McNeil - All-Stars For All Time

ALL-STARS
FOR ALL TIME
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ALSO
BY
WILLIAM F. MCNEIL
MCFARLAND
AND FROM
Miracle in Chavez Ravine:

The Los Angeles Dodgers in 1988 (2008)
Black Baseball Out of Season:
Pay for Play Outside of the Negro Leagues (2007)
Backstop: A History of the Catcher
and a Sabermetric Ranking of 50 All-Time Greats (2006)
The Evolution of Pitching in Major League Baseball (2006)
Gabby Hartnett: The Life and Times
of the Cubs Greatest Catcher (2004)
The Single-Season Home Run Kings:
Ruth, Maris, McGwire, Sosa, and Bonds (2d ed., 2003)
The California Winter League: Americas First
Integrated Professional Baseball League (2002; paperback 2008)
Cool Papas and Double Duties:
The All-Time Greats of the Negro Leagues (2001; paperback 2005)
Baseballs Other All-Stars: The Greatest Players
from the Negro Leagues, the Japanese Leagues, the Mexican League,
and the Pre1960 Winter Leagues in Cuba,
Puerto Rico and the Dominican Republic (2000)
The King of Swat: An Analysis of Baseballs Home Run Hitters
from the Major, Minor, Negro and Japanese Leagues (1997)
ALL-STARS
FOR ALL TIME
A Sabermetric Ranking
of the Major League
Best, 18762007
WILLIAM F. MCNEIL
McFarland & Company, Inc., Publishers

Jefferson, North Carolina, and London
LIBRARY
OF
CONGRESS CATALOGUING-IN-PUBLICATION DATA
McNeil, William.
All-stars for all time : a sabermetric ranking of the major
league best, 18762007 / William F. McNeil.
p.
cm.
Includes bibliographical references and index.
ISBN 978-0-7864-3500-5
softcover : 50# alkaline paper
1. Baseball United States History.
GV863.A1M427 2009
796.3570973 dc22
I. Title.
2008039635
British Library cataloguing data are available
2009 William F. McNeil. All rights reserved
No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form
or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying
or recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system,
without permission in writing from the publisher.
On the cover: Shoeless Joe Jackson (authors collection)
Manufactured in the United States of America
McFarland & Company, Inc., Publishers

Box 611, Jefferson, North Carolina 28640
www.mcfarlandpub.com
To the latest arrival in the McNeil clan,

Jamie Eileen Riley,
a beautiful Irish colleen with
lovely brown hair and bright blue eyes.
She weighed in at seven pounds, two ounces,
at 4:55 P.M., MDT, on August 3, 2007,
in Albuquerque, New Mexico.
Acknowledgments
I would like to acknowledge and thank the following people and organizations for their assistance.
Pete Palmer once again came to my rescue and has generously permitted me to use statistics from his book, The Baseball Encyclopedia.
James R. Madden, Jr., a friend, and a ne researcher and photographer,
has authorized me to publish his photos of Barry Bonds, Randy Johnson,
Alex Rodriguez, Ichiro Suzuki, and Ken Grifn, Jr.
Jay Sanford, another long-time friend, has authorized me to use several
photos from his personal collection, including Lou Boudreau, Eddie Mathews, Ron Santo, and Brooks Robinson.
The Boston Red Sox gave me authorization to publish the photos of
Pedro Martinez and Roger Clemens. They requested that credit for the Martinez photo be given to Julie Cordeiro.
Debbie Matson, publications manager of the Boston Red Sox, deserves
a special thank you, not only for her help with the Martinez and Clemens
photos, but for the above-and-beyond effort she has made over several years
to assist me in the location and use of many photographs of Boston Red Sox
players.
Authorization to use their photos was also given by John Thorn, the St.
Louis Cardinals, the Texas Rangers and Jim Sundberg, the Ivan Pudge
Rodriguez Foundation, and the New York Mets.
viii
Contents
Acknowledgments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . viii
Preface . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
1. Baseballs All-Time All-Star Teams Through the Years . . . . . . 3
2. Methodology . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
3. The Nineteenth-Century All-Stars . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36
4. Baseballs Greatest Catchers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 62
5. Baseballs Greatest Pitchers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 84
6. Baseballs Greatest First Basemen . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 113
7. Baseballs Greatest Second Basemen . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 133
8. Baseballs Greatest Shortstops . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 147
9. Baseballs Greatest Third Basemen . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 161
10. Baseballs Greatest Right Fielders and Left Fielders . . . . . . 175
11. Baseballs Greatest Center Fielders . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 199
12. Baseballs Legendary All-Stars . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 216
Appendix: The Steroid Problem . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 223
Bibliography . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 229
Index . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 231
ix
Preface
The game of baseball is Americas National Pastime. And selecting all-star
teams has been a favorite hobby of its fans since the National League began
operations in 1876. In addition to picking annual all-star teams, it has been common practice to select all-time all-star teams. Newspapers and magazines, Major
League Baseball, active players, retired players, managers, coaches, and fans, have
been polled at one time or another to identify baseballs greatest players.
In all cases, the process has been awed. Most all-star teams that have
been published were the result of polls conducted by the media, and were
nothing more than popularity contests. The relative skills of the players were
never taken into consideration except by ones memory, surely the most unreliable measurement of all. In those cases where baseball players, managers,
and coaches were concerned, individual biases entered the equation. Players
frequently selected men they played with, played against, or saw play in
another league. The same was true of managers and coaches. Players they had
close contact with, obviously, had an advantage.
In a few cases, all-time all-star teams were chosen based on a players
statistics, but in those cases, without exception, the players were measured
only on their offensive contributions to the game. Defense was never taken
into consideration. And the offensive statistics were the simple measurements
of batting average and slugging average. The effect the physical dimensions
of a ballpark had on a players statistics were not taken into consideration.
Neither were a players other contributions to his teams offense, such as his
stolen bases, sacrice hits, and the number of times he hit into double plays.
This study was undertaken to overcome those shortcomings. Formulas
were developed for measuring a players overall contribution to his teams success, both offensively and defensively. And the necessary adjustments were
made to put all the players on a level playing eld, by accounting for differences in the various ballparks and for the era-to-era differences in the physical aspects of the game.
1
C HAPTER 1
Baseballs All-Time
All-Star Teams
Through the Years
The publics fascination with baseballs greatest players, and with selecting all-star teams, began back in the dawn of the game. In 1860, Jimmy
Creighton, a handsome, 19-year-old pitcher for the Brooklyn Excelsiors,
became an overnight celebrity when he pitched his team to the mythical
national championship. The 5' 7" fastball pitcher was unbeatable as the Excelsiors toured the Northeast, meeting and defeating the best teams in their
respective towns. He defeated the Champion Club of Albany by a 246 score,
knocked off the highly touted Niagaras of Buffalo, 5019, and took the measure of the Athletics of Philadelphia, 154, before a raucous crowd of 3,000.
Included in the gatherings were more than a few young ladies. Creighton, it
seems, had become a matinee idol to the female set, and they ocked to the
ballparks whenever the Excelsiors came to town. The attention also made the
Brooklyn pitcher the rst professional baseball player, as the Excelsiors secretly
paid him in order to keep his loyalty.
Nine years after Jimmy Creighton rose to fame, Harry Wright traveled
the East Coast looking for the best baseball players that money could buy.
He was the manager of the Cincinnati Red Stockings, and he had been commissioned by the owners to assemble baseballs rst professional team. It might
also be called baseballs rst all-star team since Harry Wright signed only the
cream of the crop. The highest-paid player, and probably the greatest baseball player of his time, was Harrys younger brother, George, a slugging shortstop who would rip the ball at a .518 clip with 59 home runs in 52 games for
Cincinnati in 1869.
The Redlegs put together an 80-game undefeated streak in 186970, the
only blemish on their record being a 1717 tie with the Haymakers of Troy,
3
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New York. But, like all good things, the streak ended on June 14, 1870, when
they fell to the Brooklyn Atlantics by the score of 87 in eleven innings. The
Atlantics, like the Redlegs, were a solid team at every position.
A true all-star team for the period could have been made up of players
from both teams.
Catcher:
Doug Allison Cincinnati

Bob Ferguson Brooklyn
Pitcher:
Asa Brainard Cincinnati

George Zettlein Brooklyn
First Base:
Charley Gould Cincinnati

Joe Start Brooklyn
Second Base:
Charlie Sweasy Cincinnati

Lipman Pike Brooklyn
Shortstop:
George Wright Cincinnati

Dickey Pearce Brooklyn
Third Base:
Fred Waterman Cincinnati

Charles Smith Brooklyn
Left Field:
Andy Leonard Cincinnati

John Chapman Brooklyn
Center Field:
Harry Wright Cincinnati

George Hall Brooklyn
Right Field:
Cal McVey Cincinnati

Dan McDonald Brooklyn
The Reds disbanded after the 1870 season, but the games rst professional league the National Association of Professional Baseball Players, commonly known as the National Association (NA) was formed shortly thereafter.
Some of the great players such as Harry Wright that brought the crowds to
their feet in baseball parks up and down the East Coast were too old to play
in the new professional league, but many of the younger players starred in
the National Association and its successor, the National League, for ten or
more years. The success of these players in the NA and the NL justied their
selection to the all-star team.
George Wright played in the NA for ve years and the NL for seven
years, batting a combined .301. His tactic of intentionally dropping a pop
y if there were two or more men on base and less than two out in order
to get a double play led the introduction of the ineld y rule.
Asa Brainard pitched in the NA for four years, compiling a 2453 wonlost record, including a 522 record in his last year.
1. Baseballs All-Time All-Star Teams Through the Years
George The Charmer Zettlein played in the NA for ve years and in

the NL for one year, retiring with a career record of 129 wins against 112
losses, including a record of 3615 in 1873.
Lip Pike played ve years in the NA and ve years in the NL, batting a
combined .322.
Cal McVey played for the Boston Beaneaters in the NA for ve years,
helping the powerful Boston team to four consecutive pennants. In 1876,
he batted .347 for the Chicago White Stockings as they captured the rst
National League pennant. McVey batted .362 in the NA and .328 during
his four-year NL career.
George Hall, another ve-year veteran of the NA, played two years in
the NL, and won the rst home run title in NL history by blasting ve
round-trippers in 268 at-bats. Hall batted .311 in the NA and hit .345
in two years in the NL before he was suspended for life in a gambling
scandal.
Bob Death to Flying Things Ferguson enjoyed a long professional
career, playing in the NA for ve years and in the NL for nine years. The
switch-hitting third baseman batted .254 in the NA and .271 in the NL
and played sensational defense at third base.
Dickey Pearce, who was 35 years old when the National Association was
formed, played ve years in the NA and two years in the NL, batting a
combined .251. The 5' 4", 161-pound inelder dened the shortstop position. Prior to Pearce, the shortstop was more of an outelder than an
inelder. Pearce also developed the fair-foul bunt that drove third basemen crazy before the rules were changed to prevent such a maneuver.
Charlie Gould played four years in the NA and two years in the NL, batting a combined .257.
First baseman Joe Old Reliable Start played ve years in the NA followed by an eleven-year career in the NL. He retired in 1886 at the age
of 43 with a combined batting average of .299, including an even .300
average in the National League. He played on two NL pennant-winners
with the Providence Grays, hitting .319 for the 1879 squad and .276 for
the powerful 1884 club. In the rst World Series, matching the NL champions against the American Association champions, the Grays swept the
New York Mets three straight to claim the crown.
Allen & Ginter, one of the countrys leading tobacco companies, advertised their Worlds Champion athletes in 1887, a group of fty athletes that
included western rie marksmen Annie Oakley and Buffalo Bill Cody, heavyweight boxing champion John L. Sullivan, several pool players and strong
men, and ten baseball players, representing the games greatest players. The
baseball all-star team consisted of:
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Michael J. King Kelly, star outelder for the Boston Nationals, who led
the National League in batting in 1886 with a hefty .388 average.
Cap Anson, rst baseman and leader of the Chicago Cubs, who had batted
.371 in 1886.
Bob Caruthers, the St. Louis Browns ace pitcher, who had gone 3014 in
1886.
John Montgomery Ward, shortstop for the New York Giants, who led the
National League in elding in 1887 with a .919 elding average.
John Clarkson, pitcher for the Chicago Cubs, who won 36 games against
17 losses in 1886.
Tim Keefe, ace of the New York Giant pitching staff, who led the National League with 42 victories against 20 losses in 1886.
Jack Glasscock, shortstop for the St. Louis Maroons, who led the National League in elding in 1886 with a .906 average while tattooing the
ball at a .325 clip.
Charles Comiskey, rst baseman for the St. Louis Browns, who batted
.325 in 1887.
Charlie Bennett, catcher for the Detroit Wolverines, who led National
League catchers in elding in 1886 with a .955 average.
Joe Mulvey, third baseman for the Philadelphia Athletics, who batted
.287 with an .865 elding average in 1887.
Various newspapers, magazines, and other media outlets continued to
present their major league baseball all-time all-star teams to interested fans
down through the years. Even the board game manufacturers got into the picture. Cadaco Ellis, manufacturer of the popular Ethan Allens All-Star Baseball Game that was introduced in 1941 and provided thousands of boys with
hundreds of thousands of hours of enjoyment over the next half-century,
included in some editions of the game approximately 20 discs of what the
companys staff felt were baseballs all-time all-stars in addition to playing discs
of active players. Their selections were:
Catchers:
Mickey Cochrane, Bill Dickey.
Pitchers:
Walter Johnson, Grover Cleveland Alexander, Christy Mathewson,

Cy Young.
First Base:
Lou Gehrig, George Sisler.
Second Base: Rogers Hornsby, Eddie Collins.

Shortstop:
Honus Wagner, Joe Cronin.
Third Base:
Pie Traynor, Joe Dugan.
Outeld:
Babe Ruth, Tris Speaker, Ty Cobb, Earle Combs, Paul Waner, Al

Simmons.
The Cadaco Ellis squad was probably as good an all-time all-star baseball team as could be assembled for the period from 1900 to 1940.
Branch Rickey, a baseball legend and a veritable genius when it came to
evaluating talent, selected his all-time all-star team in his book, The American Diamond, in 1965. It is presented here without comment.
Catcher:
Mickey Cochrane
Roy Campanella
Pitcher:
Cy Young
Kid Nichols
Rube Waddell
Addie Joss
Christy Mathewson
Walter Johnson
Ed Walsh
Grover Cleveland Alexander
Carl Hubbell
Dizzy Dean
Bob Feller
Warren Spahn
First Base:
George Sisler
Lou Gehrig
Second Base:
Rogers Hornsby
Eddie Collins
Jackie Robinson
Shortstop:
Honus Wagner
Third Base:
Pie Traynor
Frankie Frisch
Outeld:
Ty Cobb
Babe Ruth
Joe Jackson
Tris Speaker
Joe DiMaggio
Ted Williams
Stan Musial
Willie Mays
Another all-star team was reported by Gerald Secor Couzens in his book,
A Baseball Album. According to Couzens, Major League Baseball conducted
a survey of baseball fans, writers, and sportscasters in 1969 to identify the
greatest players of the rst one hundred years. The team selected by the voters included:
Catchers Mickey Cochrane, Bill Dickey, Roy Campanella
Pitchers (right-handed) Walter Johnson, Cy Young, Christy Mathewson
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Pitchers (left-handed) Lefty Grove, Sandy Koufax, Carl Hubbell

First Basemen Lou Gehrig, George Sisler, Stan Musial
Second Base Rogers Hornsby, Charlie Gehringer, Eddie Collins
Shortstop Honus Wagner, Joe Cronin, Ernie Banks
Third Base Pie Traynor, Jackie Robinson, Brooks Robinson
Outeld Joe DiMaggio, Babe Ruth, Ty Cobb, Ted Williams, Tris Speaker,
Willie Mays.
In 1990, Street & Smiths Baseball magazine presented its Dream Team,
the greatest players of the previous 50 years. The magazine polled active and
retired players, managers, coaches, general managers, and media to identify
the best of the best.
The team, as selected by the panel, was interesting, with the usual number of popularity choices, such as Johnny Bench, Ozzie Smith, and Don Mattingly, but on the whole it was a valid representation of the greatest major
league players between 1941 and 1990.
Best Player
Best Hitter
Left-handed Pitcher
Right-handed Pitcher
Relief Pitcher
Catcher
First Base
Second Base
Shortstop
Third Base
Outeld
Outeld
Outeld
Pinch Hitter (LH)
Pinch Hitter (RH)
Utility
Pinch Runner
National League
American League
Willie Mays
Stan Musial
Sandy Koufax
Bob Gibson
Bruce Sutter
Johnny Bench
Willie McCovey
Joe Morgan
Ozzie Smith
Mike Schmidt
Willie Mays
Hank Aaron
Roberto Clemente
Stan Musial
Ernie Banks
Pete Rose
Lou Brock
Joe DiMaggio
Ted Williams
Whitey Ford
Bob Feller
Rollie Fingers
Yogi Berra
Don Mattingly
Bobby Doerr
Luis Aparicio
Brooks Robinson
Joe DiMaggio
Ted Williams
Mickey Mantle
Carl Yastrzemski
Frank Robinson
Harmon Killebrew
Rickey Henderson
In 1999, Mike Kallay wrote an article for Street & Smiths Baseball in
which he conducted a survey to identify the 50 greatest players of the twentieth century. A panel of writers and editors as well as the staff of Stats, Inc.,
were recruited to review the eligible players and to select the 50 greatest players from the pack. The team called the Team of the Century had ve unan-
Barry Bonds broke Hank Aarons career home run record in 2007 (courtesy James R.
Madden, Jr.).
imous choices Babe Ruth, Lou Gehrig, Mike Schmidt, Walter Johnson,
and Sandy Koufax.
There were a few problems associated with the selection process, however. To begin with, active players who had not yet experienced the downside of their careers were included in the voting, and several of them made
the team Ken Griffey, Jr., Roger Clemens, Mike Piazza, Tony Gwynn, Mark
McGwire, Cal Ripken, Jr., and Greg Maddux. A case might be made for the
inclusion of Clemens, Maddux, Ripken, McGwire, and Gwynn, whose careers
were nearing an end, but the fallacy of including active players on the eligibility list became clear when Griffey and Piazza suffered setbacks in their
careers after 1999. Griffey, who had been on track to hit 800 career homers,
spent four years battling injuries while his career stagnated, and Piazza, suffering the effects of the physical abuse of many years behind the plate, saw
his batting average deteriorate after 2000 and his power follow suit after 2002.
Another problem with the Team of the Century poll was the apparent need to include token Negro league players Satchel Paige and Josh Gibson. It was obvious that many, if not most, of the panel were not familiar
with the legends of Negro league baseball; nevertheless, having to include them
in the voting, they selected the two most visible names while ignoring such
giants as Smokey Joe Williams, Oscar Charleston, and Martin Dihigo.
Noticeable by his absence was Barry Bonds, who in 1999 was considered
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to be a very good major league player, but not one of the top 50 players of
the century. But in 2000, the big left elders statistics exploded. Over a fouryear stretch, from 2001 through 2004, between the ages of 37 and 40, a time
when most players have retired, he batted a robust .349, 60 points above his
previous career average, and crushed 209 home runs in 1,642 at-bats, an average of 70 home runs for every 550 at-bats. Some respected baseball experts
even went so far as to call him the greatest baseball player of all-time. As I
noted in The Evolution of Pitching in Major League Baseball, It is well known
that wine gets better with age. But ballplayers, obviously with the exception
of Barry Bonds, do not. Coincidentally, Bonds rise to a power icon began
after his move to San Francisco. The big slugger has claimed that the above
batting and slugging statistics are the result of his weight-lifting program. But
people dont bulk up by forty pounds and get puffy faces from lifting weights.
The men selected for Street & Smiths Team of the Century were:
Catcher
Pitchers
Relief
First Base
Second Base
Shortstop
Third Base
Outeld
Utility
A Team
Johnny Bench
Walter Johnson
Sandy Koufax
Christy Mathewson
Warren Spahn
Bob Gibson
Lefty Grove
Roger Clemens
Satchel Paige
Tom Seaver
Lou Gehrig
Rogers Hornsby
Honus Wagner
Mike Schmidt
Babe Ruth
Ty Cobb
Ted Williams
Willie Mays
Stan Musial
Joe DiMaggio
Mickey Mantle
Josh Gibson
Pete Rose
Ken Griffey, Jr.
B Team
Yogi Berra
Cy Young
Steve Carlton
Nolan Ryan
Bob Feller
Juan Marichal
Jim Palmer
Whitey Ford
Greg Maddux
Dennis Eckersley
Hoyt Wilhelm
Mark McGwire
Jackie Robinson
Ernie Banks
Eddie Mathews
Hank Aaron
Roberto Clemente
Tris Speaker
Tony Gwynn
Jimmie Foxx
Mike Piazza
Cal Ripken, Jr.
Joe Morgan
Brooks Robinson
Ozzie Smith
11
Major League Baseball conducted its own All-Century Team poll in

1999, involving fans from around the country. The objective of the poll was
to stimulate fan interest in our National Pastime and, as such, it was immensely
successful. More than one million fans cast votes for their favorite players. It
was, of course, nothing more than a popularity contest, with no measurement of skill involved. And, as most of the voters were on the sunny side of
forty, hardly any of them saw any player who played prior 1970. They were
familiar with the exploits of such recent players as Bob Gibson, Willie
McCovey, and Brooks Robinson, and they had heard about some of the players of yesteryear, the ancients like Ted Williams, Yogi Berra, and Mickey
Mantle, but names like Honus Wagner, Nap Lajoie, and Christy Mathewson
were unfamiliar to them. As might be expected, the results were so outlandish
that MLB had to quickly convene a special panel of baseball executives, media,
and historians to try to salvage the project. The panel added ve players to
the team, legends like Honus Wagner, Christy Mathewson, Stan Musial, Warren Spahn, and Lefty Grove. The original team, as selected by the fans, is
shown below, with the top voters listed rst, and so on down the line.
Johnny Bench, Yogi Berra, Carlton Fisk
Nolan Ryan, Sandy Koufax, Cy Young, Roger Clemens, Bob
Gibson, Walter Johnson, Greg Maddux, Steve Carlton,
Satchel Paige
First Basemen
Lou Gehrig, Mark McGwire, Jimmie Foxx
Second Basemen Jackie Robinson, Rogers Hornsby, Joe Morgan
Shortstops
Cal Ripken, Jr., Ernie Banks, Ozzie Smith
Third Basemen Mike Schmidt, Brooks Robinson, George Brett
Outelders
Babe Ruth, Hank Aaron, Ted Williams, Willie Mays, Joe
DiMaggio, Mickey Mantle, Ty Cobb, Ken Griffey, Jr., Pete
Rose, Roberto Clemente.
Catchers
Pitchers
Ozzie Smith nished just ahead of Honus Wagner in the voting. Major
League Baseball, obviously realizing that to present that end result to the fans
of America would be a travesty, quietly voted Wagner into the number three
spot. Similar adjustments had to be made to rescue Musial (number 11), Mathewson (number 14), Grove (number 18), and Spahn (number 10), from the
garbage heap.
The selection of all-time all-star teams via a voting process, whether by
fans, writers, managers, or coaches, has never resulted in a true depiction of
the greatest players in the game. Memory is a bad measure of a players
skills. There also are the normal biases that enter into the voting, such as
players that are liked or disliked by the voter, and the total disregard of obvious baseball legends because of the lack of the historical knowledge of the
voters.
12
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Unfortunately, there are no perfect measuring devices for evaluating the

skills of individual baseball players. The only thing baseball historians and
statisticians can do is provide the most equitable formulas that are available
to compare one player with another, offensively and defensively, in order to
identify the greatest players at each position.
C HAPTER 2
Methodology
Baseballs All-Time All-Star team was determined by a comparison of
each players offensive and defensive contributions as measured by his most
important statistics. Each position had to be evaluated separately since each
position had unique responsibilities that required its own measurements. For
instance, catchers had to be evaluated for their ability to throw out potential
base stealers, while pitchers were evaluated for their success in the art of pitching. Other position players were measured primarily for their success at producing runs on offense and for preventing runs on defense. Each players
statistics had to be adjusted to eliminate the differences in the game from one
era to another, and to eliminate any contributing factors resulting from the
geometry of a players home park.
There have been several statistical studies conducted over the years by
the countrys foremost baseball historians and statisticians. In my opinion,
the studies all have weak spots that make them unacceptable for identifying
baseballs greatest players. Bill James Win Shares is a theoretical evaluation
system based on a team concept and each players contribution to the teams
success. It does not evaluate players independently using their individual statistics; player ratings are related to the supposed contributions the player
makes to his team. When James was asked for the calculations for Joe DiMaggios 1937 Win Shares, he said it would take him at least eight hours to calculate that number because he would have to do the entire team rst in order
to arrive at DiMaggios contribution. Win Shares does not use individual park
factors, but rather one generalized park factor for each stadium. For instance,
there is only one park factor for Yankee Stadium even though the distances
to the left-eld area are much greater than the distances to the right-eld
area. Under that scenario, left-handed batters like Yogi Berra and Bill Dickey,
who had individual park factors of 1.34 and 2.01, respectively, would be
rewarded while right-handed batters like Joe DiMaggio and Elston Howard,
with individual park factors of 0.71 and 0.48, would be penalized. Win Shares
13
14
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also makes the assumption that players are getting better every year so todays
players receive more points, based on their birthday, than players of thirty
years ago, and players of thirty years ago receive more points than players of
sixty years ago, and so on. Finally, James rating system includes a subjective
factor that allows the statistician to add points to a particular players total if
he believes it is warranted for some reason. James, as reported in Backstop,
noted a quirk in his rating system that gave Mickey Mantle a higher overall
rating than Ty Cobb. He admitted, I gave Cobb a higher subjective factor
than I gave Mantle, and allowed him to edge back ahead. My heart is not in
it, but as I see it, the world believes that Cobb was a better player than Mantle, and I would be unable to sustain a logical argument to the contrary under
rigorous attack. I have to give Cobb the edge. A more detailed review of Bill
James Wins Shares system can be found in Backstop.
Pete Palmer, one of the early editors of Total Baseball and one of the editors of The Baseball Encyclopedia, has developed the best overall rating system available at the present time. His Player Overall Wins Rating system
(POWR) adds a players batting wins, elding wins, base running wins, and
pitching wins to rate his overall value compared to an average player. But it
is a value system as opposed to a skill system, which explains why a player
like Bert Blyleven, who pitched in the major leagues for 22 years, is rated
above Sandy Koufax, who pitched for only 12 years. Blyleven has a POWR
of 31.1 compared to a rating of 22.3 for Koufax. Palmers data is adjusted for
the era in which a player was active, but it does include a generalized park
factor similar to the one used by James. As a result, depending on the park,
a signicant advantage could be given to a right-handed batter or a lefthanded batter. In other words, all players are not competing on a level playing eld. Pete Palmer has also noted that his system is not yet satisfactory
for rating catchers because a caught-stealing factor is not included in his
equations.
The statistics used in this study will be outlined position by position,
and the reason for using each statistic will be fully explained. First, each player
was measured for both his offensive and defensive contributions, but the
weight assigned to each players offense compared to his defense varied
depending on his position. The shortstop position was considered to be the
most critical defensive position on the team for several reasons. Since most
batters hit right-handed, more balls are hit to the left side of the ineld,
between third base and second base. The shortstop is responsible for covering about two-thirds of the territory between second base and third base, and
since many of the balls he runs down are in the hole between his position
and the third base position, he must have a strong throwing arm in order to
throw out the base runner before the batter reaches rst base. He must also
have quick reactions to batted balls and above-average speed in order to charge
2. Methodolog y
15
balls that are hit slowly to his position, and he must be able to range far and
wide for pop ies that are hit anywhere from the left eld foul line to straightaway center eld. Many teams carry a shortstop who is a defensive wizard but
who has a weak bat, in appreciation of his defensive contributions to his teams
success. For this study, a shortstops defensive contributions were rated equal
to his offensive contributions.
Another player who is often carried on a team for his defensive contributions to the team is the catcher. A catchers primary responsibility is to run
the game from his position behind the plate. He is considered to be the eld
general of the team. He has the whole eld in front of him, and he sometimes positions the elders depending on the particular batter, the game situation, or the strategy that is being used. He calls the pitches a pitcher throws,
both the type of pitch and the location of the pitch. It is his responsibility to
know the strengths and weaknesses of every batter in the league and to keep
them off-balance by mixing up the pitches thrown by his pitcher. He must
also be the team psychologist, who knows the temperament of every pitcher
on his staff. He must know how to get the most out of each pitcher, when to
stroke him, when to cajole him, and when to get tough with him.
A catcher is also responsible for keeping base runners honest by not letting them take too long a lead off base and by not letting them steal bases. If
a runner takes too long a lead off base, even second base, the great catchers
will invariably pick him off. And if he attempts to steal a base, the great catchers will throw him out a high percentage of the time, usually about half the
time. Some baseball experts believe that catchers on good teams will generally throw out more prospective base stealers than catchers on poor teams,
but that theory is awed. A study of the great catchers through the years has
shown that good catchers throw out a high percentage of base runners whether
they play for a good team or a poor team. Ivan Pudge Rodriguez is a good
example. He has thrown out a high percentage of base runners whether he
was playing for a pennant-contender or for a basement-dweller. So, too, did
Gabby Hartnett. And Wes Westrum. And Ray Mueller. And Jim Sundberg.
Conversely, Mike Piazza had a poor caught-stealing record wherever he played.
He usually played for a strong, pennant-contending club, yet his caught-stealing percentage was never above 30 percent and was often in the low teens.
Other catchers who had poor caught-stealing records, even with strong teams,
included Mickey Cochrane, Carlton Fisk, Bill Freehan, and Chris Hoiles.
Pudge Rodriguez may be the most underrated catcher in the game today. He
is a .300 hitter with decent power and the most dominant defensive catcher
still active. His career caught-stealing percentage of 49 percent is one of the
highest ever recorded. And, in 2006, at 34 years old, an advanced age for a
catcher, he gunned down 51 percent of all would-be base stealers, an amazing accomplishment.
16
ALL-STARS
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A catcher also needs to have quick reexes in order to respond to the

batted ball, whether it is a pop-up, a bunt, or a ball that is topped in front
of the plate, and he should have good speed in order to reach those balls in
time to retire the batter. He is also responsible for backing up rst base on
ground balls hit to the ineld. Roy Campanella, a high school track star, and
Gabby Hartnett, who was taught the position by his father, were two of the
best at backing up rst base. In addition to those characteristics, a catcher
has to be physically tough because he is responsible for blocking the plate
to prevent base runners from scoring on close plays and the abuse he is subjected to from base runners determined to make him drop the ball can be
brutal. Unfortunately, some of a catchers greatest skills are intangible and
cannot be measured, such as calling the game and handling the pitchers. But
a review of the great catchers in baseball history reveals that essentially all
of them are strong in intangibles, so the fact that those strengths cannot
be measured should not affect the nal ratings. For this study, the catchers
defensive statistics, like those of the shortstop, were rated equal to his offensive statistics.
Third base is known as the hot corner for good reason. The third baseman is in a direct line of re for balls screaming off the bats of right-handed
sluggers, and it is his responsibility to prevent those balls from reaching the
outeld. Admittedly, the third baseman is required to cover much less ground
than the shortstop because his position is near the foul line and, in general,
his range requirement is about half that of the shortstop. Nevertheless, he still
must protect the area between the shortstop and the third base foul line, and
he must have a cannon for a throwing arm since his throws have to make their
way across the diamond to rst base, occasionally from foul territory behind
the base. He does not need to possess the speed of a shortstop, but he must
have quick reexes, because balls hit down the line or in the hole are often
hit hard, making it imperative that he react quickly in order to catch the ball
or stop it before it goes into the outeld that, in many cases, turns the hit
into a two-base hit. And he needs to react quickly to bunts or topped balls
down the third base line. From an offensive standpoint, the third baseman
in todays environment is usually one of the power hitters on the team and
one of its top run-producers. Since the third basemans offensive contribution is a signicant part of his overall value to the team, his offense-to-defense
ratio was set at two-to-one for this study.
Second base is another key ineld position that requires superior defense.
The second baseman has as much ground to cover as the shortstop, but he
does not need to have as strong a throwing arm since his throws usually
cover a much shorter distance. He does have one critical attribute that puts
him in the upper echelons of team defense. He has to be an expert in starting or turning the double play. He has to have good foot speed to get to a
2. Methodolog y
17
ball to start a double play or to get to the bag to force the base runner if the
ball is hit to another elder, and he must have the necessary acrobatic skills
to pivot, avoid the slide of the base runner, and make a strong, accurate throw
to rst base in time to retire the batter. A world-class second baseman must
also have good foot speed in order to reach pop ies hit down the right-eld
foul line, pop ies hit into no-mans land between the ineld and the outeld,
and slow-hit ineld grounders in his direction. A top second baseman is also
required to contribute to the offense much more than the shortstop but perhaps less than the third baseman. He is frequently a contact hitter with a good
batting average and an above-average on-base percentage. Many of the top
base stealers in baseball history were second basemen, such as Joe Morgan,
Davey Lopes, Jackie Robinson, Eddie Collins, and Steve Sax. The offenseto-defense ratio for second basemen was set at two-to-one for this study.
The rst baseman is usually selected for his offensive contributions to
the team as opposed to his defensive contributions. If he is a strong defensive player, thats a bonus. Often, when a team has one or more strong offensive players on the team, it is challenging to nd a position for all of them to
play; hence, the designated rst baseman. That position is usually a last resort.
If the player can play the outeld without embarrassing himself, he will be
assigned to either right eld or left eld. If he does not have the requisite skills
for playing the outeld, he may nd a home at rst base. And in todays
American League culture, if he and a elders glove are mortal enemies, he
can serve the team as its designated hitter. For a rst baseman, his offense was
considered to be four times as important as his defense in this study.
The center elder is another of those critical defensive players whose
skills with the glove are paramount to a teams success. It is an old but accurate truism that, for a team to contend for the title, it must be strong up the
middle. That means a team must have outstanding pitching plus strong
defense at catcher, second base, shortstop, and center eld. Since the right
and left elders are often selected for their bats rather than their gloves, the
center elder is the key defensive player in the outeld. One humorist wrote
that on a team with slow-moving pachyderms in the corner outeld spots,
the center elder has to cover the acreage from foul line to foul line. In many
cases, that is not far from the truth. Sufce it to say, center eld is one of the
teams most important defensive positions. And because the center elder has
to cover large expanses of ground, he must have outstanding speed, and that
characteristic often means he is an offensive threat, particularly after he gets
on base. He is often one of the teams leading base stealers. He frequently bats
leadoff, is capable of drawing a signicant number of bases on balls, is a good
bunter, and a good base runner. The center elders offensive-to-defensive
ratios in this study were set at three-to-one.
The left elder and right elder, as noted previously, are primarily in
18
ALL-STARS
FOR
ALL TIME
the lineup for their offensive contributions, not their skill with the glove.
They, like the rst baseman, were weighted at four-to-one in this study.
The offensive and defensive statistics that were used to determine baseballs all-time all-star team, position by position, follow.
Catcher
The offensive statistics used to determine the offensive skills of the catcher
included on-base percentage (OBP), slugging average (SLG), stolen bases
(SB), sacrice hits (SH), and double plays grounded into (GIDP). These same
statistics were used for each of the position players. Every statistic had to be
adjusted for the era in which the player was active, and the SLG also had to
be adjusted for the individual park factor. Base hits had to be eliminated from
the XSLG calculation since they are part of OBP and to include them in
XSLG would be double-dipping. Only the extra bases in extra-base hits were
counted, not the initial base. The era adjustment was determined by selecting a base point year, and by subtracting that value from the league average
for the years played by the individual. The base point year selected was 1960,
which is near the midpoint for the leagues yearly averages for OBP and SLG.
Coincidentally, it is also near the midpoint of the rst year of the lively ball
era and the present year, and it is also the last year in which the major leagues
were represented by 16 teams. In 1961 the American League expanded to ten
teams, with the addition of the Minnesota Twins and the Los Angeles Angels
and, the following year, the National League followed suit, with the addition
of the Houston Colt .45s and the New York Mets. Actually, the Washington
Senators were one of the new teams admitted to the American League in 1961,
with the existing Washington team relocating to Minnesota under its new
name, Twins. Two of the most obvious offensive statistics, runs scored and
runs batted in (RBIs), were not used in this study, for good reason. There is
a strong correlation between runs scored and OBP, meaning that players with
a high OBP are the same players who have a high runs scored total. There is
also a strong correlation between SLG and runs batted in, meaning that players who have a high SLG are the same players who have a high RBI total. To
include the runs scored and RBI statistics along with OBP and SLG would
be another case of double-dipping.
Finally, each statistic was normalized in order to determine not only
which player was better or worse than another player in a particular category,
but to what extent he was better or worse. Roy Campanellas statistics will be
used to demonstrate the method for calculating a players offensive and defensive point totals. All statistics were not rated equally. For the offensive ratings, normalized statistics NOBPA and NXSLGA were rated at a maximum
2. Methodolog y
19
of 20 points, while NSB, NSH, and NGIDP were rated at one point maximum, for a total of 43 points maximum.
On-Base Percentage (OBP)

Hits plus walks plus hit by pitch, divided by hits
plus walks plus hit by pitch, plus ofcial at-bats.
ADJUSTED ON-BASE PERCENTAGE (OBPA)

Campanellas OBPA = A (B C)
OBPA = .362 (.332 .322) = .352
Where:
OBPA = Ofcial OBP adjusted for the era in which Campanella played.
A = Campanellas ofcial OBP, .362.
B = League average OBP during Campanellas career, .332.
C = Base point OBP (National League 1960), .322.
NORMALIZED ON-BASE PERCENTAGE (NOBPA)

Campanellas NOBPA = (A/B) 20
NOBPA = (.352/.401) 20 = 17.506
Where:
NOBPA = Normalized OBPA
A = Campanellas OBPA, .352.
B = Highest OBPA of the candidates, in this case,
Mickey Cochranes .401 OBPA.
20 = Maximum weight assigned to the statistic.
Slugging Average (SLG)

The number of total bases a batter accumulates one base for a single,
two bases for a double, and so on divided by his ofcial at-bats.
ADJUSTED SLUGGING AVERAGE (XSLG)

