miami, FL us

High School: North Miami HS (North Miami, FL)

School: Miami Dade College, North Campus (Miami, FL)

Debut: April 12, 1965 (Age 20-111d, 12,326th in major league history)
vs. CHC 0.0 IP, 0 H, 0 SO, 1 BB, 0 ER

Last Game: April 23, 1988 (Age 43-123d)
vs. CLE 5.0 IP, 9 H, 4 SO, 3 BB, 8 ER, L

Hall of Fame: Inducted as Player in 1994. (Voted by BBWAA on 436/456 ballots)
View Steve Carlton’s Page at the Baseball Hall of Fame (plaque, photos, videos).

Rookie Status: Exceeded rookie limits during 1966 season

Agents: Dick Moss • Previously: David Landfield, LaRue Harcourt

Full Name: Steven Norman Carlton

Nicknames: Lefty

32 32 32 32 32 38

SUMMARY

Career

WAR

90.2

329

244

ERA

3.22

741

709

5217.2

4136

WHIP

1.247

It’s hard to choose which of Steve Carlton’s accomplishments are most impressive. Is it the four Cy Young awards? The 1972 pitching Triple Crown when he led the league with 27 wins, and 310 strikeouts with a 1.97 ERA? Or that he was second all-time in career strikeouts (4,136) when he retired? But perhaps Carlton’s most amazing stat is that those 27 wins in 1972 came while playing for a team that only won 59 games that season! He completed 30 of 41 starts that season, averaging 8.43 innings per start. The heavy workload wasn’t unusual for Carlton, who is ninth all-time in career innings pitched.

Tom Glavine

Position: Pitcher

Bats: Left • Throws: Left

6-0, 175lb (183cm, 79kg)

Born: March 25, 1966 (Age: 57-193d) in Concord, MA us

Draft: Drafted by the Atlanta Braves in the 2nd round of the 1984 MLB June Amateur Draft from Billerica HS (Billerica, MA).

High School: Billerica HS (Billerica, MA)

Debut: August 17, 1987 (Age 21-145d, 15,375th in major league history)
vs. HOU 3.2 IP, 10 H, 1 SO, 5 BB, 6 ER, L

Last Game: August 14, 2008 (Age 42-142d)
vs. CHC 4.0 IP, 7 H, 3 SO, 4 BB, 7 ER, L

Hall of Fame: Inducted as Player in 2014. (Voted by BBWAA on 525/571 ballots)
View Tom Glavine’s Page at the Baseball Hall of Fame (plaque, photos, videos).

Rookie Status: Exceeded rookie limits during 1987 season

Agents: Gregg Clifton • Previously: Gregg Clifton

Full Name: Thomas Michael Glavine

Pronunciation: \GLA-vin\

Twitter: @Tom_Glavine

Relatives: Brother of Mike Glavine

47 47

SUMMARY

Career

WAR

80.7

305

203

ERA

3.54

682

4413.1

2607

WHIP

1.314

With six top-3 Cy Young finishes, and two wins, Glavine remained one of the National League’s top pitchers throughout his 22 year career. Only Greg Maddux threw more innings in the 1990s, and only Maddux, Clemens, and Randy Johnson had a lower ERA. Glavine’s 8-inning, 1-hit gem in game 6 of the 1995 World Series clinched the title for the Braves, and earned him the World Series MVP. In eight World Series starts he threw 58.1 innings with a 2.16 ERA, and a .909 WHIP.

Lefty Grove

Position: Pitcher

Bats: Left • Throws: Left

6-3, 190lb (190cm, 86kg)

Born: March 6, 1900 in Lonaconing, MD us

Died: May 22, 1975 (Aged 75-077d) in Norwalk, OH

Buried: Frostburg Memorial Park, Frostburg, MD

High School: Central HS (Lonaconing, MD)

Debut: April 14, 1925 (Age 25-039d, 6,154th in major league history)
vs. BOS 3.2 IP, 6 H, 0 SO, 4 BB, 4 ER

Last Game: September 28, 1941 (Age 41-206d)
vs. PHA 1.0 IP, 4 H, 0 SO, 0 BB, 3 ER, L

Hall of Fame: Inducted as Player in 1947. (Voted by BBWAA on 123/161 ballots)
View Lefty Grove’s Page at the Baseball Hall of Fame (plaque, photos, videos).

Rookie Status: Exceeded rookie limits during 1925 season

Full Name: Robert Moses Grove

10 10

SUMMARY

Career

WAR

106.8

300

141

ERA

3.06

616

457

3940.2

2266

WHIP

1.278

Of course a man named Lefty would lead all left-handers in career WAR. Lefty Grove is much more catchy than Robert Moses Grove. But whatever the name, leading the league in ERA nine seasons, and Fielding Independent Pitching (FIP) eight seasons is among the greats. He led the league in strikeouts each of his first seven seasons, and ERA+ in nine seasons. He led the league in WAR for pitchers eight times, and won the 1931 MVP. In 1929 Grove led the AL in ERA, strikeouts, FIP, and games started, but didn’t start any of the five games of the World Series because the Cubs had eight right-handed hitters in their lineup. But over the next two World Series he pitched 45 innings with a 2.00 ERA.

Carl Hubbell

Position: Pitcher

Bats: Right • Throws: Left

6-0, 170lb (183cm, 77kg)

Born: June 22, 1903 in Carthage, MO us

Died: November 21, 1988 (Aged 85-152d) in Scottsdale, AZ

Buried: New Hope Cemetery, Meeker, OK

High School: Meeker HS (Meeker, OK)

Debut: July 26, 1928 (Age 25-034d, 6,762nd in major league history)
vs. PIT 1.2 IP, 7 H, 1 SO, 0 BB, 2 ER, L

Last Game: August 24, 1943 (Age 40-063d)
vs. CHC 0.0 IP, 2 H, 0 SO, 0 BB, 0 ER

Hall of Fame: Inducted as Player in 1947. (Voted by BBWAA on 140/161 ballots)
View Carl Hubbell’s Page at the Baseball Hall of Fame (plaque, photos, videos).

Rookie Status: Exceeded rookie limits during 1928 season

Full Name: Carl Owen Hubbell

Nicknames: King Carl or Meal Ticket

10 11 11 11

SUMMARY

Career

WAR

68.5

253

154

ERA

2.98

535

433

3590.1

1677

WHIP

1.166

One of my prized baseball cards as a kid commemorated Carl Hubbell’s feat of striking out five future Hall of Famers in a row – Babe Ruth, Lou Gehrig, Jimmie Foxx, Al Simmons, and Joe Cronin – in the 1934 All-Star game at the Polo Grounds. And while impressive, that might only be the second most-amazing game that he pitched. On July 2, 1933, Hubbell faced the St. Louis Cardinals and shut them out on six hits. Solid, but not impressive. What is impressive? He pitched eighteen innings! 18! Those feats alone may have justified his induction into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1947, but when you add two MVP awards (1933, 1936), three ERA titles, and nine all-star selections, it’s no wonder he’s one of the greatest left-handed pitchers ever.

Tommy John

Position: Pitcher

Bats: Right • Throws: Left

6-3, 180lb (190cm, 81kg)

Born: May 22, 1943 (Age: 80-135d) in Terre Haute, IN us

High School: Gerstmeyer HS (Terre Haute, IN)

School: Indiana State University (Terre Haute, IN)

Debut: September 6, 1963 (Age 20-107d, 12,154th in major league history)
vs. WSA 1.0 IP, 2 H, 0 SO, 0 BB, 0 ER

Last Game: May 25, 1989 (Age 46-003d)
vs. CAL 5.1 IP, 6 H, 1 SO, 0 BB, 5 ER

Rookie Status: Exceeded rookie limits during 1964 season

Agents: Bob Cohen

Full Name: Thomas Edward John

Twitter: @TommyJohn288

37 25 25 25 25 25 35 25 25

4x All-Star

SUMMARY

Career

WAR

61.6

288

231

ERA

3.34

760

700

4710.1

2245

WHIP

1.283

His name is spoken so often in baseball that it can be easy to forget that Tommy John isn’t just a surgery, but an actual player. When he tore his ulnar collateral ligament in 1974, and then had surgery to replace it with a tendon from his other forearm, he changed baseball forever. John had pitched more than 2,000 innings with a 2.97 ERA by that point of his career. He missed all of 1975, but returned in 1976 and pitched 14 more seasons and 2,500 innings, finishing second in Cy Young voting in 1977 and 1979.

Randy Johnson

Position: Pitcher

Bats: Right • Throws: Left

6-10, 225lb (208cm, 102kg)

Born: September 10, 1963 (Age: 60-024d) in Walnut Creek, CA us

High School: Livermore HS (Livermore, CA)

School: University of Southern California (Los Angeles, CA)

Debut: September 15, 1988 (Age 25-005d, 15,565th in major league history)
vs. PIT 5.0 IP, 6 H, 5 SO, 3 BB, 2 ER, W

Last Game: October 4, 2009 (Age 46-024d)
vs. SDP 1.0 IP, 1 H, 2 SO, 0 BB, 0 ER

Hall of Fame: Inducted as Player in 2015. (Voted by BBWAA on 534/549 ballots)
View Randy Johnson’s Page at the Baseball Hall of Fame (plaque, photos, videos).

Rookie Status: Exceeded rookie limits during 1989 season

Agents: Alan Nero, Barry Meister

Full Name: Randall David Johnson

Nicknames: Big Unit

57 51 51 15 34 51 51 51 41 51 51

+10

SUMMARY

Career

WAR

101.1

303

166

ERA

3.29

618

603

4135.1

4875

WHIP

1.171

With more career strikeouts (4,875) than anyone but Nolan Ryan, more career WAR than anyone but Lefty Grove, and more Cy Young awards (5) than anyone but Roger Clemens, The Big Unit dominated hitters. He had more than 300 strikeouts in six different seasons, which is tied with Ryan for the most in baseball history. From 1995 through 2002, he averaged 12.3 strikeouts per nine innings with a 2.61 ERA, which has only been done for a single season twice since. His 37 shutouts since 1990 leads all pitchers. He somehow didn’t collect a Hall of Fame vote from fifteen writers in his first year of eligibility.