This calculation adjusted the players slugging average (SLG) for his individual park factor. For players from 1958 to the present, a calculation had to
be made for both a players home statistics and his away statistics. First, a
players average statistics, both home and away, per 550 at-bats, had to be
determined for runs, singles, doubles, triples, and home runs. For players
prior to 1961, with eight teams in the league, each home statistic (S, D, T,
HR) was multiplied by one, then added to the players away statistic that was
multiplied by seven, and the resulting sum was divided by eight to arrive at
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ALL-STARS
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the players adjusted total of singles, doubles, triples, and home runs. The
adjusted base hits were then subtracted from 550 to give the players adjusted
at-bats for extra-base hits only. The adjusted slugging average (XSLG) was
determined by adding the players doubles per 550 at-bats (D 1), triples (T
2), and home runs (HR 3), and dividing the sum by the players adjusted
at-bats (550 base hits).
For players who played prior to 1957, for the most part, the splits of home
stats and away stats were not available, so some assumptions had to be made.
Home run factors (HRF) are available for every major league player, so they
were used to determine the players home and away home runs. A players
home and away at-bats and his home and away doubles could be estimated
fairly accurately based on information obtained from a study of the home and
away splits for players after 1957. That study indicated that, in general, a
player has 5 percent more at-bats on the road than he does at home. That is
easily explained by the fact that players often do not bat in the bottom half
of the ninth inning at home, meaning they would be expected to have fewer
at-bats at home than away. The study also showed that the difference in a
players home and away home runs is normally accompanied by an equal and
opposite difference in his doubles; therefore, for players whose statistics
included only a home run factor, an assumption was made that the players
doubles changed by an equal and opposite amount to his home runs. Triples
are essentially the same, home and away. In Campanellas case, he averaged
32 home runs for every 550 at-bats, and his park factor for home runs was
1.37, meaning he hit 37 percent more home runs at home than on the road.
His at-home home run total was 32 1.185 (one-half of the spread) = 38,
and his away home run total was 32 divided by 1.185 = 26. He averaged 23
doubles a year, so his adjusted doubles were 17 doubles at home and 29 doubles on the road. If there were eight teams in the league (prior to 1960), his
adjusted doubles and home run totals would be:
Adjusted home runs = (7 26 + 1 38) = 220 divided by 8 = 28 home runs.
Adjusted doubles = (7 29 + 1 17) = 220 divided by 8 = 28 doubles.
As more teams entered the major leagues, a players away statistics became
more and more important in determining the players adjusted extra-base hits.
For instance, if there were 16 teams in the league, the players home statistics
would still be multiplied by one, but his away statistics would now be multiplied by 15, with the sum of those stats divided by 16. It is obvious from
these examples that a players away statistics are much more important for
measuring his skills than his home statistics are. One of the more eye-popping examples of the difference between a players home stats and his away
stats can be found in the statistics of Todd Helton of the Colorado Rockies.
Helton, playing in the raried air of Denver, Colorado, compiled a home
2. Methodolog y
21
batting average of .374 from 1998 through 2005 compared to an away batting average of .297. He also averaged 40 home runs a year at home compared to 25 homers on the road.
Campanellas XSLG = (A + B + C)/D
XSLG = (28 + 4 + 84)/398 = .291
Where:
XSLG = Campanellas slugging average adjusted
for his home park factor (PF).
A = adjusted doubles per 550 at-bats 1
B = adjusted triples per 550 at-bats 2
C = adjusted home runs, per 550 at-bats 3
D = 550 at-bats 152 base hits = 398
FINAL ADJUSTED SLUGGING AVERAGE (XSLGA)

The nal adjusted slugging average (XSLGA) was an era adjustment to
the XSLG to account for the difference between the league slugging average
for the period the player was active and the base point slugging average.
Campanellas XSLGA = A (B C)
XSLGA = .291 (.396 .388) = .283
Where:
XSLGA = Campanellas XSLG adjusted for
the era in which the player was active.
A = Campanellas XSLG, .291.
B = League average SLG during Campanellas career, .396.
C = Base point SLG (National League 1960), .388.
NORMALIZED FINAL ADJUSTED SLUGGING

AVERAGE (NXSLGA)
The players nal adjusted slugging average (XSLGA) was normalized to
account for the difference between players and the amount of the difference.
Campanellas Normalized Adjusted Slugging
Average (NXSLGA) = (A/B) 20
NXSLGA = .283/.302 20 = 18.742
Where:
A = Campanellas XSLGA.
B = Highest XSLGA of the candidates, in this case, Johnny Benchs .302.
Roy Campanella had the deadliest throwing arm in the history of the game.
Stolen Bases (SB)

The average number of stolen bases by the player per 550 at-bats during his career.
NORMALIZED STOLEN BASES (NSB)

Campanellas NSB = (A/B) 1
NSB = 3/8 1 = .375
2. Methodolog y
23
Where:
A = Campanellas SB, 3.
B = Highest SB of the candidates, in this case Carlton Fisk with 8.
Sacrice Hits (SH)

The average number of sacrice hits made by
the player per 550 at-bats during his career.
NORMALIZED SACRIFICE HITS (NSH)

Campanellas NSH = (A/B) 1
NSH = 4/16 1 = .250
Where:
A = Campanellas SH, 4.
B = Highest SH of the candidates, in this case Mickey Cochrane with 16.
Number of Double Plays Grounded Into (GIDP)

Number of double plays grounded into by the
player for every 550 at-bats during his career.
NORMALIZED DOUBLE PLAYS GROUNDED INTO (NGIDP)

Campanellas NGIDP = A/B 1
NGIDP = (10/19 .25) 1 = .132
Where:
A = Fewest number of DPs grounded into by a candidate,
in this case Cochrane, Porter, and Tenace, with 10 each.
B = Number of DPs grounded into by Campanella, 19.
.25 = GIDP factor assigned to the statistic.
The defensive statistics used to evaluate catchers included elding average (FA), caught stealing percentage (CS), passed balls (PB), wild pitches prevented (WP), range factor (RF), and other assists (ASSA). These factors were
not all rated equally. FA, CS, and RF were rated at 20 points maximum,
ASSA was rated at 10 points, PB was rated at 6 points, and WP was rated at
1.5 points, for a total of 77.5 points maximum.
The defensive statistics used to evaluate all other positions, with the
exception of rst base, were elding average (FA) and range factor (RF). For
24
ALL-STARS
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ALL TIME
rst basemen, elding runs (FR) was substituted for range factor as will be
explained in the chapter on rst basemen. Range factor, in most cases, is
an imperfect method of measuring a players defensive skills because of the
differences in the geometrical congurations of the baseball stadiums in the
major leagues. The amount of foul territory behind the plate, and around
the ineld from rst base to third base, is markedly different from park to
park. And the outeld dimensions are also vastly different. The right-eld
wall in Ebbets Field, for instance, had a signicant effect on the range
factor of players like Carl Furillo, who was penalized by the lack of territory
to cover. And the famous Green Monster in Boston had a negative effect
on the range factors of Red Sox left elders like Ted Williams and Carl Yastrzemski.
Fielding Average (FA)

Putouts plus assists divided by putouts plus assists plus errors.
FIELDING AVERAGE DIFFERENTIAL (FAD)

Campanellas FAD = .988 .984 = + 4
Where:
.988 = Campanellas career elding average.
.984 = League elding average for catchers during Campanellas career.
NORMALIZED FIELDING AVERAGE DIFFERENTIAL (NFAD)

Campanellas NFAD = ( 4 + 2)/10 20 = 12.000
Where:
4 = Campanellas FAD.
2 = Adjustment to bring the most negative FAD
to zero (some players had a negative FAD).
10 = Total range of candidates FADs.
Caught Stealing Percentage (CS)

The number of times a catcher throws out a base
runner attempting to steal a base, divided by the total
number of attempts, multiplied by 100.
CAUGHT STEALING PERCENTAGE DIFFERENTIAL (CSD)

Campanella CSD = 58 40 = 18
Where:
2. Methodolog y
25
58 = Campanellas career caught stealing percentage.

40 = National League average CS percent during Campanellas career.
NORMALIZED CAUGHT STEALING PERCENTAGE

DIFFERENTIAL (NCSD)
Campanellas NCSD = A/B 20
NCSD = 18/18 20 = 20.000
Where:
A = Campanellas CSD.
B = The widest CS differential of the candidates,
in this case Campanellas own 18-point differential.
Passed Balls (PB)

The average number of passed balls per
154-game season during a players career.
NORMALIZED PASSED BALL (NPB)

Campanellas NPB = A/B 6
NPB = 5/7 6 = 4.286
Where:
A = Fewest passed balls by any candidate,
in this case Mueller and Hoiles, 5.
B = Campanellas average number of passed balls per 154 games, 7.
Wild Pitches (WP) Prevented

Average number of wild pitches allowed by the teams
pitching staff per 154-game season, during the players career.
WILD PITCH DIFFERENTIAL (WPD)

The difference between the number of wild pitches made
by the candidates team per 154-game season and the league
average number of wild pitches per team per 154 games.
Campanellas WPD = A C
WPD = 29 30 = 1
Where:
A = Number of wild pitches thrown by Campanellas team per 154 games.
B = League average number of wild pitches per team per 154 games.
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ALL-STARS
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NORMALIZED WILD PITCH DIFFERENTIAL (NWPD)

Campanella NWPD = A/B 1.5
NWP = -1/-16 1.5 + 0.094
Where:
A = Campanellas WPD, -1.
B = Widest differential of any catcher in the study,
in this case Carlton Fisk with -16.
1.5 = Maximum weight assigned to the statistic.
Range Factor (RF)

The total number of putouts and assists
per game for the player during his career.
RANGE FACTOR DIFFERENTIAL (RFD)

Campanellas RFD = A B
RFD = 5.98 4.66 = +1.32
Where:
A = Campanellas range factor (average number
of putouts and assists per game).
B = League average range factor.
NORMALIZED RANGE FACTOR DIFFERENTIAL (NRFD)

Campanellas NRFD = (A + B)/C
NRFD = ((1.32 + .35)/1.67) 20 = 20.000
Where:
A = Campanellas Range Factor = 1.32.
B= Adjustment to bring the most negative range factor
back to zero (some catchers had negative range factor).
C = Total range of range factors.
Other Assists (ASSA)

The total number of a catchers assists, less his
caught stealing (CS) assists, per 154-game season.
OTHER ASSISTS DIFFERENTIAL (ASSAD)

Campanellas ASSAD = A B
ASSAD = 40 45 = 5
27
2. Methodolog y
Where:
A = Campanellas ASSA = 40.
B = League average ASSA = 45.
NORMALIZED OTHER ASSISTS DIFFERENTIAL (NASSAD)

Campanella NASSAD = (A + B)/C 10
Where:
A = Campanella ASSAD = ((-5 + 9)/10) 10 = 4.000.
B = Adjustment to bring the most negative ASSAD to zero = 9.
C = Total range of ASSADs = 10.
To review, the weights that were assigned to each of the calculations
were:
OFFENSE
NOBPA 20 points max.
NXSLGA 20 points max.
NSB 1 point max.
NSH 1 point max.
NGIDP 1 point max.
Total 43 points max.
DEFENSE
NFAD 20 points max.
NCSD 20 points max.
NPB 6 points max.
NWPD 1.5 points max.
NRFD 20 points max.
NASSAD 10 points max.
Total 77.5 points max.
OFFENSIVE POINT TOTALSEXAMPLE

Name
NOBPA NXSLGA NSB
Campanella 17.506
Hartnett
17.257
18.742
17.417
.375
.625
Final
Total Offensive
NSH NGIDP Points Rating
.250
.938
.132
.167
37.005
36.404
4
6
28
ALL-STARS
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DEFENSIVE POINT TOTALSEXAMPLE

Name
NFAD
NCSD
NPB
Campanella 12.000 20.000 4.286

Hartnett
16.000 14.545 2.727
Final
Total Defensive
NWPD NRFD NASSAD Points Rating
0.094
0.094
20.000
13.054
4.000
10.000
60.380
56.420
1
2
To determine the catchers nal all-around rating, based on a one-toone offense-to-defense ratio, the total offensive points were divided by 43 and
the total defensive points were divided by 77.5. The results were added
together and the player with the highest point total was rated number one,
the player with the second highest total was rated number two, and so on
down the line.
FINAL ALL-AROUND RATINGEXAMPLE

Name
Campanella
Hartnett
Offense
Divided
by 43
Defense
Divided
by 77.5
Total
Points
Final
All-Around
Rating
0.861
0.847
0.779
0.728
1.640
1.575
1
2
Pitcher
The pitcher is a unique case in the determination of baseballs greatest
players in that he is not judged primarily on either his skill with the bat or
his skill with the glove. Rather, the pitchers primary responsibility is to keep
the opposing batters off base, by either striking them out or by causing them
to hit balls that can be caught or elded by the pitcher or his teammates. Still,
a pitcher is required to bat (in the National League) and to eld ground balls
hit in his direction, as well as to catch an occasional pop y or to catch a ball
at rst base.
In determining baseballs greatest pitchers, they had to be evaluated for
all three skills pitching, batting, and elding which obviously puts modern American League pitchers at a disadvantage. That disparity between the
two leagues is unfortunate, but it had to be taken into consideration. Remember, the National League has been in operation since 1876, and the pitcher
has always batted.
The American League introduced the designated hitter to major league
baseball fans on April 6, 1973, when Ron Blomberg of the New York Yankees
29
2. Methodolog y
drew a bases-loaded walk off Luis Tiant of the Boston Red Sox en route to a
one-for-three day in the Yankees 155 loss to the Sox. The designated hitter, with no defensive position, relieved the pitcher of his batting responsibility. Fortunately, the National League has kept the game pure, with a lineup
of nine players, all of whom play both offense and defense.
The history of baseball is lled with pitchers who were armed and dangerous with a bat in their hands. In fact, during the rst fty years of the
twentieth century, there was a plethora of good hitting pitchers, including
Walter Johnson, Wes Ferrell, and Don Newcombe.
Walter Johnson was one of baseballs best hitting pitchers, recording a
career batting average of .235 with 22 doubles, 10 triples, and six home runs
for every 550 at-bats. And two-thirds of his career was in the dead ball era.
He batted .268 in the lively ball era.
Wes Ferrell, who was probably the greatest hitting pitcher who ever wore
a major league uniform, compiled a career batting average of .280 during a
fteen-year career. He averaged 27 doubles, six triples, 18 home runs, and 97
RBIs for every 550 at-bats. In 1931, the 6' 2", 192-pound right-handed hitter slugged the ball at a .319 clip with nine home runs in 116 at-bats, an average of 43 home runs for every 550 at-bats! Five years later, he batted a sizzling
.347 with seven homers in 150 at-bats. Wes Ferrells 38 career home runs is
still the record for a pitcher.
Don Newcombe batted .271 over a ten-year career, with 15 home runs
in 858 at-bats. He had a career season in 1955 when he batted .359 with nine
doubles, seven homers, and 23 RBIs, in 117 at-bats. He also went 205 on
the mound with 17 complete games.
Pitchers were evaluated for their pitching skills, their batting skills, and
their elding skills in this study. Their pitching performance represented 90
percent of their Final All-Around Rating (FAR), while their batting performance represented 6 percent of their FAR and their elding performance represented 4 percent of their FAR.
Offensive Ratings
The pitchers batting performance was evaluated for NOBP and NXSLG.
Name
W. Johnson
C. Mathewson
W. Ferrell
NOBPA
3
NXSLGA
3
Total
Points
Final
Offensive
Rating
1.989
2.109
3.000
2.658
2.067
3.000
4.647
4.176
6.000
2
3
1
30
ALL-STARS
FOR
ALL TIME
Defensive Ratings
The pitchers defense was evaluated for NFAD and NRFD.
Name
NFAD
2
NRFD
2
Total
Points
Final
Defensive
Rating
W. Johnson
C. Mathewson
W. Ferrell
1.839
1.977
1.793
0.451
1.461
1.490
2.290
3.438
3.283
13
3
4
Pitching Ratings
It was very difcult to arrive at a fair method for evaluating the pitching skills of the individual pitchers from one era to another and select those
pitching statistics that would provide a level playing eld for all pitchers due
to the many changes that have been made in the position over the years. Some
of the statistics that were considered were the number of complete games
pitched per year, the number of innings per game a pitcher averaged, and a
pitchers winning percentage. Obviously winning percentage per se could not
be used because pitchers who pitched for winning teams invariably had higher
winning percentages than pitchers who toiled for losing teams. The mentality of the game has changed over the decades as well, particularly with regard
to pitchers. Relief pitchers have gradually grown in importance since their
introduction in 1892 by evolving into genuine closers whose responsibility it
was to shut down the opposition for just one inning. Middle relievers and
setup men were part of the same evolutionary process, putting less emphasis
on the starting pitcher going the distance or even pitching seven or eight
innings. These changes made the evaluation of complete games and innings
pitched per game moot points.
After a careful study of all the factors that are available to measure a
pitchers skills, it was decided that the most equitable statistics that could be
used to evaluate pitchers would be their normalized won-lost percentage and
the normalized ERA. The individual won-lost percentage was compared to
the teams won-lost percentage, with the difference between the two numbers identied as the differential winning percentage (WLPD). This number
was then normalized (NWLPD), with an assigned maximum point total of
45. The adjusted ERA (AERA) was a value arrived at by dividing the league
average ERA by individual pitcher ERA, with the result multiplied by the
pitchers park factor, as described in The Baseball Encyclopedia. A pitchers
park factor, like a position players park factor, is the effect that a players
home park has on his statistics, but unlike a batters park factor, it is a generalized term that is the same for all pitchers that pitch in that park. The
Walter Johnson won 417 games during his 21-year career, primarily with a seconddivision club.
pitchers park factor is not individualized like a batters park factor since the
pitcher is facing both right-handed batters and left-handed batters. The
adjusted ERA was normalized (NAERA) with an assigned maximum point
total of 45.
Walter Johnsons won-lost percentage differential (WLPD) was:
ALL-STARS
32
FOR
ALL TIME
WLPD = A B
WLPD = .599 minus .492 = +.107.
Where:
A = Walter Johnsons career won-lost percentage, .599.
B = Walter Johnsons teams won-lost percentage during his career, .492.
NORMALIZED
WON-LOST PERCENTAGE DIFFERENTIAL
NWLPD = A/B 45
NWLPD = .107/.108 45 = 44.583
Where:
A = Walter Johnsons WLPD, +.107.
B = Highest WLPD of the candidates, in this case Grover Cleveland
Alexanders +.108.
Walter Johnsons adjusted ERA, as determined by Pete Palmer, was 145.
The highest AERA belonged to Lefty Grove at 148. Therefore, Walter Johnsons normalized ERA was:
NAERA = 145 divided by 148 45 = 44.088.
Where:
Walter Johnsons total pitching rating (TPR) was the sum of his normalized won-lost differential percentage and his normalized adjusted ERA.
Name
W. Johnson
C. Mathewson
W. Ferrell
NWLPD
NAERA
Total
Points
Total Pitching
Ratings (TPR)
44.583
36.667
30.000
44.088
41.351
35.574
88.671
78.018
65.574
1
7
16
Final All-Around Rating
Name
Pitching
@ 90%
Offensive
@ 6%
Defensive
@ 4%
Total
Points
Final
All-Around
Rating
W. Johnson
C. Mathewson
W. Ferrell
88.671
78.018
65.574
4.647
4.176
6.000
2.290
3.438
3.283
95.608
85.632
74.857
1
6
13
2. Methodolog y
33
First Base
The offensive statistics used for rst basemen were the same statistics that
were used for catchers: OBP, SLG, SB, SH, GIDP. There were a total of 43
offensive points, as noted previously, 20 points each for OBP and SLG, one
point each for SB, SH, and GIDP. Since rst basemen have been considered
to be one of the primary offensive weapons on a team, they were normally
selected for their batting prowess as opposed to their defensive skills; therefore, in this study their offensive point total was weighted at four times their
defensive point total. If a team is fortunate enough to nd a rst baseman
with both offensive and defensive skills, it is considered to be a bonus.
The defensive statistics used for rst basemen were elding average (FA)
and elding runs (FR). Other position players in the ineld and outeld were
rated for FA and range factor (RF), but RF is not of much value for rst basemen since they have very few assists and most of their putouts are the result
of throws made to them while they are standing stationary on rst base. A
more valuable statistic is Pete Palmers elding runs (FR), which is dened
by the following formula.
FR = PFR/(PO SO for team) LFR/
(PO SO for league) player innings
Where:
PFR = Player elding rate for rst base = .2 (2 A E).
LFR = League elding rate.
As with Palmers other formulas, however, FR is a value formula, so it
has to be modied slightly to make it a skill formula. Since the FR varies with
the number of games played by the rst baseman, the result had to be made
equitable for all players by adjusting the result to xed number of games
played. The number of games played in this case was arbitrarily set at 2,000.
Therefore, since Lou Gehrig played in 2,137 games during his career, his
adjusted FR formula (AFR) would be:
AFR = FR A/B = 59 2000/2137 = 55
Where:
FR = Lou Gehrigs career elding runs, 59.
AFR = Lou Gehrigs career elding runs adjusted to 2,000 games.
A = The 2,000 game base point.
B = Lou Gehrigs games played, 2,137.
An example of the defensive ratings for rst basemen, with a maximum
of 40 defensive points, is:
ALL-STARS
34
Name
FA
Gehrig
V. Power
Mattingly
K. Hernandez
.991
.994
.996
.994
FOR
ALL TIME
LFA DIFF.
NFAD
20
FR
AFR
NAFR
20
Total
Points Rating
.990
.991
.992
.992
7.500
17.500
20.000
15.000
59
116
19
133
55
178
21
132
5.300
20.000
7.444
17.098
12.800
37.500
27.444
32.098
+1
+3
+4
+2
17
1
5
2
Some examples of the Final All-Around Ratings for rst basemen, based
on a four-to-one offense-to-defense ratio are:
Name
Gehrig
Foxx
V. Power
Offense
Divided
by 43 4
Defense
Divided
by 40
Total
Points
Final
All-Around
Rating
3.865
3.620
2.275
0.445
0.659
0.938
4.310
4.279
3.213
1
2
18
Second Base, Shortstop, Third Base

The offensive statistics for the second baseman, the shortstop, and third
baseman were the same as those used by catchers and rst basemen: OBP,
SLG, SB, SH, and GIDP. The defensive statistics used for second basemen,
shortstops, and third basemen were elding average (FA) and range factor
(RF).
Second basemen and third basemen were rated at two-to-one for their
offense versus their defense, while the shortstop was rated at one-to-one.
Outelders
All outelders were rated for OBP, SLG, SB, SH, and GIDP on offense
and FA and RF on defense. The only difference between the three outeld
positions was that the left elder and the right elder were rated on an offenseto-defense ratio of four-to-one, while the center elder was rated at threeto-one.
Fielding averages are deceptive, particularly for outelders. Some outelders can catch anything that comes their way, but not all have very good
range and can fail to reach balls they should catch that eventually fall in for
base hits. Pete Rose and Al Simmons, for instance, fall into that category.
Other outelders, like Tris Speaker, Kirby Puckett, and Willie Mays, had
excellent elding averages as well as outstanding range. Most of the outeld-
2. Methodolog y
35
ers with good range usually nd themselves in center eld. Unfortunately,

some outelders are penalized because of their outstanding speed. For instance,
if a ball is hit beyond a elders reach, it is scored a base hit. If, on the other
hand, a speedy outelder reaches a ball after a long run and then cannot hold
the ball, he is occasionally charged with an error.
This study does not include ratings for Barry Bonds, Mark McGwire,
Sammy Sosa, or Rafael Palmeiro due to the suspicion that steroids may have
contributed to their offensive statistics. If, at a future date, the steroid scandal is resolved favorably and Bonds, McGwire, Sosa, and Palmeiro are exonerated, their ratings will be included in the next edition of this book. At the
present time it appears as if the four players will have a difcult time being
elected to the National Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, New York,
even though their statistics are worthy of the players induction. Mark
McGwire, the rst of the group to be eligible for election, garnered only 23.5
percent of the vote in 2007, with 75 percent required for election. Rafael
Palmeiro retired after the 2005 season and will be eligible for Hall of Fame
consideration in 2010. Barry Bonds and Sammy Sosa were still active in 2007.
The steroid issue is discussed in greater detail in the Appendix.
C HAPTER 3
The Nineteenth
Century All-Stars
Major league baseball in the nineteenth century, from its rst ofcial
contest in 1845 through 1899, was a game in transition. The game slowly
evolved from a Saturday afternoon social event to a spirited contest between
two dedicated teams, and the rules were adjusted over the years to nd the
most equitable balance between batter and pitcher, without favoring one over
the other. Identif ying the games greatest players during this period was
difcult because of all the changes in the rules, such as allowing overhand
pitching, extending the pitchers mound from fty feet from home plate to
60' 6", recording stolen bases, and awarding the batter rst base after four balls
had been thrown. Still, the feeling was that the greatest players of their time
should be recognized, just as their twentieth century counterparts would be
recognized.
The relative weights given to the offense and defense for the nineteenth
century all-stars were the same as the weights assigned to the twentieth century team:
Catchers and shortstops were rated equally for their offense and their
defense, so their offensive skills were measured against the same maximum
point totals as their defensive skills.
Pitchers were rated at 90 percent for their pitching, 6 percent for their
batting, and 4 percent for their elding.
First basemen, left elders, and right elders were assumed to be essentially offensive members of the team. Their offense received four times the
weighted point totals as did their defense.
Second basemen and third basemen were rated two-to-one, offense-todefense.
Center elders, who were considered to be the defensive anchors in the
outeld, were rated at three-to-one, offense-to-defense.
36
3. The Nineteenth-Century All-Stars
37
Catchers
Five catchers were rated
for their offensive and defensive
skills.
Buck Ewing was the quiet
leader of the New York
Gothams, later the Giants.
He was one of the National
Leagues best hitters during
the 1880s and 1890s, rapping
the ball at a .304 clip. He
also excelled on defense and
was reported to have had the
strongest throwing arm in
the league.
Michael King Kelly was
a amboyant character who
was as colorful off the eld
as on it. His charisma perhaps embellished his career
achievements, but he was
still one of the best players
of the nineteenth century,
compiling a .308 career batting average. And he was as
fast on his feet as he was
mentally quick. He was a
daring base runner who stole
312 bases over one ve-year
Buck Ewing was the eld leader of the New York
period, and who once scored Giants during the 1880s.
155 runs in 118 games.
Charles Chief Zimmer, whose career covered nineteen years between
1884 and 1903, was considered to be the top defensive catcher of his era.
He was the rst catcher to play directly behind the batter on every pitch,
a strategy previously frowned upon because of the danger of injury from
foul tips. He was not, however, much of an offensive threat, posting a
career batting average of .269.
James Deacon McGuire caught in the major leagues for 26 years, a
prodigious accomplishment under nineteenth-century conditions. When
he retired, he held many catching records, two of which most years
38
ALL-STARS
FOR
ALL TIME
caught (26) and most career assists (1,859) are still intact. The 6'1",
185-pound right-handed batter was primarily a defensive backstop, but
he could also contribute at the plate, compiling a .278 career batting
average.
Jack Clements was a unique catcher in baseball history, a left-handed
receiver who nonetheless enjoyed a 17-year major league career, primarily
with the Philadelphia Phillies. The stubby Pennsylvanian, who packed
204 pounds on his 5' 8" frame, was the rst of the slugging catchers,
averaging 10 home runs for every 550 at-bats during a time when many
teams hit about 35 homers a year.
Offensive Ratings
Player evaluations for the nineteenth century all-star team were necessarily simple compared to the evaluations for the twentieth century team due
to a paucity of statistics in the early game as well as many rule changes that
affected the game, such as the four-ball rule, changes in the pitchers mound
height and distance to home plate, and the failure to record stolen bases. The
offensive measurements consisted of on-base percentage differential (OBPD),
and slugging average differential (SLGD). Each statistic was normalized as
discussed earlier, and was rated at a maximum of 1.000 point, giving a total
of two points maximum for offense. The individual statistics were not adjusted
for the individual park factor, but that was probably not signicant since
most of the 19th century parks were large open elds with a wide expanse of
outeld grass. There were, of course, a few exceptions, most notably Lakefront Park in Chicago with its 180-foot left-eld fence and its 196-foot righteld fence. Home runs ew out of Lakefront Park with abandon. The White
Stockings hit a total of 142 home runs in 1884, most of them at home, while
the other seven National League teams hit a total of 179 homers combined.
The following year the rules were changed to recognize balls hit over the leftand right-eld fences as doubles.
As might be expected, Buck Ewing and King Kelly dominated the offensive statistics. Kellys OBP was 53 points higher than the league average while
Ewings OBP was 22 points higher than the league average. Conversely, Chief
Zimmers OBP was 10 points below the league average. The offensive breakdown is shown below. The point totals for each category were arrived at by
determining the ratio of each players differential to the maximum differential. If some differentials were below the league average, an adjustment was
made to bring the most negative differential back to zero, and that amount
was added to each players total before calculating the ratio. For example, the
range for a catchers OBP was 63 points, so ten points had to be added to
each players total in order to bring Zimmers differential to zero. King Kelly,
39
with a + 53 OBP, was awarded 1.000 point. Buck Ewings normalized point
total was arrived at by adding 10 points to his total and then calculating the
ratio thusly.
Ewings NOBPD = (22 + 10)/(53 + 10) = 0.508.
Final
OBPD NOBPD SLGD NSLGD Total Offensive
1
1
Points Ratings
Buck Ewing
King Kelly
Chief Zimmer
Deacon McGuire
Jack Clements
+22
+53
10
+1
+9
0.508
1.000
0.000
0.175
0.302
+85
+77
7
+2
+52
1.000
0.913
0.000
0.098
0.641
1.508
1.913
0.000
0.273
0.943
2
1
5
4
3
Defensive Ratings
The defensive ratings were similar in determination to the offensive ratings, with elding average differential normalized (NFAD), and range factor
differential normalized (NRFD). The results, shown below, awarded Buck
Ewing with the title of the games best defensive catcher, edging out the
favorite, Chief Zimmer.
Buck Ewing
King Kelly
Chief Zimmer
Deacon McGuire
Jack Clements
FAD
NFAD
1
RFD
NRFD
1
Final
Total Defensive
Points Ratings
+26
20
+16
4
+13
1.000
0.000
0.783
0.348
0.717
+68
75
+1
+18
+5
1.000
0.000
0.531
0.650
0.559
2.000
0.000
1.314
0.998
1.276
1
5
2
4
3
Final All-Around Ratings

The nal all-around ratings were determined by adding the offensive
point totals and the defensive point totals together, since both offense and
defense were considered to be of equal weight. The results were somewhat
surprising in that the games foremost left-handed catcher nished in second
place behind Buck Ewing on the strength of his ne overall skills. He nished
in third place in both the offensive and defensive categories to give him the
edge over King Kelly, who nished rst in offense but dead last in defense.
Buck Ewing, who was generally considered to be the nineteenth centurys
40
ALL-STARS
FOR
ALL TIME
nest all-around catcher, justied that belief by nishing second in offense

behind Kelly, nishing rst in defense, and rst overall.
Buck Ewing
King Kelly
Chief Zimmer
Deacon McGuire
Jack Clements
Offense
1
Defense
1
Total
Points
Final
All-Around
Ratings
1.508
1.913
0.000
0.273
0.943
2.000
0.000
1.314
0.998
1.276
3.508
1.913
1.314
1.271
2.219
1
3
4
5
2
Pitchers
Pitcher was the most difcult position to evaluate for nineteenth century players for the reasons noted earlier. They, like their twentieth century
counterparts, were compared, not only for their pitching skills, but also for
their batting skills and their elding skills. After careful consideration, a
pitchers pitching skills were set at 90 percent of the point total, batting at 6
percent, and elding at 4 percent. Pitching skills were determined by comparing a pitchers won-lost percentage differential (WLPD) and his adjusted
ERA (AERA). The batting and elding categories were the same as that used
for catchers.
A total of nine pitchers were in the running for the title of baseballs greatest all-around pitcher of the nineteenth century.
Tim Keefe was the ace of the New York Giant pitching staff during the
1880s. From 1883 through 1888, his victory totals were 41, 37, 32, 42, 35,
and 35. The side-arming right-hander, who was devastating while pitching from 50 feet, went 4127 with 68 complete games in 68 starts in 619
innings in 1883. Over the course of his career, he won 342 games (number eight all-time) against 225 losses, while completing 93 percent of his
starts.
Michael Francis Smiling Mickey Welch, a pitching partner of Keefe,
was a curveball specialist who also threw a changeup and a screwball.
His greatest year was 1885 when he won 44 games against 11 losses for a
league-leading .800 winning percentage. That year he completed all 55
of his starts. Smiling Mickey pitched in the major leagues for 13 years,
winning 307 games against 210 losses while completing 96 percent of his
starts.
Charles Kid Nichols was the ace of the Boston Beaneaters staff from
1890 through 1901. His seven consecutive 30+ victory seasons, from 1891
41
to 1898, has never been equaled. Nichols, who threw with an effortless
overhand delivery, had a blazing fastball and pinpoint control. His 361
career victories rank sixth all-time, his 532 complete games are fourth,
and his 5,067 innings pitched eleventh.
Jack Stivetts, known as Happy Jack, was a two-way player in the 1890s,
pitching 388 games and playing other positions in 213 games. He pitched
for eleven years, winning more than 20 games six times, with a high of
35 in 1892. His career won-lost record was 203132, with 278 complete
games. But Stivetts was also a deadly slugger who compiled a career
batting average of .298 with 10 home runs and 99 RBIs for every 550
at-bats.
Charles Old Hoss Radbourne had outstanding speed as well as a bewildering assortment of breaking pitches thrown from different arm angles.
He produced baseballs greatest pitching performance in 1884, going
6012 on the mound for the Providence Grays, with 73 complete games
in 73 starts, eleven shutouts, a 1.38 ERA, and 441 strikeouts in 679
innings. Radbournes career record was 309 victories against 194 losses.
Amos Rusie, The Hoosier Thunderbolt, was the major leagues primary
power pitcher in the 1890s, combining a blazing fastball with a sharpbreaking curveball to freeze batters in their tracks. The 6'1", 200-pound
right-hander led the league in strikeouts ve times and shutouts four
times before tearing muscles in his shoulder, essentially ending his career
with a record of 246 wins against 174 losses.
John Clarkson, a slender right-handed underhand pitcher, combined
speed, pinpoint control, and confusing curves to out-think opposing
batters. In 1885, he led the league in victories (53), games started (70),
complete games (68), shutouts (10), innings pitched (623), and strikeouts
(308). Clarksons twelve-year career produced 328 victories against 178
losses for a ne .648 winning percentage.
Clark Grifth, The Old Fox, small of stature at 5' 6", 155 pounds, used
a curveball and a slow ball, combined with such illegal pitches as a scuff
ball and a spitball, to carve out a successful 20-year major league career.
He won more than 20 games seven times while leading the National
League in winning percentage, complete games, and ERA once each.
His career record showed 237 wins against 146 losses.
Robert Parisian Bob Caruthers, a diminutive right-hander, was a thinking-mans pitcher who pitched to the batters weakness by using a live
fastball and perfect control. His career won-lost percentage of .688, based
on 218 victories against 99 losses, is the third-highest winning percentage
in baseball history, behind Dave Foutz and Whitey Ford. He was also a
.282 career hitter who played the outeld when not pitching.
ALL-STARS
42
FOR
ALL TIME
Pitching Ratings
The most equitable won-lost percentage rating was determined to be the
difference between the individuals won-lost percentage and the won-lost percentage of his team. Since most of the pitchers in the study had impressive
won-lost records, and since most of them played for championship teams that
also had impressive won-lost records, it would have been unfair to evaluate
them based on their individual won-lost records alone. The won-lost percentage differential was intended to identify the pitchers who stood out, even
on teams that compiled outstanding won-lost records. Surprisingly, at least
to me, Bob Caruthers, who had the highest individual won-lost percentage,
also produced the highest won-lost percentage differential (WLPD). His .688
winning percentage was 83 points higher than his teams .605 winning percentage. He was followed by Clark Grifth at +.70, Amos Rusie at +.62, and
Old Hoss Radbourne at +.55.
The adjusted ERA (AERA), as presented by Pete Palmer and Gary Gillette in The Baseball Encyclopedia, was arrived at by dividing the league ERA
by the individual pitchers ERA and multiplying the result by the pitchers
park factor. The adjusted ERA compensated for the difference between the
pre1893 era, which was a pitchers era with the pitchers mound residing
between 45 and 55 feet from home plate, and the post 1893 era, which was
more of a hitters era. The uncorrected ERAs conrmed that the early pitchers, Radbourne, Keefe, Welch, and Clarkson, topped the ratings, but when
AERA was used, the results were completely different. Chet Nichols, who had
the sixth-lowest ERA, nished rst in AERA with a mark of 139. John Clarkson was close behind at 134, followed by Amos Rusie at 130 and Tim Keefe
at 125.
The WLPD and AERA were then normalized, with each result multiplied by 45, giving a total of 90 points, or 90 percent of the nal overall
pitcher ratings. Amos Rusie, who nished third in both NWLPD and
NAERA, deservedly walked off with top pitching prize. Kid Nichols, who
nished rst in NAERA but tied for seventh in NWLPD, was second, and
Bob Caruthers, who set the pace in NWLPD and nished fth in NAERA,
came in third.
Name
Amos Rusie
Kid Nichols
Bob Caruthers
John Clarkson
Clark Grifth
NWLPD
45
NAERA
45
Total Pitching
Points
36.085
17.830
45.000
24.623
39.481
29.423
45.000
17.308
36.346
13.846
65.508
62.830
62.308
60.969
53.327
Final
Pitching
Ratings
1
2
3
4
5
43
Name
Old Hoss Radbourne
Tim Keefe
Mickey Welch
Jack Stivetts
NWLPD
45
NAERA
45
Total Pitching
Points
33.113
17.830
22.075
00.000
12.115
20.769
00.000
12.115
45.228
38.599
22.075
12.115
Final
Pitching
Ratings
6
7
8
9
Offensive Ratings
A pitchers batting skills were evaluated for on-base percentage differential (OBPD), and slugging percentage differential (SLGD). The results were
normalized, and the result was multiplied by three to produce a nal offensive rating that was 6 percent of the total pitchers rating. Jack Stivetts and
Bob Caruthers, both of whom were outstanding hitters that often played the
outeld when not pitching, dominated the batting category. Parisian Bob had
a huge advantage in OBPD with a +66 points compared to a 21 points for
the next man, Old Hoss Radbourne, and he also led in SLGD with a +52
point differential to a +44 differential for Jack Stivetts. When the total normalized batting points were computed for NOBPD and NSLGD, Bob
Caruthers ran away from the other contenders.
Bob Caruthers
Jack Stivetts
Old Hoss Radbourne
Mickey Welch
Amos Rusie
Clark Grifth
John Clarkson
Tim Keefe
Kid Nichols
NOBPD
2
NSLGD
2
Total
Points
Final
Offensive
Ratings
2.000
0.842
0.855
0.487
0.000
0.645
0.013
0.408
0.066
2.000
1.884
0.159
0.464
0.464
0.101
0.478
0.072
0.000
4.000
1.726
1.014
0.951
0.464
0.746
0.491
0.480
0.066
1
2
3
4
8
5
6
7
9
Defensive Ratings
A pitchers defensive ratings were based on the pitchers elding average
differential (FAD) and his range factor differential (RFD). The results were
normalized and multiplied by two to give a total of four points, or 4 percent
of the overall pitchers ratings. In general, pitchers were better-than-average
elders, with Nichols and Caruthers both exceeding the league elding aver-
ALL-STARS
44
FOR
ALL TIME
age for pitchers by 35 points. Caruthers also did well in range factor, nishing second to John Clarkson, but Nichols slipped to sixth place, dropping
him to number two overall.
Bob Caruthers
Kid Nichols
John Clarkson
Clark Grifth
Old Hoss Radbourne
Jack Stivetts
Tim Keefe
Amos Russie
Mickey Welch
NFAD
2
NRFD
2
Total
Points
Final
Defensive
Ratings
2.000
2.000
0.571
1.524
1.238
1.333
0.825
0.444
0.000
1.495
0.947
2.000
0.947
1.200
0.674
1.074
1.432
0.000
3.495
2.947
2.571
2.471
2.438
2.007
1.899
1.876
0.000
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9