Clayton Kershaw

Position: Pitcher

Bats: Left • Throws: Left

6-4, 225lb (193cm, 102kg)

Team: Los Angeles Dodgers (majors)

Born: March 19, 1988 (Age: 35-199d) in Dallas, TX us

Draft: Drafted by the Los Angeles Dodgers in the 1st round (7th) of the 2006 MLB June Amateur Draft from Highland Park HS (Dallas, TX).

High School: Highland Park HS (Dallas, TX)

Debut: May 25, 2008 (Age 20-067d, 19,321st in major league history)
vs. STL 6.0 IP, 5 H, 7 SO, 1 BB, 2 ER

Rookie Status: Exceeded rookie limits during 2008 season

2023 Contract Status: Signed thru 2023, 1 yr/$20M (23)

Service Time (01/2023): 14.105 • Free Agent: 2024

Agents: Excel Sports Management

National Team: us USA (18U)

Full Name: Clayton Edward Kershaw

Nicknames: The Claw, Kid K, The Minotaur or Kersh

Twitter: @ClaytonKersh22

Instagram: @claytonkershaw

MVP
3x Cy Young
Triple Crown
10x All-Star
2020 World Series
Gold Glove
5x ERA Title
ML PoY

54 22

SUMMARY

2023

Career

WAR

3.7

79.9

210

ERA

2.46

2.48

425

422

131.2

2712.2

137

2944

WHIP

1.063

1.004

It’s rare to have an active player on these greatest player lists, but there’s no doubt that Kershaw belongs. His 2.48 ERA is the lowest career ERA for any pitcher with at least 2,000 innings pitched since Walter Johnson, who started pitching in 1907. Although Kershaw won the last of his 3 Cy Young awards in 2014 – when he also won the MVP – his career ERA since 2014 is the exact same as it was up to 2014: 2.48. A ten-time all-star, with seven top-5 Cy Young award finishes, Kershaw is a no doubt first-ballot Hall of Famer and should reach 3,000 strikeouts in 2024.

Eddie Plank

Position: Pitcher

Bats: Left • Throws: Left

5-11, 175lb (180cm, 79kg)

Born: August 31, 1875 in Gettysburg, PA us

Died: February 24, 1926 (Aged 50-177d) in Gettysburg, PA

Buried: Evergreen Cemetery, Gettysburg, PA

High School: Gettysburg Academy (Gettysburg, PA)

School: Gettysburg College (Gettysburg, PA)

Debut: May 13, 1901 (Age 25-255d, 2,272nd in major league history)
vs. BLA 2.0 IP, 3 H, 1 SO, 2 BB, 3 ER

Last Game: August 6, 1917 (Age 41-340d)
vs. WSH 10.1 IP, 5 H, 3 SO, 3 BB, 1 ER, L

Hall of Fame: Inducted as Player in 1946. (Voted by Old Timers Committee)
Induction ceremony in Cooperstown held in 1947.
View Eddie Plank’s Page at the Baseball Hall of Fame (plaque, photos, videos).

Rookie Status: Exceeded rookie limits during 1901 season

Full Name: Edward Stewart Plank

Nicknames: Gettysburg Eddie

SUMMARY

Career

WAR

90.8

326

194

ERA

2.35

623

529

4495.2

2246

WHIP

1.119

Eddie Plank doesn’t have a lot of black ink indicating that he led the league in specific years, but he does have 17 years of being a very solid pitcher. His ERA in his first two years was 3.31 and 3.30 and then he pitched 15 more seasons without his ERA ever finishing higher than 2.87. His 69 career shutouts is good for fifth on the all-time list. He had a 1.32 ERA in 54.2 innings pitched over four different World Series.

CC Sabathia

Position: Pitcher

Bats: Left • Throws: Left

6-6, 300lb (198cm, 136kg)

Born: July 21, 1980 (Age: 43-075d) in Vallejo, CA us

Draft: Drafted by the Cleveland Indians in the 1st round (20th) of the 1998 MLB June Amateur Draft from Vallejo HS (Vallejo, CA).

High School: Vallejo HS (Vallejo, CA)

Debut: April 8, 2001 (Age 20-261d, 17,832nd in major league history)
vs. BAL 5.2 IP, 3 H, 3 SO, 2 BB, 3 ER

Last Game: September 24, 2019 (Age 39-065d)
vs. TBR 1.0 IP, 0 H, 2 SO, 0 BB, 0 ER

Rookie Status: Exceeded rookie limits during 2001 season

Agents: Roc Nation Sports • Previously: Greg Genske, Scott Parker

Full Name: Carsten Charles Sabathia

Nicknames: Dub

Pronunciation: \Sah-BATH-ee-ah\

Twitter: @CC_Sabathia

52 52 52

SUMMARY

Career

WAR

62.3

251

161

ERA

3.74

561

560

3577.1

3093

WHIP

1.259

A reliable workhorse for two decades, only Roy Halladay has more seasons (6) with 230 innings pitched in the 21^st century than CC Sabathia (5). The 2007 AL Cy Young award winner, Sabathia was traded to the Brewers at the 2008 trade deadline and dominated the National League in 17 starts with 3 shutouts, 7 complete games, and a 1.65 ERA. Sabathia finished in the top 5 in Cy Young voting 5 times, and led the AL in wins in 2009 and 2010 after signing a large free-agent contract with the Yankees.

Warren Spahn

Position: Pitcher

Bats: Left • Throws: Left

6-0, 172lb (183cm, 78kg)

Born: April 23, 1921 in Buffalo, NY us

Died: November 24, 2003 (Aged 82-215d) in Broken Arrow, OK

Buried: Elmwood Cemetery, Hartshorne, OK

High School: South Park HS (Buffalo, NY)

Debut: April 19, 1942 (Age 20-361d, 9,237th in major league history)
vs. NYG 0.2 IP, 0 H, 0 SO, 0 BB, 0 ER

Last Game: October 1, 1965 (Age 44-161d)
vs. CIN 0.1 IP, 1 H, 0 SO, 1 BB, 0 ER

Hall of Fame: Inducted as Player in 1973. (Voted by BBWAA on 316/380 ballots)
View Warren Spahn’s Page at the Baseball Hall of Fame (plaque, photos, videos).

Rookie Status: Exceeded rookie limits during 1946 season

Full Name: Warren Edward Spahn

16 21 21 21 21

SUMMARY

Career

WAR

100.0

363

245

ERA

3.09

750

665

5243.2

2583

WHIP

1.195

Spahn had more wins and innings pitched than any lefty in baseball history. After missing his age 22, 23, and 24 seasons to serve in the Army during World War II, Spahn made a quick impact on the league. In just his second full season (1947), he led the National League in ERA (2.33), innings pitched (289.2), WHIP (1.136) and ERA+ (170). He finished 1^st, 2^nd, or 3^rd in five of the first six seasons that the Cy Young Award existed, winning it in 1957. Never a strikeout pitcher, he averaged just 4.4 strikeouts per 9 innings.

Who is considered the greatest left-handed pitcher of all time?

Lefty Grove leads all left-handed pitchers in career WAR with 113.3. Randy Johnson is second with 103.5, and also has more strikeouts than any left-hander with 4,875. Warren Spahn leads all left-handers in innings pitched with 5243.2. Clayton Kershaw leads with a 157 ERA+ and 1.004 WHIP.

The post Best left-handed pitchers of all time appeared first on Baseball Reference Blog.

The 10 greatest right-handed pitchers

Brett Baker — Fri, 15 Sep 2023 17:59:27 +0000

In a 1999 commercial, Atlanta Braves pitchers Greg Maddux and Tom Glavine famously proclaimed “Chicks dig the long ball” after watching adoring fans fawn over Mark McGwire’s batting practice homeruns. And while that may be true, every baseball fan knows that a good pitcher can neutralize those long ball hitters. After all, McGwire had more than twice as many strikeouts as homeruns in his career. Even though great power hitters like Babe Ruth may receive more adoration, baseball history is filled with players whose main skill was keeping Ruth and his ilk from getting on base. Whether throwing the ball past a hitter – with brute speed or a sweeping break – or locating a pitch so precisely, or varying its speed just enough to throw off a hitter’s timing and cause light contact, pitchers have found ways to get outs. Here are the top ten greatest right-handed pitchers in baseball history, according to WAR, presented alphabetically.

Grover Alexander

Name Note: Also known as Pete Alexander

Position: Pitcher

Bats: Right • Throws: Right

6-1, 185lb (185cm, 83kg)

Born: February 26, 1887 in Elba, NE us

Died: November 4, 1950 (Aged 63-251d) in St. Paul, NE

Buried: Elmwood Cemetery, St. Paul, NE

High School: St. Paul HS (St. Paul, NE)

Debut: April 15, 1911 (Age 24-048d, 3,461st in major league history)
vs. BSN 9.1 IP, 8 H, 4 SO, 5 BB, L

Last Game: May 28, 1930 (Age 43-091d)
vs. BSN 2.0 IP, 2 H, 1 SO, 0 BB, 0 ER

Rookie Status: Exceeded rookie limits during 1911 season

Full Name: Grover Cleveland Alexander

Nicknames: Old Pete

SUMMARY

Career

WAR

119.3

373

208

ERA

2.56

696

600

5190.0

2198

WHIP

1.121

The best pitcher in the NL in the 1910s, Grover Alexander threw more than 3,000 innings with an ERA of 2.06 in the first decade of his career, despite missing most of 1918 while serving in World War I. He returned to baseball in 1919, and won the Triple Crown in 1920, despite suffering from shell shock after being gassed during the war. He earned two wins and save in the Cardinals 1926 World Series win over the Yankees, with a 1.33 ERA.