A pitchers efforts on the mound accounted for 90 percent of his nal
rating, yet in this case, it was the pitchers batting and elding performance
that determined the greatest all-around pitcher of the nineteenth century.
Amos Rusie, who edged Bob Caruthers and Kid Nichols in the pitching
competition, could not hold off Caruthers charge in the areas of batting and
elding. Parisian Bob outdistanced the group in batting by a wide margin,
and also nished rst in elding. Rusie could do no better than fth in batting and eighth in elding. Nichols, with a .226 career batting average,
nished dead last in batting, but came in second in elding to nish third
overall.
Final
Total All-Around
Pitching Offensive Defensive Points
Ratings
Bob Caruthers
Kid Nichols
Amos Rusie
John Clarkson
Clark Grifth
Old Hoss Radbourne
Tim Keefe
Mickey Welch
Jack Stivetts
62.308
62.830
65.508
60.969
53.327
45.228
38.599
22.075
12.115
6.000
0.099
0.696
0.737
1.119
1.521
0.720
1.427
2.589
3.495
2.947
1.876
2.571
2.471
2.438
1.899
0.000
2.007
71.803
68876
68.080
64.277
56.917
49.187
41.218
23.502
16.711
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
45
First Base
Five players vied for the title of the nineteenth centurys greatest allaround rst baseman.
Cap Anson was the rst player in the game to accumulate more than
3,000 base hits and the rst to hit more than 500 career doubles. His
career batting average of .331 ranks 26th all-time. Cap, as he was called,
was not only a terric hitter, he was also an outstanding defensive player
who led the league in elding average four times.
Jake Beckley was a talented all-around rst baseman who had a .308
career batting average while also gaining a reputation as an excellent
defensive player. The 5'10", 200-pound left-handed hitter batted .300
or better thirteen times in his 20-year career, with a high of .345 in 1895.
On defense, he ranks number one in both games played (2,377) and
putouts (23,709), and eighth in assists (1,315).
Dan Brouthers compiled the highest slugging average of the nineteenth
century (.519), while hitting against the dead ball from a distance of 50
to 55 feet from the pitcher. The
6' 2", 207-pounder, the most
feared batter of his time, averaged 38 doubles, 17 triples, and
nine home runs for every 550
at-bats while hitting a robust
.342. On the other side of the
coin, he was considered a liability in the eld and on the bases.
Roger Connor, who stood 6' 3"
tall and weighed a husky 220
pounds, compiled a career batting average of .308 with 31
doubles, 16 triples, and 10 home
runs a year. His 136 career home
runs and 811 extra-base hits both
rank number one for nineteenthcentury batters, and his 233
career triples are fth all-time.
He was also an excellent defensive rst baseman as well as an
exceptional base runner.
Dave Orr was the National Leagues foremost slugger until a stroke ended his career Dave Orr packed 250 pounds on
at the age of 30 (courtesy John Thorn).
his 5'11" frame, and he used it to
46
ALL-STARS
FOR
ALL TIME
pound out 57 extra-base hits for every 550 at-bats, the fth highest
extra-base hit totals in the nineteenth century. Sadly, Orr, who was also
a ne defensive rst baseman, suffered a paralyzing stroke in 1890, ending
his career after just eight years. He left a .342 career batting average, a
.366 on-base percentage, and a .502 slugging average, the fourth-highest
slugging average in the nineteenth century.
Offensive Ratings
First base has always been considered to be an offensive position, one
where big, burly sluggers are positioned when there is no other position they
can play satisfactorily. First basemen who were outstanding defensive players
were not in the majority, and teams who had an excellent all-around rst
baseman were fortunate. Since the position was primarily an offensive position, a rst basemans offense was weighted at four-to-one over his defense.
Dan Brouthers led the way in both published on-base percentage and slugging average, but when the era adjustments were made, it was a different
story. Big Dan had the highest on-base percentage differential (OBPD), with
his .423 OBP topping the league average by 95 points. Orr, who walked only
16 times for every 550 at-bats, came in fourth. The slugging average differential was another two-man competition, with Dave Orr edging Dan
Brouthers +156 to +150. Overall, Brouthers claimed the title of the games
best offensive rst baseman, accumulating 1.931 points to 1.400 for Orr, thanks
to his big lead in OBP.
Name
Dan Brouthers
Dave Orr
Roger Connor
Cap Anson
Jake Beckley
Final
1
1
Points Ratings
+95
+50
+72
+67
+20
1.000
0.400
0.693
0.627
0.000
+150
+156
+118
+76
+69
0.931
1.000
0.563
0.080
0.000
1.931
1.400
1.256
0.707
0.000
1
2
3
4
5
Defensive Ratings
First basemen were evaluated for elding average differential (FAD) and
elding runs differential (FRD). All the rst basemen in the study had positive elding average differentials with the exception of Dan Brouthers, whose
average was at the league average. Roger Connor set the pace in a close competition, nishing ve points above the league average compared to four points
for Orr, three points for Beckley, and two points for Anson. The elding runs
47
race was another close call with Anson topping the list. Roger Connor, thanks
to a rst-place nish in FA and a second-place nish in FR, claimed the title
as the best defensive rst baseman in the competition. Not surprisingly, Dan
Brouthers nished last in the eld of ve.
Name
FAD
NFAD
1
Jake Beckley
Roger Connor
Dave Orr
Cap Anson
Dan Brouthers
+3
+5
+4
+2
0
0.600
1.000
0.800
0.400
0.000
RFD
NRFD
1
Final
Total Defensive
Points Ratings
+28
+18
+21
+22
+11
1.000
0.412
0.588
0.647
0.000
1.600
1.412
1.388
1.047
0.000
1
2
3
4
5

Obviously, the leader in the offensive ratings for rst basemen had a distinct advantage over his rivals in the race based on the fact that offense was
calculated at four times the defense. Big Dan Brouthers was the offensive
leader, but his sad performance in the defensive competition almost wiped
out his huge advantage over Dave Orr and Roger Connor. Still, he claimed
the crown as the eras best all-around rst baseman, followed by Connor, Orr,
Anson, and Beckley, in that order.
Name
Offense
4
Defense
1
Total
Points
Final
All-Around
Ratings
Dan Brouthers
Roger Connor
Dave Orr
Cap Anson
Jake Beckley
7.724
5.024
5.600
2.828
0.000
0.000
1.770
1.084
1.400
1.084
7.724
6.794
6.684
3.828
1.084
1
2
3
4
5
Second Base
Five players competed for the title of the nineteenth centurys greatest
all-around second baseman.
John Bid McPhee was a threat both offensively and defensively during
his 18-year career. The 5' 8", 150-pound right-handed hitter compiled
a .272 batting average while averaging 13 triples, 65 bases on balls, 50
48
ALL-STARS
FOR
ALL TIME
stolen bases, 112 runs scored, and 71 RBIs per year. McPhees fort, however, was defense, leading the league in elding average eight times and
double plays eleven times.
Fred Sure Shot Dunlap earned his nickname for his hard, accurate
throws to rst base. A 12-year major league veteran, he batted .292 with
105 runs scored and 44 extra-base hits for every 550 at-bats. Dunlap, like
McPhee, was considered to be a sensational defensive second baseman,
once called the greatest second baseman that ever lived by Al Spink, the
founder of the Sporting News.
Hardy Richardson was the best hitter of the second-base candidates, with
a .299 career average, 49 extra-base hits a year, 109 runs scored, 80 RBIs,
and a .435 slugging average. He batted over .300 seven times in his 14year career, with a high of .351 in 1886. He led the league with 189 base
hits and 11 home runs that year, scored 125 runs, and contributed 27
doubles and 11 triples to the Detroit Tigers offense.
Fred Pfeffer was a .256 career hitter with little power, but he must have
been an outstanding clutch hitter as he led all second-base candidates
with 86 runs batted in for every 550 at-bats. In the eld, he led the
league in putouts eight times, assists four times, double plays six times,
and total chances per game seven times. Pfeffer still ranks rst in total
chances per game (6.95), tenth in career putouts (4,714), and second in
putouts per game (3.07).
Thomas Tido Daly was recognized as a clutch hitter who was most
dangerous when there were runners in scoring position. Daly, a former
catcher, was converted to a second baseman in Brooklyn in 1893 to compensate for his weak throwing arm. He was an average defensive player
and earned his keep with his bat, hitting .278 over 16 years, with 40
extra-base hits, 99 runs scored, 66 bases on balls, 78 RBIs, and 37 stolen
bases.
Offensive Ratings
Fred Dunlaps career coincided with the most turbulent era in baseball
history when the ancient game of base ball was gradually transformed into
the modern game of baseball. From 1880 to 1891, when Dunlap played, overhand pitching became legal, four balls and three strikes were standardized,
the distance from the pitching mound was lengthened from 45 feet to 55 feet,
elders gloves, catchers masks, and catchers chest protectors became standard equipment, and stolen bases were dened and recorded. And within two
years, relief pitchers were allowed to enter the game at any time and the
pitchers mound was established at its present distance of 60' 6". Dunlap was
49
a standout during this hectic period and, as it turned out, he was the games
best hitting second baseman, out-hitting the average National Leaguer by 38
points, the best performance by any second baseman. His OBP differential
(OBPD) was 45 points above the league average, again setting the standard
for second basemen. He was no slouch in the slugging department either,
exceeding the National League average by 63 points, good enough for second place, behind Hardy Richardson.
Name
Fred Dunlap
Hardy Richardson
Tido Daly
Bid McPhee
Fred Pfeffer
Final
1
1
Points Ratings
+45
+30
+16
+17
20
1.000
0.769
0.554
0.569
0.000
+63
+75
+11
+5
5
0.862
1.000
0.221
0.125
0.000
1.862
1.769
0.775
0.694
0.000
1
2
3
4
5
Defensive Ratings
Bid McPhee and Fred Dunlap had a spirited competition for recognition as the greatest elding second baseman of the nineteenth century, with
McPhee nosing out his adversary by 0.300 points. There were not many differences between the two men, but Dunlaps range, although far above the
league average, was no better than fourth in this group, and it cost him the
title. Hardy Richardson and Fred Pfeffer also showed to good advantage in
the competition, but Tido Daly was not in the same class with other members of the group.
FAD
NFAD
1
RFD
NRFD
1
Final
Total Defensive
Points Ratings
+25
+22
+10
+3
7
1.000
0.906
0.531
0.313
0.000
+61
+47
+55
+64
4
0.956
0.750
0.868
1.000
0.000
1.956
1.656
1.399
1.313
0.000
Name
Bid McPhee
Fred Dunlap
Hardy Richardson
Fred Pfeffer
Tido Daly
1
2
3
4
5

Since second basemen were considered to be among the strongest defensive players on the team, their offense was only given a two-to-one weight
factor over their defense. Under those conditions, and with strong showings
50
ALL-STARS
FOR
ALL TIME
on both offense and defense, Fred Dunlap and Hardy Richardson nished
one-two in the competition for baseballs all-time nineteenth century second
baseman, with Dunlap edging Richardson, 7.380 points to 6.829 points.
Sure Shot Fred held a slight advantage both offensively and defensively over
his adversary. In the nal analysis, Dunlap was the top offensive second baseman of the nineteenth century and the greatest all-around second baseman
of his era. Bid McPhee was identied as the greatest defensive second baseman of the nineteenth century.
Fred Dunlap
Hardy Richardson
Bid McPhee
Tido Daly
Fred Pfeffer
Offense
2
Defense
1
Total
Points
Final
All-Around
Ratings
3.724
3.535
1.388
1.615
0.000
1.656
1.399
1.956
0.000
1.333
5.380
4.934
3.344
1.615
1.333
1
2
3
4
5
Shortstop
Seven players competed for the title of the greatest shortstop of the nineteenth century.
William Bad Bill Dahlen, a twenty-year veteran of the National League
in the nineteenth century, was a defensive specialist who is sixth all-time
in career games played (2,132), third in chances per game (6.26), and
second in both putouts (4,850) and assists (7,500). He could also hit.
A .272 career batter with 40 extra-base hits and 75 RBIs a year, he hit
.359 in 1894 and .352 two years later.
Hughie Ee-Yah Jennings starred both offensively and defensively in the
major leagues for 18 years, compiling a .312 career batting average with 111
runs scored and 94 RBIs a season. Jennings would do anything to get on
base, even taking one for the team, an art he perfected with the Baltimore Orioles between 1894 and 1898 when he absorbed 202 hits to his
body. He also led the league in elding average four times.
John Montgomery Ward began his career as a pitcher, going 164103 over
six full years, then moved to shortstop when his pitching arm gave out.
Ward was a decent hitter, a good defensive player, and an exciting base
runner who stole 111 bases in 1887 and 88 in 1892. Over his career, he
batted .275 with 2,107 base hits, 1,410 runs scored, and 540 stolen bases
(after stolen bases were documented, between 1886 and 1894).
51
Jack Glasscock was one of the top shortstops of his era, but he never
seemed to get the recognition he deserved. Pebbly Jack, as he was called
for his grounds-keeping habit, was a dangerous hitter as well as a dazzling
elder. The .290 career hitter led the league in batting in 1890, and set
the pace in base hits twice. In the eld, he was magnicent, leading the
league in elding average six times in his rst eleven years.
Herman Germany Long was the shortstop on the great Boston Beaneaters teams of the 1890s. As The Ballplayers reported, With a powerful
arm, a quick release, and outstanding range, speed, and agility, Long
played shortstop, according to the Boston Globe, like a man on a ying
trapeze. The diminutive left-handed batter could also hit, topping the
.300 mark four times, and scored more than 100 runs seven times.
George Germany Smith, a 6', 175-pound inelder, was noted for his
range and his dependable glove. Smith led the league in elding average
twice, assists four times, and double plays once during his 15-year career.
He anchored the ineld for the 1889 and 1890 league champions Brooklyn Bridegrooms. Unfortunately, his bat was not as deadly as his glove.
His career average of .243 trailed all the other shortstops in the study.
George Davis was a husky switch-hitter who starred at shortstop for the
New York Giants from 1893 to 1901. He put together nine consecutive
.300 seasons with the Giants, and he led the National League in RBIs in
1897 with 135. Davis was not only a good hitter, however. He was also
one of the top defensive shortstops of his day. He led the league in elding average four times, in assists ve times, and in double plays ve
times.
Offensive Ratings
George Davis, in a spirited dogght with Hughie Jennings, nished in
rst place in the shortstops offensive category. He nished with a total of 1.876
points against 1.765 points for Jennings, based on his +46 point league-average differential in slugging compared to a +26 point differential for Jennings.
Jack Glasscock, who nished third in both OBP and SLGD, was third at
1.502.
Total Offensive
OBPD NOBPD SLGD NSLGD Points Rating
George Davis
Hughie Jennings
Jack Glasscock
Bill Dahlen
+26
+37
+22
+16
0.876
1.000
0.831
0.764
+46
+26
+18
+18
1.000
0.765
0.671
0.671
1.876
1.765
1.502
1.435
1
2
3
4
52
ALL-STARS
FOR
ALL TIME
Total Offensive
OBPD NOBPD SLGD NSLGD Points Rating
Herman Long
J.M. Ward
Germany Smith
11
5
31
0.348
0.528
0.000
21
20
52
0.435
0.224
0.000
0.783
0.752
0.000
5
6
7
Defensive Ratings
George Davis fell out of contention as a result of his poor showing in
the defensive categories, but Jack Glasscock continued his war with Hughie
Jennings, nishing rst in NFAD and second in NRFD. Jennings, however,
built a big lead in NRFD, which provided him with enough of a point spread
to crown him the games greatest nineteenth century defensive shortstop.
Hughie Jennings
Jack Glasscock
George Davis
Bill Dahlen
Germany Smith
Herman Long
FAD
NFAD
RFD
NRFD
Final
Total Defensive
Points Ratings
+21
+28
+17
+11
+15
+3
0.720
1.000
0.560
0.320
0.480
0.000
+68
+36
+35
+36
+24
+32
1.000
0.347
0.327
0.327
0.102
0.265
1.720
1.347
0.887
0.647
0.582
0.265
1
2
3
5
6
7

A shortstops defensive play was regarded as the most critical component
in a teams defensive strategy. Therefore, many teams carried a shortstop with
a dependable glove but a weak bat. The reverse has never been true. This study,
recognizing that school of thought, measured a shortstops offense and defense
with equal weight. Hughie Jennings, however, demonstrated such a wellbalanced game that he would have been declared the nineteenth centurys
greatest all-around shortstop whether the offense was rated at one-to-one,
two-to-one, or four-to-one over defense. He led all shortstops in on-base
percentage and slugging average, and he also showed the way in range factor
while nishing second in elding average.
Hughie Jennings
Jack Glasscock
Offense
1
Defense
1
Total
Points
Final
All-Around
Ratings
1.765
1.502
1.720
1.347
3.485
2.849
1
2
53
George Davis
Bill Dahlen
Herman Long
J. M. Ward
Germany Smith
Offense
1
Defense
1
Total
Points
Final
All-Around
Ratings
1.876
1.435
0.783
0.752
0.000
0.887
0.647
0.265
0.080
0.582
2.763
2.082
1.048
0.832
0.582
3
4
5
6
7
Third Base
Six third basemen competed for the title of the nineteenth centurys foremost all-around protector of the hot corner.
John McGraw was a feisty
offensive sparkplug for the
great Baltimore Oriole
ballclubs of the 1890s. He
was a career .334 hitter
who batted over .300 nine
consecutive years. The
5' 7", 155-pound New
Yorker, known as Mugsy,
was always ready to ght
when the situation warranted it and sometimes
when the situation did not
warrant it. His 0.93 runs
scored per game is one of
the highest percentages in
baseball history.
Billy Nash starred for the
Boston Beaneaters for
eleven years, from 1885 to
1895, as one of the key
elements in their tight
inner defense. He led the
National League in elding average four times, in
assists twice, and in double plays three times. The
John McGraw was a member of the famed Baltimore Orioles of the 1890s. Hes shown here in
1890 as a member of the Olean, New York, club.
ALL-STARS
54
FOR
ALL TIME
career .275 hitter was also a decent offensive force, carrying 101 runs across
the plate for every 154 games played while driving in 92 teammates.
Denny Lyons, a stocky 5'10", 185-pound inelder, was an offensive threat
as opposed to a defensive threat. He was a career .310 hitter with a .407
OBP and a .442 slugging average. He batted over .300 seven times in his
career with an average of .367 in 1887 and .354 in 1890. His defense was
just adequate, but he did lead the league in double plays twice and set the
major league record for putouts in a single season with 255.
Billy Shindle was a slender 5' 8", 155-pound right-handed hitter who
excelled both on offense and defense. Although his career batting average
was just .269, he was still an offensive threat, averaging 94 runs scored
and 72 RBIs during his 13-year career. On defense, he led the league in
elding average once, in assists three times and in double plays twice.
Arlie Latham was a happy-go-lucky third baseman for the St. Louis
Browns when they captured four consecutive American Association pennants in the 1880s. The .269 career hitters contributions to the Browns
success included a league-leading 152 runs scored in 1886, a league-leading 109 stolen bases in 1888, and two .300+ batting seasons. He led the
leagues third basemen in both assists and double plays twice.
Lave Cross played major league baseball for 21 years, compiling 2,651
base hits to become the only nineteenth century third baseman with more
than 2,000 base hits. The Milwaukee native batted .292 during his career
while averaging 81 runs scored a season. He was also an outstanding
defensive third baseman, leading the league in elding average ve times,
assists four times, and double plays twice. He ranks fourteenth in career
assists with 3,715.
Offensive Ratings
John McGraw and Denny Lyons were the most dangerous offensive third
basemen of the nineteenth century. McGraw had a .466 OBP to Lyons .407,
but Lyons had more pop in his bat as evidenced by his 47 extra-base hits compared to Mugsys 29. Lyons drove in 97 runners a year, McGraw just 65. And
Lyons huge slugging average differential put him over the top. No other third
baseman was close to the top two. Lave Cross had a decent .292 batting average but, like McGraw, had little power.
Final
Total Offensive
OBPD NOBPD SLGD NSLGD Points Ratings
Denny Lyons
John McGraw
+62
+108
0.652
1.000
+75
+21
1.000
0.476
1.652
1.476
1
2
55

Final
Total Offensive
OBPD NOBPD SLGD NSLGD Points Ratings
Billy Nash
Lave Cross
Arlie Latham
Billy Shindle
+18
13
3
24
0.318
0.083
0.159
0.000
4
+12
28
18
0.233
0.388
0.000
0.097
0.551
0.471
0.159
0.097
3
4
5
6
Defensive Ratings
Lave Cross ve season elding average titles were no mirage. His career
elding average differential of +36 topped his closest competitor, Billy Nash,
by 16 points. Nash had a better range factor than Cross, but his advantage
was not enough to overtake Cross in the nal rating. Denny Lyons, the offensive titlist, nished fth in defense, and John McGraw brought up the rear.
Lave Cross
Billy Nash
Billy Shindle
Arlie Latham
Denny Lyons
John McGraw
FAD
NFAD
RFD
NRFD
Final
Total Defensive
Points Ratings
+36
+20
+12
+5
+11
+6
1.000
0.484
0.226
0.000
0.194
0.032
+13
+22
+23
+13
+1
30
0.811
0.981
1.000
0.811
0.585
0.000
1.811
1.465
1.226
0.811
0.779
0.032
1
2
3
4
5
6

Since third base was considered to be one of the more important defensive positions on a ballclub, the offense-to-defense ratio was set at two-toone. The offense was the all-determining factor in this race, with the offensive
leaders nishing in the same order in the nal overall ratings. In fact, even if
the offense-to-defense had been rated at one-to-one, Denny Lyons would still
have been awarded the title as the nineteenth centurys greatest all-around
third baseman. The only difference in the nal ratings would have been Lave
Cross nosing out John McGraw for second place.
Denny Lyons
John McGraw
Offense
2
Defense
1
Total
Points
Final
All-Around
Ratings
3.304
2.952
0.779
0.032
4.083
2.984
1
2
56
ALL-STARS
Lave Cross
Billy Nash
Billy Shindle
Arie Latham
FOR
ALL TIME
Offense
2
Defense
1
Total
Points
Final
All-Around
Ratings
0.942
1.102
0.194
0.318
1.811
1.465
1.226
0.811
2.753
2.567
1.420
1.129
3
4
5
6
Right Field and Left Field

The right eld and left eld positions were considered to be primarily
offensive positions. Therefore, the offense-to-defense ratio was set at fourto-one for those positions. A total of eleven players competed for the title as
the nineteenth centurys greatest all-around right or left elder.
Ed Delahanty had the fourth-highest career batting average in major
league history, a sizzling .346. He led the league in doubles ve times,
triples once, home runs twice, RBIs three times, batting average twice,
on-base percentage twice, slugging average ve times, and stolen bases
four times. He collected 2,597 base hits, with 1,600 runs scored and
1,466 RBIs, in 16 years. He won two batting titles, with a high of .410 in
1899.
Harry Stovey could hit, hit with power, run, eld, and throw. Playing
when the plate was only 50 to 55 feet from the mound, Stovey batted
.289 while averaging 31 doubles, 16 triples, and 11 home runs for every
550 at-bats. He also was one of the top base stealers of his time, leading
the league with 68 stolen bases in 1886 and 97 stolen bases four years
later. His 1.00 runs per game scoring average is number three all-time.
Hugh Duffy, a .326 lifetime batter, has the highest single-season batting
average in baseball history, hitting .440 in 1894. The diminutive righthanded hitter became the games rst Triple Crown winner that year,
smashing 18 home runs and driving in 145 teammates. He also led the
league in base hits (237) and doubles (51). The native of Cranston,
Rhode Island, was one of the top defensive outelders of his era as well.
Samuel Big Sam Thompson was one of the top sluggers of the nineteenth century, pounding the ball at a .341 clip over 15 years, with 31
doubles, 15 triples, 12 home runs, and 119 runs batted in a year. His .505
career slugging average is the second-highest in the nineteenth century.
He was also one of the leagues best y-chasers, with a steel trap for a
glove and rie for a throwing arm. He led the league in elding average
and assists twice.
57
Pete Browning was strictly an offensive outelder who batted a torrid .341
over a 13-year career, number twelve all-time and number four in the
nineteenth century. He led the league in batting average three times during his career with a high of .378 in 1882. He also had a .403 OBP and a
.467 slugging percentage during his career. On the other hand, he was a
defensive liability who was nicknamed the Gladiator for his erce battles with y balls.
James Orator Jim ORourke enjoyed a 23-year major league career,
from 1872 to 1894, and he made the most of it, batting .310 with 2,304
base hits. The man who was credited with the rst base hit in National
League history in 1876 batted over .300 thirteen times with a high of
.362 in 1877. The loquacious Irishman retired at the age of 43 but came
back for one more game when he was 54 years old.
Mike Tiernan was a .311 career batter for the New York Giants from 1887
to 1899. His .463 slugging average is the fourth-best of the sixteen
outelders in this study. He played on two world championship teams
with the Giants, in 1888 and 1889, leading the league in runs scored with
147 in 122 games in 1888. Two years later, he led the National League
with 13 home runs and a .495 slugging average.
Thomas Oyster Burns starred for the league champion Brooklyn Bridegrooms in 1889 and 1890, leading the National League with 13 homers
and 128 RBIs in 1890. He was a lifetime .300 hitter who averaged 103
runs scored and 99 runs batted in during his eleven-year major league
career. The stocky Burns was a decent defensive outelder with a reliable
glove, but his lack of speed was a liability.
Jesse the Crab Burkett tattooed opposing pitchers to the tune of .338
during his 16-year career. He was not a slugger of note, but he batted
over .400 twice with a high of .410 in 1896, and he captured three batting titles and led the league in base hits three times and runs scored
twice. Burketts outstanding .415 on-base percentage contributed to his
112 runs scored for every 550 at-bats.
Billy Hamilton, a .344 career hitter, had an exceptional batting eye that
produced an average of 104 bases on balls for every 550 at-bats and that,
along with his 189 base hits, contributed to his 1.06 runs scored per game
average, the highest such average in the annals of the game. Hamiltons
skill at reaching base combined with his blazing speed earned him ve
stolen-base crowns en route to a career total of 914 stolen bases.
Willie Wee Willie Keeler, a tiny 5' 4", 140-pound left-handed hitter
who advised other players to hit em where they aint, was essentially a
singles hitter, but he hit enough of them to produce a .341 career batting
average with 110 runs scored a year. Keelers .424 batting average in 1897
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is the fth-highest average in

major league history. The little
man led the league in elding
average twice and assists once.
Offensive Ratings
Billy Hamiltons .455 OBP
was forty points higher than Jesse
Burketts and 44 points higher than
Ed Delahantys; he easily won the
OBPD race, nishing 100 points
above the league average. Delahanty, who had a .411 OBP compared to .403 for Pete Browning,
lost his spot to Browning when the
adjusted OBPs were determined,
with Burkett slipping into third
Willie Keeler of Hit em where they aint
place. Sam Thompson easily won fame batted .341 during his 19-year major
the normalized adjusted slugging league career.
average category. He was tied with
Delahanty for the ofcial slugging average, but when the era adjustments were
made, Thompson nosed out Delahanty, +129 to +125. Overall, Pete Browning captured rst place in the offensive rating with 2.767 points to 2.391 for
Delahanty. Hamilton nished fourth behind Orator Jim ORourke, with
Thompson nailing down the fth spot.
Defensive Ratings
Ed Delahanty nished rst in the defensive ratings with 1.513 total points.
The eet-footed outelder covered acres of ground in left eld and
he kept base runners honest with a powerful throwing arm. His 243 career
assists place him ninth all-time in assists per game. Hugh Duffy came in second with 1.255 points and Billy Hamilton was third with 1.076 points.

The offensive leader obviously had a huge advantage in the nal allaround ratings since the offense was weighted at four times the defense. And,
holding true to form, Pete Browning was crowned as the best all-around
right-left elder of the nineteenth century, although Ed Delahanty made a
close race of it thanks to his outstanding performance in the defensive rat-
59
ings, where he beat Browning by 0.835 points. If the offense-to-defense had

been rated at two-to-one instead of four-to-one, Ed Delahanty would have
nished rst.
Pete Browning
Ed Delahanty
Billy Hamilton
Sam Thompson
Harry Stovey
Jesse Burkett
Mike Tiernan
Jim ORourke
Oyster Burns
Willie Keeler
Hugh Duffy
Offense
4
Defense
1
Total
Points
Final
All-Around
Ratings
7.068
6.172
5.448
5.376
4.636
4.896
4.396
3.592
3.728
3.120
2.408
0.678
1.513
1.076
0.999
0.900
0.510
0.439
0.838
0.579
0.769
1.255
7.746
7.685
6.524
6.375
5.536
5.406
4.835
4.430
4.307
3.889
3.663
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
Center Field
The center-eld position, along with the catcher, second baseman, and
shortstop, was considered to be one of the keys to a teams defense. The old
adage, To win a pennant, a team has to be strong up the middle, was as true
in the nineteenth century as it was in the twentieth century. There were ve
players competing for the title of the nineteenth centurys greatest all-around
center elder. Their offense was weighted at three-to-one over their defense.
Mike Grifn was an outstanding center elder for the Brooklyn Dodgers
during the 1890s, leading the league in elding average ve times and
assists twice. He also led the league with 152 runs scored in 137 games
in 1889, and with 36 doubles in 1892. Grifn batted .296 over 12 years,
averaging 29 doubles, 10 triples, and four home runs for every 550 at-bats.
Paul Hines was a 16-year major leaguer who was one of the best allaround center elders of his era. The husky right-handed hitter, who
compiled a career batting average of .301, was an offensive threat who led
the league in doubles three times, home runs once, RBIs once, and slugging average once. He also showed the way in elding average twice and
assists once.
George Gore, another career .301 hitter, batted over .300 eight times in
fourteen years, with a high of .360 in 1890 when he won the batting title.
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He also led the league in on-base percentage (.399) and slugging average
(.463) that year. Gore, who scored over 100 runs seven times, is number
two all-time in runs scored per game with 1.01. He averaged 136 runs
scored a year, thanks to punching out 166 base hits and drawing 74 bases
on balls.
Steve Brodie was an important cog in the Baltimore Orioles three consecutive National League pennants from 1894 to 1896. The 5'11", 180pound left-handed hitter played all 392 games during that span, batting
.338 with 71 doubles, 32 triples, and 317 runs scored. During his 12-year
major league career, Brodie led the leagues outelders in elding average
three times and assists twice.
George Van Haltren was a southpaw pitcher during his rst three years in
the major leagues, going 3931, but was converted to a strong-armed
outelder who became the pride of New York during the 1890s. Van Haltren put together a .316 career batting average with 112 runs scored, 20
doubles, 11 triples, and ve home runs for every 550 at-bats.
Offensive Ratings
There was not much to choose from as far as the offensive statistics of
the ve center-eld candidates were concerned. George Gore nosed out Paul
Hines for the number one spot based on his on-base percentage. Both men
had a career .301 batting average, but Gore, thanks to his 74 bases on balls a
year, built a .386 on-base percentage, while Hines, who drew only 32 walks
a year, had to settle for a .343 OBP. In addition, Gore enjoyed a +70 point
era adjustment while Hines had to be content with a +40 point adjustment.
Hines out-pointed Gore in SLGD, but it was not enough to offset the huge
lead Gore had built in OBPD.
Defensive Ratings
Mike Grifn was a sensational all-around outelder, and he dominated
both the elding average category and the range factor category, compiling a
perfect 2.000 point total. His closest rival was Steve Brodie, who nished second in both categories with a 1.689 point total. Paul Hines was a close third
in both categories and third overall. George Gore, who had set the pace on
offense, came in a miserable fourth for defense.

Mike Grifn, who nished a distant third in the offensive ratings, swept
the defensive ratings to capture the title as the greatest all-around nineteenth
61
century center elder, based on a three-to-one offense to defense rating system. His 3.941 point total edged George Gore by a mere 0.008 points. Paul
Hines was third with 3.818 points.
Mike Grifn
George Gore
Paul Hines
George Van Haltren
Steve Brodie
Offense
3
Defense
1
Total
Points
Final
All-Around
Ratings
1.941
3.132
2.406
1.767
0.000
2.000
0.801
1.412
0.625
1.689
3.941
3.933
3.818
2.392
1.689
1
2
3
4
5
MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALLS

NINETEENTH CENTURY ALL-STAR TEAM
Catcher
Pitcher
First Base
Second Base
Shortstop
Third Base
Right-Left Field
Center Field
First Team
Second Team
Buck Ewing
Bob Caruthers
Dan Brouthers
Fred Dunlap
Hughie Jennings
Denny Lyons
Pete Browning
Ed Delahanty
Mike Grifn
Jack Clements
Kid Nichols
Roger Connor
Hardy Richardson
Jack Glasscock
John McGraw
Billy Hamilton
Sam Thompson
George Gore
C HAPTER 4
Baseballs Greatest Catchers

There were a total of twenty catchers competing for the title of baseballs greatest all-around catcher.
Gene Tenace was one of the games most underrated catchers. He was a
solidly built six-footer weighing 190 pounds. A right-handed hitter,
Tenace hit with power and had an excellent on-base-percentage. He is
often overlooked because his batting average was a mediocre .241, and he
struck out 125 times for every 550 at-bats. In his support, he walked 123
times a year, giving him an excellent .388 on-base percentage (OBP) that
was signicantly higher than the league average. And his power, which
produced 25 home runs and 84 RBIs a year, gave him a .429 slugging
average that was considerably higher than most other catchers. On
defense, Tenace had a better-than-average elding average and caughtstealing percentage. Unfortunately, shoulder problems curtailed his
catching career after 892 games, sending him to rst base, where his
bad shoulder would not affect his game and where he could still help
the team with his big bat.
Gene Tenace was a member of the 197274 world championship Oakland Athletics and, in 1972, he was voted the World Series Most Valuable
Player after smashing four home runs in seven games, driving in nine of
the 16 runs the As scored in the Series, and batting .348.
Mickey Cochrane was a member of Connie Macks powerful Philadelphia
Athletics, American League champions of 192931. The feisty backstop
who won two world titles with the As also won two American League
pennants and one world championship with the 193435 Detroit Tigers.
Cochrane was a tough eld general who hated to lose and did whatever it
took to leave the eld victorious. Over the course of his 13-year major
league career, Black Mike, as he was called, compiled a .320 batting
average, the highest career batting average for any major league catcher.
62
4. Baseballs Greatest Catchers
63
He also had the highest on-base percentage and one of the games better
slugging averages. On defense, he was the eld general, positioning players, running the game from behind the plate, and keeping his pitchers
focused on the job at hand. His only defensive weakness was a poor
throwing arm that left him below the league average in caught-stealing
percentage. However, he did lead the league a total of twelve times in the
four major defensive categories, elding average, putouts, assists, and
double plays.
Gabby Hartnett learned the art of catching from his father, a former
semi-pro catcher and a tough taskmaster. Hartnett, who caught his
fathers pitches in the back yard every evening after his father got home
from work, was an excellent defensive catcher before the age of fteen,
and he possessed what may be the strongest throwing arm in major
league history. During Hartnetts 19-year career with the Chicago Cubs,
fans used to go out to the park several hours before game-time just to
watch him rie the ball around the ineld. The big catcher had no weaknesses. On offense, he hit for average (.297 career), hit with power (20
homers and 101 RBIs for every 550 at-bats), and he could also advance
base runners with well-placed sacrice bunts if the situation warranted it.
And, thanks to his father, Gabbys defense was awless, even to protecting against passed balls and wild pitches. He was taught to shift his feet
and get his body in front of any balls that were wide of the plate rather
than trying to backhand balls like Johnny Bench and most of todays
catchers do. In addition to his other skills, Hartnett was a fearless gunner
who would throw to any base at any time and, as a result, he had one of
the highest pickoff averages of all the world-class catchers. During his
career he led the league in a combined total of twenty-two of the four
major defensive categories. And if a catchers caught-stealing rating was
available as an ofcial statistic, he would have added another ten or more
stars to his crown. He is number four all-time in career double plays with
163.
Bill Dickey was considered by some baseball experts to be the heart and
soul of the great New York Yankee teams of the 1930s. He was an outstanding eld leader and a great handler of pitchers as well as a durable
catcher who established a major league record for catching 100 or more
games in 13 straight seasons. In addition to his defensive strengths, he was
also a force to be reckoned with on offense, compiling a .313 career batting average, second only to Mickey Cochrane among catchers. He was
considered by many opposing players to be the toughest clutch hitter on
the Yankee squad, even though he played with such legends as Lou
Gehrig, Babe Ruth, and Joe DiMaggio. During his 17-year major league
career, Dickey played on eight American League pennant winners and
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seven world championship teams. Dickey led the league in a total of

fourteen times in the major defensive categories.
Roy Campanella was the epitome of the baseball catcher. He was a solid
offensive presence who was a .300 hitter when he was healthy. He had
good plate discipline, seldom struck out, and was capable of coaxing a
base on balls. He could also hit for power or sacrice a runner along with
a bunt when needed. But as good as he was on offense, he prided himself
on his defensive capabilities. He turned professional at the age of 15, playing with the Baltimore Elites in the Negro leagues. He learned the art of
catching under Biz Mackey, arguably the greatest all-around catcher in
Negro league history. Campanellas stocky physique gave the mistaken
impression that he was a slow runner, but nothing could be further from
the truth. A former high school track star, he was fast on his feet, often
beating the runner to rst base while backing up throws on ground balls
to the ineld. He also had extremely quick reexes, whether pouncing on
a ball in front of the plate or digging potential wild pitches out of the
dirt, so quick, in fact, that New York writers dubbed him the Cat. His
greatest strength was his powerful throwing arm. His arm might not have
been as strong as Gabby Hartnetts, but he more than made up for it in
accuracy, nishing his career with the highest career caught-stealing percentage in major league history. Over his brief career, he led the league
eleven times in the four major defensive categories and, if a catchers
caught-stealing record was available, he would have added another six or
more awards to his total.
Joe Torre enjoyed an 18-year major league career, playing 2,209 games,
including 903 games behind the plate. He also played rst base and third
base. Torres biggest problem was that he was versatile and cooperative.
He was the rst-string catcher for the Milwaukee and Atlanta Braves during his rst nine years in the National League, and he was a two-time
Gold Glove catcher. After he was traded to the St. Louis Cardinals, he
played wherever he was needed. When Ted Simmons arrived in St. Louis,
Torre moved to third base to make room, and after Ken Reitz arrived,
Torre moved across the diamond to rst base. But wherever Torre played,
he did a superb job defensively, and he always had that big bat to keep
him happy. Over his career, he batted .297, with 24 doubles, four triples,
18 home runs, and 83 RBIs for every 550 at-bats. In 1971, he was voted
the Most Valuable Player in the National League while leading the league
in four categories: batting with a .363 average; base hits with 230; total
bases with 352; and runs batted in with 137.
Darrell Porter was a hard-hitting backstop in the mold of Gene Tenace,
except that he batted left-handed. He had a mediocre .247 batting average, but he averaged 91 bases on balls a year to go along with 24 doubles,
65
Gabby Hartnett, 1938.
ve triples, 19 home runs, and 83 RBIs, giving him a ne .354 on-base

percentage and a .409 slugging average. His best year at the plate was
1979 when he hit a career-high .291 with 23 doubles, 10 triples, 20 home
runs, 101 runs scored, and 112 RBIs. His league-leading 121 bases on balls
gave him an outstanding .421 on-base percentage and a .484 slugging
average. On defense, the 6', 193-pound Porter was considered to be a
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good handler of pitchers and an above-average defensive catcher with a

strong throwing arm.
Ernie Lombardi was one of the top offensive catchers in major league history, and one of only ve catchers with a career batting average over .300.
His .306 average ranks fourth behind Mickey Cochrane, Bill Dickey, and
Babe Phelps, who hit .310. Called the Schnozz because of his large
nose, the affable giant who stood 6' 3" and weighed 230 pounds was
noted for his powerful line drives that frequently ricocheted off outeld
fences around the National League. He had extra-base power similar to
Torre and Porter, while averaging 93 RBIs a season. He was also noted
for his lack of speed, often leading the league in grounding into double
plays. His slowness afoot was so obvious that inelders played back on
the grass, challenging him to beat out an ineld hit, something he seldom
did. But, in spite of his lack of speed, the right-handed slugger won two
batting titles, hitting .342 in 1938 and .330 four years later, the only
catcher to achieve that honor. Lombardi called a good game and was a
good handler of pitchers, but in all other aspects of the game he was an
average defensive catcher.
Johnny Bench was one of the best catchers of the 1960s to 1980s, along
with Carlton Fisk, Gary Carter, Jim Sundberg, and Bill Freehan. The
fact that Bench is invariably rated as the greatest catcher in baseball history by modern observers can be traced to two things. First, he was one
of the more visible players on the Big Red Machine championship teams
of the 1970s, and one of the games rst television celebrities. Second, he
was the games biggest self-promoter. Oftentimes, when he was quoted or
interviewed, he began the discussion by saying, Whenever people talk
about great catchers, they begin with me. He was also quoted as saying,
I can throw out any man alive. Johnny Bench had many admirable
qualities but modesty was not one of them. He was, however, one of the
catching professions greatest power hitters and one of its best defensive
players. He is seventh all-time in career putouts with 9,260. During his
17-year career, Bench led the league just ve times in the four major
defensive categories, the fourteenth-best out of the twenty catchers in the
study. He led the league in putouts twice, and in elding average, assists,
and double plays once each.
Yogi Berras metamorphosis from an ugly duckling backstop to one of
baseballs greatest defensive catchers under the tutelage of New York Yankee legend Bill Dickey was almost miraculous. The stocky youngster from
St. Louis could always hit, but when he was promoted to the New York
Yankees he was a mediocre outelder. Manager Casey Stengel, desperately
trying to nd a position Berra could handle so he could keep his bat in
the lineup, eventually converted him to a catcher, a move that looked for
67
awhile like a monumental blunder. Berra looked lost behind the plate. In
the 1947 World Series, the Brooklyn Dodgers, with Jackie Robinson, Pee
Wee Reese, and company, ran the bases with abandon, stealing seven
bases in less than four games and forcing the Yankee manager to bench
his protg in Game Five. Stengel then brought Bill Dickey on board in
spring training to teach the 22-year-old backstop the rudiments of the
catching position. At the time, Dickey said he thought that Berra could
be a good (not great, but good) catcher. Yogi proved him wrong. With an
old-time work ethic, lightning-fast reexes, and a strong throwing arm,
Berra soon became one of the greatest defensive catchers in the annals of
the sport. He went on to lead the American League in double plays six
times while throwing out 49 percent of runners who attempted to steal
on him. He was outstanding at calling a game, handling a pitching staff,
and blocking balls in the dirt, and he pounced on a bunt as Casey Stengel
liked to say, like it was a dollar bill. Berra is number ten in career
putouts with 8,729, and number three in career double plays with 175.
He led the league in a total of nineteen of the four major defensive categories, including eight times in putouts and six times in double plays.
Jim Sundberg was a great defensive catcher who led the American League
in elding percentage, putouts, and assists six times each and in double
plays ve times, the best defensive record of any catcher in this study. His
.993 career elding average is tied for the highest norm in baseball history, and his 9,414 career putouts rank fth. He had a powerful throwing
arm that discouraged base runners from attempting to steal against him,
and he had the quick reexes required to run down pop fouls or eld
bunts. And he was durable, catching 140 or more games in six consecutive
seasons, and more than 130 games ten times. Sundbergs weakness was his
offense. He carried a career batting average of just .248 with only 34
extra-base hits for every 550 at-bats.
Gary Carter was a 6' 2", 215-pound rebrand who starred in the major
leagues for 19 years, primarily with the Montreal Expos and New York
Mets. The California native could do it all, on defense and offense. He
led the National League in elding percentage twice, in most chances six
times, and putouts, assists and double plays ve times, a defensive record
exceeded by only two other catchers Jim Sundberg and Gabby Hartnett. He is number one in career putouts with 10,360, number three in
games caught with 2,056, and number eight in double plays with 149. He
was an expert in blocking balls in the dirt and preventing wild pitches by
his pitchers. He once set a record with just one passed ball in 150 games.
But unlike many of his peers, Carter could more than hold his own with
a bat in his hands. His career total of 324 home runs has been exceeded
by only four other catchers. He hit 20 or more home runs nine times
Jim Sundberg was one of the best defensive catchers ever to don the tools of ignorance (courtesy of the Texas Rangers).
with a high of 32 homers in 1985, and he drove in more than 100 runs
four times with a high of a league-leading 106 RBIs in 1984. Carter is one
of the few catchers to accumulate more than 2,000 base hits in his career.
In the 1986 World Series with the New York Mets, Carter batted .276
with two home runs and a Series-high nine RBIs in seven games.
69
Lance Parrish was another outstanding all-around catcher who starred

in the major leagues from 1977 to 1995. He never led the league in elding average but was consistent from year to year, and his career mark
of .991 is number seven all-time, as is his 1,818 games played. And his
strong throwing arm cut down enemy base runners at a rate 5 percent
above the league average. He had good reexes and superior range, but
he did have one chink in his armor. He had problems with balls in the
dirt, and he led the league with 21 passed balls in 1979. Nevertheless,
he was a six-time all-star who was a major contributor on offense, batting .252 with 25 home runs and 83 runs batted in for every 550 at-bats.
He helped the Detroit Tigers win the 1984 world championship, slamming 33 homers and driving in 98 runs during the regular season, and
then hitting .278 with a homer and two RBIs in the World Series against
the San Diego Padres. He also kept the Padre runners in check in the
Series, allowing only two stolen bases while shooting down three base
runners.
Tony Pena, another of baseballs defensive standouts, had a unique catching style, with one leg straight out when he crouched. The 6', 180-pound
native of the Dominican Republic who starred in the major leagues for 17
years was a particular favorite in Pittsburgh, where he played from 1980
to 1986. When he was traded to the St. Louis Cardinals in 1987, he
helped Whitey Herzogs team capture the world championship, batting
.381 with ve runs scored in the NLCS and .409 with four RBIs in the
World Series. Pena was a light hitter, compiling a .261 career batting
average with 22 doubles, two triples, and nine home runs for every
550 at-bats, but he dominated behind the plate. He was an outstanding glove man. He is number six all-time in games caught, number eight
in total chances per game, number four in putouts, and number six in
double plays. He led the league in elding average twice, putouts ve
times, assists twice, double plays four times, and he won three Gold
Gloves.
Harry Danning was an excellent catcher for the New York Giants in the
late 1930s. Unfortunately, his major league career was cut short by World
War II. He served in the military from 1943 to the end of the war, and
retired from baseball on his return home. During his abbreviated career,
Danning showed remarkable expertise in all aspects of the defensive
game, from elding to cutting down would-be base stealers, blocking
balls in the dirt, preventing wild pitches, and chasing down foul pop-ups
and bunts. The 6'1", 190-pound right-handed hitter compiled a .285
career batting average with 30 doubles, ve triples, 11 homers and 73
RBIs a year. Danning was dubbed Harry the Horse by the press, either
because, as he said, he looked like a horse or worked like one. He did
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work like one, thats for sure. Like most old-time ballplayers, Danning
had an admirable work ethic and an apparent disregard for pain that
allowed him to play through numerous injuries.
Ray Mueller was one of baseballs top defensive catchers, but also one of
its slowest. He had a below-average range factor, and he was always
among the league leaders in grounding into double plays. Other than
that, he was a standout behind the plate or with a bat in his hand. He
had the highest elding average differential of any catcher in the study
(tied with Jim Sundberg), and he had the fourth-highest caught-stealing
differential (also tied with Sundberg). He allowed the fewest passed balls
per game of any of the twenty catchers, and was number three in the
fewest wild pitches allowed (tied with Berra). As a batter, he hit a modest
.252 with just 38 extra-base hits for every 550 at-bats.
Chris Hoiles was a ne all-around catcher during the 1990s, but an
unlucky one who spent most of his ten-year career playing with and
through injuries. Finally, when the pain from his leg and hip injuries
proved to be too restrictive, he graciously retired from the game. But
during his brief career, he established himself as one of the games top
catchers, both offensively and defensively. On defense, he had the fewest
passed balls and permitted the fewest wild pitches of any catcher in the
study. He also had an excellent elding average and an above-average
range factor. His one weakness was his throwing arm that caught just 28
percent of the runners attempting to steal. As a hitter, he averaged 29
home runs for every 550 at-bats, one of the highest rates of any of the
twenty catchers. He was also among the leaders in on-base percentage
and slugging percentage. In 1993, he became just the fth American
League catcher to bat .300 with at least 25 doubles and 25 homers in a
season. Three years later, in a game against the Seattle Mariners, he experienced his most exciting moment. Coming to the plate in the bottom of
the ninth inning with the bases full and his team trailing by three runs,
he took a full-count pitch downtown, a walk-off, grand-slam home run.
And, on August 14, 1998, he had a game to remember, smashing two
grand-slam homers in the same game.
Bill Freehan was a Detroit Tiger mainstay for 15 years, from 1961 through
1976. By the time he retired, he had accumulated numerous records. His
.993 career elding average is tied for the highest career norm for a
catcher in baseball history. He led the league in elding average three
times, putouts six times, and double plays once. He is number three alltime in total chances per game with 6.79, and number three in putouts
with 9,941. Freehan had quick reexes and good speed for a big man, and
he also had a quick bat. The 6' 2", 205-pound right-handed hitter batted
.262 over 15 years, with 22 doubles, three triples, and 18 home runs a
71
year. Three times in his career he hit 20 or more home runs with a high
of 25 in 1968, the year the Tigers won the world championship. He batted .263 that year with 84 RBIs and 73 runs scored, in support of Gibson, Cash, Horton, and company. The Michigan native was tested
continuously by the Cardinal rabbits, who had stolen 110 bases during the
regular National League season. They swiped eleven more bases during
the Series, including seven by Lou Brock, but Freehan gunned down ve
of them to keep the games under control.
Earl Battey was a key factor in the Minnesota Twins march to the 1965
American League pennant. The California native, a career .270 hitter,
stroked the ball at a .297 clip that year, with 60 runs batted in in 394 atbats. In the World Series he ran into a railing, neck-rst, while chasing a
pop foul, but like the warrior he was, he shook off the injury and caught
the rest of the Series. During his 13-year career, Battey was equally as
good on offense and defense. His batting average was supplemented by 16
homers a year, a .351 on-base-percentage, and a .409 slugging average.
His adjusted OBP was the sixth-best of the twenty catchers in the study.
As noted in The Ballplayers, A three time Gold Glove winner, Battey
topped all ML catchers in 1962 with a .280 BA, threw out 24 runners,
and picked off 13. The publication also noted that Battey routinely
played through injuries that included dislocated ngers, a bad knee, and
a goiter problem that occasionally added 60 pounds to his weight. During his career he led the league four times each in putouts and assists, and
twice in double plays.
Carlton Fisk was baseballs most durable catcher, catching a major league
record 2,229 games over a memorable 24-year career. He is also number
four in putouts with 9,428 and tenth in double plays by a catcher with
147. Fisk was more an offensive catcher than a defensive one, but he
called a good game, handled a pitching staff with great skill, and was outstanding in preventing passed balls and wild pitches. At the plate he was
one of the best. His .269 career batting average included 2,356 base hits,
one of the highest base-hit totals for any catcher in the annals of the
game. His 421 career doubles, 376 home runs, 1,276 runs scored, and
1,386 runs batted in also rank with the best. The 220-pound righthanded slugger hit 20 or more home runs six times, with a high of 37
homers in 1985. The image of Fisk that sticks in most peoples minds is
that of his frantic hand-waving as he tried to steer a high y ball he had
hit to left eld into home run territory in Game Six of the 1976 World
Series. The pleading worked as his ball ricocheted off the foul pole for a
walk-off homer that knotted the Series at three games apiece. Unfortunately, the Cincinnati Reds won Game Seven, 43, to claim the world
championship.
72
ALL-STARS
FOR
ALL TIME
Mike Piazza, baseballs greatest offensive catcher.
Two of the foremost world-class catchers were still active when this study
was conducted Ivan Pudge Rodriguez and Mike Piazza. Their statistics and ratings were not included in the study, but their potential future
ratings were discussed at the end of the section. Rodriguez, through the
2006 season, boasted a .304 batting average and had gunned down 48
73
Pudge Rodriguez has the major leagues best throwing arm since Roy Campanella
(courtesy Ivan Pudge Rodriguez Foundation).
74
ALL-STARS
FOR
ALL TIME
percent of all base runners who dared challenge his arm. Piazza, who was
primarily an offensive catcher, batted .309 through 2006, with 35 home
runs and 108 RBIs for every 550 at-bats.
Offensive Ratings
The offensive ratings for catchers included on-base percentage (OBP),
slugging average (SLG), stolen bases (SB), sacrice hits (SH), and double
plays grounded into (GIDP). The published slugging statistics were rst
adjusted for the individual players park factor, then adjusted for the era in
which the player played, and nally normalized. The on-base percentages
were era adjusted and then normalized, and the SB, SH, and GIDP statistics
were all normalized. The two most important offensive statistics for catchers
were OBP and SLG. Players in general who had high OBPs also had high
runs scored averages, and players who had high SLGs also had high RBI rates;
after all, teams that score the most runs win the most games. For this study,
NOBPA and NXSLGA were rated at a maximum of twenty points each while
NSB, NSH, and NGIDP, were rated at a maximum of one point each, giving a total of 43 points that could be realized by a catcher for his offensive
contribution.
Normalized Adjusted
On-Base Percentage (NOBPA)
As noted above, some catchers were underrated since their low batting
averages caused their overall offensive contributions to be overlooked. A complete measure of a players offense must include his ability to reach base by
drawing bases on balls. The most notable example of a player who fell through
the offensive cracks was Gene Tenace, whose mediocre .241 batting average
caused him to be disregarded by most baseball experts. However, Tenace had
a good batting eye that brought him 123 bases on balls a year, and increased
his OBP from a lowly .241 to a healthy .388. Although Tenaces batting average was the lowest in the study, his OBP was the second-highest of the twenty
catchers, trailing only Mickey Cochrane, who had a sensational .419 OBP.
Cochrane had the highest career batting average at .320, and combined with
his 91 bases on balls a year, it helped him retain his top spot in the OBP category. Another catcher who was helped by his keen batting eye was Darrell
Porter, who hit just .247 but drew 90 walks a year to give him one of the top
adjusted on-base percentages in the study. Gene Tenaces on-base percentage, adjusted to the era in which he played (OBPA), was .392, second to
75
Cochranes .401. Other catchers who had excellent OBPAs included Bill
Dickey (.368), Joe Torre (.363), the aforementioned Darrell Porter (.362),
and Earl Battey (.359). The leader in OBPA, Mickey Cochrane, posted the
maximum point total of 20.000 for the normalized adjusted on-base percentage (NOBPA). Gene Tenaces normalized point total was .392/.401 20 =
19.551. He was followed by Bill Dickey (18.354), Joe Torre (18.105), Darrell
Porter (18.055), and Earl Battey (.17.905). Bringing up the rear was Tony
Pena, whose .298 OBPA gave him a normalized point total of 14.863, Ray
Mueller, whose .308 OBPA resulted in a 15.362 point total, and Lance Parrish, whose .309 average gave him 15.411 points.
Normalized Adjusted Slugging Average (XSLGA)

The catchers with the highest career slugging averages were Roy
Campanella, who sported a fancy .500 career slugging average, Gabby Hartnett (.489), Bill Dickey (.486), and Yogi Berra (.482). Jim Sundberg held
down the bottom spot with a career slugging average of .348, and he was
closely followed by Tony Pena at .364 and Ray Mueller at .368. They were
the only three catchers in the study with career slugging averages under
.400. When the slugging averages were adjusted for individual park factors
and the era in which the player was active, there were some minor changes
to the slugging ratings. For instance, Johnny Bench, thanks to a favorable era
adjustment of 17 points, overtook Roy Campanella to claim the top spot in
the adjusted slugging average ratings with a XSLGA of .302 compared to
.283 for Campanella, who lost eight points in the era adjustment. Gene
Tenace, with a favorable seven-point era adjustment, slipped past Gabby
Hartnett into third place, with Hartnett fourth and Darrell Porter fth.
Bill Dickey was hurt by his highly unfavorable park factor that saw him hit
24 home runs for every 550 at-bats at home compared to just 11 home
runs on the road. And he was further penalized by a three-point negative era
adjustment.
Normalized Stolen Bases (NSB)

Catchers, for the most part, are not noted for their base-stealing skills,
but occasionally a catcher comes along who brings with him a very aggressive base running game, including the ability to steal bases. Carlton Fisk was
such a catcher. He ran the bases with abandon and in the process stole an
average of eight bases for every 154 games played, the highest total for any of
the twenty catchers evaluated in this study. Mickey Cochrane and Tony Pena
with seven stolen bases and Gene Tenace and Johnny Bench with ve were
the only other catchers with more than four stolen bases a year.
ALL-STARS
76
FOR
ALL TIME
Normalized Sacrice Hits (NSH)

Catchers, for whatever reason, were not very adept at laying down
sacrice hits. That situation was partially caused more by philosophical
changes in baseball strategy as opposed to incompetence on the part of the
catchers. However, the statistic is part of the offensive evaluation for all players, so it may be that some players were penalized through no fault of their
own. Catchers of long ago, like Mickey Cochrane with 16 sacrice hits a year
and Gabby Hartnett with 10 sacrice hits a year, were not only dangerous
hitters, they were also skilled in the art of laying down a sacrice bunt to move
a runner along at a critical juncture in the ball game. Over the past sixty
years, only one catcher has averaged more than four sacrice hits a year. Jim
Sundberg had eleven.
Normalized Double Plays

Grounded Into (NGIDP)
As most people know, catchers have never been noted for their blazing
speed and, as a result, they have recorded some of the highest frequencies for
grounding into double plays of any players at any position. Not surprisingly,
Ernie Lombardi, long recognized as one of the slowest men ever to play the
game, grounded into an average of 25 double plays for every 154 games played.
Ray Mueller with 21 double plays grounded into and Tony Pena with 20 were
close behind. At the other end of the spectrum, Mickey Cochrane, Gene
Tenace, and Darrell Porter grounded into only ten double plays a year. Of
the active players, Mike Piazza averages 19 GIDPs a year and Ivan Rodriguez
averages 14.
Final Offensive Ratings

Mickey Cochrane led all catchers in three important offensive categories NOBPA, NSH, and NGIDP and he was a close second in NSB.
Cochrane was no better than twelfth in NXSLGA, and his lack of power
allowed Gene Tenace to overtake him for the number one spot in the nal
offensive ratings. Tenace, whose 123 bases on balls a year gave him a secondplace nish in the NOBPA category, was also number one in NGIDP.
Name
NOBPA
20
NXSLGA .05NSB .05NSH .05NGIDP Total

20
20
20
20
Points
Tenace
Cochrane
Hartnett
19.551
20.000
17.257
17.748
14.371
17.417
.625
.875
.625
.188
1.000
.938
1.000
1.000
.167
39.112
37.246
36.404
Final
Offensive
Ratings
1
3
6
77
Name
NOBPA
20
NXSLGA .05NSB .05NSH .05NGIDP Total

20
20
20
20
Points
Dickey
Campanella
Torre
Porter
Lombardi
Bench
Berra
Sundberg
Carter
Parrish
Pena
Danning
Mueller
Hoiles
Freehan
Battey
Fisk
18.354
17.506
18.105
18.055
17.506
17.207
17.257
16.259
16.808
15.411
14.863
15.960
15.362
17.756
17.656
17.905
17.207
14.901
18.742
16.623
17.086
16.159
20.000
16.821
9.007
16.026
15.695
9.404
6.755
10.596
15.695
13.974
11.788
17.020
.375
.375
.250
.500
.125
.625
.375
.250
.375
.250
.875
.250
.375
.125
.250
.250
1.000
.250
.250
.063
.125
.125
.063
.063
.625
.125
.125
.375
.250
.125
.125
.188
.375
.125
.167
.132
.125
1.000
.100
.179
.227
.167
.208
.167
.125
.147
.119
.192
.208
.132
.192
Final
Offensive
Ratings
34.047
37.005
35.166
36.768
34.015
38.074
34.743
26.308
33.542
31.648
25.642
23.362
26.577
33.893
32.276
30.450
35.544
10
4
8
5
11
3
9
18
13
15
19
20
17
12
14
16
7
Defensive Ratings
The defensive ratings for catchers were determined by comparing elding average (FA), caught stealing percentage (CS), passed balls (PB), wild
pitches by the pitching staff (WP), range factor (RF), and assists other than
caught stealing assists (ASSA). FA, CS, RF, WP, and ASSA were compared
to the league average and the difference was normalized. PB were normalized. Unfortunately, many of a catchers defensive responsibilities cannot be
measured directly, such as calling a game, handling a pitching staff, and backing up bases, but verbal evidence presented by baseball experts, historians,
and former players indicates that all the world-class catchers, particularly
those in the top ten, were rated high in all the intangible categories. For this
study, NFAD, NCSD, and NRFD were rated at a maximum of twenty points
each, NASSAD was rated at ten points, NPB was rated at six, and NWPD
was rated at 1.5, for a total maximum of 77.5 points.
Normalized Fielding Average Differential (NFAD)

Jim Sundberg, long noted as one of the games foremost defensive catchers, led the way in elding average differential with a +8 differential, his .993
78
ALL-STARS
FOR
ALL TIME
career elding average being eight points above the .985 league average. He
was joined in the top spot by Ray Mueller, whose .988 career elding average was eight points above the .980 league average. Most catchers had elding averages that were better than the league average. The exceptions were
Darrell Porter, whose .982 career elding average was two points below the
league average, and Ernie Lombardi, whose .979 average fell one point short
of the league average. The elding average differentials (FAD) were adjusted
upward by two points to bring Porters elding average differential to zero
before calculating NFAD.
Normalized Caught-Stealing
Percentage Differential (NCSD)
Roy Campanella was head and shoulders above all other world-class
backstops when it came to gunning down would-be base stealers. His career
caught-stealing percentage of 58 percent does not begin to do justice to his
skill in that area. During his rst ve years in the National League, his caughtstealing percentage (CS) was a glittering 63 percent. One time he went 52
games without allowing a stolen base, and another time he threw out 13 consecutive runners who tested his powerful throwing arm. Injuries over his last
ve years reduced his career averages, but he still retained his number one
rating, and he averaged 18 percent better than the league average. Gabby
Hartnett, who may have had baseballs strongest throwing arm, could not
match Campanella in quickness or accuracy. Still, he nished second to
Campy with a 53 percent CS and a 12 percent caught-stealing differential
(CSD). Johnny Benchs numbers were 44 percent CS versus a 35 percent
league CS, for a 9 percent CSD. Jim Sundberg and Ray Mueller, both with
a 6 percent CSD, trailed the three leaders. Ivan Pudge Rodriguez, who is
still active, may give Campanella a run for his money by the time he retires.
Through the 2006 season, baseballs latest hired gun enjoyed a 49 percent
caught-stealing percentage and a healthy 17 percent caught-stealing differential. The caught-stealing differentials (CSD) were all adjusted upward by four
points to bring Chris Hoiles four-point negative differential to zero before
calculating the NCSD.
Normalized Passed Balls (NPB)

Ray Mueller and Chris Hoiles, two of the games best defensive catchers, were charged with just ve passed balls a year, giving them the maximum
total of six points. Gary Carter and Harry Danning, two other outstanding
glove men, were charged with six passed balls. Lance Parrish was one of baseballs top defensive catchers, but he was weak on passed balls, piling up an
79
average of 19 passed balls a year. And Ernie Lombardi, who was recognized
as an outstanding offensive catcher, had 15 passed balls for every 154 games
played.
Normalized Wild Pitch Differential (NWPD)

Many baseball experts claim that catchers who are among the leaders in
preventing passed balls are also among the leaders in minimizing wild pitches
by their pitching staffs. That does seem to be the case, generally speaking,
and wild pitches by a teams pitching staff was included in this study, and was
compared to the average wild pitches in the league in order to measure the
catchers ability to minimize that misadventure. Since a catcher has a limited
effect on the teams wild pitches, it was only weighted at a maximum of 1.5
points. Carlton Fisk, who was procient at preventing passed balls, was sensational in minimizing his teams wild pitches. Fisks teams were guilty of
throwing only 23 wild pitches a year compared to the league average of 39,
a solid 16 wild pitches below the average. Chris Hoiles matched Fisks efciency
in preventing wild pitches, but they were the only catchers whose teams were
more than seven wild pitches below average. Yogi Berras teams were seven
wild pitches below average, while Johnny Benchs teams and Gary Carters
teams were ve wild pitches better than average.
Normalized Range Factor Differential (NRFD)

Roy Campanella, who had been a track star in high school, and had catlike reexes, compiled a career range factor of 4.66, a full 1.32 points better
than the league average. Bill Freehan, another backstop with quick reexes,
had a range factor of 5.68, 1.06 better than the league average. And, as might
be expected, Yogi Berra, Mickey Cochrane, Bill Dickey, and Gary Carter were
among the elite in that category. Johnny Bench, a superior defensive catcher
who was not blessed with quick reexes or outstanding speed, was no better
than 15th in range factor differential after all the results were normalized.
Normalized Other Assists Differential (NASSAD)

Catchers can compile assists in a variety of ways, such as throwing out
runners attempting to steal, picking runners off base, throwing out a batter
after dropping the third strike, throwing out a batter on a bunt or a topped
ball, or by participating in a rundown. Most catcher assists are the result of
throwing out would-be base stealers, but the other assists are equally important. This category subtracted the caught-stealing assists from a catchers total
assists, and compared the result to the league average in order to measure a
80
ALL-STARS
FOR
ALL TIME
catchers prociency in the other areas. Surprisingly, only seven of the twenty
catchers in the study had other assists that exceeded the league average. The
reason for that is unknown. Gabby Hartnett, who had a reputation for throwing to any base at any time in an effort to pick runners off base, led the group
with a +6 differential in other assists. Johnny Bench at +4, Gary Carter at
+3, Lance Parrish at +2, and Jim Sundberg, Tony Pena, and Ray Mueller at
+1 were the other catchers who exceeded the league average.
Final Defensive Ratings

The usual suspects nished at the top of the defensive catcher ratings.
In another close race, Roy Campanella nosed out Gabby Hartnett, the pride
of Millville, Massachusetts, by a score of 60.380 to 56.420. Campanellas big
lead in the caught-stealing category clinched the victory for him. Jim Sundberg, the greatest catcher in Texas Ranger history, came in third, thanks to
his excellent showing in the elding average category and the range factor category. He was followed by Gary Carter, who was strong in almost all categories, and Lance Parrish, who also was strong in most categories with the
exception of passed balls and wild pitches prevented. Bill Dickey was sixth,
but some of the other favorites nished far down the list, including Johnny
Bench (10th), Yogi Berra (12th), and Mickey Cochrane (13th). Gene Tenace
was a decent though not outstanding defensive catcher and his 18th-place
nish in the nal defensive ratings would cost him dearly in the nal allaround ratings.
Name
NFAD
20
NCSD
20
NPB
6
Tenace
Cochrane
Hartnett
Dickey
Campanella
Torre
Porter
Lombardi
Bench
Berra
Sundberg
Carter
Parrish
Pena
8.000 4.545 2.308

14.000 1.818 3.333
16.000 14.545 2.727
16.000 4.545 4.286
12.000 20.000 4.286
8.000 5.455 1.998
0.000 5.455 2.308
2.000 3.636 1.998
10.000 10.000 3.750
8.000 8.182 4.286
20.000 9.091 2.727
14.000 7.273 5.000
14.000 8.182 1.875
12.000 6.364 3.750
Final
NWPD NRFD NASSAD Total Defensive
1.5
20
10
Points Ratings
.071
.094
.094
.088
.094
.075
.083
.088
.125
.150
.079
.125
.079
.088
0
14.611
13.054
14.491
20.000
4.671
2.275
5.629
6.707
14.731
11.497
14.251
12.575
12.575
2.000
2.000
10.000
3.333
4.000
3.333
2.000
3.333
8.667
1.333
6.667
8.000
7.333
6.667
16.924
35.856
56.420
42.743
60.380
23.532
12.121
16.684
39.249
36.681
50.061
48.649
44.044
41.444
18
13
2
6
1
17
20
19
10
12
3
4
5
8
81
Final
NWPD NRFD NASSAD Total Defensive
1.5
20
10
Points Ratings
Name
NFAD
20
NCSD
20
NPB
6
Danning
Mueller
Hoiles
Freehan
Battey
Fisk
14.000
20.000
12.000
16.000
6.000
8.000
5.455
9.091
0.000
0.909
7.273
0.909
5.000
6.000
6.000
3.000
2.308
3.333
.075
.150
1.500
.100
.100
1.500
9.581
.599
11.617
16.886
10.539
9.940
6.000
6.667
4.000
0.000
6.000
4.667
40.111
42.507
35.117
36.895
32.220
28.349
9
7
14
11
15
16

The Final All-Around Ratings were determined by adding the Offensive Point Totals to the Defensive Point Totals in a one-to-one ratio since a
catchers defense was considered to be equal to his offense in this study. In
my book, Backstop, which compared the top fty world-class catchers for
both their offensive and defensive skills, a catchers offense was rated at twice
his defense for identifying baseballs greatest all-around catcher, Gabby Hartnett. This study differed from that study in two important aspects. First, the
catchers offense and defense were rated equal in this study. Second, this study
was slightly more sophisticated and more accurate than the previous study.
It measured not only who was better or worse in a particular category, but by
how much better or worse. The previous study did not measure the magnitude of difference between players. As a result, this study identied Roy Campanella as baseballs greatest all-around catcher, edging Gabby Hartnett in a
close race, 1.640 to 1.575. A few other players also changed their positions
signicantly from that study to this. For instance, Gary Carter catapulted
from 13th place to third place, Johnny Bench moved up from seventh place
to fourth place, and Jim Sundberg improved his position from 35th (out of
50) to ninth. On the other hand, Yogi Berra lost four places, to eighth place,
Joe Torre fell from ninth to 17th place, and Gene Tenace plummeted from
eighth place to 15th place.
Name
Tenace
Cochrane
Hartnett
Dickey
Campanella
Offense
Divided
by 43
Defense
Divided
by 77.5
Total
Points
Final
All-Around
Ratings
HOF
.910
.866
.847
.792
.861
.218
.463
.728
.552
.779
1.128
1.329
1.575
1.344
1.640
15
6
2
5
1
*
*
*
*
82
ALL-STARS
Name
Torre
Porter
Lombardi
Bench
Berra
Sundberg
Carter
Parrish
Pena
Danning
Mueller
Hoiles
Freehan
Battey
Fisk
FOR
ALL TIME
Offense
Divided
by 43
Defense
Divided
by 77.5
Total
Points
Final
All-Around
Ratings
.818
.855
.791
.885
.808
.612
.780
.736
.596
.543
.618
.788
.751
.708
.827
.304
.156
.215
.506
.473
.646
.628
.568
.535
.518
.548
.453
.476
.416
.366
1.122
1.011
1.006
1.391
1.281
1.258
1.408
1.304
1.131
1.061
1.166
1.241
1.227
1.124
1.193
17
19
20
4
8
9
3
7
14
18
13
10
11
16
12
HOF
*
*
*
*
Note: HOF denotes a member of the National Baseball Hall of Fame through the Class
of 2007.
THE TOP TEN

Offense
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
Gene Tenace
Johnny Bench
Mickey Cochrane
Roy Campanella
Darrell Porter
Gabby Hartnett
Carlton Fisk
Joe Torre
Yogi Berra
Bill Dickey
Defense
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
Roy Campanella
Gabby Hartnett
Jim Sundberg
Gary Carter
Lance Parrish
Bill Dickey
Ray Mueller
Tony Pena
Harry Danning
Johnny Bench
Baseballs Greatest
All-Around Catchers
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
Roy Campanella
Gabby Hartnett
Gary Carter
Johnny Bench
Bill Dickey
Mickey Cochrane
Lance Parrish
Yogi Berra
Jim Sundberg
Chris Hoiles
Pudge Rodriguez and Mike Piazza were still active as of 2007. Their statistics were reviewed during this study but their ratings were not tabulated
since their ratings will more than likely decline as their careers wind down.
At this point in his career, Mike Piazza has an excellent chance to be one of
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the top ve offensive catchers of all-time after he retires, and he may nish
as high as number three, behind Gene Tenace and Mickey Cochrane. If he
had retired after the 2006 season, he might even have captured the number
one spot. His weak showing on defense, however, might cost him a spot in
baseballs top ten all-around catchers when he nally calls it a day. Pudge
Rodriguez, on the other hand, has made a strong showing on both offense
and defense, and he has a good chance to nish in the top ten all-around,
possibly as high as number seven.
C HAPTER 5
Baseballs Greatest Pitchers