Bert Blyleven

Position: Pitcher

Bats: Right • Throws: Right

6-3, 200lb (190cm, 90kg)

Born: April 6, 1951 (Age: 72-161d) in Zeist, Netherlands nl

Draft: Drafted by the Minnesota Twins in the 3rd round of the 1969 MLB June Amateur Draft from Santiago HS (Garden Grove, CA).

High School: Santiago HS (Garden Grove, CA)

Debut: June 5, 1970 (Age 19-060d, 13,000th in major league history)
vs. WSA 7.0 IP, 5 H, 7 SO, 1 BB, 1 ER, W

Last Game: October 4, 1992 (Age 41-181d)
vs. TEX 4.2 IP, 12 H, 3 SO, 0 BB, 6 ER, L

Hall of Fame: Inducted as Player in 2011. (Voted by BBWAA on 463/581 ballots)
View Bert Blyleven’s Page at the Baseball Hall of Fame (plaque, photos, videos).

Rookie Status: Exceeded rookie limits during 1970 season

Agents: Dick Moss • Previously: LaRue Harcourt

Full Name: Rik Aalbert Blyleven

Nicknames: Frying Dutchman

Pronunciation: \BLYE-lev-en\

Twitter: @BertBlyleven28

28 28 28 22 22 22 28 28

SUMMARY

Career

WAR

94.5

287

250

ERA

3.31

692

685

4970.0

3701

WHIP

1.198

Some pitchers achieve greatness with exceptional performance over a limited period of time, and others do it by maintaining better-than-averageness for many years. Blyleven falls into the second category of players. A two-time all-star, and three-time top-four Cy Young finisher, Blyleven maintained a 3.01 ERA over his first 16 seasons. Blyleven led the league in WAR twice, but somehow never finished higher than thirteenth in MVP voting. He’s fifth in career strikeouts.

Roger Clemens

Position: Pitcher

Bats: Right • Throws: Right

6-4, 205lb (193cm, 92kg)

Born: August 4, 1962 (Age: 61-041d) in Dayton, OH us

High School: Spring Woods HS (Houston, TX)

Schools: San Jacinto College (Pasadena, TX), San Jacinto College, North Campus (Houston, TX), University of Texas at Austin (Austin, TX)

Debut: May 15, 1984 (Age 21-285d, 14,897th in major league history)
vs. CLE 5.2 IP, 11 H, 4 SO, 3 BB, 4 ER

Last Game: September 16, 2007 (Age 45-043d)
vs. BOS 6.0 IP, 2 H, 4 SO, 3 BB, 0 ER

Rookie Status: Exceeded rookie limits during 1984 season

Agents: Randy Hendricks, Alan Hendricks

National Team: us USA (WBC)

Full Name: William Roger Clemens

Nicknames: Rocket or The Texas Con Man

Twitter: @rogerclemens

Relatives: Father of Kody Clemens

MVP
7x Cy Young
2x Triple Crown
11x All-Star
2x World Series
7x ERA Title
AS MVP
ML PoY

21 21 12 22 22

SUMMARY

Career

WAR

139.2

354

184

ERA

3.12

709

707

4916.2

4672

WHIP

1.173

A seven-time Cy Young Award winner, Clemens is third all-time in AL/NL career strikeouts. Clemens won the MVP in 1986, and led the AL in WAR four times. His 139.2 WAR trails only Cy Young and Walter Johnson among pitchers. He won the pitching Triple Crown in 1997 and 1998 with Toronto, and was the All-Star Game MVP in 1986, pitching three perfect innings on just 25 pitches. His led the league in ERA+ eight times, finishing with an ERA+ of 143 for her career.

Walter Johnson

Position: Pitcher

Bats: Right • Throws: Right

6-1, 200lb (185cm, 90kg)

Born: November 6, 1887 in Humboldt, KS us

Died: December 10, 1946 (Aged 59-034d) in Washington, DC

Buried: Rockville Cemetery, Rockville, MD

High School: Fullerton Union HS (Fullerton, CA)

Debut: August 2, 1907 (Age 19-269d, 2,950th in major league history)
vs. DET 8.0 IP, 6 H, 3 SO, 1 BB, L

Last Game: September 30, 1927 (Age 39-328d)
vs. NYY 1 AB, 0 H, 0 HR, 0 RBI, 0 SB

Hall of Fame: Inducted as Player in 1936. (Voted by BBWAA on 189/226 ballots)
Induction ceremony in Cooperstown held in 1939.
View Walter Johnson’s Page at the Baseball Hall of Fame (plaque, photos, videos).

Rookie Status: Exceeded rookie limits during 1907 season

Full Name: Walter Perry Johnson

Nicknames: Barney or The Big Train

SUMMARY

Career

WAR

165.1

417

279

ERA

2.17

802

666

5914.1

3509

WHIP

1.061

The all-time AL/NL leaders with 110 career shutouts, The Big Train led the AL in complete games six times, including a stretch from 1910-1916 in which he completed 241 of 269 games started. He led the league in strikeouts 12 times, surpassing Cy Young for most career strikeouts. He remained the leader for 62 seasons. His .780 WHIP in 346 innings pitched in 1913 is the only season in baseball history with a sub .800 WHIP and more than 220 innings pitched. His 15.1 WAR that season is the highest WAR of any AL/NL pitcher after 1889.

Greg Maddux

Position: Pitcher

Bats: Right • Throws: Right

6-0, 170lb (183cm, 77kg)

Born: April 14, 1966 (Age: 57-153d) in San Angelo, TX us

Draft: Drafted by the Chicago Cubs in the 2nd round of the 1984 MLB June Amateur Draft from Valley HS (Las Vegas, NV).

High School: Valley HS (Las Vegas, NV)

Last Game: September 27, 2008 (Age 42-166d)
vs. SFG 6.0 IP, 2 H, 2 SO, 0 BB, 1 ER, W

Hall of Fame: Inducted as Player in 2014. (Voted by BBWAA on 555/571 ballots)
View Greg Maddux’s Page at the Baseball Hall of Fame (plaque, photos, videos).

Rookie Status: Exceeded rookie limits during 1987 season

Agents: Boras Corporation

Full Name: Gregory Alan Maddux

Nicknames: Mad Dog or The Professor

Pronunciation: \MADD-ucks\

Twitter: @gregmaddux

Relatives: Brother of Mike Maddux

31 31 36 30

SUMMARY

Career

WAR

106.6

355

227

ERA

3.16

744

740

5008.1

3371

WHIP

1.143

With twenty consecutive seasons of at least 10 wins (eighteen of those with at least 15 wins), Greg Maddux provided an unmatched level of consistent production. Maddux won four consecutive Cy Young Awards and finished in the top-5 in five other seasons. He’s the only pitcher to begin his career since 1967 and reach 5,000 innings pitched. An 18-time Gold Glove winner, his 1.56 ERA in 1995 is the third-lowest single-season ERA for any pitcher since 1948. Maddux also holds the record for most seasons (10) with at least one stolen base without getting caught stealing.

Christy Mathewson

Position: Pitcher

Bats: Right • Throws: Right

6-1, 195lb (185cm, 88kg)

Born: August 12, 1880 in Factoryville, PA us

Died: October 7, 1925 (Aged 45-056d) in Saranac Lake, NY

Buried: Lewisburg City Cemetery, Lewisburg, PA

High School: Keystone Academy (Factoryville, PA)

School: Bucknell University (Lewisburg, PA)

Debut: July 17, 1900 (Age 19-339d, 2,212th in major league history)

Last Game: September 4, 1916 (Age 36-023d)
vs. CHC 9.0 IP, 15 H, 3 SO, 1 BB, 8 ER, W

Rookie Status: Exceeded rookie limits during 1901 season

Full Name: Christopher Mathewson

Nicknames: Big Six or Matty

Relatives: Brother of Henry Mathewson

SUMMARY

Career

WAR

106.5

373

188

ERA

2.13

636

552

4788.2

2507

WHIP

1.058

With five ERA titles, and eight seasons of leading the NL in fielding independent pitching, Christy Mathewson was among the very best of the Dead Ball era pitchers. His 2.13 career ERA included five seasons with a sub-2.00 ERA. His 1908 season is one of the best pitching seasons in AL/NL history with 390.2 IP, 37 wins, a 1.43 ERA, and an astonishing 0.827 WHIP while earning an 11.8 WAR. In 101 World Series innings pitched he had a 0.97 ERA, and 0.836 WHIP.

Kid Nichols

Position: Pitcher

Bats: Both • Throws: Right

5-10, 175lb (178cm, 79kg)

Born: September 14, 1869 in Madison, WI us

Died: April 11, 1953 (Aged 83-209d) in Kansas City, MO

Buried: Mount Moriah Cemetery, Kansas City, MO

Debut: April 23, 1890 (Age 20-221d, 1,453rd in major league history)

Last Game: May 18, 1906 (Age 36-246d)
vs. CHC 0.1 IP, 2 H, 0 SO, 2 BB

Hall of Fame: Inducted as Player in 1949. (Voted by Old Timers Committee)
View Kid Nichols’s Page at the Baseball Hall of Fame (plaque, photos, videos).

Rookie Status: Exceeded rookie limits during 1890 season

Full Name: Charles Augustus Nichols

Hall of Fame

SUMMARY

Career

WAR

116.3

362

208

ERA

2.96

621

562

5067.1

1881

WHIP

1.224

Despite missing two seasons in the middle of his career to pitch for and manage a minor league team that he partially owned, Kid Nichols amassed more than 5000 innings pitched and 362 victories. He had seven seasons with a WAR of 9.0 or higher, and averaged 35 complete games per season. Nichols is 17^th all-time in WAR, after leading the league in WAR on four occasions.

Phil Niekro

Position: Pitcher

Bats: Right • Throws: Right

6-1, 180lb (185cm, 81kg)

Born: April 1, 1939 in Blaine, OH us

Died: December 27, 2020 (Aged 81-270d) in Flowery Branch, GA

Buried: Memorial Park South Cemetery, Flowery Branch, GA

High School: Bridgeport HS (Bridgeport, OH)

Debut: April 15, 1964 (Age 25-014d, 12,204th in major league history)
vs. SFG 0.1 IP, 0 H, 0 SO, 0 BB, 0 ER

Last Game: September 27, 1987 (Age 48-179d)
vs. SFG 3.0 IP, 6 H, 0 SO, 6 BB, 5 ER

Hall of Fame: Inducted as Player in 1997. (Voted by BBWAA on 380/473 ballots)
View Phil Niekro’s Page at the Baseball Hall of Fame (plaque, photos, videos).

Rookie Status: Exceeded rookie limits during 1965 season

Agents: Bruce Church

Full Name: Philip Henry Niekro

Nicknames: Knucksie

Pronunciation: \NEE-kro\

35 35 35 35 35 35 35 35 35 35 35

Relatives: Brother of Joe Niekro; Uncle of Lance Niekro

+10

SUMMARY

Career

WAR

95.9

318

274

ERA

3.35

864

716

5404.0

3342

WHIP

1.268

Despite never winning a Cy Young award, Phil Niekro played 24 seasons, and remained among the best pitchers in the league for most of his career. He had five top-6 Cy Young finishes, and five Gold Gloves to go along with five all-star selections. He led the National League in WAR (10.4) in 1978, and led in WAR for pitchers in 1979 with 7.4. His 5,404 career innings is fourth most all-time, and his 19 seasons of at least 200 IP is more than any pitcher except Don Sutton. He finished his career 11^th in WAR for pitchers, despite having given up more earned runs than anyone in history except for Cy Young.

Tom Seaver

Position: Pitcher

Bats: Right • Throws: Right

6-1, 195lb (185cm, 88kg)

Born: November 17, 1944 in Fresno, CA us

Died: August 31, 2020 (Aged 75-288d) in Calistoga, CA

High School: Fresno HS (Fresno, CA)

Schools: Fresno City College (Fresno, CA), University of Southern California (Los Angeles, CA)

Debut: April 13, 1967 (Age 22-147d, 12,557th in major league history)
vs. PIT 5.1 IP, 6 H, 8 SO, 4 BB, 2 ER

Last Game: September 19, 1986 (Age 41-306d)
vs. TOR 4.0 IP, 5 H, 1 SO, 2 BB, 3 ER, L

Hall of Fame: Inducted as Player in 1992. (Voted by BBWAA on 425/430 ballots)
View Tom Seaver’s Page at the Baseball Hall of Fame (plaque, photos, videos).

Rookie Status: Exceeded rookie limits during 1967 season

Agents: Bob Lawrence

Full Name: George Thomas Seaver

Nicknames: Tom Terrific or The Franchise

41 41 41 41

SUMMARY

Career

WAR

109.9

311

205

ERA

2.86

656

647

4783.0

3640

WHIP

1.121

The list of 300-game winners with a career ERA below 3.00 is short. Twelve pitchers. And the list of those pitchers who began their career after the end of the Dead Ball Era is even shorter: 1. Only Tom Seaver. In addition to winning three Cy Young awards, Seaver had four other top-5 finishes. The twelve-time all-star led the league in strikeouts five times, and won three ERA titles. Of pitchers with 4000+ career innings pitched, only Nolan Ryan and Randy Johnson allowed fewer hits per nine innings than Seaver’s 7.5. Numbers like that are why he was elected to the National Baseball Hall of Fame with 98.8% of votes.

Cy Young

Position: Pitcher

Bats: Right • Throws: Right

6-2, 210lb (188cm, 95kg)

Born: March 29, 1867 in Gilmore, OH us

Died: November 4, 1955 (Aged 88-220d) in Newcomerstown, OH

Buried: Peoli Cemetery, Peoli, OH

Debut: August 6, 1890 (Age 23-130d, 1,527th in major league history)

Last Game: October 6, 1911 (Age 44-191d)
vs. BRO 6.1 IP, 11 H, 3 SO, 1 BB, L

Rookie Status: Exceeded rookie limits during 1890 season

Full Name: Denton True Young

Nicknames: Cyclone

SUMMARY

Career

WAR

163.6

511

315

ERA

2.63

906

815

7356.0

2803

WHIP

1.130

The man so good that they named the pitching award after him, Denton True (Cy) Young is still the all-time AL/NL leader in a number of categories, more than 100 years after his final game: Innings pitched (7356), games started (815), complete games (749), wins (511), and batters faced (29,565). On the flipside, he’s also the all-time leader in losses (315), earned runs (2147), and hits allowed (7,092). He had 16 seasons of at least 300 innings pitched.

The top ten greatest right-handed pitchers is an impressive list. Whether pitching in the pre-1920 Dead Ball Era, or the late 20^th and early 21^st century, or the decades in between, the pitchers in the list above accumulated more WAR than all of the other right-handed pitchers in the history of baseball. Some were hard throwers, some were soft tossers, but all of them effective!

Who is the greatest MLB pitcher of all time?

Cy Young is the greatest MLB pitcher of all time according to a number of statistics. He leads all AL/NL pitchers in WAR (165.6), Wins (511), IP (7,356), and complete games (749). Roger Clemens has the highest WAR (138.7) of any pitcher in the Modern Era (after 1920).

Who holds the record for the most career strikeouts as a pitcher?

Nolan Ryan is the all-time leader in career strikeouts in the AL/NL with 5,714. With 3,509 career strikeouts, Walter Johnson retired as the all-time career strikeout leader, and remained so for 62 seasons until Steve Carlton broke his record in 1983. Nolan Ryan broke the record the following year, and has led ever since.

Who is the greatest active MLB pitcher?

Justin Verlander leads all active MLB pitchers with 80.9 career WAR. Clayton Kershaw (76.6), Max Scherzer (73.6) and Zack Greinke (71.7) are right behind Verlander.

The post The 10 greatest right-handed pitchers appeared first on Baseball Reference Blog.

Best Left Fielders of All Time

Chris Bergstrom — Fri, 05 May 2023 18:15:28 +0000

Some of the greatest names in the sport have graced the left field. From impact bats to legendary fielders, the impact on the national pastime from this outfield position can’t be ignored. We are going to break down the best left fielders of all time, using statistics. For this we are going to look at the leaders in Position Player WAR. This stat takes into consideration batting runs, baserunning runs, fielding runs to name a few which will help determine the best left fielders to ever play the game. Here are some of the greatest of all time to patrol left in alphabetical order, according to WAR.

Henry Aaron

Name Note: commonly referred to as Hank Aaron

Positions: Rightfielder and First Baseman

Bats: Right • Throws: Right

6-0, 180lb (183cm, 81kg)

Born: February 5, 1934 in Mobile, AL us

Died: January 22, 2021 (Aged 86-352d) in Atlanta, GA

Buried: Southview Cemetery, Atlanta, GA

High School: Allen Institute (Mobile, AL)

Debut: April 13, 1954 (Age 20-067d, 11,071st in major league history)
vs. CIN 5 AB, 0 H, 0 HR, 0 RBI, 0 SB

Last Game: October 3, 1976 (Age 42-241d)
vs. DET 3 AB, 1 H, 0 HR, 1 RBI, 0 SB

Hall of Fame: Inducted as Player in 1982. (Voted by BBWAA on 406/415 ballots)
View Henry Aaron’s Page at the Baseball Hall of Fame (plaque, photos, videos).

Rookie Status: Exceeded rookie limits during 1954 season

Full Name: Henry Louis Aaron

Relatives: Brother of Tommie Aaron

SUMMARY

Career

WAR

143.0

12364

3771

755

.305

2174

RBI

2297

240

OBP

.374

SLG

.555

OPS

.928

OPS+

155

25 All-Star selections, 1957 NL MVP, 3x Gold Glove winner and 2x Batting Title winner accolades highlight the career of this legendary left fielder. Aaron ranks number 5 all time in career WAR for left fielders with 143. Nicknamed the “Hammer”, Aaron clubbed 755 home runs which ranks him second on the all-time list. These accomplishments led to his enshrinement in the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1982.

Barry Bonds

Position: Leftfielder

Bats: Left • Throws: Left

6-1, 185lb (185cm, 83kg)

Born: July 24, 1964 (Age: 58-285d) in Riverside, CA us

High School: Junipero Serra HS (San Mateo, CA)

School: Arizona State University (Tempe, AZ)

Debut: May 30, 1986 (Age 21-310d, 15,166th in major league history)
vs. LAD 5 AB, 0 H, 0 HR, 0 RBI, 0 SB

Last Game: September 26, 2007 (Age 43-064d)
vs. SDP 3 AB, 0 H, 0 HR, 0 RBI, 0 SB

Rookie Status: Exceeded rookie limits during 1986 season

Agents: Jeff Borris • Previously: Dennis Gilbert, Rod Wright, Scott Boras

Full Name: Barry Lamar Bonds

Twitter: @BarryBonds

Relatives: Cousin of Reggie Jackson; Son of Bobby Bonds

7x MVP
14x All-Star
HR Derby Champ
8x Gold Glove
12x Silver Slugger
2x Batting Title
3x ML PoY

SUMMARY

Career

WAR

162.8

9847

2935

762

.298

2227

RBI

1996

514

OBP

.444

SLG

.607

OPS

1.051

OPS+

182

It is hard to find room in the trophy case for Barry. A 7x MVP, 14x All-Star, 8x Gold Glove Winner, 2x Batting Champ and 12x Silver Slugger winner, Bonds is considered one of the best all around players to have ever played the game. He comes in at number 1 all time in career WAR for left fielders. With 762 career home runs, Bonds finds himself as the all-time leader for career home runs.