There were a total of twenty-two pitchers competing for the title of baseballs greatest all-around pitcher.
Walter Johnson is almost always selected as baseballs greatest pitcher in
any poll conducted by baseball experts, the media, or fans. One exception
was Major League Baseballs infamous All-Century team selected by baseball fans across the country in 1999 that placed Johnson in sixth place,
behind Nolan Ryan, Roger Clemens, and Bob Gibson. The Big Train,
as he was called, came out of the California oil elds in 1907 to dominate
the American League for 21 years. He won 417 games during his career, a
total that would have been much higher if he had pitched for a contender
instead of the Washington Senators, who were the doormats of the
league, nishing in the second division ten times, including ve seventhplace nishes and two basement nishes. Walter Johnson and Nolan Ryan
are the only pitchers in the study whose teams had a winning percentage
below .500. The 6'1", 200-pound right-hander threw a blazing fastball
with an easy sidearm motion that came by way of third base and instilled
fear into the hearts of the right-handed batters. Even the great Ty Cobb,
a lefty, confessed to being intimidated by him. Johnson left many records
behind when he retired, including the major league career record of 3,509
strikeouts in an era when batters considered it a disgrace to strike out.
The next highest strikeout total was Cy Youngs 2,803 strikeouts. Johnson also owned the major league record for throwing 56 consecutive
scoreless innings and 110 shutouts, twenty more than the closest competitor. And he held the American League record for 16 consecutive victories.
During his illustrious career, Johnson led the league in victories six times,
winning percentage twice, complete games six times, shutouts seven
times, innings pitched ve times, strikeouts twelve times (including eight
years in a row) and earned run average ve times. He is second all-time
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5. Baseballs Greatest Pitchers
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in career victories, fourth in complete games with 531 out of 666 games
started (80 percent), third in innings pitched (5,914), and seventh in ERA
(2.17).
Grover Cleveland Old Pete Alexander, a contemporary of Walter
Johnson, pitched for the Philadelphia Phillies, Chicago Cubs, and St.
Louis Cardinals from 1911 to 1930, winning 373 games against 208 losses.
He led the league in victories six times, with a high of 33 victories in
1916. He also led the league in complete games six times, with a high of
38 complete games in 1916, innings pitched seven times, strikeouts ve
times, and ERA ve times. The tall, lanky right-hander was plagued with
epilepsy and alcoholism throughout his career, but that rarely affected his
work on the mound as he won more than 20 games a year nine times and
pitched more than 300 innings a year nine times. He threw with an easy
three-quarter overhand motion, relying almost exclusively on a live fastball and a sharp-breaking curveball to retire batters. His impeccable control just 1.65 walks a game allowed him to keep the ball low and on
the outside corner of the plate, making him almost unhittable. Alexanders greatest moment in baseball came in the twilight of his career, after
he helped pitch the St. Louis Cardinals into the 1926 World Series. Old
Pete was handed the ball in Game Two after New York had taken the
opener by a 21 margin, and he handcuffed Miller Huggins team, winning 62 with 10 strikeouts. He came back to beat the Yankees again in
Game Six, winning 102. Then in the nale the following day, he was
called into the game in the seventh inning to face Tony Lazzeri with two
men out, the bases loaded, and the Cardinals clinging to a 32 lead. The
crafty 39-year-old veteran worked the count to 12 and then gave the
Yankee rookie a sweeping, low outside curveball that had Lazzeri lunging
for it and coming up with nothing but air. Alexander went on to blank
the Yankees for two more innings, earning the save as the Cardinals
claimed the world championship. Even though he retired nearly 80 years
ago, he remains third all-time in career victories, twelfth in complete
games with 437, second in shutouts with 90, and tenth in innings
pitched with 5,190.
Christy Mathewson, Big Six, according to The Ballplayers, looked like
the classic American hero: tall, blond, and blue-eyed, with a reputation
for clean living and good sportsmanship that was often held up as a
splendid example for the nations youth. The Pennsylvania native
attended Bucknell University before becoming a professional baseball
player in 1899. He became an icon almost overnight, and was idolized
by millions of baseball fans, men and women alike, throughout his major
league career. The New York Giants bought him from Norfolk in the
Virginia League after he had dazzled the Virginians with a 202 record.
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Christy Mathewson excelled in all phases of the game pitching, batting, and elding.
Mathewson had a brief learning curve, where he went a combined 3434

his rst two years in New York, but then exploded. Using a complete
pitching repertoire that included his famous fadeaway pitch, he went
3013 in 1903 and 3312 the following year. The 6'1", 190-pound righthander also had near-perfect control, walking only 1.59 men a game
while striking out 4.7 men. He set a record in the 1905 World Series that
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will probably never be broken. Over a period of six days, Big Six tossed
three shutouts at Connie Macks Philadelphia Athletics, winning by scores
of 30, 90, and 20. He held the As to just 14 base hits in 27 innings
while striking out 18 against a single walk. Mathewson is third all-time in
career victories, seventh in winning percentage, thirteenth in complete
games with 434, third in shutouts with 79, and fth in ERA with 2.13.
Americas hero died of tuberculosis in 1925 at the age of 47.
Lefty Grove was arguably baseballs greatest southpaw pitcher, and may
have been baseballs all-time greatest all-around pitcher. The hot-tempered Maryland native pitched for the Philadelphia Athletics and Boston
Red Sox from 1925 to 1941, winning 20 or more games eight times. His
best year was 1931 when he went 314 with a 2.06 ERA, a full 2.32
earned runs per game below the league average. Grove led the league in
many categories that year, including wins, winning percentage (.886),
complete games (27), shutouts (four), strikeouts (175), and ERA. The
legendary lefty, who was noted for his temper tantrums, hated to lose.
One of his teammates said he hated to go into the clubhouse after Grove
had lost a game because there would be clothing, bats, stools, and buckets ying all over the room. Fortunately, the 6' 3", 190-pound southpaw
did not lose that often as his 300141 record showed. He pitched in three
World Series for the As between 1929 and 1931, going 42 with a 1.74
earned run average. During his career he led the league in victories four
times, winning percentage ve times, complete games and shutouts three
times each, strikeouts his rst seven years in the major leagues, and ERA
nine times. He is fourth all-time in winning percentage (.680), and number one in adjusted ERA, a measure of how a pitchers ERA compares to
the league average ERA.
Sandy Koufax is frequently ignored by all-time rating systems because his
12-year career was really two separate and distinct careers: the rst six
years one of a pitcher trying to nd himself, and the second six years one
as baseballs greatest pitcher. From 1955 through 1960, Koufax won 36
games and lost 40, with 22 complete games in 103 starts, while continually struggling with his control, walking ve men a game with a 4.00+
ERA. Once he learned to control his fastball, he was almost unbeatable.
From 1961 through 1966, Koufax went 12947, with 115 complete games
in 201 starts. And from 1963 to 1966, he was even more dominant, going
9727 with a sparkling 1.85 ERA, 1.60 earned runs below the league
average. He averaged 298 innings pitched a year, with 307 strikeouts
and just 65 bases on balls. The smooth-throwing southpaw set the major
league record for strikeouts in a season with 382 in 1965. He also threw
no-hitters in four consecutive years, including a 10 perfect game against
the Chicago Cubs in 1965. Koufax was at his best in his last two years,
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going 268 in 1965 and 279 in 1966. His combined totals included 54
complete games in 82 starts (a 66 percent completion rate), 699 strikeouts in 658 innings pitched, and a brilliant 1.89 ERA. He led the league
in ERA in each of his last ve years with the Dodgers. Unfortunately, he
was forced to retire after the 1966 season because of arthritis in his pitching elbow. His career ERA of 2.76 is the third best all-time in the lively
ball era. Koufax pitched in four World Series, going 43 with a miniscule
0.95 ERA and 61 strikeouts in 57 innings, including 15 strikeouts in a
52 win over the New York Yankees in 1963.
Bob Feller pitched against the St. Louis Cardinals in an exhibition game
when he was only 17 years old, and he struck out eight Redbirds in three
innings. He made his major league debut the same year and fanned 15 St.
Louis Browns. Later he fanned 17 Philadelphia Athletics before returning
to high school to nish his junior year. The reballing right-hander went
53 that year, upped his record to 97 the next year, went 1711 with a
league-leading 240 strikeouts as a 19-year-old, then exploded in 1939
when he went 249 and led the American League in victories, complete
games (24), innings pitched (296), and strikeouts (246). He also posted
a 2.85 earned run average. Feller led the league in victories the following
two years with 27 and 25, respectively. The 6', 185-pound pitcher, now
known as Rapid Robert, stood on the threshold of greatness. He had
compiled a record of 10754 with 1,233 strikeouts and he had yet to
celebrate his 23rd birthday. But then fate took a hand. World War II
began on December 7, 1941, and Feller was one of the rst major leaguers
to enlist. He spent most of the next four years in the United States Navy,
serving in the Pacic theatre of war where he earned eight battle stars
before returning to baseball in time to post a 53 slate at the end of the
1945 season. Feller went on to enjoy three more 20-victory seasons, throw
three no-hitters and 12 one-hitters, and set a major league season strikeout record of 348. The Van Meter, Iowa, native completed a memorable
18-year career with 266 victories against 162 losses, with 2,581 strikeouts.
He probably lost 100 or more victories because of his military service, but
he never complained about his lost time. He was a patriot and he was
honored to serve his country. In his career, he led the league in victories
six times, complete games three times, innings pitched ve times, ERA
once, and strikeouts seven times.
Warren Spahn was a graceful, smooth-throwing southpaw who looked
like he would pitch forever. He completed a notable 21-year major league
career in 1965 at the age of 44. During his career, most of which he spent
with the Boston and Milwaukee Braves, the master of consistency won 20
or more games in 13 different seasons, with a high of 23 in 1953. Spahn,
like all of the old-time pitchers, took pride in nishing what he started,
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Warren Spahn was one of baseballs greatest southpaw pitchers, winner of 363 games.
tossing 382 complete games in 665 starts, with many of his starts going
14 innings or more. One of his nest efforts ended in a loss in 1952 when
he dropped a tough 21 decision to the Chicago Cubs. He struck out
18 batters in the 15-inning game and gave his team its only run with a
homer, all to no avail. Spahn was a role model for older ball players,
tossing three no-hitters, all after the age of 39, and leading the National
League in victories ve consecutive years from age 36 to 40. The classy
6', 175-pounder, who relied primarily on a fastball and a curve early in
his career, led the league in victories eight times, complete games nine
times, innings pitched and strikeouts four times each, and ERA three
times. His long career put him in elite company. His 363 victories are
fth all-time, and the most wins ever recorded by a southpaw. He is
eleventh in games started, eighth in innings pitched (5,243), and sixth in
shutouts (63). He also holds the National League record for the most
career home runs by a pitcher, with 35. He was elected to the National
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Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, New York, in his rst year of

eligibility in 1973.
Dizzy Dean was like a comet streaking across the evening sky. He lit up
the heavens for a brief moment, and then he was gone. The Arkansas
hillbillys career, much like that of Sandy Koufax, was cut tragically short
by an injury after just ve-and-a-half years. After going 1815 in his
rookie season, the 23-year-old right-hander compiled a record of 10250
over the next four years, leading the league in victories twice, complete
games three times (107 complete games in 137 starts), and strikeouts three
times. In the 1934 World Series against the Detroit Tigers, the brash
youngster, coming off a scintillating 307 season, bragged about how he
would tame the ferocious Tigers, and then he went out and beat them
twice, including an 110 thrashing in Game Seven. Shortly thereafter,
disaster struck. Dean was hit by a line drive off the bat of Earl Averill in
the 1937 All-Star game, fracturing his toe. When he tried to come back
too soon, he injured his pitching arm, effectively ending his career. He
nished 1937 with a record of 1310, and then struggled for another three
years, winning 16 games against eight losses before hanging up his glove
for good. He did have one more brief moment of glory. Pitching for the
Chicago Cubs in 1938, Dean, relying primarily on a slow curveball,
helped pitch the Cubs to the pennant with a 71 record and a 1.81 ERA.
Manager Gabby Hartnett selected Dean to pitch the key game of the season, a lateSeptember matchup against the rst place Pittsburgh Pirates.
And the great one responded, pitching brilliantly for 82 3 innings in a 21
Cubs victory. His effort gave the Cubs the momentum they needed to
sweep the Pirates and claim the top spot.
Dean, who quit school in the third grade so he could go to work to
help out the family, was illiterate, but he was not dumb. In fact, he was
smart enough to market himself successfully throughout his life. He used
racial epithets at the drop of a hat, but he was not a bigot. It was just the
way he was raised. Dizzy loved everyone, and he was a friend to everyone. During the 1930s he and his major league all-star team toured the
country with Satchel Paige and Paiges Negro league all-stars, and the
two teams played each other four or ve times a week, with the two
adversaries pitching a couple of innings against each other in the afternoon before hitting the pubs together every night. Dizzy liked and
admired Satch, at one time saying that if he and Satch pitched on the
same team, they would win the pennant by July and then go shing the
rest of the year.
Bob Gibson was one of baseballs greatest money pitchers. If the pennant
or the World Series were on the line, and one pitcher was needed who
could almost guarantee a victory, Gibsons name would be at the top of
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the list. The 6' 2", 195-pound right-hander with the blazing fastball and
an intimidating mean streak pitched in three World Series, starting nine
games, completing eight, and racking up a 72 record. He holds the
World Series career strikeout record with 92 in 81 innings. He also holds
World Series records for the most strikeouts in a game with 17 and the
most strikeouts in one Series with 35. In season play, Gibson won 20 or
more games ve times en route to a career record of 251174. His greatest
season was 1968 when he went 229 with 13 shutouts and a miniscule
1.12 earned run average, the fourth-lowest ERA in major league history,
and the lowest season ERA since 1914. Gibsons career would have been
even more impressive if not for the injuries he had to play through,
including a broken leg, knee surgery, and a strained elbow. When he
was healthy, he owned the plate and he demanded it, pitching inside
frequently to keep the batter loose. One time a reporter suggested that
Gibson would even hit his own mother, to which Gibson replied, I
would if she crowded the plate.
Tom Seaver, or Tom Terric as New York fans called him, was a hardworking right-handed pitcher who possessed a blazing fastball and outstanding control over his 20-year major league career. The handsome
Californian reeled off ve 20-win seasons while leading the league in victories three times, strikeouts ve times, and ERA three times. He pitched
the New York Mets to their rst National League pennant and rst world
championship in 1969 when he compiled a 257 record with a leagueleading .781 winning percentage and a 2.21 ERA. He went 11 with a 3.00
ERA in the Series, winning Game Four 21 in ten innings. Four years
later, he posted a 2.40 ERA in the World Series but lost his only decision
by a 31 score. Seaver had many memorable moments over his career.
On April 22, 1970, he struck out 19 batters in a nine-inning game,
including the last ten men in succession. Eight years later, on June 16,
1978, he hurled a no-hitter at the St. Louis Cardinals, winning 40. He
also tossed three one-hitters during his career. By the time he retired in
1986, Seaver had 311 victories to his credit against 205 losses, with 231
complete games in 647 starts. He is seventh all-time in career shutouts
(61), sixth in strikeouts (3,640), and 12th in games started. He was the
National League Rookie of the Year in 1967, an eleven-time all-star, and
a three-time Cy Young Award winner.
Jim Palmer, a high-kicking right-hander with a wide assortment of
pitches and good control, rebounded from two years of arm problems
to become the biggest winner in Baltimore Oriole history. The 6' 3", 195pound New Yorker began his major league career in 1965 at the age of 19,
and one year later he became the youngest pitcher to hurl a completegame victory in the World Series, defeating Sandy Koufax and the Los
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Tom Seaver, a career 311-game winner, struck out 19 San Diego Padres in 1970,
including ten in a row to end the game (courtesy New York Mets).
Angeles Dodgers, 60, in the Orioles shocking four-game sweep of the

National League champions. Palmers bubble burst the next spring when
his arm went dead, dashing his dreams of a long, successful career. He
missed most of the next two seasons before arm surgery gave him a second chance, and he made the most of it. Shortly after he returned to
action, he pitched an 80 no-hitter against the Oakland Athletics, en
route to a dream-like 164 season. From there, his career took off. He
won 20 or more games eight times over the next nine seasons, sparking
Earl Weavers team to ve American League pennants and two more
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world championships. He appeared in six World Series overall, going

42 with a 3.20 ERA. And he added a 41 record with a 1.96 ERA in
the LCS. The three-time Cy Young Award winner compiled a 268152
won-lost record over his 19-year career, with 221 complete games in 521
starts, a 40 percent completion rate. Jim Palmers 2.86 ERA is the fourthlowest ERA since the lively ball was introduced in 1920, trailing only
Hoyt Wilhelm, Whitey Ford and Sandy Koufax.
Juan Marichal, another high-kicking amethrower, was the mainstay of
the San Francisco Giants pitching staff during the 1960s and early 1970s.
Back in the days when men were men and major league pitchers took
pride in completing their starts, the big right-hander threw 244 complete
games in 457 starts, a 53 percent completion rate. Marichal, whose vast
pitching repertoire included a curve, slider, and screwball in addition to
his heater, was a control artist who walked less than two men per nine
innings, while striking out six. He won 20 or more games six times in his
career, with a high of 26 in 1968, when he led the league in wins, complete games (30 in 38 starts, or 79 percent), and innings pitched (326).
Five years earlier, he had put together a brilliant 258 mark, leading the
league in victories and innings pitched (321). Two of his more memorable
games were pitched that year. On June 15, he no-hit the Houston Colt
.45s, 10, and a little more than two weeks later he hurled 16 innings to
defeat Warren Spahn of the Milwaukee Braves, 10, in one of the games
great pitching duels. Overall, Marichal won 242 games against 142 losses
in his 16-year major league career, with a 2.89 career ERA, number six
all-time in the lively ball era. He was enshrined in the Baseball Hall of
Fame, joining the other immortals, in 1983.
Steve Carltons 329 career victories are second to Warren Spahn for the
most victories ever recorded by a left-handed pitcher. The hard-throwing
Floridian was a menacing presence on the mound, standing 6' 4" tall,
and weighing a solid 210 pounds. He threw smoke whenever he needed
a strikeout, but he was more than just a one-pitch pitcher. He also had
a decent curveball and a devastating slider. He broke upon the major
league stage in 1965 at the age of 20, pitching in 15 games with no decisions, and he became a regular starter two years later when he won 14
games against nine losses with a 2.98 earned run average. Carlton spent
his rst seven years with the St. Louis Cardinals before a salary dispute
ended with his being traded to the Philadelphia Phillies, one of the worst
trades in Cardinal history. Lefty had just won 20 games with St. Louis
in 1971, and in his rst year in the City of Brotherly Love, he led the
National League with 27 victories, 30 complete games, 346 innings
pitched, 310 strikeouts, and a miniscule 1.97 ERA. Overall, he led the
league in victories four times, complete games three times, innings
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pitched and strikeouts ve times, and ERA once. Carlton pitched in

four World Series, going 22 with a 2.56 ERA. In the 1980 Fall Classic,
he defeated the Kansas City Royals twice, including a 41 victory in the
deciding seventh game. He is eleventh all-time in career victories, fth in
games started with 709, fourteenth in shutouts with 55, ninth in innings
pitched with 5,217, and fourth in strikeouts with 4,136.
Eddie Plank was one of Connie Macks money pitchers during Philadelphia Athletics glory days between 1910 and 1914, when they won four
American League pennants and three world championships. Plank
pitched in three of the World Series, but he was a hard-luck pitcher,
winning just two games against ve losses in spite of a brilliant 1.32 ERA.
In the 1911 Series, he defeated the New York Giants, 31, in Game Three,
then lost Game Five in relief. Two years later he lost a heartbreaking 30
game to Christy Mathewson and the Giants, a 10-inning thriller that saw
Mathewson single in the winning run. Plank had the last laugh, however,
when he out-pitched Mathewson, 31, in Game Seven to give the As the
world championship. In 1914, the year of the miracle Boston Braves, he
lost another heartbreaker, a 10 decision to Bill James. Gettysberg
Eddie, as he was known, spent all but three years of his 17-year major
league career in Philadelphia, winning 20 games eight times, on his way
to a career record of 326194. He is number 11 in career victories, number 15 in complete games with 410 in 529 games started, a 78 percent
completion rate, number ve in shutouts with 69, and number 13 in
ERA with 2.35. He is a 1946 inductee into the Baseball Hall of Fame.
Whitey Ford, the Chairman of the Board, was Casey Stengels secret
weapon during the New York Yankees historic pennant runs in the 1950s
and 1960s. Ford pitched for the Yankees for 16 years, winning 11 American
League pennants and six world championships. In Series play, he won 10
games against eight losses, the most World Series victories by any pitcher.
In regular-season play he was dominant, winning 236 games against 106
losses, a .690 winning percentage, tied with Dave Foutz for the highest
career winning percentage in major league history. Ford had a season
winning percentage of more than .700 on seven occasions. In his rookie
season, he went 91 for a .900 winning percentage. Three years later, he
was 187, .720, and the next year he led the league with a .760 winning
percentage on the basis of a 196 record. His greatest season was 1961,
when he went 254, leading the league in wins, winning percentage
(.862), and innings pitched (283). He wrapped up his career season by
going 20 in the World Series, with a perfect 0.00 ERA in 15 innings.
Fords 2.75 career ERA is the second-lowest major league ERA since
1920, trailing only Hoyt Wilhelm. The only chink in Fords armor was
his lack of stamina that often prevented him from pitching nine innings.
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He completed only 36 percent of his starts in an era when the top major
league pitchers were completing at least half of their starts. Warren
Spahn, for instance, completed 57 percent of his starts, Bob Lemon
completed 54 percent of his starts, and Robin Roberts completed 50
percent of his starts. One year, when a reporter asked Ford if he thought
he could win 20 games that year, Ford said, I think I can if Arroyos arm
holds out, referring to the New York reman, Luis Arroyo.
Addie Joss, one of baseballs greatest pitchers, had his career cut short by
tubercular meningitis in 1911 at the age of 31. But during his brief nineyear career, the slim 6' 3", 185-pound right-hander proved his greatness,
so much, in fact, that the Veterans Committee in 1978 bypassed the Hall
of Fames minimum 10-year requirement for induction and welcomed
him into the prestigious bastion of baseballs legendary players. Joss began
his major league career with the Cleveland Naps (later the Indians) of the
American League in 1902, and he tossed a one-hitter en route to a 1713
season. He pitched for the Naps through the 1910 season, winning 20 or
more games four times, with a high of 27 in 1907. His greatest game was
unquestionably the October 2, 1908, contest that matched him against
Big Ed Walsh in the heat of the pennant race. Joss responded to the
challenge by throwing a perfect game at the Chicago White Sox, winning
10. Walsh tossed a four-hitter and struck out 15 Naps in the loss. Joss
no-hit the White Sox again in 1909. His health began to decline that year
and he nished the season at 1414, followed by a 55 year in 1910 when
he pitched in just 13 games. He died on Opening Day, April 14, 1911.
Addie Joss compiled a record of 16097 during his career, with 234 complete games in 260 starts, an amazing 90 percent completion rate. His
1.89 career ERA is second all-time behind Ed Walsh, who had a 1.82
ERA, and his 1.16 ERA in 1908 is the eighth-lowest season ERA in major
league history.
Ed Walsh, known as Big Ed, was a spitball artist who was the ace of the
Chicago White Soxs staff from 1906 through 1912, winning 168 games
over that period, an average of 24 wins a year. He paced the White Sox
to the American League pennant in 1906, his rst full year in the league.
He went 1713 during the season, pitching 278 innings. Then, in the
World Series against their cross-town rivals, the Chicago Cubs, he won
two games without a loss, including a 30 shutout in Game Three. Two
years later, he put together a career season, winning 40 games, second
only to Jack Chesbros 41 wins for the most single-season wins in the
twentieth century. Big Ed led the American League in many pitching categories that year, including victories, winning percentage (.727), games
pitched (66), complete games (42), shutouts (11), saves (six), innings
pitched (464), and strikeouts (269). Walshs career, like Joss, was rela-
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tively short. He had only nine years in which he pitched more than 100
innings. Supposedly, his spitball was easy on the arm and allowed him to
pitch over 400 innings twice during his career and over 367 innings three
other years. But the wear and tear on his arm took its toll, and in 1909
he threw just 230 innings. Then, after three more heavy-duty seasons
of 369, 368, and 393 innings pitched, his arm went dead. He struggled
through ve more years, winning just 13 games total, before retiring in
1917. Walsh retired with 195 victories against 126 losses and baseballs
all-time lowest ERA, a dazzling 1.82.
Mordecai Three Finger Brown lost his right forenger and mangled his
middle nger in a farm accident when he was just seven years old. As it
turned out, it might have been a blessing in disguise because he developed a sharp-breaking curveball that rolled off his damaged ngers, leading to an outstanding 14-year major league career, primarily with the
Chicago Cubs. Brown, who was noted for his vigorous training regimen,
paced the Cubs to four National League pennants and two world championships between 1906 and 1910. The 1908 pennant race became legendary
when New York Giant rst baseman Fred Merkle failed to touch second
base after an apparent game-winning hit, forcing a playoff between the
Giants and Cubs to determine the pennant winner. Three Finger Brown
out-pitched Christy Mathewson by a 42 count in the playoff game to
send the Cubbies to the Series. The Cubs faced the Chicago White Sox,
known as the Hitless Wonders in the 1906 Fall Classic, with the White
Sox coming out on top in six games. In 1907, the Tinker-to-Evers-toChance combination took the measure of the Detroit Tigers and their
sensational 20-year-old batting champion, Ty Cobb, in ve games.
Brown won the deciding game, 20, while holding Cobb to a single in
four at-bats. In a rematch the next year, the Cubs came out on top again
in ve games, with Brown winning Game One in relief before blanking
the Bengals, 30, in Game Four. After falling to second place in 1909,
Chicago roared back in 1910 to win the pennant by a whopping 13 games
over the New York Giants. This time, they lost to the Philadelphia
Athletics in ve games, with Brown going 12, including a 72 thrashing
in Game Five.
Brown was a workhorse for the Cubs for ten years as both a starter and
reliever. He pitched in relief 149 times during his career in addition to
starting 332 games. He led the National League in saves for four consecutive years, 1908 through 1911, on his way to a major league record
49 saves, a record that lasted until 1926. His overall won-lost record was
239130, giving him a .648 winning percentage. He had 271 complete
games, an 82 percent completion rate, 55 shutouts, and a 2.06 career
ERA. He stands fteenth all-time in winning percentage, fourteenth in
97
shutouts, and third in ERA. He is enshrined in the National Baseball

Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, New York.
Denton True Cy Young was the rst of the great modern-day pitchers.
Young was a 36-game winner in 1892 when the distance from the mound
to home plate was just 55' but when the distance was extended to its
present-day distance of 60' 6", the 26-year-old right-hander did not miss
a beat, winning 34 games. Young, who was given the nickname of
Cyclone, or Cy for short, because of his blazing fastball, was a star from
the rst day he put on a major league uniform. He spent nine years with
the Cleveland Spiders, including eight full seasons in which he won more
than 20 games every year, and more than 30 games three times. In 1901,
Young joined the Boston Pilgrims of the edgling American League,
pitching them to the pennant in 1903, when he led the league in victories
(28), winning percentage (.757), complete games (34), shutouts (7), and
innings pitched (341). In the World Series that year, a best-of-nine Series,
the 6' 2", 210-pound amethrower pitched in four games, including three
complete-game starts and one relief appearance. He went 21 in 34
innings pitched, as the Pilgrims persevered in eight games. When Young
retired after the 1911 season, completing an historic 22-year major league
career, he left behind many records that may never be broken. He is
number one all-time with 511 career victories, 316 career losses, 815 games
started, 749 complete games, 7,356 innings pitched, 15 years with 20 or
more victories, and ve years with 30 or more victories. He is number
four all-time with 76 shutouts and number nine with 906 games pitched.
He was one of the original members of the Baseball Hall of Fame, elected
in 1938.
Nolan Ryan, dubbed by the media the Ryan Express, was arguably the
greatest strikeout pitcher in the history of the game, sending 5,714 batters
back to the bench talking to themselves. The 6' 2", 195-pound Texan,
another disciple of a rigid physical tness regimen, showcased his tremendous skills for 27 years, from 1966 through 1993. He might be considered
a modern miracle. He never had a sore arm in spite of the fact that he
relied on his fastball a high percentage of the time, and considering the
fact that he was frighteningly wild, fanning 9.5 batters a game while
walking 4.7 batters a game. He often threw in excess of 150 pitches a
game in a complete-game effort, of which he threw 222 in his career.
Ryan had twenty years where he won 10 or more games, but he posted
20-win seasons on only two occasions. He was a great power pitcher but
essentially a .500 pitcher overall, with 324 career victories against 292
losses for a .524 winning percentage. He struck out a total of 5,714
batters in his career, more than 1,000 ahead of the runner-up, Roger
Clemens. But he also walked a career total of 2,795 batters, 50 percent
Randy Johnson is the most dominant strikeout pitcher the game has ever produced.
He struck out an average of 10.8 batters per game through the 2007 season (courtesy James R. Madden, Jr.).
more than any other pitcher in the history of the game. When his fastball
was humming, the Ryan Express was unhittable, leading the league in
strikeouts eleven times, including four consecutive years after he turned
forty years of age. In 1973, he set the major league single-season strikeout
record with 383, one more than Sandy Koufax. In 1989, he became the
oldest pitcher ever to strikeout 300 batters in a season, fanning 301 men
at the age of 42. Ryan also threw an unbelievable seven no-hitters, two
of which came after he turned 43. He also had a record 12 one-hitters,
a total tied with Bob Feller. The native of Alvin, Texas, is number 12 in
career victories, number three in career losses, number two in games
99
started, number seven in shutouts, number ve in innings pitched, number one in bases on balls, and number one in strikeouts. He was elected
to the Baseball Hall of Fame in his rst year of eligibility in 1999.
Wes Ferrell was baseballs greatest hitting pitcher, smashing 38 career
home runs, an average of 18 homers for every 550 at-bats, while knocking
in 97 runs and posting a .280 career batting average. Ferrell was part of
one of baseballs most famous brother acts, pitching to his brother,
catcher Rick Ferrell, on the Boston Red Sox for four years. Rick Ferrell
was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1984. Brother Wes is still
waiting, but hopefully the Veterans Committee will see t to let him join
Rick in the Hall in the near future. Wes Ferrell was a big, strong 6' 2",
195-pound North Carolina farmboy who pitched in his rst major league
game in 1927 at the age of 19. Two years later, he was a 20-game winner,
going 2110 for the Cleveland Indians. He won 20 games in each of the
next four years and, after two sub-par years caused by a sore arm, the
former reballer bounced back with a new-found curveball to lead the
American League in victories with 25, in complete games with 31, and in
innings pitched with 322. Ferrell was called a prima donna and a hothead
by the media, and he was that. He hated to lose, and he took it out on
himself and everything around him after a tough loss. But he was also a
winner, who won 193 games against 128 losses during his 15-year career.
Carl Hubbell, a.k.a. King Carl, was the ace of the New York Giant
pitching staff for 16 years, during which time he pitched the Giants into
three World Series. When Bill Terrys team took the measure of the
Washington Senators in 1934, King Carl won two of the ve games,
winning 42 in the opener and taking Game Four by a 21 count in 11
innings. Overall, Hubbell went 42 in the three World Series with a 1.79
ERA. The lanky, left-handed screwball artist won more than 20 games in
ve consecutive seasons, from 1933 through 1937, leading the league in
victories and ERA in three of those years. He is best remembered for his
1934 All-Star Game performance when he fanned ve American Leaguers
in succession Ruth, Gehrig, Foxx, Simmons, and Cronin. He also won
24 consecutive games over two seasons, winning his last 16 games in 1936
and his rst eight games in 1937. Over the course of his career, the 6',
170-pound hurler compiled a record of 253154 with an excellent 2.98
ERA.
Other former pitchers who were reviewed but who did not make the top
22 included Hoyt Wilhelm and Don Sutton.
There are several world-class pitchers who are still active and are candidates for the all-time all-star team, including Roger Clemens, Pedro Martinez, Greg Maddux, Randy Johnson, and Tom Glavine. Their statistics
100
ALL-STARS
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through 2007 are impressive. Roger Clemens, who at the age of 44 is a sixtime Cy Young Award winner, was still pitching in 2007. He has won 354
games against just 184 losses, for a sensational .658 winning percentage. Pedro
Martinez, a three-time Cy Young Award winner, has an even better winning
percentage of .692 based on 209 victories against 93 losses. Greg Maddux, a
four-time Cy Young Award winner, has a 347214 won-lost record with an
excellent 3.11 ERA. Randy Johnson, a ve-time Cy Young Award winner,
including four in a row between 1999 and 2002, has 284 victories against 150
losses, and is the most terrifying pitcher of his era, averaging 10.8 strikeouts
per game. Tom Glavine, a two-time Cy Young Award winner, with 303 victories against 199 losses, joined his former teammate, Greg Maddux, as a 300game winner in 2007.
Pitching Ratings
The pitching position was the most difcult position of all to evaluate
from one era to another because of the many changes made to the game over
the past century that had a signicant effect on the position. To begin with,
there have been many changes to the size of the strike zone, the use of foreign substances on the ball, the size of the ballparks, the height of the mound,
and the construction of the baseball. However, these changes could all be
accounted for satisfactorily in the formulas. The changes that complicated the
evaluation of the pitching position from one era to another were the strategic alterations regarding the position. Perhaps the single biggest strategic
change has been the use of relief pitchers. Prior to 1900, 80 percent or more
of the games played were complete-game efforts by the starting pitcher. When
the twentieth century got underway, a relief pitcher was nothing more than
a mop-up man, someone who came into the game when the starting pitcher
was being hit hard and the game was hopelessly lost. He was usually a former starting pitcher whose career was essentially over, or a rookie just breaking in. John McGraw, the manager of the New York Giants, changed all that
when he began to use a designated relief pitcher, someone who could come
into the game in the late innings and save the game for a tired or embattled
starting pitcher. His rst designated relief pitcher was Otis Doc Crandall,
so named because he cured the teams ills. Crandall was primarily a relief
pitcher from 1909 through 1913, with 142 relief appearances and 24 saves
against 56 starts over that period. It was common practice in the early part
of the century for a team to use its best starting pitcher for late-inning relief
when the game was still in doubt. Mordecai Three Finger Brown of the
Chicago Cubs was the leagues number one save pitcher during the rst decade
of the twentieth century. He was the ace of the Cubs staff who between 1906
101
and 1911 won 20 or more games each year, throwing 154 complete games in
182 starts. But, in addition to his heavy starting pitching workload, he also
relieved in 81 games, accumulating 38 saves. He led the league in saves four
consecutive years, from 1908 to 1911. Ed Walsh of the Chicago White Sox was
another one-man team, starting 315 games and relieving in 115 others during
his career. He had 34 saves in 14 years and led the American League in saves
ve times. Grover Cleveland Alexander had 96 relief appearances with 32
saves in 20 years and Walter Johnson had 136 relief appearances in 21 years,
with 34 saves.
As the game entered the third decade of the century, relief pitching began
to evolve into a specialized responsibility, with names like Firpo Marberry,
Wilcy Moore and Johnny Murphy appearing in the box scores frequently.
The Yankee-Dodger rivalry dominated the 1940s, and their remen, Joe Page
and Hugh Casey, made the gure a sports celebrity. Page, in particular, popularized the position. He pitched in four of the seven games in the 1947 World
Series, with one win and one save, and he held the powerful Dodgers to a
single base hit over the nal ve innings of the nale, as New York prevailed,
52. He was often photographed wearing a remans helmet and climbing
over the low bullpen fence on his way to putting out another re. Through
the 1950s and 1960s, remen became more and more important to the fortunes of the team, with relievers like Ron Perranoski pitching as many as six
innings in a game. The single most important baseball event in the twentieth century was probably the abolition of the reserve clause and the birth of
free agency that gave players the opportunity to negotiate with any team after
fullling their contractual responsibilities to their original team. That decision, made by arbitrator Peter Seitz, set in motion a chaotic era that continues to this day, with skyrocketing salaries caused by teams bidding for the
services of the best players. Free agency also resulted in the appearance of
player agents, who helped their clients negotiate more lucrative contracts. As
a result of free agency and the new salary scale, club owners and player agents
alike began to be more protective of their valuable property. Over the next
two decades, starting pitchers pitched fewer and fewer complete games as
owners, who were concerned about possible injuries to a pitchers multi-million dollar arm, did not want to overwork them. Relief pitchers were brought
into a game earlier and earlier each decade. As a result, relief pitching became
more specialized, developing to the point in which today every team has long
relievers, situational pitchers, setup men, and closers who normally pitch only
one inning in a game and seldom pitch two consecutive games.
Originally, pitchers were evaluated based only on their pitching contributions, their won-lost percentage, the number of complete games they
pitched, the number of innings per game they pitched, and their earned run
average. As the game has evolved, other more equitable means of comparing
102
ALL-STARS
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pitchers had to be found. In the rst place, pitchers had to be evaluated, not
only for their pitching skills but also for their batting and elding skills. After
all, many pitchers have won their own games by making a key base hit or by
making a sensational elding play. From a pitching standpoint, a pitchers
won-lost percentage, per se, could not be used, as noted earlier, because a
pitcher on a winning team would normally have a better won-lost percentage than a pitcher on a losing team. It was nally decided that the most equitable statistics for comparing pitchers was their won-lost percentage above or
below their teams overall won-lost percentage, and their adjusted ERA.
This study does not include relief pitchers, primarily because the role of
the relief pitcher has been in a constant state of ux since the nineteenth century. As noted above, starting pitchers handled the chore during the rst two
decades of the twentieth century. Then the remen arrived, led by Joe Page
and Hugh Casey, and they handled the relief assignments for the better part
of four decades, often pitching as many as six innings in a game. Now, over
the past two decades, the game has evolved to the point where there are relief
specialists for every conceivable situation, with the man designated as the
closer assigned to pitch no more than one inning in an effort to save the game.
There is some question already about the need for a closer who pitches only
one inning. It is possible that in the near future the game could return to the
remen days of forty years ago. Only time will tell.
Normalized Won-Lost Percentage