Ty Cobb

Position: Centerfielder

Bats: Left • Throws: Right

6-1, 175lb (185cm, 79kg)

Born: December 18, 1886 in Narrows, GA us

Died: July 17, 1961 (Aged 74-211d) in Atlanta, GA

Buried: Rose Hill Cemetery, Royston, GA

High School: Franklin County HS (Royston, GA)

Debut: August 30, 1905 (Age 18-255d, 2,755th in major league history)
vs. NYY 3 AB, 1 H, 0 HR, 1 RBI, 0 SB

Last Game: September 11, 1928 (Age 41-268d)
vs. NYY 1 AB, 0 H, 0 HR, 0 RBI, 0 SB

Rookie Status: Exceeded rookie limits during 1905 season

Full Name: Tyrus Raymond Cobb

Nicknames: The Georgia Peach

Hall of Fame
MVP
Triple Crown
12x Batting Title

SUMMARY

Career

WAR

151.5

11440

4189

117

.366

2245

RBI

1944

897

OBP

.433

SLG

.512

OPS

.944

OPS+

168

Ty Cobb is synonymous with baseball. Not only did he win the AL MVP award in 1911 and 12 Batting Titles, but he was also able to capture the AL Triple Crown in 1909 leading the league in homeruns, batting average and RBIs. This achievement is a remarkable feat only accomplished by 27 position players in history. Nicknamed “The Georgia Peach” due to being born in the peach state, Cobb was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1936. He ranks number 4 on the all time WAR list of players who have patrolled left field.

Willie Mays

Position: Centerfielder

Bats: Right • Throws: Right

5-10, 170lb (178cm, 77kg)

Born: May 6, 1931 (Age: 91-364d) in Westfield, AL us

High School: Fairfield Industrial HS (Fairfield, AL)

Debut: 1948 (10,377th in major league history)

AL/NL Debut: May 25, 1951 (Age 20-019d)
vs. PHI 5 AB, 0 H, 0 HR, 0 RBI, 0 SB

Last Game: September 9, 1973 (Age 42-126d)
vs. MON 2 AB, 0 H, 0 HR, 0 RBI, 0 SB

Hall of Fame: Inducted as Player in 1979. (Voted by BBWAA on 409/432 ballots)
View Willie Mays’s Page at the Baseball Hall of Fame (plaque, photos, videos).

Rookie Status: Exceeded rookie limits during 1951 season

Full Name: Willie Howard Mays

Nicknames: Say Hey Kid

Hall of Fame
2x MVP
Rookie of the Year
24x All-Star
1954 World Series
12x Gold Glove
Batting Title
2x AS MVP
ML PoY

SUMMARY

Career

WAR

156.1

10924

3293

660

.301

2068

RBI

1909

339

OBP

.384

SLG

.557

OPS

.940

OPS+

155

When it comes to talking about ranks of players who have played left field according to WAR, it would be hard to leave Willie Mays out no matter what metric you use to decide. This 2x MVP, 1952 NL Rookie of the Year, 24x All-Star and 12x Gold Glove winner is one of the most respected players to ever wear a jersey. Nicknamed the “Say Hey Kid”, Mays ranks number 3 on the all time left field WAR list.

Stan Musial

Positions: Outfielder and First Baseman

Bats: Left • Throws: Left

6-0, 175lb (183cm, 79kg)

Born: November 21, 1920 in Donora, PA us

Died: January 19, 2013 (Aged 92-059d) in Ladue, MO

Buried: Forever Bellerive Cemetery, Creve Coeur, MO

High School: Donora HS (Donora, PA)

Debut: September 17, 1941 (Age 20-300d, 9,129th in major league history)
vs. BSN 4 AB, 2 H, 0 HR, 2 RBI, 0 SB

Last Game: September 29, 1963 (Age 42-312d)
vs. CIN 3 AB, 2 H, 0 HR, 1 RBI, 0 SB

Hall of Fame: Inducted as Player in 1969. (Voted by BBWAA on 317/340 ballots)
View Stan Musial’s Page at the Baseball Hall of Fame (plaque, photos, videos).

Rookie Status: Exceeded rookie limits during 1942 season

Full Name: Stanley Frank Musial

Nicknames: Stan the Man, Stashu, Stash or The Donora Greyhound

SUMMARY

Career

WAR

128.6

10972

3630

475

.331

1949

RBI

1951

OBP

.417

SLG

.559

OPS

.976

OPS+

159

Stan isn’t nicknamed “The Man” for no reason at all. His accolades make him one of the most recognized St. Louis Cardinals of all time as he played his entire career with the organization. He is a 3x NL MVP (1943, 1946,1948), 24x All-Star, 7x batting champ and 3x World Series Champion. Stan capped off an amazing career by being inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame in 1969. Holding a career batting average of .331, Stan ranks number 8 on the all time WAR list for players who have played left field.

Babe Ruth

Positions: Outfielder and Pitcher

Bats: Left • Throws: Left

6-2, 215lb (188cm, 97kg)

Born: February 6, 1895 in Baltimore, MD us

Died: August 16, 1948 (Aged 53-192d) in New York, NY

Buried: Gate of Heaven Cemetery, Hawthorne, NY

High School: St. Mary’s HS (Baltimore, MD)

Debut: July 11, 1914 (Age 19-155d, 4,204th in major league history)
vs. CLE 7.0 IP, 8 H, 1 SO, 0 BB, 2 ER, W

Last Game: May 30, 1935 (Age 40-113d)
vs. PHI 1 AB, 0 H, 0 HR, 0 RBI, 0 SB

Rookie Status: Exceeded rookie limits during 1915 season

Full Name: George Herman Ruth

Nicknames: Babe, The Bambino, The Sultan Of Swat, Jidge, The Colossus of Clout or The King of Crash

SUMMARY

Career

WAR

182.6

8399

2873

714

.342

2174

RBI

2214

123

OBP

.474

SLG

.690

OPS

1.164

OPS+

206

Babe Ruth and baseball are synonymous with each other. One of the most recognizable names to be connected to the sport, Ruth might not have physically built Yankee Stadium, but it will always be known as the building that Ruth built. The Babe is a 7x World Series Champion, 2x All-Star and although he might be known for his bat, he was also an accomplished pitcher winning the 1916 AL Pitching Title. Ruth ranks number 2 on the all time WAR list for left fielders.

Honus Wagner

Positions: Shortstop, Rightfielder and First Baseman

Bats: Right • Throws: Right

5-11, 200lb (180cm, 90kg)

Born: February 24, 1874 in Chartiers, PA us

Died: December 6, 1955 (Aged 81-285d) in Carnegie, PA

Buried: Jefferson Memorial Park, Pittsburgh, PA

Debut: July 19, 1897 (Age 23-145d, 2,011th in major league history)

Last Game: September 17, 1917 (Age 43-205d)
vs. BSN 0 AB, 0 H, 0 HR, 0 RBI, 0 SB

Rookie Status: Exceeded rookie limits during 1897 season

Full Name: John Peter Wagner

Nicknames: The Flying Dutchman

Pronunciation: \HONN-us WAGG-ner\

Relatives: Brother of Butts Wagner

SUMMARY

Career

WAR

131.0

10439

3420

101

.328

1739

RBI

1732

723

OBP

.391

SLG

.467

OPS

.858

OPS+

151

Not only does Honus Wagner rank high in most sought after for baseball card collectors, he is also high on the WAR list when it comes to the greatest left fielders ranking number 7 all time. This 8x batting champ had a career .328 batting average and was inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame in 1936.

Who is the best left fielder in 2022?

Yordan Alvarez. Using WAR as criteria to determine the best left fielder in 2022, Yordan Alvarez leads the way, ranking number 1 on that list. Making the list of the 2022 All-MLB Team it is hard to argue that Yordan is one of the best outfielders in the game. Hitting .306 with 37 home runs in 2022, Yordan helped lead the Houston Astros to the ultimate prize winning the World Series.

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The post Best Left Fielders of All Time appeared first on Baseball Reference Blog.

2022 Baseball Hall of Fame Inductees

Nick Devlin — Tue, 25 Apr 2023 16:36:49 +0000

After sharing the initial burst of joy with their friends and family, a newly-elected Baseball Hall of Famer might be forgiven for asking, “Where is the Baseball Hall of Fame?” The upstate New York village of Cooperstown isn’t an easy place to get to, but every summer for one weekend, it’s the center of the baseball universe as another class of inductees takes its spot among the game’s legends. The following seven players are those who comprised the 2022 Baseball Hall of Fame class.

Bud Fowler

Bats: Right • Throws: Right

5-7, 155lb (170cm, 70kg)

Born: March 16, 1858 in Fort Plain, NY us

Died: February 26, 1913 (Aged 54-347d) in Frankfort, NY

Buried: Oak View Cemetery, Frankfort, NY

Hall of Fame: Inducted as Pioneer/Executive in 2022. (Voted by Early Baseball Era Committee)

Full Name: John W. Jackson Fowler

Hall of Fame (Pion/Exec)

It took more than 100 years following his death for Bud Fowler, the first known Black professional baseball player, to find his way to Cooperstown as part of the 2022 Baseball Hall of Fame class. That’s not to say he would’ve needed directions to the induction ceremony. Born in 1858, Fowler spent his teenage years in Cooperstown before making his professional debut in 1878, playing for the Lynn, Massachusetts club of the International Association. Fowler’s career was one of a baseball nomad, playing in more than a dozen minor leagues across three decades.

One of his more notable stops was when he helped form the Page Fence Giants, a Michigan-based club of Black players that began play in 1895. With Fowler at second base, the team played in 112 towns that first season, dominating their competition to the tune of a 118-36-2 record. After facing the Cincinnati Reds twice that season, the Cincinnati Enquirer described Fowler as “as spry and as fast as any man on the field.”

Fowler finished his career with a .308 average in 465 minor league games with 455 runs scored and 190 stolen bases. He died in 1913 at the age of 54.

Gil Hodges

Positions: First Baseman and Outfielder

Bats: Right • Throws: Right

6-1, 200lb (185cm, 90kg)

Born: April 4, 1924 in Princeton, IN us

Died: April 2, 1972 (Aged 47-364d) in West Palm Beach, FL

Buried: Holy Cross Cemetery, Brooklyn, NY

High School: Petersburg HS (Petersburg, IN)

School: St. Joseph’s College (Rensselaer, IN)

Debut: October 3, 1943 (Age 19-182d, 9,547th in major league history)
vs. CIN 2 AB, 0 H, 0 HR, 0 RBI, 1 SB

Last Game: May 5, 1963 (Age 39-031d)
vs. SFG 4 AB, 1 H, 0 HR, 1 RBI, 0 SB

Hall of Fame: Inducted as Player in 2022. (Voted by Golden Days Era Committee)

Rookie Status: Exceeded rookie limits during 1948 season

Full Name: Gilbert Ray Hodges

SUMMARY

Career

WAR

43.8

7030

1921

370

.273

1105

RBI

1274

OBP

.359

SLG

.487

OPS

.846

OPS+

120

Long known as the player to have received the most Hall of Fame votes without getting in, Gil Hodges shed that mantle when the Veterans Committee elected him to the Baseball Hall of Fame 2022 class. A native of southwestern Indiana, Hodges spent all but two of his 18 years in the Major Leagues with the Dodgers, making the move west from Brooklyn to Los Angeles with the club in 1958.

Hodges was an eight-time National League All-Star, making the team every year from 1949 to 1955 and again in 1957. Long considered an elite defender at first base, he won three straight Gold Gloves from 1957 to 1959, the first three seasons they were awarded when there were no separate awards for the National and American Leagues. He was part of seven National League pennant winners as a player, helping bring home two World Series titles, one to Brooklyn in 1955 and the other to L.A. in 1959.

One of Hodges’ most notable achievements came after his playing career. Prior to the 1968 season, Hodges left his job as manager of the Washington Senators to join the New York Mets, the team with which he’d finished his playing career. After finishing ninth in the 10-team National League in 1968, Hodges led the club to a 100-62 season in 1969. The Miracles Mets swept the NLCS and dropped only one game in the World Series on the way to the first World Series championship in franchise history.

Hodges’ managerial career came to a sudden and tragic end just before the start of the 1972 season, when he died of a heart attack shortly after a round of golf with a group of Mets coaches. Hodges was just 47.

Jim Kaat

Position: Pitcher

Bats: Left • Throws: Left

6-4, 205lb (193cm, 92kg)

Born: November 7, 1938 (Age: 84-168d) in Zeeland, MI us

High School: Zeeland HS (Zeeland, MI)

School: Hope College (Holland, MI)

Debut: August 2, 1959 (Age 20-268d, 11,663rd in major league history)
vs. CHW 2.2 IP, 2 H, 0 SO, 3 BB, 1 ER, L

Last Game: July 1, 1983 (Age 44-236d)
vs. PIT 1.1 IP, 1 H, 0 SO, 0 BB, 0 ER

Hall of Fame: Inducted as Player in 2022. (Voted by Golden Days Era Committee)

Rookie Status: Exceeded rookie limits during 1960 season

Full Name: James Lee Kaat

Nicknames: Kitty

Pronunciation: \cott\

SUMMARY

Career

WAR

50.5

283

237

ERA

3.45

898

625

4530.1

2461

WHIP

1.259

Though he may be most familiar to a generation of fans as a broadcaster, Jim Kaat won 283 games over 25 seasons. After many years of falling short of election, the Veterans Committee deemed Kaat worthy of joining the list of players in the Baseball Hall of Fame.

Though Kaat was named an All-Star only three times, he had eight seasons of three or more wins above replacement. One of those came in 1966 with the Minnesota Twins when he led the American league in innings pitched (304.2), wins (25), and complete games (19).

Kaat is perhaps best known for his fielding prowess. The lefty won 16 Gold Glove awards, a record for pitchers until it was broken by Greg Maddux in 2007. Kaat, however, won his awards consecutively, a record he still shares.

The Michigan native ended his career with the St. Louis Cardinals, where he won his first and only World Series ring at the age of 43. Kaat pitched out of the bullpen for the 1982 club that defeated the Milwaukee Brewers in seven games.

Minnie Miñoso

Positions: Leftfielder and Third Baseman

Bats: Right • Throws: Right

5-10, 175lb (178cm, 79kg)

Born: November 29, 1923 in Perico, Cuba cu

Died: March 1, 2015 (Aged 91-092d) in Chicago, IL

Debut: 1946 (10,009th in major league history)

AL/NL Debut: April 19, 1949 (Age 25-141d)
vs. SLB 0 AB, 0 H, 0 HR, 0 RBI, 0 SB

Last Game: October 5, 1980 (Age 56-311d)
vs. CAL 1 AB, 0 H, 0 HR, 0 RBI, 0 SB

Hall of Fame: Inducted as Player in 2022. (Voted by Golden Days Era Committee)

Rookie Status: Exceeded rookie limits during 1946 season (Exceeded AL/NL rookie limits during 1951 season)

Full Name: Saturnino Orestes Armas Miñoso

Nicknames: Cuban Comet

Pronunciation: \mi-NO-so\

SUMMARY

Career

WAR

53.2

7059

2113

195

.299

1228

RBI

1089

216

OBP

.387

SLG

.461

OPS

.848

OPS+

130

Cuban-born Minnie Miñoso, a seven-time MLB All-Star and two-time Negro National League All-Star, had his name etched into the Baseball Hall of Fame list of elected players when the Veterans Committee chose him as part of the 2022 class.

Not only did Miñoso stand out as a young player, batting .313/.364/.479 across his three Negro National League seasons before hitting .326 with a league-high 14 triples and 31 stolen bases as an MLB rookie in 1951 mostly with the Chicago White Sox, but he was able to stay productive into the latter part of his career as well. He batted .307 over a seven-season span covering ages 30 to 36, starting with the White Sox before being traded to Cleveland and then back to Chicago.

From a wins above replacement standpoint, Miñoso’s best season came in 1954 with the White Sox. His 18 triples led MLB, and his 304 total bases paced the American League. He was named an All-Star en route to a .320/.411/.535 batting line and an AL-high 8.2 wins above replacement. It marked one of four seasons where he finished exactly fourth in MVP voting, as high as he would get in his career.

Buck O’Neil

Position: First Baseman

Bats: Right • Throws: Right

5-10, 190lb (178cm, 86kg)

Born: November 13, 1911 in Carrabelle, FL us

Died: October 6, 2006 (Aged 94-327d) in Kansas City, MO

Buried: Forest Hill and Calvary Cemetery, Kansas City, MO

Debut: 1937 (8,070th in major league history)

Hall of Fame: Inducted as Pioneer/Executive in 2022. (Voted by Early Baseball Era Committee)

Rookie Status: Exceeded rookie limits during 1938 season

Full Name: John Jordan O’Neil

SUMMARY

Career

WAR

2.2

1358

348

.256

218

RBI

185

OBP

.316

SLG

.357

OPS

.673

OPS+

Though a talented player, a large part of Buck O’Neil’s candidacy rests on his status as one of the most charismatic and tireless spokespeople the baseball world has ever known. His service to the game, which spanned eight decades, was formally recognized by the Baseball Hall of Fame with his 2022 induction.

O’Neil made his debut in the Negro American League in 1937 at age 25 with the Memphis Red Sox. He joined the Kansas City Monarchs the next year and remained with the club for the remainder of his career. O’Neil made two All-Star teams in 1942 and 1943 before taking two seasons off for military service. He returned in 1946 and had arguably his best season in 1947, batting .286 with an .809 OPS and a league-leading 54 runs scored.

Following his playing career, he joined the Chicago Cubs as a scout, signing stars such as Lou Brock and Oscar Gamble. O’Neil was promoted to the Cubs’ major league coaching staff in 1962, making him the first Black coach to serve on an MLB roster. He returned to full-time scouting in 1964, and moved back to Kansas City to scout for the Royals in 1988. There, he was instrumental in the growth of the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum. In 1994, he was featured in Ken Burns’ nine-part documentary Baseball, allowing a large audience to hear his captivating stories about Black baseball legends like Satchel Paige and Josh Gibson for the first time.

O’Neil was still listed in the Royals media guide as a part-time scout in 2006. He died in October of that year at age 94.