Differential (NWLPD)
Whitey Ford had the highest won-lost percentage of any pitcher in the
study, a fancy .705 for seasons of 100 or more innings pitched, but his team,
the New York Yankees, were the most successful team of his era, with a winning percentage of .616, giving Ford a winning percentage differential of +.089.
Walter Johnson, who toiled in relative obscurity with the hapless Washington Senators during most of his career, had a winning percentage of .599,
which when compared to his teams .492 winning percentage gave him a differential of +.107. Of the 22 pitchers in the study, only Ford had a winning
percentage of more than .700, while four of them Johnson, Warren Spahn,
Steve Carlton, and Nolan Ryan had winning percentages between .525 and
.599. The rest of the pitchers had winning percentages between .600 and
.680. Ford was also the only pitcher to play with a team that had a winning
percentage of more than .600. Two pitchers, Walter Johnson and Nolan Ryan,
pitched for teams with a losing percentage, and the remainder of the pitchers played for teams that had winning percentages between .502 and .597.
When the pitchers winning percentages were compared to the teams
winning percentages and the differences were normalized, Grover Cleveland
103
Alexander nished rst in the category with a +.108 differential and the maximum 45.000 point total. Walter Johnson came in second with a +.107 differential and a point total of 44.583. He was followed closely by Sandy Koufax,
who had a differential of +.105 and a point total of 43.750. Whitey Ford, who
had the highest winning percentage of any pitcher, nished eighth with a
+.089 differential and a 37.083 point total. Jim Palmer was last in the category with a winning percentage differential of +.049 and a point total of
20.416.
Normalized Adjusted
Earned Run Average (NAERA)
The Adjusted ERA was arrived at by comparing the pitchers ERA to the
league average ERA and then factoring in the pitchers home park factor. The
unadulterated ERAs of the 22 pitchers ranged from 1.82 for Ed Walsh to 4.04
for Wes Ferrell. Naturally the lowest ERAs belonged to pitchers whose careers
spanned the dead ball era, between 1902 and 1917 Ed Walsh and Addie Joss.
The highest ERA of 4.04 belonged to Wes Ferrell, who pitched in the rst
high ERA era, between 1929 and 1938, when the league ERA uctuated
between 4.04 and 5.04, with an average in the 4.50 range. That era also
dened the greatness of Lefty Grove, whose career paralleled that of Wes Ferrell. While the rest of the American League was showing an ERA of about
4.50, Grove was sensational with a career ERA of 3.06.
Grove, not surprisingly, compiled an adjusted ERA of 1.48 that won him
rst place with a normalized point total of 45.000. Walter Johnson (2.17 ERA)
and Ed Walsh (1.82 ERA) nished in a tie for second place with a point total
of 44.088. Steve Carlton nished 21st with an adjusted ERA of 1.15 and a
point total of 34.966. Nolan Ryan was 22nd with an adjusted ERA of 1.12
and a point total of 34.054.
Final Pitching Ratings

The nal pitching ratings are shown below. The point totals for pitching accounted for 90 percent of the pitchers nal all-around point totals. A
pitchers offense accounted for 6 percent of his nal point totals and his elding accounted for 4 percent of the total.
Name
Walter Johnson
Lefty Grove
NWLPD
45
NAERA
45
Total
Points
Final
Pitching
Ratings
44.583
42.500
44.088
45.000
88.671
87.500
1
2
104
Name
G.C. Alexander
Cy Young
Sandy Koufax
Tom Seaver
Christy Mathewson
Whitey Ford
Dizzy Dean
Nolan Ryan
Carl Hubbell
Ed Walsh
Mordecai Brown
Juan Marichal
Addie Joss
Wes Ferrell
Bob Gibson
Warren Spahn
Bob Feller
Eddie Plank
Jim Palmer
Steve Carlton
ALL-STARS
FOR
ALL TIME
NWLPD
45
NAERA
45
Total
Points
Final
Pitching
Ratings
45.000
42.500
43.750
42.500
36.667
37.083
34.583
40.000
32.389
26.667
27.500
31.250
24.167
30.000
26.667
27.917
23.750
22.500
20.416
22.083
41.047
41.959
39.831
38.615
41.351
40.439
39.527
34.054
39.527
44.088
41.959
37.095
43.176
35.574
38.615
35.878
37.095
37.095
38.007
34.966
86.047
84.459
83.581
81.115
78.018
77.522
74.110
74.054
71.916
70.755
69.459
68.345
67.343
65.574
65.282
63.795
60.845
59.595
58.423
57.049
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
Offensive Ratings
Pitchers from the early days of the game, from 1893 to the 1920s and
beyond, were expected to excel in the offensive and defensive categories compared to their more modern counterparts. In the early days, with limited rosters, players had to be more versatile and were expected to help the team with
their bat and glove. Jack Stivetts, for instance, one of the aces of the Boston
Beaneater championship teams of the 1890s, played outeld in 192 games,
plus every ineld position, while pitching in 388 games with a 203132 wonlost record. Walter Johnson played the outeld in California before he joined
the Washington Senators, and he even played 13 games in the outeld for the
Senators. And Wes Ferrell played 13 games in the outeld in 1933 for the
Cleveland Indians to take advantage of his big bat. He also elded 1.000 that
year. One pitcher, Smoky Joe Wood, even reinvented himself as an outelder
after his arm went dead in 1913. The reballing right-hander, who sparked
the Boston Red Sox to the world championship in 1912 when he went 345,
105
saw his pitching career crumble after his sensational season. Instead of retiring, however, Smoky Joe went back to the drawing board and, thanks to his
all-around baseball skills, he returned to the major leagues after an absence
of almost two years as an outelder for the Cleveland Indians. He played ve
more years, batting .298 over that span with 35 doubles, nine triples, and
seven home runs for every 550 at-bats, nally retiring in 1922 to become the
baseball coach at Yale University. The ultimate hitting pitcher, of course, was
Babe Ruth, who won 89 games against 46 losses with a 2.28 ERA during his
pitching career in Boston. Over that same period, he batted a nifty .308, averaging 41 doubles, 15 triples, and 25 home runs for every 550 at-bats and
that was during the dead ball era! Needless to say, Ruth became a full-time
outelder in 1920, and a legend was born.
Pitchers in this study were rated on their on-base percentage normalized
to the league average, with a maximum point total of three, and their slugging average normalized to the league average, with a point total of three.
Offense accounted for 6 percent of a pitchers all-around rating.
Normalized Adjusted
Some pitchers were decent hitters, including Walter Johnson, Grover
Cleveland Alexander, and Whitey Ford, but Wes Ferrell was by far the most
dangerous pitcher with a bat in his hands. His .351 on-base percentage was
a full 77 points higher than his nearest competitor, Walter Johnson. Hitting
seems to be a lost art among pitchers in the major leagues in recent years.
Only Bob Gibson (.243 OBP) and Whitey Ford (.256 OBP) had OBPs above
.225, while several of them, most notably Sandy Koufax (.145 OBP), Juan
Marichal (.191 OBP), and Nolan Ryan (.148 OBP), fell below the Mendoza
line. Of the active pitchers, only Roger Clemens can boast of his batting skills.
His .241 OBP is 45 points higher than Greg Maddux, 90 points higher than
Randy Johnson, and 110 points higher than Pedro Martinez. Wes Ferrell
claimed the number one spot for OBP with a point total of 3.000. Christy
Mathewson was second with an OBP of .272, an OBP differential of 57,
and a point total of 2.109. At the other end of the spectrum, Nolan Ryan, in
21st place, had a 173 differential and a point total of 0.120, and Sandy Koufax
brought up the rear with a 180 differential and a point total of 0.000.
Normalized Adjusted Slugging Average (NXSLGA)

Pitchers in general were not power hitters. The exception to the rule was
Wes Ferrell, who had a .446 slugging average, 17 points higher than the league
average. Only three other pitchers had slugging averages above .300. They
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ALL-STARS
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were Walter Johnson (.342), Dizzy Dean (.301) and Bob Gibson (.301). Of
course, slugging averages have been on the increase in recent times because
of the lively ball and the smaller ballparks. When Addie Joss pitched, the
league slugging average was just .334, and during Walter Johnsons career, it
was .359. It spiked to .402 in the 1930s, fell as low as .339 in 1968, bounced
back to the .370s and .380s in the 1980s, and then exploded to about .430
after the Costa Rican rabbit ball was introduced in 1993. In 2006, the league
slugging averages were .420 in the American League and .409 in the National
League. Todays pitchers, however, have not kept pace with the league. In
general, they are a sorry lot with a bat in their hands. Of the four active pitchers who were reviewed in this study, only Roger Clemens (.212) and Greg
Maddux (.212) had slugging averages above .200. Randy Johnson was at .157,
and Pedro Martinez could do no better than .114.

It was strictly no contest for the games greatest offensive pitcher. Wes
Ferrell was number one for both NOBPA and NXSLGA by wide margins.
Walter Johnson and Christy Matheson nished second and third, respectively,
while Sandy Koufax and Carl Hubbell anchored the list.
Name
W. Johnson
G.C. Alexander
C. Mathewson
L. Grove
S. Koufax
B. Feller
W. Spahn
D. Dean
B. Gibson
T. Seaver
J. Palmer
J. Marichal
S. Carlton
E. Plank
W. Ford
A. Joss
E. Walsh
NOBPA
3
NXSLGA
3
Total
Points
Final
Offensive
Ratings
1.989
1.389
2.109
0.393
0.000
0.789
1.440
1.218
1.560
1.218
0.960
0.789
1.200
1.818
1.782
1.113
1.440
2.658
1.755
2.067
0.621
0.000
0.942
1.707
1.776
1.887
1.095
1.173
0.963
1.515
1.827
0.882
1.374
2.088
4.647
3.144
4.176
1.014
0.000
1.731
3.147
2.994
3.447
2.313
2.133
1.752
2.715
3.645
2.664
2.487
3.528
2
10
3
19
22
18
9
11
6
15
16
17
12
4
13
14
5
With a near .700 winning percentage, Pedro Martinez will go down in baseball lore
as one of the greatest pitchers in the history of the game (courtesy Julie Cordeiro).
Name
M. Brown
Cy Young
N. Ryan
W. Ferrell
C. Hubbell
NOBPA
3
NXSLGA
3
Total
Points
Final
Offensive
Ratings
1.491
1.251
0.120
3.000
0.717
1.857
1.947
0.402
3.000
0.108
3.348
3.198
0.522
6.000
0.825
7
8
20
1
21
108
ALL-STARS
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Defensive Ratings
As noted above, pitchers from the early days were expected to dominate
the defensive statistics because they were schooled in all aspects of the game
in order to be able to make a major contribution to the teams success. A
pitchers defensive skills accounted for 4 percent of his overall rating in this
study. Over the years there have been many outstanding defensive pitchers,
such as Wes Ferrell, Jim Palmer, and Tom Seaver, but again the moderns were
left in the dust by their ancient counterparts. Almost without exception, the
top pitchers in the early days far exceeded the league average elding averages. For instance, Grover Cleveland Alexander had a career elding average
of .985 compared to a league average of .955. Wes Ferrell had a career elding average of .975, Eddie Plank had a career elding average of .971, and
Christy Mathewson had a career elding average of .972. Greg Maddux, who
may be the best elding pitcher of his generation, has a elding average of
.969, and Roger Clemens has a elding average of .975, but most of the other
modern pitchers are near average or below average.

Grover Cleveland Alexander had a elding average of .985, a full 30
points above the league average. Christy Mathewsons elding average of .972
was 29 points above the league average, and Eddie Planks .971 average was
28 points above the league average. They nished one, two, three in the elding average differential category. Nolan Ryan was by far the worst elding
pitcher in the study. His .895 elding average was 57 points below the league
average.

Many of the world-class pitchers had quick reexes and outstanding
instincts that permitted them to get to more ground balls than the average
pitcher and also allowed them to react to ineld grounders between rst and
second base in time to cover rst, beating the runner to the bag and taking
the throw from the rst baseman or the second baseman for the out. The oldtimers were well schooled in the fundamentals and generally had range factors above the league average. Ed Walsh was the leader of the pack, with a
range factor of 3.35 that was 1.11 points above the league average. Addie Joss
had a range factor .94 points higher than the league average, while Sandy
Koufax nished .93 points below the league average and Dizzy Dean was .66
points below the average.
109

The nal defensive ratings favored the old-timers, with only Whitey
Ford, who nished in eighth place, and Jim Palmer, who nished ninth, able
to crack the top ten.
Name
NFAD
2
NRFD
2
Total
Points
Final
Defensive
Ratings
W. Johnson
G. C. Alexander
C. Mathewson
L. Grove
S. Koufax
B. Feller
W. Spahn
D. Dean
B. Gibson
T. Seaver
J. Palmer
J. Marichal
S. Carlton
E. Plank
W. Ford
A. Joss
E. Walsh
M. Brown
Cy Young
N. Ryan
W. Ferrell
C. Hubbell
1.839
2.000
1.977
1.287
1.310
1.471
1.264
1.333
1.218
1.471
1.540
1.195
1.310
1.954
1.425
1.793
1.770
1.770
1.632
0.000
1.793
0.628
0.451
1.137
1.461
0.461
0.000
0.422
0.922
0.265
0.735
0.941
1.001
1.147
0.471
0.461
1.196
1.833
2.000
1.000
1.108
1.127
1.490
1.558
2.290
3.137
3.438
1.748
1.310
1.893
2.186
1.598
1.953
2.412
2.541
2.342
1.781
2.415
2.621
3.626
3.770
2.770
2.740
1.127
3.283
2.186
13
5
3
19
21
17
14
20
16
11
9
12
18
10
8
2
1
6
7
22
4
14

The pitching skills of the competitors were by far the determining factor in the nal all-around pitcher ratings. There were minor changes that
resulted from the batting and elding ratings, such as Lefty Grove dropping
from second place to fourth place, Sandy Koufax falling from fth place to
seventh place, and Wes Ferrell, who was number one in batting and number
four in elding, moving up from number fteen overall to number thirteen.
110
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Nevertheless, the ratings demonstrated without a doubt that the individuals

pitching skills far outweighed any other skill the pitcher might have had.
Name
W. Johnson
G. Alexander
Cy Young
Lefty Grove
Tom Seaver
C. Mathewson
Sandy Koufax
Whitey Ford
Dizzy Dean
Ed Walsh
Nolan Ryan
M. Brown
Carl Hubbell
Wes Ferrell
Addie Joss
Juan Marichal
Bob Gibson
Warren Spahn
Eddie Plank
Bob Feller
Jim Palmer
Steve Carlton
NPitching NOffense
90
6
88.671
86.047
84.459
87.500
81.115
78.018
83.581
77.522
74.110
70.755
74.054
69.459
71.916
65.574
67.343
68.345
65.282
63.795
59.595
60.845
58.423
57.049
4.647
3.144
3.198
1.014
2.313
4.176
0.000
2.664
2.994
3.528
0.522
3.348
0.825
6.000
2.487
1.752
3.447
3.147
3.649
1.731
2.133
2.715
NDefense
4
2.290
3.137
2.740
1.748
2.412
3.438
1.310
2.621
1.598
3.770
1.127
2.770
2.186
3.283
3.626
2.342
1.953
2.186
2.415
1.893
2.541
1.781
Final
Total All-Around
Points
Ratings
HOF
95.608
92.328
90.397
90.262
85.840
85.632
84.891
82.807
78.702
78.053
75.703
75.577
74.927
74.857
73.456
72.439
70.282
69.128
65.659
64.469
63.097
61.545
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
Note: HOF denotes a member of the National Baseball Hall of Fame.
One question remained to be addressed and resolved before the ratings

could be nalized. Several polls over the years have selected Sandy Koufax as
the greatest pitcher of all-time, but in this study, based on a players entire
career, Koufax nished in seventh place. The great Dodger southpaw actually had two distinct and separate careers, as noted earlier. Between 1961 and
1966, he completely dominated the National League, leading the league in
ERA ve times, strikeouts four times, victories three times, winning percentage twice, complete games twice, shutouts three times, and innings pitched
twice. In an effort to clarify Koufaxs place in pitching history, his statistics
were re-evaluated using only his last six years, his Hall of Fame years, to
determine his rating. When that was done, Koufax did nish number one all-
111
around. However, that comparison obviously did not provide a level playing
eld for the other candidates since they were rated on their entire careers, not
only their best years. In order to better understand Koufaxs position in the
pitching hierarchy, several other pitchers, Lefty Grove, Grover Cleveland
Alexander, and Walter Johnson, were re-evaluated using only their six best
consecutive years. When those calculations were completed, Koufax was no
longer number one. He might have been able to sneak past Lefty Grove on
the basis of his won-lost differential, but he trailed Johnson and Alexander
in both the won-lost differential and the adjusted ERA. This exercise
conrmed the fact that Sandy Koufax was one of the great pitchers of alltime, but denitely not the number one man. It also justied the case for comparing pitchers on their entire careers, not only their ve or six best years.
Pete Palmer developed a formula for measuring a pitchers overall value
to a team. It is called the Pitcher Wins (PW), and represents the number of
wins a pitcher is worth to his team compared to the average pitcher, including pitching, batting, elding, and base stealing. Like other Palmer ratings,
it is a value rating, meaning that a players length of service is a signicant
factor in determining his overall rating. For the following comparison, Pete
Palmers Pitcher Wins (PW) was converted to a skill system by converting the
pitchers PW rating to a 20-year basis.
Name
PW
PW per
20 Years
PW
Rating
McNeil
Rating
W. Johnson
G.C. Alexander
C. Mathewson
L. Grove
S. Koufax
B. Feller
W. Spahn
D. Dean
B. Gibson
T. Seaver
J. Palmer
J. Marichal
S. Carlton
E. Plank
W. Ford
A. Joss
E. Walsh
M. Brown
89.9
62.9
56.3
59.1
22.3
31.6
51.4
22.3
44.9
49.1
34.3
27.5
33.2
30.3
37.2
23.0
37.7
32.7
85.6
62.9
66.2
69.5
37.2
35.1
49.0
37.2
52.8
49.1
36.1
34.4
27.7
35.6
46.5
51.1
53.9
46.7
1
5
4
3
13
17
10
13
8
9
15
18
19
16
12
8
6
11
1
2
6
4
7
20
18
9
17
5
21
16
22
19
8
15
10
12
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Name
PW
PW per
20 Years
PW
Rating
McNeil
Rating
C. Young
N. Ryan
W. Ferrell
C. Hubbell
77.0
21.5
31.1
38.8
70.0
15.9
62.2
51.7
2
20
6
8
3
11
14
13
The active pitchers noted at the beginning of this chapter were also evaluated for their pitching, batting, and elding skills, using the same formulas
as were used above. Their Pitching Wins (PW) was also reviewed, and by
either method, at least three of them Pedro Martinez, Roger Clemens, and
Randy Johnson gave indications that, when they retire, they could be rated
in the top ten all-time. Pedro Martinez has an outside chance of challenging
Walter Johnson as the greatest pitcher in baseball history, but depending on
the severity of Martinezs downside as his career comes to a close, he may fall
short of the top spot. Greg Maddux may not make the top ten because of his
low ratings for both his won-lost differential and his adjusted ERA. Tom
Glavine may also fail to make the top ten for the same reasons, and will probably fall somewhere below Maddux.
C HAPTER 6
Baseballs Greatest
First Basemen
There were a total of 20 rst basemen competing for the title of baseballs greatest rst baseman.
Lou Gehrig was an outstanding pitcher in college, once striking out 17
men in a game against Williams College. Like Ruth and other pitchers
who carried a big bat, he was converted to an everyday player, a rst
baseman, when he entered professional baseball. The husky 6', 200pound left-handed slugger was one of the games great hitters, but he
was never more than an average defensive rst baseman in spite of the
many hours he worked on his elding. Gehrig was one of baseballs most
durable players. Called the Iron Horse, he set a major league record by
playing in 2,130 consecutive games, a record that lasted fty years until
Cal Ripken, Jr., broke it. Gehrigs career was lled with highlights. In
1927, when the entire American League hit 439 home runs, Babe Ruth
hit 60 for the Yankees and Gehrig was right behind him with 47. The
next-highest home run total was 18 hit by teammate Tony Lazzeri. In
1935, Lou Gehrig won the Triple Crown, batting .363 with 49 home
runs and 165 RBIs. In all, the Iron Horse led the league in home runs
three times and in runs batted in ve times. His 0.92 RBIs per game is
the highest average in modern major league history. And like most of the
great hitters of the early days, he was a contact slugger, rarely striking
out. During his career, Gehrig averaged 34 homers for every 550 at-bats,
while striking out only 54 times and walking 103 times. He was elected
to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1939.
Jimmie Foxx was a rarity, a catcher who was versatile enough to play
most any position on the eld. When he arrived in Philadelphia in
1925, Connie Mack already had a catcher, a young man named Mickey
113
114
ALL-STARS
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Lou Gehrig (left) and Hank Greenberg were two of the most devastating sluggers of
the 1930s.
6. Baseballs Greatest First Basemen
115
Cochrane. Cochrane had been tried at several other positions and had
been found wanting. Foxx, on the other hand, was a talented and skillful
outelder and third baseman, and he played third base for a short time.
When injuries nally ended Joe Hausers career, the affable Foxx moved
across the diamond to rst base, where he became one of the greatest rst
basemen in major league history. In addition to his slugging prowess,
leading the league in batting twice, on-base percentage three times, home
runs four times, slugging average ve times, and runs batted in three
times, he also led the league in elding percentage three times. The
solidly built farm boy from Sudlersville, Maryland, with the unsettling
nickname the Beast, packed 195 pounds of muscle on his six-foot
frame, and he tortured opposing pitchers for 20 years, driving extra-base
hits to all parts of the ballpark, off the fences and over them, while compiling a .325 career batting average. Foxx entered the Baseball Hall of
Fame in 1951.
Hank Greenberg was one of baseballs great clutch hitters, averaging 0.92
runs batted in per game, just behind Lou Gehrig. The 6' 3", 210-pound
right-handed hitter was also one of the games rst free swingers, averaging 85 strikeouts a game in an era when most players felt it was humiliating to strike out. Hammerin Hank, as he was called, led the American
League in RBIs four times, doubles twice, home runs four times, bases on
balls twice, slugging percentage once, and elding percentage once. The
New York native was one of the rst players to enlist in the U.S. military
in World War II, entering the army in the spring of 1941 while at the
peak of his baseball career. He served his country for four years, being
discharged in 1945. He retired after the 1947 season at the age of 36.
Some of Greenbergs feats were otherworldly. For instance, he slammed
63 doubles in 1934, the fourth-highest total of all-time. Three years later,
he drove in 183 runs, the third-highest total in baseball history, and in
1938 he hit 58 home runs, second to Babe Ruth at the time. When Hank
Greenberg began his professional career in 1930, he was considered to be
clumsy and uncoordinated, but through countless hours of hard work, he
became a better-than-average defensive rst baseman with a reliable glove
and good range. He is a 1956 member of the Baseball Hall of Fame.
Harmon Killebrew was a powerful six-foot tall, 215-pound right-handed
slugging machine from Payette, Idaho, who starred for the Washington
Senators and Minnesota Twins, beginning in 1954 before playing for
Kansas City in his nal season in 1975. During the peak of his career,
from 1959 through 1971, the man they called Killer terrorized American
League pitchers, averaging over 40 home runs a year. He hit more than
40 home runs eight times, with a high of 49 homers in both 1964 and
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Johnny Mize was one of baseballs greatest clutch hitters in the 1940s.
1969. He led the league in home runs six times, in RBIs three times, and
in bases on balls four times. Killebrew averaged 39 home runs, 107 RBIs,
and 87 runs scored over a 22-year span. And despite his bulk, he was also
a decent defensive rst baseman, although not one of the world-class
members. As can be seen from his peak years noted above, Killebrew did
not have any career years. He was consistent, year in and year out, as he
helped the Twins to three American League pennants and one World
Series.
Johnny Mize was another of baseballs great clutch hitters. He was so
respected that, at the age of 36, an age when most players were retired,
the New York Yankees obtained his services, and he played in Yankee
Stadium for ve years, helping Casey Stengels team capture ve consecutive world championships. In the 1952 Series, won by the Yankees
in seven games over the Brooklyn Dodgers, Mize stung the ball at a .400
clip with a double, three homers, and six RBIs in 15 at-bats. The Big
Cat was a decent elder, but his forte was hitting the cover off the ball,
as evidenced by his .312 career batting average and his 31 doubles and 31
117
homers for every 550 at-bats. Still, the graceful left-handed hitting Mize,
like many of the other big sluggers of his day, also had a good batting
eye, striking out only 43 times a season, while walking 73 times and driving in 114 runs. He batted over .300 nine times in twelve years and drove
in more than 100 runs eight times. He led the league in batting once,
home runs four times, doubles once, triples once, runs batted in three
times, and slugging percentage four times. He hit 51 home runs in 1947,
when hitting 51 home runs meant something, and he hit three home runs
in a Game Six times. Johnny Mize was elected to the Baseball Hall of
Fame in 1981.
George Sisler was a smooth-swinging left-handed contact hitter with little power. He had a .340 career batting average, number 14 all-time, and
he struck out only 22 times a season. At the same time, he had only 46
extra-base hits, including six home runs, and he walked only 31 times,
giving him a .379 on-base percentage and a .468 slugging average.
Known as Gorgeous George, the 5'11", 170-pound rst sacker was
considered to be one the top two rst basemen in baseball history during
the rst thirty years of the twentieth century, but his standing has slipped
somewhat with the emergence of the big sluggers who now dominate the
position. Sisler twice batted over .400, leading the league in batting in
1920 with an average of .407 and repeating in 1922 when he hit .420. In
the former year, he set a major league record of 257 base hits that stood
for more than eighty years until it was broken by Ichiro Suzuki. In 1922,
he also led the league with 134 runs scored, 246 base hits, and 18 triples.
The Ballplayers noted that In the eld Sisler was fast, adroit, and graceful, a combination that gave elegance to his execution of plays. Sislers
1,528 career assists rank third all-time behind Eddie Murray and Keith
Hernandez. He was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1939.
Willie Stretch McCovey, standing an imposing 6' 4" tall and weighing
a powerful 210 pounds, struck fear into the hearts of opposing pitchers.
The left-handed slugger enjoyed a 22-year career in the major leagues,
most of it with the San Francisco Giants, where in 1962 he came within
an inch or two of becoming a legend. In the World Series that year, the
Giants were trailing the New York Yankees, 10, in the bottom of the
ninth inning of Game Seven, when they put the potential tying and
winning runs on second and third with two men out. Yankee pitcher
Ralph Terry faced McCovey, who had tripled in his previous at bat. Terry
worked the count to 11 when McCovey, a dead pull hitter, tied into a
pitch and sent a screamer toward right-center eld. Yankee second baseman Bobby Richardson moved slightly to his left, threw his glove into
the air, and snatched the ball, ending the Series and McCoveys dream
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ALL-STARS
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of glory. The big rst baseman, who was noted for his bat and not his
glove, averaged 35 home runs for every 550 at-bats, one of the highest
home run averages in major league history. He led the league in home
runs three times, RBIs twice, and slugging average three times. He was
a 1986 entry to the Baseball Hall of Fame.
Eddie Murray, at 6' 2" tall and weighing 220 pounds, was one of the
games greatest switch-hitters, and one of its best all-around rst basemen. His 22-year major league career produced 3,255 base hits, 504
home runs, 1917 RBIs, and a .993 elding average. He was voted the
American Leagues Rookie of the Year in 1977, when he was used as a
designated hitter. Later, after becoming Baltimores rst baseman, he won
three consecutive Gold Gloves. Murray, who accumulated 560 doubles,
35 triples, and 504 home runs in his notable career, is one of the few
major league hitters to accumulate more than 1,000 extra-base hits. He
is eighth all-time in games played, fth in at-bats, 11th in base hits, 13th
in doubles, 15th in home runs, ninth in total bases, eighth in RBIs, third
in putouts, rst in assists, and second in double plays. His outstanding
all-around play earned him election to the Baseball Hall of Fame in
2003.
Keith Hernandez was another of the outstanding all-around rst basemen
that thrilled baseball fans across the country during the twentieth century. The handsome Californian played major league baseball for seventeen years, including nine years with the St. Louis Cardinals and six years
with the New York Mets. He helped both teams win world championships, the Cardinals in 1982 and the Mets four years later. Hernandezs
teams won 15 games against eight losses in post-season play, including the
National League Championship Series, and although he batted a modest
.263, he drove in 16 runs. During his career, the smooth-swinging lefty
batted a cool .296, averaging 32 doubles, four triples, and 12 home runs
for every 550 at-bats. In 1979 he tied for the National Leagues Most
Valuable Player award, while leading the league in batting (.344), runs
scored (116), doubles (48), and on-base percentage (.421). On defense,
Hernandez had no equal. He won eleven straight Gold Gloves and set a
major league record for the most consecutive seasons leading the league
in double plays with six. He led the National League in elding average
twice, assists ve times, and putouts four times. He is tied for ninth alltime in career elding average, sixth in career double plays, and second in
career assists.
Norm Cash was a long ball-hitting rst baseman who also excelled in the
eld. He had a career season with the bat in 1961, leading the American
League in batting with an average of .361, in base hits with 193, and in
119
on-base percentage with .488 (number 33 all-time). He also slugged 41

home runs that year, scored 119 runs, drew 124 bases on balls, and drove
in 132 teammates. Over his 17-year career, Cash hit more than 30 home
runs in a season ve times and more than 20 home runs a season eleven
times. He helped the Detroit Tigers capture the world championship in
1968, batting .385 with ve RBIs in seven games, and he ignited the winning rally in Game Seven by ripping a two-out single off Bob Gibson
that led to a three-run seventh inning, breaking up a scoreless pitching
duel between Gibson and Mickey Lolich. Detroit went on to win the
game and the championship by a 41 score. Cash was as good in the eld
as he was at the plate. He led all American League rst basemen in elding twice, en route to a career elding average of .992. His 1,317 career
assists are eighth all-time.
Bill Terry is the last National Leaguer to bat .400 in a season, accomplishing that feat in 1930 when he compiled an average of .401. He batted
over .300 eleven times in 14 years, including four years above .350. He
also led the league that year with 254 base hits, while cracking 39 doubles, 13 triples, and 20 home runs with 139 runs scored and 129 runs
batted in. Terry scored 100 or more runs in a season seven times, and
drove in more than 100 runs six times. When he retired in 1936, he left
behind a .341 career batting average, number 13 all-time, a .393 on-base
percentage (number 63) and a .506 slugging average (number 45). Terry
was also a star on defense. He led the league in elding percentage twice,
putouts ve times, assists ve times, and double plays three times. He had
excellent range, with a .992 career elding average and 10.91 total chances
per game (number eight all-time). He was elected to the Baseball Hall of
Fame in 1954.
Will the Thrill Clark began his major league career with the San Francisco Giants in 1986, retiring in 2000 after fteen distinguished seasons.
He was Mr. Consistency with the bat, hitting between .282 and .308 for
eleven of those years. He batted .333 in 1989, .329 in 1994, .326 in 1997,
and .319 in 2000. He never batted below .282. Clarks major league
career got off to a rousing start when he homered off Nolan Ryan in his
rst major league at-bat. The smooth-swinging lefty was a terror in postseason play, posting a torrid .441 average, with six doubles, one triple,
three home runs, and eleven runs batted in in 59 at-bats. But Clark was
more than a solid hitter. He was also dependable on defense with a good
glove and good range.
Vic Power was one of the greatest defensive rst basemen of all-time.
He was a ashy, energetic elder who did everything with a special air.
During his twelve-year major league career, he won seven Gold Gloves,
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ALL-STARS
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while leading the league in elding average three times, double plays
three times, putouts twice, and assists six times. In 1959, he led all American League rst basemen in games played, innings played, elding average, putouts, assists, and double plays. The following year he led the
league in all categories except putouts. His .994 career elding average is
number nine all-time. But the 5'11", 195-pound right-handed hitter was
more than just a defensive player. He was also a contact hitter who struck
out only 22 times for every 550 at-bats and compiled a career batting
average of .284. He batted over .300 three times, including .312 in 1958,
when he led the league with 10 triples, while also hitting 37 doubles and
16 home runs with 80 RBIs. Although Power was a good contact hitter,
he was also impatient at the plate, and he walked only 27 times a year,
giving him a mediocre .317 on-base percentage.
Boog Powell was a mighty hulk of a man, standing 6' 4" tall and weighing a muscular 240 pounds. The left-handed slugger, Baltimores cleanup
hitter for the better part of thirteen years, was an imposing gure as he
stood at the plate. His handsome, freckled face, topped with a shock of
red hair, was a disarming visage that often led to serious difculty for the
opposing pitcher. Powell averaged 27 homers and 92 RBIs a year during
his 17-year career. His best years were 1966 (34 homers and 109 RBIs),
1969 (when he stroked the ball at a .304 clip with 37 homers and 121
RBIs), and 1970 (35 homers and 114 RBIs). The Orioles won pennants
in each of those years, and they added world championships to the 1966
and 1970 American League titles. They also won the American League
pennant in 1971 when Powell hit 22 homers and drove in 92 runs. In
addition to his slugging prowess, Powell was also a decent elder who
saved his inelders numerous errors by scooping their low throws out
of the dirt. He led the league in elding average in 1975 with a .997
elding percentage.
Orlando Cepeda, the Baby Bull, patrolled rst base for the San Francisco Giants for eight years and the St. Louis Cardinals for three years
during his 17-year major league career. He was another powerful slugger
at 6' 2", 210 pounds, and he tattooed opposing pitchers to the tune of
.297 with 26 home runs and 95 RBIs a year. Unlike Boog Powell, who
was a patient hitter who averaged 101 strikeouts and 82 bases on balls a
year, Cepeda walked only 42 times and struck out 81 times for every 550
at-bats. The native of Puerto Rico, whose nickname was derived from
his fathers nickname, Perucho, (the Bull), compiled ten .300+ seasons
with a high of .317 in 1959. His best season was 1961 when he batted .311
while leading the National League with 46 home runs and 142 runs batted in. He was also a competent, if not spectacular elder.
121
Jeff Bagwell, recently retired, was in the upper echelon of rst basemen,
both offensively and defensively. His 15-year career produced a .297
batting average with 32 home runs a year, 107 runs scored and 108 runs
batted in. He also averaged 110 strikeouts and 99 bases on balls. Bagwell
and teammate Craig Biggio were known as the Killer Bees, the heart
and soul of the Houston Astro lineup. But Bagwell was more than a big
bat. He was also one of the leagues top elding rst basemen, with a
.993 elding average. He led the league in games played three times,
innings played four times, assists ve times, and double plays once.
Jack Clark was primarily an offensive rst baseman. The right-handed
power hitter averaged 27 home runs and 95 runs batted in for every 550
at-bats. His .267 batting average was supplemented with 101 bases on
balls a year, giving him an excellent .383 on-base percentage. He led the
league in walks three times, with a high of 136 in 1987. He was a member
of the 1985 and 1987 pennant-winning St. Louis Cardinals, but he was
held to a .240 batting average in the 1985 World Series, and an ankle
injury kept him out of the 1987 Fall Classic. His greatest day in baseball
occurred in the 1985 NLCS against the Los Angeles Dodgers when he
blasted a three-run homer deep into the left-eld stands at Dodger Stadium with two men out in the top of the ninth inning, giving his team
a 75 victory and a National League pennant
Don Mattingly was a slick-elding rst baseman who could also hit for
average and with signicant power. From 1984 through 1989, the slim
left-handed slugger batted .327 while averaging 38 doubles, 24 home
runs and 101 RBIs a year. He led the league in base hits twice during that
period, doubles three times, and RBIs once. Unfortunately, Mattingly
injured his back in a locker-room accident in 1987 and it continued to
bother him the rest of his career. It eventually sapped his strength to the
point where he was reduced to being a slap hitter who batted just .288
with 11 homers and 70 RBIs a year over his nal six years. Another potential Hall of Fame career was short-circuited by injuries. Still, the classy
Hoosier continued to outshine his peers on defense, leading the league
in elding average seven times overall, including three times near the end
of his career. The ve-time Gold Glove winner also led the league in
putouts once and double plays twice.
Gil Hodges, after forty years of being ignored by the baseball community,
is still looking to take his rightful place alongside the other greats of the
game in Cooperstown. The Indiana native was arguably the best allaround rst baseman in the National League during the 1950s, but being
a typical strong, silent type on a team that included Jackie Robinson, Pee
Wee Reese, Duke Snider, and Roy Campanella, he was often overshad-
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owed by his more colorful teammates. But when the chips were down,
Hodges delivered. He drove in more than a hundred runs a season for
seven consecutive years, and hit more than thirty home runs in a season
six times. His best year was 1954 when he hit .304 with 42 home runs,
130 runs batted in, and a .995 elding average. He was regarded as the
leagues best defensive rst baseman during his career, leading the league
in elding average three times and winning three Gold Gloves. He was
noted for his big hands, his graceful moves around the bag, and his quick
footwork.
Fred McGriff was a superior all-around rst baseman from 1986 to 2004.
He was in the top twenty in both offense and defense during his career,
batting .284 with 31 home runs and 97 RBIs a year. Although the lanky,
left-handed power hitter led the National League in home runs twice,
he was a patient hitter who walked frequently and went down on strikes
even more, averaging 82 bases on balls and 118 strikeouts for every 550
at-bats. He played for the Atlanta Braves in two World Series, batting a
combined .279 with four home runs and nine RBIs in 12 games. In the
eld, he led the league in putouts once, elding average once, and double
plays twice.
Active Players
There are an unusually high number of rst basemen who are still active
that might challenge the candidates for places on the legendary all-time allstar team. Albert Pujols, at the age of 26, completed his sixth full season as
the St. Louis Cardinals rst baseman in 2006. He has a hefty .332 career
batting average with 39 homers and 114 RBIs for every 550 at-bats. It is within
the realm of possibility that Pujols could pass Barry Bonds career home run
totals before he retires and perhaps even challenge the magic 800 home run
barrier. Todd Helton of the Colorado Rockies is another big bopper, sporting a .333 batting average with 31 homers and 107 RBIs a year over his tenyear career. Jim Thome, a husky 6' 4", 220-pound left-handed slugger, passed
the 500 home run mark in 2007. He is a career .282 hitter over 16 years, and
averages 41 homers and 112 RBIs a year. Paul Konerko completed ten years of
major league service in 2006 with a .280 batting average, 30 home runs, and
97 RBIs. His career has a long way to go as he just celebrated his 31st birthday on March 5, 2007. Frank Thomas, known affectionately as the Big Hurt,
stands 6'5" tall and weighs a hefty 257 pounds. The 39-year-old right-handed
hitter, who is nearing the end of his career, passed the 500 homer mark in
2007. His batting average for 17 years is .305, and he has averaged 36 homers
and 117 RBIs for every 550 at-bats.
123
Albert Pujols is quickly becoming a legend in the game of baseball after just seven
years in the major leagues.
Offensive Ratings
The offensive statistics that were evaluated to determine baseballs greatest offensive rst basemen were on-base percentage (OBP), slugging percentage (SLG), stolen bases (SB), sacrice hits (SH), and double plays grounded
into (GIDP).
Normalized Adjusted
At .447, Lou Gehrig had the highest ofcial career OBP of any of the
rst base candidates in the study, followed by Jimmie Foxx at .428 and Hank
Greenberg at .412. At the other end of the spectrum, Vic Power had only a
.315 OBP and Orlando Cepeda had a .350 OBP. The adjusted on-base percentage (OBPA) penalized the players who were active in the 1920s and 30s
because that era was dominated by great hitters with higher than normal
league average OBPs. In the top three, Lou Gehrig lost 20 points because of
the era adjustment, while both Jimmie Foxx and Hank Greenberg lost 16
points. George Sisler, who played a signicant part of his career in the dead
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ball era, lost 13 points, but Norm Cash, who played from 1958 to 1974, gained
14 points, giving him a fth-place nish in the category.
Normalized Adjusted
Slugging Average (NXSLGA)
The rst step in arriving at the normalized slugging average (NXSLGA)
was to determine the players individual park factor. For players who were
active after 1956, the home and away splits are readily available. Norm Cashs
splits were:
(H)
(A)
AB
HR
SB
SH
GIDP
3285
3412
907
911
565
594
112
129
16
25
214
163
21
22
8
9
68
69
When broken down into a 550 at-bat season, the following results
emerged.
(H)
(A)
AB
HR
SB
SH
GIDP
550
550
152
147
97
95
19
21
3
4
36
27
4
4
1
1
11
11
During the time Norm Cash played in the major leagues, the number
of teams in the American League varied from eight to 12. He played two years
when there were eight teams in the league, eight years when there were 10
teams, and six years when there were 12 teams; therefore, the weighted average of that data gave:
(2 12) + (8 10) + (6 12) = 168/16 years = 10.5 Equivalent Teams
Cashs home ballpark accounted for just one of the 10.5 equivalent teams,
while the away ballparks accounted for the other 9.5 teams.
Norm Cashs adjusted park factor, based on 10.5 equivalent teams, was:
Adjusted base hits = (147 9.5) + (152 1) =
1548.5/10.5 = 147 adjusted base hits.
The same procedure was followed for all the stats, giving these adjusted
stats:
AB
HR
SB
SH
GIDP
550
147
95
21
27
11
125
It is obvious that a players away statistics were much more important in

determining his adjusted stats, simply because they were heavily weighted for
the number of teams in the league. In Cashs case, his adjusted stats were identical to his away stats.
Before calculating Norm Cashs adjusted slugging average, the data had
to be modied to eliminate the total base hits (his singles plus one base from
each of his extra-base hits) since those stats were already accounted for in the
OBPA calculation and the use of them again would be double-dipping.
The 147 base hits were subtracted from the 550 at-bats during a normal
season to give an adjusted at-bat gure of 403.
Cashs XSLG = (A + B + C)/D = (21 + 8 + 81)/403 = .273
Where:
XSLG = Slugging Average adjusted for park factor
A = Cashs doubles (X1) 21
B = Cashs triples (X2) 4
C = Cashs home runs (X3) 27
D = Cashs adjusted at-bats 403
Next, Cashs XSLGA, his slugging average adjusted for the era in which
he played, had to be calculated.
XSLGA = XSLG (E F) = .273 (.372 .388) = .289
Where:
XSLG = Slugging Average adjusted for park factor = .273
E = League Slugging Average during Cashs career = .372.
F = Base Point Slugging Average (1960) = .388.
The normalized slugging average was determined by comparing Cashs
XSLGA with the highest XSLGA in the study, in this case, Lou Gehrigs
XSLGA, which was .421. The ratio was weighted at a maximum of 20 points.
Lou Gehrigs NXSLGA was 20.000.
Norm Cashs NXSLGA = .289/.421 20 = 13.729.
For players whose careers took place prior to 1957, a different procedure
was necessary since there were no detailed splits available for those players,
with a few exceptions like Yogi Berra and Bill Dickey. There were home run
factors (HRF) available for all players, as noted previously, so the players
home and away home runs were known, but it was necessary to make several
assumptions to arrive at the other stats. A study of the modern players splits
indicated that, in general, a players doubles changed by the same amount as
a players home runs, but in the opposite direction. Therefore, if a player
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averaged 35 home runs and 35 doubles, and if his home runs at home were
37 and away were 33, then his doubles at home would be 33 and away would
be 37. A study of the splits also indicated that the other stats, like triples,
stolen bases, sacrice hits, and grounded into double plays, were the same at
home and away. At-bats were approximately 5 percent higher on the road than
they were at home, since players often do not bat in the bottom of the ninth
inning in their home park. So, if a player had 550 at-bats, and the difference
between his home at-bats and his away at-bats was 5 percent, then his home
at-bats would be 550/1.025 = 537 and his away at-bats would be 1.025 =
564.
The calculations for determining a players normalized slugging average
were then made the same way as they were for Norm Cash above.

First basemen, in general, did not steal many bases. They were primarily run producers who were expected to drive the ball to the deepest recesses
of the ballpark for extra bases or to put the ball out of the park for a home
run. George Sisler, who played much of his career during the dead ball era,
when one run was still important and 10 games were commonplace, averaged 25 stolen bases a year between 1915 and 1930. Of the modern players,
only Jeff Bagwell with 14 stolen bases a year and Orlando Cepeda with 10
stolen bases a year produced in double gures. Naturally, Sisler was a runaway winner in the stolen base category with 1.000 point, the maximum point
total for the category. Bagwells normalized point total was 0.560 and Cepedas
was 0.400.

First basemen were also not procient at laying down a strategic sacrice
bunt. Once again, they had their sights set on bigger things. George Sisler
was the leader in this category as well as the stolen base category. He averaged 15 sacrice bunts a year, followed by Bill Terry with 12. No other rst
baseman averaged more than seven sacrice hits a year.

First basemen were, in general, big men who usually lacked speed and
were susceptible to grounding into double plays. In this study, only two men,
Johnny Mize and Will Clark, grounded into fewer than 10 double plays a year.
127

The maximum offensive rating of 43 points for rst basemen consisted
of 20 points maximum each for NOBPA and NXSLGA, and one point maximum each for NSB, NSH, and NGIDP.
Final
Name
NOBPA
20
NXSLGA
20
.05NSB .05NSH .05NGIDP Total Offensive

20
20
20
Points Ratings
Gehrig
Foxx
Greenberg
Mize
Sisler
McCovey
Murray
Hernandez
Cash
Terry
W. Clark
H. Killebrew
V. Power
B. Powell
O. Cepeda
Bagwell
J. Clark
Mattingly
Hodges
McGriff
20.000
19.297
18.548
18.126
17.143
17.658
16.815
18.033
18.173
17.611
17.799
15.222
15.035
17.330
16.581
18.689
17.845
16.768
16.534
17.096
20.000
18.622
18.290
16.770
9.359
15.629
12.637
9.264
13.729
11.496
11.401
17.910
8.171
14.062
14.347
14.490
14.347
9.739
12.637
13.397
.280 .470
.240 .330
.240 .270
.080 .130
1.000 1.000
.080 .000
.200 .000
.280 .070
.160 .070
.200 .800
.200 .070
.040 .000
.160 .470
.080 .130
.400 .000
.560 .000
.240 .070
.040 .070
.200 .270
.200 .000
.800
.421
.500
1.000
.670
.670
.530
.670
.727
.727
.889
.471
.615
.571
.530
.500
.571
.500
.615
.571
41.550
38.910
38.848
36.106
29.172
34.037
30.181
28.317
32.859
30.834
30.359
33.643
24.451
32.143
31.858
34.198
33.073
27.117
30.256
31.264
1
2
3
4
17
6
16
18
9
13
14
7
20
10
11
5
8
19
15
12
Lou Gehrig was rated as the greatest offensive rst baseman in baseball
history, which is no surprise. It is also no surprise that Jimmie Foxx and Hank
Greenberg nished second and third, respectively, although there might be
some healthy discussions over the other positions. Johnny Mize was number
four, a strong showing by Bagwell in NOBPA rewarded him with a fth-place
nish, and strong performances in both NOBPA and NXSLGA by both Willie
McCovey and Harmon Killebrew earned them a fth-place nish and a sixthplace nish, respectively. Some active players were also evaluated to see where
they might fall in the offensive ratings. Paul Konerko would have been about
number 20, with Jim Thome and Frank Thomas both about number ve.
Todd Helton was about number eight, and Albert Pujols was number four.
Konerko and Pujols, who are both in the prime of their careers, may see their
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ratings rise, and for Pujols, the sky is the limit. Thome, Thomas, and Helton,
who are in decline, will probably see their ratings drop by the time they retire.
As can be seen from the above table, the players with a high NOBPA
were those players who had a decent batting average plus a knack for drawing bases on balls. Lou Gehrig, with a .340 batting average and an average
of 105 bases on balls for every 550 at-bats, and Jimmie Foxx, with a .325 batting average and 98 walks, nished rst and second, respectively. Another
player who had a good NOBPA was Keith Hernandez, who batted .296 and
drew 80 bases on balls. Sluggers like Gehrig, Foxx, and Greenberg dominated
the NXSLGA category, while players with less power, like Don Mattingly,
Vic Power, George Sisler, and Keith Hernandez, brought up the rear. Not
surprisingly, most rst basemen stole very few bases with the exception of
George Sisler, who averaged 25, Jeff Bagwell, who averaged 14, and Orlando
Cepeda, who averaged 10. The sacrice hit category is a sign of the times. In
the old days, prior to 1960, many rst basemen were capable of laying down
a well-executed sacrice bunt now and then, but in todays game the rst
baseman is counted on to hit a home run in that situation. George Sisler averaged 15 sacrice hits a year, Bill Terry averaged 12, and even Lou Gehrig averaged seven. In todays world Fred McGriff never sacriced in his major league
career, while Jeff Bagwell laid down only three. Not unexpectedly, most rst
basemen, being big sluggers, hit into a fair amount of double plays. Only
Johnny Mize with eight and Will Clark with nine grounded into fewer than
10 double plays a year.
Defensive Ratings
The elding average of the candidates was compared to the league elding average during the players career, and the differential was normalized,
with a maximum point total of 20. Don Mattingly had the highest elding
average differential, and was awarded 20 points. Vic Power, an outstanding
defensive rst baseman from 1954 to 1965, had a career elding average of
.994 compared to a league average of .991, giving him 17.500 points. Keith
Hernandez, Gil Hodges, Bill Terry, Johnny Mize, and Jimmie Foxx, all of
whom had a elding average that was two points above the league average,
earned 15.000 points for their defensive prowess.
Normalized Adjusted Fielding Runs (NAFR)

Range Factor was not considered to be a good measuring stick for rst
basemen since most of their putouts resulted from handling throws on ineld
129
grounders, which, for the most part, were routine. Also, putouts by a rst
baseman were signicantly affected by the number of batters struck out by
the pitchers on his team. Obviously, the more batters struck out by his teams
pitchers, the fewer ground ball outs would be recorded at rst base; a rst
baseman on a team whose pitchers had a high number of strikeouts versus
the league average would suffer in the range factor category. Gil Hodges, one
of the leagues best elding rst basemen, is a good example. His team, the
Brooklyn Dodgers, had a pitching staff that routinely led the National League
in strikeouts during his career, a situation that had nothing to do with Hodges
elding skills, but would have had a signicant negative effect on his Range
Factor rating. It was nally decided to use Pete Palmers Fielding Runs (FR)
formula, after modifying it from a value system to a skill system by converting the result to a 2,000 game basis. Pete Palmers FR formula subtracts the
effect of a teams strikeouts from the formula, putting all rst basemen on a
level playing eld. The FR formula is:
FR = PFR/(PO SO for team) LFR/
(PO SO for league) player innings
Where:
PFR = Player elding rate for rst base = .2 (2 A E)
LFR = League elding rate.
The Fielding Runs result was then normalized with a maximum point
total of 20.
The defensive ratings for rst basemen are:
Name
NFAD
20
NAFR
20
Total
Points
Final
Defensive
Ratings
Gehrig
Foxx
Greenberg
Mize
Sisler
McCovey
Murray
Hernandez
Cash
Terry
H. Killebrew
W. Clark
V. Power
12.500
15.000
12.500
15.000
05.000
00.000
12.500
15.000
12.500
15.000
12.500
10.000
17.500
05.300
11.356
10.978
08.265
14.763
09.968
12.240
17.098
12.681
14.511
4.101
07.823
20.000
17.800
26.356
23.478
23.265
19.763
09.968
24.740
32.098
25.181
29.511
16.601
17.823
37.500
15
6
10
11
12
19
9
2
8
3
17
13
1
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Name
NFAD
20
NAFR
20
Total
Points
Final
Defensive
Ratings
B. Powell
O Cepeda
Bagwell
J. Clark
Mattingly
Hodges
McGriff
10.000
10.000
10.000
05.000
20.000
15.000
10.000
07.571
06.246
17.539
04.606
07.444
10.852
07.319
17.571
16.246
27.539
09.606
27.444
25.852
17.319
14
18
4
20
5
7
16
Vic Power, Keith Hernandez, and Bill Terry rank rst, second and third,
respectively, as baseballs greatest defensive rst basemen.

The nal ratings for baseballs greatest all-around rst baseman are shown
below. The offense was rated at four times the defense.
Gehrig
Foxx
Greenberg
Mize
Sisler
McCovey
Murray
Hernandez
Cash
Terry
H. Killebrew
W. Clark
V. Power
B. Powell
O. Cepeda
Bagwell
J. Clark
Mattingly
Offense
Divided by
43 4
Defense
Divided by
40
Total
Points
Final
All-Around
Ratings
3.865
3.620
3.521
3.359
2.714
3.166
2.808
2.634
3.057
2.868
3.130
2.824
2.275
2.990
2.964
3.181
3.077
2.523
0.445
0.659
0.587
0.582
0.494
0.249
0.619
0.802
0.630
0.738
0.415
0.526
0.938
0.439
0.406
0.688
0.150
0.686
4.310
4.279
4.108
3.941
3.208
3.415
3.427
3.436
3.687
3.606
3.545
3.350
3.213
3.429
3.370
3.869
3.227
3.209
1
2
3
4
20
13
12
10
6
7
8
15
18
11
14
5
17
19
HOF
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
131

Offense
Divided by
43 4
Defense
Divided by
40
Total
Points
Final
All-Around
Ratings
2.815
2.908
0.646
0.433
3.461
3.341
9
16
Hodges
McGriff
HOF
Note: HOF denotes a member of the National Baseball Hall of Fame.
Lou Gehrig beat out Jimmie Foxx by the slightest of margins for the title
of baseballs greatest all-around rst baseman. Foxxs excellent defensive rating almost wiped out the advantage Gehrig had built up on offense. Actually, the difference in the nal point total between the two superstars, less than
1 percent, might in many cases be declared too close to call. The two legends
were, in many ways, mirror images of each other, as their season averages show.
Lou Gehrig
Jimmie Foxx
BA
FRs/
FA 2000 G.
ABs
HR
RBI
BB
550
550
187
179
37
31
11 34
8 36
137
130
104 .340 .991

98 .325 .992
55
41
Hank Greenberg and Johnny Mize, although a level below Gehrig and
Foxx, nevertheless showed they belong in the elite upper echelon of the top
ve rst basemen.
H. Greenberg
Johnny Mize
ABs
HR
RBI
BB
550
550
172
172
40
31
8
7
35
31
135
114
90
73
BA
FRs
FA 2000 G.
.313 .991
.312 .992
35
8
The big surprise in the study was the showing of Jeff Bagwell, who
nished in fth place. His high rating was based on his sensational all-around
performance. He nished in fth place on offense and fourth place on defense.
The former Houston Astro was solid in all phases of the game.
Jeff Bagwell
ABs
HR
RBI
BB
550
163
34
32
108
99
BA
FRs
FA 2000 G.
.297 .993
132
Although the defense was only rated one to four to the offense, the excellent defensive rating of Keith Hernandez moved him up from 18th on offense
to ninth all-around. Similar improvements were made by Norm Cash, who
jumped from number eight to number six, Eddie Murray, who moved up from
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number 16 to number 11, and Gil Hodges, who moved up from number 15
to number eight.
These ratings will surely change as current active players retire. At this
early juncture, it appears as if Albert Pujols may pose a serious challenge to
Lou Gehrig as the greatest rst baseman in baseball history, assuming he stays
healthy and maintains the high standard he has set. His offensive production
placed him in the top three through 2006, even though he was penalized by
a negative 30-point era adjustment for slugging average. Frank Thomas, Todd
Helton, Jim Thome, and Paul Konerko could also nish in the top ten based
on their current statistics, although all of them face a 30- to 41-point negative era adjustment for slugging average.
Bill Buckner, Steve Garvey, Joe Adcock, Ted Kluszewski, and Tony Perez
were originally included in the study, but they were later dropped since only
20 players were listed. Kluszewski and Perez were the highest rated of the ve
players.
There could be other changes in the ratings of rst basemen if Mark
McGwire and Rafael Palmeiro become eligible. McGwire, a 6'5", 225-pound
behemoth, holds the all-time career home run frequency record with 52 home
runs for every 550 at-bats to go along with 125 RBIs. Babe Ruth averaged 47
homers for every 550 at-bats, and Barry Bonds averages 42. McGwire broke
Roger Maris single-season home run mark when he lofted 70 balls into orbit
in 1998. Palmeiro, a smooth-swinging left-handed hitter, batted .288 and hit
569 homers over a 20-year career, averaging 30 homers and 98 RBIs a year.
If McGwire and Palmeiro eventually join the study, they may both be in the
top ten all-around, with McGwire estimated to be about number four and
Palmeiro estimated to be about number eight.
C HAPTER 7
Baseballs Greatest
Second Basemen
There were a total of seventeen players competing for the title of baseballs greatest all-around second baseman.
Jackie Robinson was one of the most important gures ever to play the
game of baseball. His fantastic success in the major leagues opened the
door for people of all races and nationalities to play our National Pastime. And, in spite of the intense pressure he endured as the rst black
player to play major league baseball in the twentieth century, he dominated his sport, compiling a career .311 batting average and reviving the
lost art of base running. He led the league in stolen bases twice, with 29
steals in 1947 and 37 in 1949, modest totals by todays standards but
respectable numbers in the 1940s. His 19 career steals of home were the
most in the National League since World War I. In the 1955 World
Series, his steal of home against the New York Yankees in Game One
paved the way for Brooklyns rst and only world championship. But
stolen bases were just a part of his legendary base running repertoire. He
completely disrupted opposing pitchers with his dancing leads off base, a
strategy that frequently led to a stolen base or a balk. And he ran the
bases with abandon, taking extra bases on hits and often decoying a harried outelder into throwing to the wrong base. On those occasions when
he was caught in a rundown between bases, it was fty-fty that he
would escape the trap safely. He was the National League Rookie of the
Year in 1947 and its Most Valuable Player two years later when he led the
league in batting with a .342 average. But Robinson was more than just a
batting and base running star. He also excelled on defense, leading the
league in elding percentage three times and double plays six consecutive
years.
133
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Rogers Rajah Hornsby has the second-highest career batting average in

major league history, at .356. The husky right-handed slugger, whose
leaky glove kept him from making a runaway of the second base competition, hit for power as well as average, with 36 doubles, 11 triples, 20
home runs, and 107 RBIs for every 550 at-bats. He won seven batting
titles between 1920 and 1928, three times hitting over .400, with a high
of .424 in 1924. His combined batting average from 1921 to 1925 was an
astronomical .402. Rajah also led the league in runs scored ve times,
base hits four times, doubles four times, triples twice, home runs twice,
runs batted in four times, on-base percentage eight times, and slugging
percentage nine times. He was, in fact, during most of his 23-year career
a one-man wrecking crew. As suspicious as his defense was, however, he
did lead the league in elding average in 1922, and he led the league in
putouts twice, assists twice and double plays four times. Hornsby could
handle any ball he could reach. His problem was his lack of foot speed
that prevented him from getting to balls that the majority of major leaguers could reach, and that deciency left him in last place in range factor among the seventeen second basemen in the study.
Joe Morgan was a compact 5' 7", 160-pound left-handed hitter who was a
key element in Cincinnatis Big Red Machine of the 1970s. During his
tenure in Cincinnati, he played on ve division champions, three
National League pennant winners, and two world champions. Little Joe
had a keen batting eye that helped him coax an average of 111 bases on
balls a year out of opposing pitchers, but he could also hit with power,
averaging 27 doubles, six triples, and 16 home runs for every 550 at-bats.
The speedy inelder, who averaged 41 stolen bases and 110 runs scored a
year, led the league in walks four times, OBP four times, and slugging
average once. His 1,865 career walks are the fth-highest total in major
league history, and his 1,650 runs scored are number twenty-seven. But
Morgan was not only an offensive player; he also paced the league in
elding average three times. He is number two all-time in career games
played at second base with 2,527, number three in assists with 6,967 and
number six in double plays with 1,505.
Napoleon Nap Lajoie, considered by many baseball experts to be the
games greatest all-around second baseman, played major league baseball
from 1896 to 1916. The powerful right-handed slugger, who towered over
his peers at 6'1" tall, and who packed 195 pounds of muscle on his lithe
body, was certainly the best second baseman of his era. A native of
Woonsocket, Rhode Island, he led the league in runs scored once, doubles ve times, home runs once, RBIs three times, batting average three
times (with a high of .426 in 1901), OBP twice, and slugging average four
times. As powerful as he was with a bat in his hands, he was just as grace-
7. Baseballs Greatest Second Basemen
135
ful wearing a glove. He led the league in elding average six times,
putouts ve times, assists three times, and double plays six times. Lajoie
is number eighteen all-time in career batting (.338), number ve in doubles (657), number twelve in base hits (3,242), number nineteen in RBIs
(1,599), number ten in total chances per game (6.00), number ve in
career putouts (5,496), number six in putouts per game (2.71), and number seven in career assists (6,262). Lajoie could do it all.
Edward Eddie Collins, a 25-year major leaguer with a career .333 batting average, hit over .300 seventeen times, with a high of .369 in 1920.
The 175-pound Collins was strictly a singles hitter, but he hit enough of
those to score an average of 101 runs a year. And he was fast enough to
lead the league in steals four times, on his way to a career total of 741
stolen bases, number eight all-time. On defense, the slick-elding
inelder, who was known as Cocky because of the condence he had in
his ability, had few peers. He led the league in elding average nine
times, assists three times, and double plays four times. His 7,630 career
assists are the most in baseball history. The Columbia University graduate, who played on six American League pennant winners and four world
championship teams, was one of the few Chicago White Sox players who
played to win on the infamous 1919 Black Sox team that conspired to
throw the World Series to the Cincinnati Reds, although he hit a miniscule .226 in the eight games. The Ballplayers, in reviewing the legendary
inelder, noted he was a superlative elder, adding, He was an adroit
bunter, a slashing, left-handed batting hit-and-run man, and a brilliant
base runner.
Charlie Gehringer, called the Mechanical Man because he made everything look so easy, was another all-around second baseman who hit for
average and power, and who covered the ineld like a blanket. One of
Gehringers teammates was quoted as saying, You wind him up on
opening day, turn him off at the end of the season, and in between he
hits .340 to .350. He batted over .300 thirteen times in his 19-year
career, and three times hit over .350. His best year may have been 1937
when he tattooed the ball at a league-leading .371 clip and paced all second basemen with a .986 elding average. Over his long career he compiled a .320 batting average, with 110 runs scored, 36 doubles, nine
triples, 11 home runs, and 89 RBIs for every 550 at-bats. He led the
league in runs scored twice, base hits twice, doubles twice (with 45 doubles in 1929 and 60 doubles in 1936), triples once, and stolen bases once.
He also showed the way in elding percentage seven times, putouts three
times, assists seven times, and double plays four times. The Mechanical
Man is seventeenth in career runs scored (1,774) and fteenth in career
doubles (574). His elding average of .976 was eight points higher than
136
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the league average, his 5,369 career putouts are sixth all-time, his 7,068
career assists rank second, and his 1,444 double plays are fth. The
Mechanical Man made everything look easy, on both offense and defense.
Ryne Sandberg was probably the greatest second baseman in Chicago
Cubs history. He was a dazzling defensive second baseman who could
also contribute with a bat in his hand. He is the all-time leader in career
elding average with a sensational .989 average, and he is number eight
in career assists with 6,363. He established the National League record
for highest season elding percentage (.994) and fewest errors in a season
(5) in 1986. The eight-time Gold Glove winner led the league in elding
percentage four times, assists seven times, and double plays once. On
offense he was the third major leaguer to steal 50 bases and hit 25 home
runs in the same season, and he led the National League in home runs in
1990 with 40. In perhaps his greatest offensive season, in 1984, the 6' 2",
180-pound right-handed hitter batted .314, with a league-leading 114 runs
scored, 200 base hits, 36 doubles, a league-leading 19 triples, 19 home
runs, and 32 stolen bases. And he also led the league in elding that year
with a .993 average. Over his career, he averaged 86 runs scored, 26 doubles, ve triples, 18 home runs, and 70 RBIs for every 550 at-bats.
Rod Carew was one of the greatest hitters of his era. His .328 career batting average is number thirty all-time. The smooth-swinging left-handed
hitter led the American League in hitting seven times, with a high of .388
in 1977 when he irted with the magical .400 mark for most of the summer before tailing off. That year, he led the league in batting, runs scored
(128), base hits (239), triples (16), and on-base percentage (.449). In
addition to his sensational 1997 batting average, he also compiled season
averages of .366, .350, .364, and .359. Carews secret was his superior bat
control, his use of the entire eld, and his outstanding speed that kept the
third baseman honest. He hit over .300 for fteen consecutive years, beginning when he won his rst batting title at the age of 23. Carew was
also recognized as one of the games best base runners, averaging 21 stolen
bases a year, and routinely taking an extra base on lackadaisical outelders. His defense was above average, but not up to that of his world-class
rivals.
Roberto Alomar, a native of Ponce, Puerto Rico, was an outstanding allaround second baseman who batted over .300 nine times on his way to a
career .300 batting average, and who led the American League in elding
percentage three times. The 6', 180-pound switch-hitter averaged 90 runs
scored, 30 doubles, ve triples, 13 home runs, and 29 stolen bases for
every 550 at-bats. He was at his best in post-season play where he hit a
cool .313 in 58 games, including .347 in two World Series, both won by
his Toronto Blue Jays. In the eld, he was sure-handed with quick reexes
137
Frankie Frisch, the Fordham Flash, played in eight World Series, batting .294 in
fty games.
and excellent range. His .984 career elding average is one of the highest
in major league history, and his 6,525 career assists and 1,408 career double plays are both number six all-time. The ten-time Gold Glove winner
set the American League record for most consecutive errorless games at
104 and the most errorless chances with 482.
Frankie Frisch, the Fordham Flash, had a keen batting eye and speed to
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burn. The tall, lanky inelder batted a cool .316 over a 19-year career,
averaging 92 runs scored, 28 doubles, eight triples, six home runs, 44
bases on balls, 75 RBIs, and 25 stolen bases a year while striking out just
16 times. He was a proven winner who batted over .300 thirteen times
with a high of .348 in 1923, and who played on eight National League
pennant winners and four world championship teams. He batted .294 in
fty World Series games with the New York Giants and St. Louis Cardinals, with 10 doubles, three triples, and 10 RBIs. In the eld, he led the
National League in elding average three times and putouts, assists, and
double plays once each. In 1928, he set National League season records
for assists with 641 and total chances accepted with 1,059. He is still
number 13 in career assists with 6,026 and number eight in chances per
game with 6.05.
Craig Biggio, whose playing career concluded in 2007, was added to
the list because he deserves to be recognized with the best, and his
career numbers, as far as second basemen are concerned, are complete.
Biggio, one of the Houston Astros Killer Bs along with Jeff Bagwell,
was converted from a catcher to a second baseman by the Astros after
four years behind the plate. He spent the next eleven years guarding the
keystone sack before being sent to the outeld in 2003 to save wear and
tear on his aging body, but after resting in the outeld for two years, he
returned to second base in 2005. Biggio, an expert at taking one for the
team, was hit by pitches 283 times through 2006, leading the league in
that category ve times. He also rapped the ball at a .287 clip during that
period, with 96 runs scored, 33 doubles, 14 homers, and 65 RBIs for
every 550 at-bats. In 2007 he became the fourth second baseman in
baseball history to accumulate more than 3,000 base hits. Biggio led the
league in runs scored twice and doubles three times, and he led the pack
in putouts six times, assists six times, and double plays once. His .984
career elding average is number eight all-time.
Louis Lou Whitaker, along with shortstop Alan Trammell, formed an
outstanding double-play combination for the Detroit Tigers from 1977 to
1995, a total of nineteen years. Whitaker, a 5'11", 160-pound left-handed
batter, had surprising power for a little man, averaging 16 home runs a
year to go along with 27 doubles and four triples, driving in 70 runs and
scoring 85. He enjoyed his best season in the major leagues in 1983,
pounding the ball at a .320 clip with 40 doubles, six triples, 12 home
runs, and 17 stolen bases. And his glove was as dependable as his bat. He
led the American League in elding average twice, putouts once, assists
twice, and double plays once. His .984 career elding average was three
points higher than the league average, and his 4.95 range factor was 36
points higher than the league average.
139
Joe Flash Gordon, who played in the major leagues for eleven years,
from 1938 to 1950, with two years out for World War II, was a member
of six American League pennant winners and four world championship
teams with the New York Yankees and Cleveland Indians. He led the
Yankees at bat in two Series, slugging the ball at a .400 clip in 1938 with
two doubles, a homer, and six RBIs in four games before hitting .500 with
a double, a triple, a homer, and ve RBIs in ve games in 1941. In 1942
he was voted the American Leagues Most Valuable Player as he led the
Yankees into the World Series, batting .322 with 18 homers and 103 RBIs.
He also led all second basemen in double plays with 121. Six years later he
helped the Cleveland Indians win the pennant, hitting .280 with 32 home
runs and 124 runs batted in. Over his career, Gordon averaged 25 doubles, 24 home runs, 88 runs scored, and 94 RBIs for every 550 at-bats.
Robert Bobby Doerr was recognized as one of the greatest all-around
second basemen in the history of the game, even as his career progressed.
He came out of California in 1937 at the age of 19 to give the Boston Red
Sox unsurpassed second base play as well as a bat loaded with dynamite.
In his eleven years with Boston, Doerr led the American League in elding average four times, assists three times, putouts four times, and double
plays ve times. His .980 career elding average was nine points higher
than the league average, the third-widest margin in baseball history. And
at the plate, the husky right-handed hitter tattooed opposing pitchers to
the tune of .288, with 85 runs scored, 30 doubles, seven triples, 17 home
runs, and 97 runs batted in for every 550 at-bats. In the pennant-winning year of 1946, Doerr batted .271 with 18 homers and 116 RBIs, and
followed that up by ripping the ball at a .409 clip with a homer and three
RBIs in the World Series loss to the St. Louis Cardinals. Doerr was a
force to be reckoned with, both offensively and defensively.
Bobby Grich, at 6' 2", and 190 pounds, was one of the biggest second
basemen in this study, but also one of the quickest. The ve-time Gold
Glove winner led the American League in elding average twice, putouts
four times, assists three times, and double plays three times. His .995
elding average in 1973 set a major league record, and after that record
was broken, he set another one with a brilliant .997 season in which he
committed only two errors. His career elding average of .984 is number
ten all-time. Grich was not a one-dimensional player, however. He also
carried a dangerous bat to the plate, averaging 26 doubles, three triples,
and 18 home runs a year, with 82 runs scored and 69 RBIs. In 1979, he
hit .294 with 30 home runs and 101 runs batted in. Two years later, in
the strike-shortened 1981 season, he hit .304 and led the American
League with 22 home runs and a .543 slugging average.
Nellie Fox played in the major leagues for 19 years, at one point setting
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the record for the most consecutive games played at second base, with
798. The diminutive, tobacco-chewing inelder led the league in elding
average six times, putouts ten times, assists six times, and double plays
ve times, and his quick reexes produced an outstanding 5.43 range factor, fty-four points higher than the league average. His 6,090 career
putouts rank third all-time, his 6,373 assists are eighth, and his 1,619
double plays are second only to Bill Mazeroski. He was no slouch with
the bat, either. He had outstanding bat control, averaging just 13 strikeouts a year and leading the league in fewest strikeouts eleven times. His
.288 career batting average was mostly of the one-base variety, but he
scored 76 runs a year, while leading the league in base hits four times. He
batted over .300 six times, with a high of .317 in 1957, and he scored
more than 100 runs four times.
Bill Mazeroski has been called the greatest defensive second baseman of
all-time by many baseball experts. He was certainly in the upper echelon,
leading the National League in elding average three times, putouts ve
times, assists nine times, and double plays eight times. He is number one
all-time in career double plays with 1,706, number ve in career assists
with 6,685, and number seven in career putouts with 4,974. The eighttime Gold Glove winner was not much with the bat, hitting only .260
over his career, but it is with the bat that he is most remembered. His
dramatic walk-off home run off Ralph Terry in the bottom of the ninth
inning of Game Seven of the 1960 World Series gave the Pittsburgh
Pirates their rst world championship since 1925. Overall, the 5'11", 183pound right-handed hitter tattooed Yankee pitchers to the tune of .320
with two doubles, two homers, and ve RBIs in that Series.
Active Players
Unlike rst base, where there were a number of future candidates for a
position on the legendary all-time all-star team, there is only one other active
second baseman, in addition to Craig Biggio, who could challenge the candidates for a spot on the team. Jeff Kent has had an outstanding major league
career as he nears retirement, particularly on offense. His 15-year career
includes a .289 batting average with 25 homers and 100 RBIs a year.
Offensive Ratings
Normalized Adjusted
Baseballs best-hitting second basemen from a batting average standpoint were Rogers Hornsby, Eddie Collins, Nap Lajoie, and Rod Carew. But
141
Bobby Doerr was one of the games top defensive second basemen.
when it came to on-base percentage, which also took into account bases on
balls, the OBP leaders were Hornsby (.434), Collins (.424), Jackie Robinson
(.409), and Charlie Gehringer (404). Lajoie, who walked only 30 times a
year, and Carew, who walked 60 times, fell back into the pack. Carew, however, proted from the era adjustment that increased his OBP from .393 to
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.402, joining Hornsby and Collins as the only second basemen with OBPAs
over .400. Hornsby and Collins tied for the top spot in NOBPA at .422, followed by Carew, Robinson, Joe Morgan, Nap Lajoie, and Gehringer, in that
order.
Normalized Slugging Average (NXSLGA)

Rogers Hornsby was head-and-shoulders above all other second basemen when it came to slugging. He was the only candidate with a slugging
average above .480, his .577 slugging average giving him a healthy 97-point
lead over his nearest rival, Charlie Gehringer. Even after the park factor and
era adjustments were made, the Rajah retained his huge lead. His adjusted
slugging average (XSLGA) of .335 gave him a 57-point advantage over Joe
Gordon and a 95-point lead over the number three man, Nap Lajoie, who
came in at .240. By comparison, Jackie Robinsons XSLGA was .220, as was
Bobby Grichs. Gehringers lack of home-run punch relegated him to eighth
place with an XSLGA of .217. Eight players nished with XSLGAs in the .100s,
and Nellie Fox was dead last with an XSLGA of .086.

There were several second basemen who had good speed on the bases
and stole more than their share of bases. The leader, not surprisingly, was
Eddie Collins, who averaged 41 stolen bases a year over his 25-year career.
Close behind Collins was Joe Morgan, who also averaged 41 stolen bases a
year. Roberto Alomar averaged 29 stolen bases, Frankie Frisch averaged 25,
and Jackie Robinson averaged 24. Conversely, both Nellie Fox and Bill Mazeroski averaged only two stolen bases a year, followed by Bobby Doerr with
four, and Joe Gordon and Rogers Hornsby with nine each.

All early-day players were capable of laying down a sacrice bunt whenever called upon, and most of them had a signicant number of sacrice bunts
to their credit. But over the years, with the advent of the lively ball, teams
played more for the home run and the big inning, and the sacrice bunt was
almost forgotten. The leaders were players whose careers ended prior to 1965.
Eddie Collins, a lifetime .333 hitter, still sacriced an average of 28 times a
year. And Rogers Hornsby, the most procient slugger in second-base history, was credited with 15 sacrice hits a year. Frankie Frisch was next with
14, followed by Lajoie with 13, Jackie Robinson with 12, and Nellie Fox with
10. On the ip side, Ryne Sandberg sacriced just two times a year, Joe
143
Morgan laid down three bunts a year, and Joe Gordon and Bill Mazeroski
had four sacrice hits a year to their credit.

Second basemen were among the faster players on the team and, as a
result, they hit into few double plays. Unlike the catchers, who hit into as
many as 25 double plays a year, second basemen only hit into between six
and 17 double plays a year. They were led by Joe Morgan with six and Craig
Biggio with seven, followed by Lou Whitaker and Ryne Sandberg with nine
each and Nellie Fox with 10. Rogers Hornsby, Joe Gordon, and Frankie Frisch
grounded into 17 double plays each to bring up the rear.