Tony Oliva

Position: Rightfielder

Bats: Left • Throws: Right

6-1, 175lb (185cm, 79kg)

Born: July 20, 1938 (Age: 84-279d) in Pinar del Rio, Cuba cu

Debut: September 9, 1962 (Age 24-051d, 12,022nd in major league history)
vs. DET 1 AB, 0 H, 0 HR, 0 RBI, 0 SB

Last Game: September 29, 1976 (Age 38-071d)
vs. TEX 1 AB, 0 H, 0 HR, 0 RBI, 0 SB

Hall of Fame: Inducted as Player in 2022. (Voted by Golden Days Era Committee)

Rookie Status: Exceeded rookie limits during 1964 season

Full Name: Tony Pedro Oliva

Pronunciation: \aw-LEE-vah\

Hall of Fame
Rookie of the Year
8x All-Star
Gold Glove
3x Batting Title

SUMMARY

Career

WAR

43.0

6301

1917

220

.304

870

RBI

947

OBP

.353

SLG

.476

OPS

.830

OPS+

131

Born in Cuba in 1938, Tony Oliva would play his entire career with the Minnesota Twins. Oliva’s eight straight All-Star appearances from 1964 to 1971 and career .304 batting average were key to his election to the Baseball Hall of Fame.

Oliva’s talent was evident from his first season as a full-time Major Leaguer in 1964, when he led the American League in batting average (.323) and doubles (43) and led all of baseball with 217 hits, including a career-high 32 home runs. Oliva received 19 of 20 first-place votes for AL Rookie of the Year and finished fourth in MVP voting. It was the first of three times Oliva would lead the American League in batting average, including a career-high .337 mark in 1971.

Oliva’s number 6 jersey is retired by the Twins, and he was part of the inaugural class of the Twins Hall of Fame in 2000.

David Ortiz

Positions: Designated Hitter and First Baseman

Bats: Left • Throws: Left

6-3, 230lb (190cm, 104kg)

Born: November 18, 1975 (Age: 47-158d) in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic do

High School: Estudia Espillat (Dominican Republic)

Debut: September 2, 1997 (Age 21-288d, 17,145th in major league history)
vs. CHC 1 AB, 0 H, 0 HR, 0 RBI, 0 SB

Last Game: October 2, 2016 (Age 40-319d)
vs. TOR 4 AB, 0 H, 0 HR, 0 RBI, 0 SB

Hall of Fame: Inducted as Player in 2022. (Voted by BBWAA on 307/394 ballots)

Rookie Status: Exceeded rookie limits during 1998 season

Agents: ISE Baseball

Full Name: David Americo Ortiz

Nicknames: Big Papi or Cookie Monster

Twitter: @davidortiz

SUMMARY

Career

WAR

55.3

8640

2472

541

.286

1419

RBI

1768

OBP

.380

SLG

.552

OPS

.931

OPS+

141

While Ortiz is the third member of this Hall of Fame class to have played for the Twins, most Minnesota fans would rather not be reminded that their club let one of the most productive hitters of the last two decades walk away.

Ortiz was solid if unspectacular in the Twin Cities, posting a 108 OPS+ over six seasons, but with no clear defensive home, he was famously released following the 2002 season, paving the way for him to join the Boston Red Sox. After hitting 20 home runs his last season with the Twins, Ortiz set new careers in homers in each of his first four seasons in Boston, going from 31 home runs in 2003 to 41 in 2004 – a season we’ll come back to – to 47 in 2005 before topping out at 54 in 2006. Each of his first five seasons in Boston resulted in a top five finish in MVP voting.

What solidified Big Papi’s place in baseball lore, though, was his work in the postseason. In 2004, just his second year in New England, Ortiz batted .400/.515./.764 in 14 playoff games, including three home runs in the ALCS to capture MVP honors as the Red Sox rallied from a three games to none deficit against the Yankees. In the 2004 World Series, Ortiz again loomed large, posting a 1.083 OPS to help the Red Sox capture their first World Series since 1918. It was the first of three titles Ortiz would help the Red Sox win.

Ortiz finished his career in spectacular fashion in 2016, leading all of MLB in OPS at 1.021 at age 40. He belted 541 home runs over 20 years, 17th most in major league history. Ortiz was the only member of the 2022 Hall of Fame class to be voted in by the BBWAA, receiving 77.9% of the votes in his first time on the ballot.

Where is the baseball hall of fame?

The Baseball Hall of Fame is in Cooperstown, New York.

Who are the 2022 baseball hall of fame inductees?

The 2022 Baseball Hall of Fame inductees were Bud Fowler, Gil Hodges, Jim Kaat, Minnie Miñoso, Buck O’Neil, Tony Oliva, and David Ortiz.

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The post 2022 Baseball Hall of Fame Inductees appeared first on Baseball Reference Blog.

The 10 Greatest Center Fielders

Darin Hayes — Mon, 03 Apr 2023 21:32:43 +0000

Some tremendous Major League center fielders have dominated the game throughout baseball history. This position requires speed, agility, and an excellent eye for the ball off of the bat. If they have the wheels in the field, they will likely have them on the baselines as well, so add in a solid bat, and you’ll have a great all-around player. Here are ten of the strongest candidates for the title of the greatest center fielders of all time.

The Greatest Defensive Center Fielders of All Time

Let us first note some of the top defensive players at the position. The criteria we will measure will be the number of Gold and Platinum Gloves these center fielders received throughout their careers. This is a solid indicator of making outs and keeping the ball in front of them.

Paul Blair“>

Paul Blair

Position: Centerfielder

Bats: Right • Throws: Right

6-0, 168lb (183cm, 76kg)

Born: February 1, 1944 in Cushing, OK us

Died: December 26, 2013 (Aged 69-328d) in Baltimore, MD

Buried: Cremated

High School: Manual Arts HS (Los Angeles, CA)

Debut: September 9, 1964 (Age 20-221d, 12,291st in major league history)
vs. WSA 0 AB, 0 H, 0 HR, 0 RBI, 0 SB

Last Game: June 20, 1980 (Age 36-140d)
vs. OAK 0 AB, 0 H, 0 HR, 0 RBI, 0 SB

Rookie Status: Exceeded rookie limits during 1965 season

Full Name: Paul L. D. Blair

Nicknames: Motormouth

SUMMARY

Career

WAR

37.7

6042

1513

134

.250

776

RBI

620

171

OBP

.302

SLG

.382

OPS

.684

OPS+

This legendary center fielder was an asset in the field in any line-up. Blair won eight Gold Glove Awards for his stingy defense on four World Series-winning teams. Two as a Baltimore Oriole (1966, 1970) and two in New York Yankee pinstripes (1977, 1978).

Ken Griffey Jr.“>

Ken Griffey Jr.

Position: Centerfielder

Bats: Left • Throws: Left

6-3,195lb (190cm, 88kg)

Born: November 21, 1969 (Age: 53-133d) in Donora, PA us

Draft: Drafted by the Seattle Mariners in the 1st round (1st) of the 1987 MLB June Amateur Draft from Archbishop Moeller HS (Cincinnati, OH).

High School: Archbishop Moeller HS (Cincinnati, OH)

Debut: April 3, 1989 (Age 19-133d, 15,576th in major league history)
vs. OAK 3 AB, 1 H, 0 HR, 0 RBI, 0 SB

Last Game: May 31, 2010 (Age 40-191d)
vs. MIN 1 AB, 0 H, 0 HR, 0 RBI, 0 SB

Hall of Fame: Inducted as Player in 2016. (Voted by BBWAA on 437/440 ballots)
View Ken Griffey Jr.’s Page at the Baseball Hall of Fame (plaque, photos, videos).

Rookie Status: Exceeded rookie limits during 1989 season

Agents: Brian Goldberg • Previously: Eric Goldschmidt

National Team: us USA (WBC)

Full Name: George Kenneth Griffey

Nicknames: Junior, The Kid or The Natural

Relatives: Son of Ken Griffey

Hall of Fame
MVP
13x All-Star
3x HR Derby Champ
10x Gold Glove
7x Silver Slugger
AS MVP
ML PoY

SUMMARY

Career

WAR

83.8

9801

2781

630

.284

1662

RBI

1836

184

OBP

.370

SLG

.538

OPS

.907

OPS+

136

Griffey Jr.’s bloodline speaks for itself, but Junior put together an awe-inspiring MLB career himself, in addition to the legacy of his father’s accomplishments. Ken Jr. might be most remembered for his solid bat in any lineup he was placed in; League MVP, seven-time Silver Slugger, Player of Year, and even a three-time Home Run Derby Champ! He held a .538 career slugging percentage, knocked in over 1800 runs, and sent the ball over the wall 630 times. With all the hitting success, it may be easy to overlook the younger Griffey’s ten Gold Gloves earned over his career in the center field.

Torii Hunter“>

Torii Hunter

Position: Outfielder

Bats: Right • Throws: Right

6-2,220lb (188cm, 99kg)

Born: July 18, 1975 (Age: 47-259d) in Pine Bluff, AR us

Draft: Drafted by the Minnesota Twins in the 1st round (20th) of the 1993 MLB June Amateur Draft from Pine Bluff HS (Pine Bluff, AR).

High School: Pine Bluff HS (Pine Bluff, AR)

Debut: August 22, 1997 (Age 22-035d, 17,133rd in major league history)
vs. BAL 0 AB, 0 H, 0 HR, 0 RBI, 0 SB

Last Game: October 3, 2015 (Age 40-077d)
vs. KCR 3 AB, 1 H, 0 HR, 0 RBI, 0 SB

Rookie Status: Exceeded rookie limits during 1999 season

Agents: Reynolds Sports Management

Full Name: Torii Kedar Hunter

Nicknames: Spider-Man

Pronunciation: TORE-ee

Twitter: @toriihunter48

Relatives: Cousin of Choo Freeman

5x All-Star
9x Gold Glove
2x Silver Slugger

SUMMARY

Career

WAR

50.7

8857

2452

353

.277

1296

RBI

1391

195

OBP

.331

SLG

.461

OPS

.793

OPS+

110

Mr. Hunter played center field for much of his MLB career with the Minnesota Twins. This five-time All-Star took home nine Gold Gloves, all from the center field position. A career .277 hitter who was just shy of 1300 RBIs, gave Torri value with the bat in his hand as well as the glove.

Andruw Jones“>

Andruw Jones

Position: Centerfielder

Bats: Right • Throws: Right

6-1, 225lb (185cm, 102kg)

Born: April 23, 1977 (Age: 45-345d) in Willemstad, Curacao cw

High School: St. Paulus (Willemstad, Curacao)

Debut: August 15, 1996 (Age 19-114d, 16,946th in major league history)
vs. PHI 5 AB, 1 H, 0 HR, 1 RBI, 0 SB

Last Game: October 3, 2012 (Age 35-163d)
vs. BOS 1 AB, 0 H, 0 HR, 0 RBI, 0 SB

Rookie Status: Exceeded rookie limits during 1997 season

Agents: Boras Corporation

Full Name: Andruw Rudolf Jones

Nicknames: The Curaçao Kid

Pronunciation: Andrew

Instagram: @therealandruwjones

5x All-Star
10x Gold Glove
Silver Slugger
ML PoY

SUMMARY

Career

WAR

62.7

7599

1933

434

.254

1204

RBI

1289

152

OBP

.337

SLG

.486

OPS

.823

OPS+

111

Jones was a long-time Atlanta Braves player that helped them reach numerous postseasons in Hot-Lanta. During his seventeen-year career, Andruw took home ten Gold Gloves, five All-Star appearances, and was even a Major League Player of the Year! These facts and figures alone place him as one of the all-time greatest center fielders in MLB history.

Willie Mays“>

Willie Mays

Position: Centerfielder

Bats: Right • Throws: Right

5-10, 170lb (178cm, 77kg)

Born: May 6, 1931 (Age: 91-332d) in Westfield, AL us

High School: Fairfield Industrial HS (Fairfield, AL)

Debut: 1948 (10,377th in major league history)

AL/NL Debut: May 25, 1951 (Age 20-019d)
vs. PHI 5 AB, 0 H, 0 HR, 0 RBI, 0 SB

Last Game: September 9, 1973 (Age 42-126d)
vs. MON 2 AB, 0 H, 0 HR, 0 RBI, 0 SB

Hall of Fame: Inducted as Player in 1979. (Voted by BBWAA on 409/432 ballots)
View Willie Mays’s Page at the Baseball Hall of Fame (plaque, photos, videos).

Rookie Status: Exceeded rookie limits during 1951 season

Full Name: Willie Howard Mays

Nicknames: Say Hey Kid

Hall of Fame
2x MVP
Rookie of the Year
24x All-Star
1954 World Series
12x Gold Glove
Batting Title
2x AS MVP
ML PoY

SUMMARY

Career

WAR

156.1

10924

3293

660

.301

2068

RBI

1909

339

OBP

.384

SLG

.557

OPS

.940

OPS+

155

The “Say Hey Kid” was an exceptional fielder, as testified by his dozen Gold Gloves for playing center field. This long-time San Francisco Giant had great range to cover and track most balls hit the middle of the outfield. Mays also played in an impressive 24 All-Star games over his 24 years baseball career. A solid glove and a great bat sent him easily on a trip to Cooperstown.

The Top Home Run-Powered Center Fielders

The glamour stat in baseball is the long-ball over the fence. We have already talked about a couple of the CFs with the most base-clearing swings of the the bat, in Ken Griffey Jr. and Willie Mays, but here are a few others that could drive the ball out of the park.

Carlos Beltrán“>

Carlos Beltrán

Position: Centerfielder

Bats: Both • Throws: Right

6-1, 215lb (185cm, 97kg)

Born: April 24, 1977 (Age: 45-344d) in Manati, Puerto Rico pr

Draft: Drafted by the Kansas City Royals in the 2nd round of the 1995 MLB June Amateur Draft from Fernando Callejo HS (Manati, Puerto Rico).

High School: Fernando Callejo HS (Manati, Puerto Rico)

Debut: September 14, 1998 (Age 21-143d, 17,370th in major league history)
vs. OAK 1 AB, 1 H, 0 HR, 0 RBI, 0 SB

Last Game: October 1, 2017 (Age 40-160d)
vs. BOS 2 AB, 1 H, 0 HR, 0 RBI, 0 SB

Rookie Status: Exceeded rookie limits during 1999 season

Agents: Dan Lozano • Previously: Scott Boras

Full Name: Carlos Ivan Beltrán

Nicknames: Ivan

Pronunciation: bel-TRAHN

Twitter: @carlosbeltran15

Instagram: @cbeltran15

Relatives: Cousin of Rey Fuentes

Rookie of the Year
9x All-Star
2017 World Series
3x Gold Glove
2x Silver Slugger

SUMMARY

Career

WAR

70.1

9768

2725

435

.279

1582

RBI

1587

312

OBP

.350

SLG

.486

OPS

.837

OPS+

119

Betran is a contender for the list with his 435 HRs, three Gold Gloves, almost 1600 RBIs, and nine All-Star seasons. Carlos also was a World Series winner, a two-time Silver Slugger, and a Rookie Of the Year winner.

Mickey Mantle“>

Mickey Mantle

Positions: Centerfielder and First Baseman

Bats: Both • Throws: Right

5-11, 195lb (180cm, 88kg)

Born: October 20, 1931 in Spavinaw, OK us

Died: August 13, 1995 (Aged 63-297d) in Dallas, TX

Buried: Sparkman-Hillcrest Memorial Park, Dallas, TX

High School: Commerce HS (Commerce, OK)

Debut: April 17, 1951 (Age 19-179d, 10,769th in major league history)
vs. BOS 4 AB, 1 H, 0 HR, 1 RBI, 0 SB

Last Game: September 28, 1968 (Age 36-344d)
vs. BOS 1 AB, 0 H, 0 HR, 0 RBI, 0 SB

Hall of Fame: Inducted as Player in 1974. (Voted by BBWAA on 322/365 ballots)
View Mickey Mantle’s Page at the Baseball Hall of Fame (plaque, photos, videos).

Rookie Status: Exceeded rookie limits during 1951 season

Full Name: Mickey Charles Mantle

Nicknames: The Mick, The Commerce Comet or Muscles

SUMMARY

Career

WAR

110.2

8102

2415

536

.298

1676

RBI

1509

153

OBP

.421

SLG

.557

OPS

.977

OPS+

172

Mantle was a mainstay in the Yankee outfield as the middleman. His 530 career dingers, 20 All-Star appearances, a Gold Glove, a Major League Player of the Year, a Batting Title, and seven World Series Championships is a resume for one of the greatest players in MLB history to play center field.

Getting on Base

Our next look is at the center fielders in MLB history who had the best On Base Percentage over their careers.

Oscar Charleston“>

Oscar Charleston

Positions: Centerfielder and First Baseman

Bats: Left • Throws: Left

5-8, 185lb (173cm, 83kg)

Born: October 14, 1896 in Indianapolis, IN us

Died: October 5, 1954 (Aged 57-356d) in Philadelphia, PA

Buried: Floral Park Cemetery, Indianapolis, IN

Debut: 1920 (4,834th in major league history)

Hall of Fame: Inducted as Player in 1976. (Voted by Negro League Committee)
View Oscar Charleston’s Page at the Baseball Hall of Fame (plaque, photos, videos).

Rookie Status: Exceeded rookie limits during 1920 season

Full Name: Oscar McKinley Charleston

Relatives: Brother of Bennie Charleston

SUMMARY

Career

WAR

48.1

3317

1210

143

.365

854

RBI

853

210

OBP

.449

SLG

.615

OPS

1.064

OPS+

184

This Negro League Legend was one of the best to ever play, consistently finding a way to safely reach base. A stellar .449 OBP, three Triple Crowns, Three All-Star selections, and three Batting Titles make Oscar a strong candidate.

Ty Cobb“>

Ty Cobb

Position: Centerfielder

Bats: Left • Throws: Right

6-1, 175lb (185cm, 79kg)

Born: December 18, 1886 in Narrows, GA us

Died: July 17, 1961 (Aged 74-211d) in Atlanta, GA

Buried: Rose Hill Cemetery, Royston, GA

High School: Franklin County HS (Royston, GA)

Debut: August 30, 1905 (Age 18-255d, 2,755th in major league history)
vs. NYY 3 AB, 1 H, 0 HR, 1 RBI, 0 SB

Last Game: September 11, 1928 (Age 41-268d)
vs. NYY 1 AB, 0 H, 0 HR, 0 RBI, 0 SB

Rookie Status: Exceeded rookie limits during 1905 season

Full Name: Tyrus Raymond Cobb

Nicknames: The Georgia Peach

Hall of Fame
MVP
Triple Crown
12x Batting Title

SUMMARY

Career

WAR

151.5

11440

4189

117

.366

2245

RBI

1944

897

OBP

.433

SLG

.512

OPS

.944

OPS+

168

The Georgia Peach would not be denied mention on this prestigious list of candidates. Cobb’s amazing dozen batting Titles, League MVP accolade, a Triple Crown, and lofty On Base Percentage of .433 easily help obtain the right to be called one of the 10 greatest center fielders of all time.

Billy Hamilton“>

Billy Hamilton

Position: Outfielder

Bats: Left • Throws: Left

5-6, 165lb (168cm, 74kg)

Born: February 15, 1866 in Newark, NJ us

Died: December 15, 1940 (Aged 74-304d) in Worcester, MA

Buried: Eastwood Cemetery, Lancaster, MA

Debut: 1888 (1,243rd in major league history)

Last Game: September 16, 1901 (Age 35-213d)

Hall of Fame: Inducted as Player in 1961. (Voted by Veteran’s Committee)
View Billy Hamilton’s Page at the Baseball Hall of Fame (plaque, photos, videos).

Rookie Status: Exceeded rookie limits during 1888 season

Full Name: William Robert Hamilton

Nicknames: Sliding Billy