In the nal offensive ratings, Rogers Hornsbys huge lead in the on-base
percentage and slugging average categories were more than enough to earn
him the title of the games greatest offensive second baseman. Joe Morgan
nished in second place, nosing out Nap Lajoie thanks to his outstanding
speed that gave him important point advantages in both the stolen base and
the grounded into double plays categories. Joe Gordons second-place nish
in the slugging category was enough to give him fourth place in the nal
offensive ratings, just ahead of Jackie Robinson.
Name
NOBPA
20
NXSLGA
20
.05 NSB
20
J. Robinson
R. Hornsby
J. Morgan
N. Lajoie
E. Collins
C. Gehringer
R. Sandberg
R. Carew
R. Alomar
F. Frisch
C. Biggio
L. Whitaker
J. Gordon
B. Doerr
18.863
20.000
18.720
18.341
20.000
18.294
16.303
19.052
17.156
16.777
17.156
17.251
16.398
16.635
13.134
20.000
13.612
14.328
10.388
12.955
11.761
9.791
10.507
9.313
11.284
10.448
16.597
13.552
0.585
0.220
1.000
0.537
1.000
0.268
0.561
0.512
0.707
0.610
0.561
0.220
0.220
0.098
.05 NSH .05 NGIDP

20
20
0.429
0.536
0.107
0.464
1.000
0.321
0.071
0.286
0.321
0.500
0.179
0.214
0.143
0.321
0.462
0.353
1.000
0.462
0.462
0.545
0.667
0.462
0.462
0.353
0.857
0.667
0.353
0.375
Final
Total Offensive
Points Rating
33.473
41.109
34.439
34.132
32.850
32.383
29.363
30.103
29.126
27.553
30.037
28.800
33.711
30.981
5
1
2
3
6
7
12
10
13
15
11
14
4
9
144
ALL-STARS
FOR
NOBPA
20
NXSLGA
20
.05 NSB
20
B. Grich
17.820
N Fox
16.114
B. Mazeroski 13.934
13.134
5.134
7.821
0.195
0.049
0.049
Name
ALL TIME
.05 NSH .05 NGIDP

20
20
0.321
0.357
0.143
0.462
0.600
0.428
Final
Total Offensive
Points Rating
31.932
22.254
33.375
8
17
16
Defensive Ratings
Most of the second basemen in this study were outstanding defensive
players, as well they should have been since they were the cream of the crop
at that position. They were rated on their Normalized Fielding Average Differential (NFAD) and their Normalized Range Factor Differential (NRFD).
Normalized Fielding Average

Differential (NFAD)
The early guardians of the keystone sack, Nap Lajoie and Eddie Collins,
led the way in the elding average category. Lajoie enjoyed a 14-point advantage over the league average, while Collins elding average was 12 points
higher than the league average. The other leaders included Bobby Doerr and
Frankie Frisch at +9 each, and Jackie Robinson, Charlie Gehringer, and Ryne
Sandberg at +8 each. Nellie Fox and Bill Mazeroski were next at +7. Even
Rogers Hornsby was on the plus side at +1, but Joe Gordon (1) and Rod
Carew (4) failed to hold their own in the competition.
Normalized Range Factor Differential (RFD)

Bill Mazeroski, who seemed to be all over the ineld when he played,
had the highest range factor differential in the study, a full .86 points above
the league average. It is not surprising he won eight Gold Gloves with that
kind of quickness. Bobby Grich gave Mazeroski a run for his money, nishing second with a differential range factor of +.76. The only second baseman
with a negative range factor differential was Rogers Hornsby, whose 5.36
range factor was 0.15 points below the league average. Some of the more
impressive range factor differentials included Nap Lajoie at +.69, Ryne Sandberg at +.63, and Nellie Fox at +.54.

The old-timer still showed the way in the overall defensive ratings. Nap
Lajoie, whose career ended in 1916, nished rst in NFAD and third in NRFD,
145
giving him a total of 36.634 points, narrowly edging out Bill Mazeroski, who
nished tied for eighth in NFAD and rst in NRFD, for a total of 32.222
points. Ryne Sandberg (28.779 points), Bobby Grich (28.020 points), and
Nellie Fox (27.387 points) fought a spirited battle for third, fourth, and fth
place.
Name
NFAD
20
NRFD
20
Total
Points
Final
Defensive
Rating
J. Robinson
R. Hornsby
J. Morgan
N. Lajoie
E. Collins
C. Gehringer
R. Sandberg
R. Carew
R. Alomar
F. Frisch
C. Biggio
L. Whitaker
J. Gordon
B. Doerr
B. Grich
N. Fox
B. Mazeroski
13.333
5.556
8.889
20.000
17.778
13.333
13.333
0.000
7.778
14.444
7.778
7.778
3.333
14.444
10.000
12.222
12.222
7.723
0.000
9.703
16.634
7.723
6.931
15.446
9.505
9.505
11.089
12.475
10.099
6.931
11.881
18.020
15.165
20.000
21.056
5.556
18.592
36.634
25.501
20.264
28.779
9.505
17.283
25.533
20.253
17.877
10.264
26.325
28.020
27.387
32.222
9
17
12
1
8
10
3
16
14
7
11
13
15
6
4
5
2

The nal all-around ratings were determined by giving the offense a
two-to-one weight advantage over the defense. Once again, Lajoie came in
ahead of the pack. His rst-place nish in defense combined with his thirdplace nish in offense to give him the title of baseballs all-time greatest second baseman. Bobby Grich, one of the modern-day elding magicians,
provided enough offense with his strong showings in both the on-base competition (NOBPA), where he nished eighth, and the slugging competition
(NXSLGA), where he nished tied for sixth, to give him enough points when
combined with his fourth-place nish in defense to guarantee him a secondplace nish in the all-around competition. Eddie Collins, who nished sixth
in offense and eighth in defense, accumulated enough points to nail down
third place, while Bobby Doerr, another all-around all-star, combined his
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ALL-STARS
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ninth-place nish in offense with a sixth-place nish in defense to give him

fourth place overall. Bill Mazeroskis poor showing in the offensive areas, a
sixteenth-place nish against seventeen rivals, cost him dearly in the overall
ratings, but his second-place nish in the defensive categories allowed him
to nish 13th overall.
Name
J. Robinson
R. Hornsby
J. Morgan
N. Lajoie
E. Collins
C. Gehringer
R. Sandberg
R. Carew
R. Alomar
F. Frisch
C. Biggio
L. Whitaker
J. Gordon
B. Doerr
B. Grich
N. Fox
B. Mazeroski
Offense
Divided by
43 2
Defense
Divided by
40 1
Total
Points
Final
All-Around
Ratings
1.557
1.912
1.602
1.588
1.528
1.506
1.366
1.400
1.355
1.282
1.397
1.340
1.568
1.441
1.485
1.035
1.041
0.526
0.139
0.465
0.916
0.638
0.507
0.719
0.238
0.432
0.638
0.506
0.447
0.257
0.658
0.701
0.685
0.806
2.083
2.051
2.067
2.504
2.166
2.013
2.085
1.638
1.787
1.920
1.903
1.787
1.825
2.099
2.186
1.720
1.847
6
8
7
1
3
9
5
17
14
10
11
14
12
4
2
16
13
HOF
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
Jeff Kent has a slight chance to crack the top ten all-around when he
retires, although he is presently on the bubble. His rating through 2006 is
estimated to be number three on offense, number 14 on defense, and number 10 all-around. He is hampered on defense by a negative elding average
differential, and like the other modern era players, he has a signicant negative era adjustment for slugging average.
C HAPTER 8
Baseballs
Greatest Shortstops
Fifteen players competed for the title of major league baseballs greatest
all-time, all-around shortstop.
Cal Ripken was one of the games most amazing players. He became
baseballs Iron Man on September 6, 1995, when he broke Lou Gehrigs
record of playing in 2,130 consecutive games. He added another 502
games to that record before he took himself out of the lineup on September 20, 1998, setting a major league mark that may never be broken
2,632 consecutive games played. But Ripken was more than somebody
who played every day. He was also one of baseballs greatest shortstops,
both offensively and defensively. He was a .276 hitter who averaged 32
doubles, 21 home runs, and 81 RBIs for every 550 at-bats. He leads all
shortstops in at-bats (11,551), is second to Ernie Banks in home runs
(431), second to Honus Wagner in base hits (3,184) and RBIs (1695),
and third to Luis Aparicio and Ozzie Smith in games played at shortstop
(2,302). On defense, the 6' 4", 225-pound Ripken led the league in elding average ve times, putouts six times, assists seven times, and double
plays eight times. His .979 career elding average is the fth-highest
elding average in the history of the game. He is number seven in assists
(6,977) and number two in double plays (1,565). According to his peers,
he was unmatched in positioning himself in the eld according to the
game strategy, the score, the pitch count, as well as who the pitcher and
batter were. He always seemed to be in the right place at the right time.
Honus Wagner has been called the greatest shortstop that ever lived by
most baseball experts and with good reason. The Flying Dutchman,
as he was called, was one of baseballs rst superstars. He was a big,
rugged right-handed batter who dominated the shortstop game for
147
148
ALL-STARS
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ALL TIME
more than a dozen years, leading the league in batting average eight
times, doubles seven times, triples three times, RBIs ve times, slugging
average six times, stolen bases ve times, elding average four times, and
double plays four times. The husky 5'10", 200-pound shortstop leads all
his rivals in career batting average (.328), base hits (3,420), doubles
(643), triples (252), RBIs (1,733), and stolen bases (722). Wagner played
for the Louisville Colonels for three years and the Pittsburgh Pirates
for seventeen years before retiring in 1917. The modest, good-natured
Flying Dutchman had long arms and big hands and, although he looked
clumsy, he always made the play. Wagner scooped balls out of the
ground, dirt and all, like his Negro league counterpart, John Henry
Lloyd, before unleashing his throw to rst base. His kind may never
be seen again.
Ozzie Smith dazzled baseball fans with his defensive acrobatics for 19
years as a member of the San Diego Padres and St. Louis Cardinals. He
thrilled crowds by racing out to his position at the start of an inning and
doing a back ip as he reached shortstop. The slick-elding Smith led
the National League in elding average eight times, putouts twice, assists
eight times, and double plays ve times. He is tied with Lou Boudreau
and Luis Aparicio for the most times leading in elding average, and is
the leader in the most times leading in assists. He is number six all-time
in career elding average (.978), number one in assists (8,375), number
eight in putouts (4,249), and number one in double plays (1,590). Ozzie
Smith was not much of an offensive threat but he is best remembered for
something he did with the bat. In the fth game of the 1985 National
League Championship Series against the Los Angeles Dodgers, with the
series tied at two games apiece and Game Five tied 22, Smith smashed
a walk-off home run off Tom Niedenfuer in the bottom of the ninth
inning, his rst home run hit while batting left-handed in more than
4,000 at-bats.
Pee Wee Reese was the heart and soul of the legendary Boys of Summer
that represented Brooklyn in the late 1940s and 1950s. The Little Colonel
led his Dodger compatriots to seven National League pennants in 16
years, and he was a key part of Brooklyns rst and only world championship team in 1955. Reese, like many of his all-star rivals, contributed to
his teams success, both with his bat and his glove. He was a career .269
hitter who averaged 91 runs scored, 23 doubles, ve triples, nine home
runs, 83 bases on balls, 60 RBIs, and 16 stolen bases a year. His .359
OBPA is eighth best of the 15 shortstops in this study. Reese led the
league with 132 runs scored and a .977 elding average in 1949, with
104 base on balls in 1947, and 30 stolen bases in 1952. He also led the
league in putouts and assists once each and double plays twice. Reese is
8. Baseballs Greatest Shortstops
149
number ten all-time in career putouts (4,040), number twenty-two in

assists (5,891), and number ten in double plays (1,246).
Phil Scooter Rizzuto, a contemporary of Reese and a frequent World
Series rival of the Little Colonel, was the leader of the great New York
Yankee teams of the 1940s and 1950s. During Rizzutos memorable
13-year career, New York won ten American League pennants and an
unprecedented eight world championships, including ve in a row between 1949 and 1953. Rizzuto was a pesky hitter who compiled a .273
career batting average with 83 runs scored, 62 bases on balls, 14 stolen
bases, and 53 RBIs for every 550 at-bats. He led the league in elding
average twice, putouts twice, assists once, and double plays three times.
His best year was 1950 when he ripped the ball at a .322 clip with 125
runs scored, 200 base hits, 36 doubles, 66 RBIs, 92 walks, and a leagueleading .982 elding average.
Arky Vaughan played major league baseball for 14 years, from 1932 to
1948, with three years out for personal reasons between 1944 and 1946.
Vaughan was an outstanding offensive player and a decent defensive
player. He had a.318 career batting average, the second-highest career
batting average of the fteen shortstops in this study. He batted over .300
twelve times during his 14-year career, including his rst ten years in the
major leagues. He is also number one in career on-base percentage (.406)
of the fteen candidates, number two in career triples (128), and number
seven in career slugging average (.453). Vaughan paced the National
League in batting with a stratospheric .385 in 1935. He also led the
league in runs scored, triples, and bases on balls three times each, in
putouts and assists three times, and in double plays once. Vaughan played
most of his career in spacious Forbes Field, limiting his home run totals
to eight a year, but he made the most of the huge outeld by averaging
30 doubles and 11 triples for every 550 at-bats. Sadly, the forty-year-old
Vaughan drowned in a boating accident in 1952, just four years after his
retirement from the game.
Robin Yount was one of the greatest players ever to represent the Milwaukee Brewers, the only team he played for during his notable 20-year
career. Yount, who joined the Brewers as an 18-year-old shortstop in
1974, held down the key ineld position for the Brewers for eleven years
before moving to the outeld. During his tenure at shortstop, he led the
league in elding average, putouts, assists, and double plays once each.
His elding percentage was at the league average, but he had outstanding
range, his 4.99 range factor being .83 points above the league average, a
range factor differential exceeded only by Ozzie Smith. Yount batted over
.300 six times, with a high of .331 in 1982. That year, he led the American League in base hits (210), doubles (46) and slugging average (.578).
150
ALL-STARS
FOR
ALL TIME
Ernie Banks was the rst shortstop in history to hit more than 500 career home runs.
He also scored 129 runs, hit 12 triples, 29 homers, and drove in 114 runs
as the Brewers captured the American League pennant. The 6', 170pound right-handed batter hit a resounding .414 in the World Series,
with three doubles, a home run, and six RBIs as the Brewers dropped a
tough seven-game Series to the St. Louis Cardinals.
Ernie Banks, the greatest shortstop in Chicago Cubs history, was one of
the rst Negro league players to enter the major leagues, joining the Cubs
151
in 1953 after two years with the Kansas City Monarchs of the Negro
American League. Banks, who quickly became one of the top sluggers
in the big leagues, was a lithe 6'1", 180-pound bundle of energy. As a 23year-old rookie in 1954, the man who would earn the sobriquet of Mr.
Cub smashed 19 home runs and drove in 79 runs, a major accomplishment for the youngster. The next year he exploded, batting .295, hammering 44 homers, driving in 117 teammates, and leading the National
League with a .972 elding percentage. During the six-year period from
1955 to 1960, Banks slugged 248 home runs, more than any other major
leaguer, including Mickey Mantle (236) and Willie Mays (214). From
there his career blossomed into a 19-year love affair with the game he
cherished. He was famous for walking into the Cubs locker room with a
big smile on his face and joyfully pleading, Lets play two today. Ernie
Banks retired in 1971 with 512 career home runs, the most home runs
ever hit by a shortstop. He also hit 407 doubles and 90 triples for a total
of 1,009 extra base hits, number 24 all-time. In the eld, he excelled as
well, leading the league in elding percentage three times, assists twice,
and putouts and double plays once each.
Joe Cronin entered the major leagues in 1926 at the age of 19, and stayed
for twenty years, starring at shortstop both at the plate and in the eld.
He fashioned a fancy .301 career batting average over that period, with 37
doubles, nine triples, 12 home runs, and 103 RBIs for every 550 at-bats.
He led the American League in doubles twice, with 45 in 1933 and with
51 in 1938. He also led the league in triples in 1932 with 18. The stocky
six-footer was no slouch in the eld either, leading the league in elding
percentage twice, and putouts, assists, and double plays three times each.
He batted over .300 ten times, with a high of .346 in 1930, the notorious
year of the hitter. Cronin was famous, not only for his play on the eld,
but also for his managerial career that began in 1933 when the 26-yearold shortstop assumed the reins of the Washington Senators and immediately led them to the American League pennant. Cronins managerial
career lasted 15 years, during which time his teams won a total of 1,236
games against 1,055 losses for an excellent .540 winning percentage.
Luke Appling, Old Aches and Pains as he was called for his constant
complaints about his physical condition, was a career .310 hitter, the
fourth-highest career batting average of the fteen shortstops in this
study. The 5'10", 183-pound right-handed hitter was primarily a singles
hitter, with just 27 doubles, six triples, and three home runs for every
550 at-bats. He had a keen batting eye that rewarded him with 81 bases
on balls against 33 strikeouts, giving him a .399 on-base percentage, second only to Arky Vaughan. His .398 slugging percentage, however, was
no better than eleventh out of fteen. Appling also suffered on defense.
152
ALL-STARS
FOR
ALL TIME
His .948 career elding average was actually four points below the league
average, and his range factor was in the middle of the pack. He did excel
in two defensive categories. He led the league in assists seven times and
in double plays three times. He is number seven all-time in career
putouts with 4,398, number ve in assists with 7,218, and number four
in double plays with 1,424.
Lou Boudreau was recognized as the best shortstop in the American
League almost from day one of his career. He joined the Cleveland Indians in 1939 as a 22-year-old shortstop, and one year later he captured the
hearts of the Cleveland fans with his all-around play. He led the league
in elding and double plays, and also wielded a potent bat, hitting .295,
with 46 doubles, 10 triples, nine home runs, and 105 RBIs. Two years
later, the precocious inelder was named player-manager of the Cleveland team, becoming the youngest manager in major league history. He
continued his outstanding all-around play throughout the 1940s, leading
the American League in elding percentage eight times in nine years, and
hitting the ball with authority, even winning the batting championship in
1944 with a .327 average. In 1948, Boudreau put it all together, guiding
the Indians to the world championship with a masterful display of managing, hitting, and elding. First he led his team to the American League
pennant by defeating the Boston Red Sox, 83, in a one-game playoff
after the two teams had nished the season in a tie for rst place. The
boy manager not only made all the right strategic moves, he also put
two home runs over Fenway Parks Green Monster and added a single to
pace his team at the plate. Then, in the World Series against the Boston
Braves, won by Cleveland four games to two, he hit .273 with four doubles and three RBIs. And Boudreau received one nal honor to cap off
his dream season. He won the American Leagues Most Valuable Player
award after ripping the ball at a .355 clip during the regular season, with
18 home runs and 106 RBIs, in addition to leading the league in elding
average and double plays. During his career, Lou Boudreau compiled a
career .973 elding average, a full 19 points above the league average, by
far the widest differential of any shortstop in this study.
Luis Aparicio was a dazzling all-around shortstop for the Chicago White
Sox from 1956 to 1962, and again from 1968 to 1970. During his 18-year
career, the 5' 9", 160-pound rabbit covered acres of ground, both offensively and defensively, leading the American League in stolen bases his
rst nine years in the league and setting the pace in elding average eight
consecutive years, from 1959 to 1966. Aparicio, as a member of the
famous Go-Go Chicago White Sox that ran wild on the bases during
the late 1950s by stealing more than 100 bases a year from 1957 through
1961 with a high of 113 stolen bases in 1959, led the way with 56 stolen
153
bases in the pennant year

of 1959. The Soxs running game was stied by
the Los Angeles Dodgers
in the World Series, as
John Roseboro held them
to just two stolen bases in
six games, one of them by
Aparicio, who hit .308 in
a losing cause. Little Luis,
in addition to leading the
league in elding average
eight times, also led the
league in putouts four
times, assists seven times,
and double plays twice.
His twenty-one defensive
awards are third highest
of the fteen shortstops,
exceeded only by Cal
Ripken and Ozzie Smith.
The native of Maracaibo,
Venezuela, is number one Lou Boudreau (right), shown here with Bucky
all-time in career games
Harris led the American League in elding average a record eight times (courtesy Jay Sanford).
played at shortstop with
2,581, number six in
career putouts with 4,548, number two in assists with 8,016, and number
three in double plays with 1,553.
Alan Trammell, one-half of the great double-play combination of
Trammell and Whitaker that guarded the middle ineld in Detroit for
nineteen years, was a solid all-around shortstop who compiled a career
elding average of .977, ten points higher than the league average, and
who stroked the ball at a .285 clip over his twenty-year career, with
2,365 base hits. Trammell averaged 27 doubles, four triples, and 12 home
runs for every 550 at-bats, with 82 runs scored and 67 runs batted in.
He batted over .300 seven times, with a high of .343 in 1987. That year
he also slammed 34 doubles and 28 homers, and drove in 105 runners.
He even stole 21 bases. In the eld, Trammell was a sensational glove
man during his career, as shown by his outstanding elding average, the
tenth-highest elding average in baseball history. He is also number six
in career double plays with 1,307. His Achilles heel was a lack of speed
that limited his range considerably. He was actually last in range factor
154
ALL-STARS
FOR
ALL TIME
in the study, two points below the league average, the only shortstop with
a negative range factor.
Barry Larkin held down the shortstop position on the Cincinnati Reds for
nineteen years, retiring in 2004 with a .295 career batting average, 379
stolen bases, and 2,340 base hits, including 715 for extra bases. The Cincinnati native, who averaged 14 home runs a year, slugged 33 round-trippers in 1996 and 20 in 1991. He batted over .300 nine times, with a high
of .342 in 1989. In 1995, he batted .319 and stole 51 bases. Larkin played
on two National League pennant winners and one world championship
team. The 6', 196-pound right-handed hitter batted .353 in the 1990
World Series when the Reds swept the mighty Oakland As of Canseco
and McGwire four straight, outscoring them 228. Larkin was more than
an offensive force; he was also one of the top defensive shortstops of his
era, leading the league in putouts twice and assists and double plays once.
His career elding average of .974 was seven points higher than the league
average, and his 4.34 range factor was 34 points above the league average.
Joe Sewell was a 14-year major leaguer who compiled a .312 batting average and a .391 on-base percentage, the third-highest batting average and
OBP of the fteen shortstops in this study. The tiny, 5' 6", 155-pound
left-handed hitter was a bat-control specialist who struck out just nine
times for every 550 at-bats while coaxing 65 bases on balls out of frustrated pitchers. He was not a power hitter, but he punched the ball to
the gaps in the outeld well enough to average 34 doubles a year with
81 RBIs. Twice he drove in over 100 runs in a season. In 1923, he batted
.353 with 41 doubles, 10 triples, and 109 RBIs. The following year, he
hit .316 with a league-leading 45 doubles and 106 RBIs. And in 1925,
he batted .336 with 37 doubles and 98 RBIs. Sewell was just as good
on defense as he was on offense. He led the league in elding average
three times, putouts four times, assists ve times, and double plays once.
His .951 career elding average was seven points above the league average,
and his 5.37 range factor was fty-three points above the league average,
the fourth-highest RF differential in the study.
Active players
There are several active players who may replace some of the players on
this list once their careers end. They include Alex A-Rod Rodriguez, Derek
Jeter, Nomar Garciaparra, Miguel Tejada, and Omar Vizquel. Most of the
active players, with the exception of Omar Vizquel, are basically offensive players. Vizquel is a defensive wizard in the mold of Ozzie Smith. A-Rod is
arguably the greatest all-around player in the game today and, at the age of
33, the sky is still the limit for the slugging inelder. The 6' 3", 190-pound
155
right-handed hitter, now in his fth year as a third baseman for the New York
Yankees, was a shortstop during his rst ten years in the major leagues. He is
baseballs biggest offensive threat at the present time, averaging 39 homers
and 112 RBIs a year to go along with a .306 batting average. He smashed his
500th career home run in 2007 and may well crack the 800 home run barrier if his health holds up. He is also solid on defense. Jeter is primarily an
offensive player with a career .317 batting average, 102 runs scored, 14 home
runs, and 69 RBIs for every 550 at-bats. Garciaparra is essentially a mirror
image of Jeter, but he has been injury-prone over the past four years, and that
has had an unfavorable effect on his statistics. Through 2007, Garciaparra had
a career batting average of .315, with 93 runs scored, 23 home runs, and 93
RBIs. Tejada, a 31-year-old run-producer, has a .287 batting average, with
86 runs scored, 23 home runs, and 94 RBIs a season. Vizquel, who is nearing the end of a brilliant career, has a .274 batting average over 18 years, with
78 runs scored, four home runs, and 50 RBIs a year. In the eld, the fortyone-year-old Venezuelan is a magician, still making defensive plays that tax
the imagination. He has led the league in elding average six times, putouts
once, and double plays once. Only A-Rod among the other active players has
led the league in elding average, and he did it once. Vizquels .984 career
elding average is the highest in baseball history.
Offensive Ratings
Normalized Adjusted
On Base Percentage (NOBPA)
Arky Vaughan was the only shortstop with an on-base percentage greater
than .400, at .406. Luke Appling had an OBP of .399, Joe Sewell and Honus
Wagner were at .391, and Joe Cronin checked in with an even .390. When
the statistics were adjusted for the era in which the player was active, Vaughan
still retained his number one ranking with an OBPA of .399, edging Honus
Wagner by .007. Appling nished with an OBPA of .387, the only other
player with an OBPA above .373.
Normalized Adjusted
There were some notable sluggers patrolling the short eld over the
decades, led by Ernie Banks, whose 512 career home runs, an average of 30
home runs for every 550 at-bats, propelled him to a career slugging average
of .500. Joe Cronin was next in line, but his .468 SLG left him far in arrears.
156
ALL-STARS
FOR
ALL TIME
Honus Wagner had a slugging average of .466, and Arky Vaughan was at
.453. These statistics were rst adjusted for the players home park peculiarities and then adjusted for the era in which the player was active. Banks fared
well in the nal adjusted slugging percentages (XSLGA) since his era adjustment was very small and his home run factor was a manageable 1.22. Honus
Wagner, whose career was played primarily in the dead ball era, edged past
Joe Cronin into second place thanks to a huge positive era adjustment of 68
points. Joe Cronin, who took a 14-point hit on the era adjustment, still managed to come in third, tying with Cal Ripken. Arky Vaughan had the only
other XSLGA over .200, nishing at .214.

There have been some rabbits holding down the shortstop job over the
years, most notably Honus Wagner, who averaged 38 stolen bases a year; Ozzie
Smith, who averaged 34 stolen bases a year; Luis Aparicio, who averaged 27
stolen bases a year; Barry Larkin, who averaged 26 stolen bases a year; and
Alan Trammell, who averaged 22 stolen bases a year.

The players who were active in the major leagues fty or more years ago
had a distinct advantage over the modern-day players when it came to evaluating them for their ability to lay down a sacrice bunt. Bunting has almost
become a lost art in the major leagues today, which is sad since many games
are being lost because managers, most of whom disdain the sacrice bunt, sit
back and wait for the three-run homer that usually never comes. In the old
days, even the big-name sluggers were well trained in the art of bunting. For
example, in the 1955 World Series between the Brooklyn Dodgers and the
New York Yankees, the big Dodger sluggers like Gil Hodges, Duke Snider,
and Roy Campanella moved runners into scoring position with well-placed
bunts. Joe Sewell, whose career spanned the years from 1920 to 1933, was one
of the games most skillful batsmen. He was a .312 career hitter who struck
out just nine times and sacriced 21 times for every 550 at-bats. Phil Rizzuto
had 18 sacrice bunts a year to his credit, and Lou Boudreau had 15 sacrice
bunts a year. Ozzie Smith laid down 13 sacrice bunts a year, the only player
in the past fty years with more than nine.
Normalized Grounded
Into Double Plays (NGIDP)
Shortstops, in general, had above-average speed, a characteristic that was
essential for properly covering their position. As a result, they hit into fewer
157
double plays than players at most other positions. Their GIDP totals ranged
from six to 18, with only Arky Vaughan grounding into fewer than ten double plays a year. Honus Wagner and Ernie Banks were about average in that
category, while Joe Cronin was one of the slower people at the position.

The players who led the way in NOBPA and NXSLGA, from number
one to number four, retained their positions in the nal offensive ratings, but
there was a slight adjustment in positions ve through seven. Cal Ripken,
who was in fth place after the NOBPA and NXSLGA competitions, dropped
to seventh place in the nal offensive ratings as a result of his poor showings
in the stolen base and sacrice hit categories. Ripken had just two stolen bases
and one sacrice hit for every 550 at-bats, permitting both Lou Boudreau
and Barry Larkin to pass him.
Cal Ripken
Honus Wagner
Ozzie Smith
Pee Wee Reese
Phil Rizzuto
Arky Vaughan
Robin Yount
Ernie Banks
Joe Cronin
Luke Appling
Lou Boudreau
Luis Aparicio
Alan Trammell
Barry Larkin
Joe Sewell
NOBPA
20
NXSLGA .05NSB
20
20
.05NSH .05NGIDP
20
20
16.842
19.649
16.892
17.995
17.193
20.000
17.293
16.692
18.697
19.398
18.697
16.241
17.644
18.346
18.647
14.719
18.416
5.809
9.901
7.789
14.125
12.475
20.000
14.719
8.449
12.607
7.657
11.023
12.277
8.449
0.048
0.571
0.619
0.524
0.857
0.476
0.238
0.143
0.571
0.238
0.714
0.429
0.381
0.190
1.000
0.053
1.000
0.895
0.421
0.368
0.263
0.368
0.079
0.158
0.289
0.132
0.711
0.579
0.684
0.158
0.333
0.500
0.600
0.500
0.600
1.000
0.545
0.462
0.375
0.429
0.429
0.600
0.600
0.500
0.500
Final
Total Offensive
Points Rating
31.995
40.136
24.815
29.341
26.807
35.864
30.919
37.376
34.520
28.803
32.579
25.638
30.227
31.997
28.754
7
1
15
10
13
3
8
2
4
11
5
14
9
6
12
Defensive Ratings
Most of the shortstops in the study were outstanding defensive players
who covered acres of ground and possessed powerful throwing arms and
158
ALL-STARS
FOR
ALL TIME
dependable gloves. Lou Boudreau, the defensive genius of the great Cleveland Indian teams of the late 1940s, compiled a brilliant .973 career elding
average, nineteen points above the league average. And he accomplished that
in an era when a shortstops glove was half the size of todays gloves and had
a minimum of webbing between the thumb and forenger. Honus Wagner,
the clumsy-looking shortstop of the Pittsburgh Pirates during the rst two
decades of the twentieth century, had huge hands and long arms, and he dug
balls out of the dirt as if he were wearing a shovel on his arms. Still, his .940
elding average was a full thirteen points above the league average, the second-best elding average differential of any of the top fteen shortstops. Ozzie
Smith, the Wizard of Oz, had a twelve-point differential, while Alan Trammell and Cal Ripken were close behind with ten-point differentials. Ripkens
.979 career elding average and Smiths .978 average are numbers ve and six
all-time, respectively. Alan Trammells .977 career elding average was the
tenth-best all-time. Luke Appling and Robin Yount were the only shortstops
who did not have a elding average above the league average. Yount nished
exactly at the league average, while Applings .948 career elding average was
four points below the league average.

Most of the shortstops had outstanding range factors compared to the
league average. The exception was Alan Trammell, whose range factor was
two points below average. Ozzie Smith, not surprisingly, covered more ground
than God, nishing 93 points above the league average with a range factor
of 5.03. Robin Younts 4.99 RF gave him an 83-point advantage, the only other
shortstop with a range factor differential of more than plus 55. Ripken at plus
55 and Joe Sewell and Luis Aparicio at plus 53 points each followed Ripken
and Yount. Honus Wagner, who covered more ground than any other shortstop of his time, had a 5.63 range factor, 45 points above the league average.

Ozzie Smith, who nished third in Normalized Fielding Average Differential and rst in Normalized Range Factor Differential, was crowned king
of the defensive shortstops with a convincing lead over Lou Boudreau, who
nished rst in NFAD, but could do no better than ninth in NRFD. Honus
Wagner nished third based on his second-place nish in NFAD and sixthplace nish in NRFD. Cal Ripken, in fourth place, nished in a tie for fourth
place in NFAD and in third place in NRFD. Robin Yount, who nished second in NRFD, came in fth overall as a result of his poor showing in the
elding average category.
159
Cal Ripken
Honus Wagner
Ozzie Smith
Pee Wee Reese
Phil Rizzuto
Arky Vaughan
Robin Yount
Ernie Banks
Joe Cronin
Luke Appling
Lou Boudreau
Luis Aparicio
Alan Trammell
Barry Larkin
Joe Sewell
NFAD
20
NRFD
20
Total
Points
Final
Defensive
Ratings
12.174
14.783
13.913
6.957
11.304
5.217
3.478
9.565
7.826
0.000
20.000
11.304
12.174
9.565
9.565
12.000
9.895
20.000
5.895
4.000
5.263
17.895
9.684
7.158
8.211
7.579
11.579
0.000
6.947
11.579
24.174
24.678
33.913
12.852
15.304
10.480
21.373
19.249
14.984
8.211
27.579
22.883
12.174
16.512
21.144
4
3
1
12
10
14
6
8
11
15
2
5
13
9
7

The Final All-Around Ratings for shortstops were pretty much as
expected, although it was a close race for the rst ve positions, with a spread
of only 15 percent separating the rst-place nisher from the fth-place
nisher. Honus Wagner, who nished rst in offense and third in defense,
won the title of baseballs greatest all-around shortstop. He was followed by
Lou Boudreau, who nished fth in offense and second in defense, and Ozzie
Smith, who nished rst in defense, but whose fteenth-place nish in offense
doomed his chances for the title. Ernie Banks, who nished second in offense
and eighth in defense, came in fourth overall, and Cal Ripken, based on his
sixth-place nish in offense and fourth-place nish in defense, won the number ve spot.
Cal Ripken
Honus Wagner
Ozzie Smith
Pee Wee Reese
Offense
Divided
by 43
Defense
Divided
by 40
Total
Points
Final
All-Around
Ratings
HOF
0.744
0.933
0.577
0.682
0.604
0.617
0.848
0.321
1.348
1.550
1.425
1.003
5
1
3
14
*
*
*
*
160
ALL-STARS
Phil Rizzuto
Arky Vaughan
Robin Yount
Ernie Banks
Joe Cronin
Luke Appling
Lou Boudreau
Luis Aparicio
Alan Trammell
Barry Larkin
Joe Sewell
FOR
ALL TIME
Offense
Divided
by 43
Defense
Divided
by 40
Total
Points
Final
All-Around
Ratings
0.623
0.834
0.719
0.869
0.803
0.670
0.758
0.596
0.703
0.744
0.669
0.383
0.262
0.534
0.481
0.375
0.205
0.689
0.572
0.304
0.413
0.529
1.006
1.096
1.253
1.350
1.178
0.875
1.447
1.168
1.007
1.157
1.198
13
11
6
4
8
15
2
9
12
10
7
HOF
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
The estimated rankings of the active players as of 2007 are shown below.
Alex Rodriguez
Derek Jeter
Miguel Tejada
Nomar Garciaparra
Omar Vizquel
Estimated
Offensive
Rating
Estimated
Defensive
Rating
Final Estimated
All-Around
Rating
2
10
6
3
16
12
17
14
15
8
6
17
13
15
12
Jeter and Tejada are in the declining stages of their careers, and probably will drop below their present estimated ratings. Jeters defensive problems revolve around his poor range factor differential that, at minus six, is
the lowest range factor differential of any of the candidates, active or retired.
Garciaparra has been playing rst base since 2006, and may be a close call
for the fteenth position. Omar Vizquels career is about over, so he may not
see much more of a decline, making him a good prospect to nish in the top
fteen. A-Rod, who is about number six all-around, has been playing third
base since 2004, so his high rating at shortstop may hold up. He could fall
below number 12 on defense, but he shows no sign of slowing down on offense,
which should help him retain his number six all-around rating.
C HAPTER 9
Baseballs Greatest
Third Basemen
Fifteen players competed for the title of baseballs greatest all-time, allaround third baseman.
Michael Jack Schmidt, a husky 6' 2", 200-pound right-handed hitter,
began playing minor league baseball in 1971 at the age of twenty-one.
Within two years, the free-swinging youngster became a xture at third
base for the Philadelphia Phillies, a position he held for the next eighteen
years. Initially, Schmidt had no idea of the strike zone, and although
he led the National League in home runs with 38 in 1975, he also went
down swinging 180 times. Over the years he became more disciplined at
the plate, but he still averaged 124 strikeouts for every 550 at-bats. He
compensated for that aw by drawing 99 bases on balls, giving him a
superior .376 on-base percentage. And when he did make contact with
the ball, he made the pitcher pay, averaging 36 home runs and 105 RBIs
a year. During his career, Schmidt led the league in home runs eight
times, RBIs three times, bases on balls four times, on-base percentage
three times, and slugging average ve times.
Schmidt was also one of the top defensive third basemen of his generation. He was a ten-time Gold Glove winner who led the league in assists
seven times and in double plays six times. He was noted for his dependable glove and for his outstanding range in the eld, reaching balls that
the average third baseman would not even come close to. He won the
rst of his three Most Valuable Player awards in 1980, and he celebrated
by pacing the Phillies to the world championship, ripping the ball at
a .381 clip with two homers and seven RBIs in Philadelphias six-game
victory over the Kansas City Royals.
Eddie Mathews was the big gun in the Milwaukee Braves lineup during
161
162
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the 1950s, helping the Braves to two National League pennants and one
world championship, a coveted World Series win over the New York Yankees in 1957. The stocky Texan averaged 33 homers and 94 RBIs over a
17-year career, giving him a total of 512 career homers, trailing only Mike
Schmidts 548 career homers for third basemen. Mathews led the National
League in home runs twice, with 47 homers in 1953 and 46 homers in
1959. He had a ne .376 career on-base percentage and an excellent .509
slugging average, again second to Schmidts .527 slugging average. His
prowess with the bat was reported by The Ballplayers. Mathews had a
remarkable physique, and his powerful stroke and bat speed were marveled at by opponents, He swings the bat faster than anyone I ever saw,
commented Carl Erskine. You think youve got a called strike past him
and he hits it out of the catchers glove. Even Ty Cobb, not known for
his appreciation of the modern ballplayer, was impressed. Ive only known
three or four perfect swings in my time. This lad has one of them. But
Mathews was more than a great slugger. He was a standout on defense as
well, noted for his powerful throwing arm, his errorless play in the eld,
and his above-average range. He led the league in elding average once,
putouts twice, assists three times, and double plays once.
Al Rosen, a contemporary of Eddie
Mathews, played major league baseball for only seven full years. His
career totals would pale next to
most of the other third basemen in
this study, but he did not have to
take a back seat to anyone when it
came to playing the game. He was
26 years old when he played his rst
full season in Cleveland, and he was
32 when he retired. The tough former amateur boxer who had his
nose broken eleven times led the
American League in home runs as a
rookie in 1950 with 37, and in 1953
with 43. He also led the league in
RBIs twice and in slugging average
once. Over his short career he averaged 28 home runs and 106 RBIs
for every 550 at-bats, while striking
out just 57 times and drawing 87
Eddie Mathews was a hard-hitting
bases on balls. He had an excellent
third baseman who also excelled with
OBP and SLG. It was his defense
the glove (courtesy Jay Sanford).
9. Baseballs Greatest Third Basemen
163
that did him in. He overcame his early elding problems to become a
better-than-average defensive third baseman, but certainly not in the
class of Brooks Robinson or Mike Schmidt. He retired after the 1956
season as a result of nagging injuries that reduced his skills considerably,
particularly in the eld.
George Brett was one of the top hitters of his generation, with a .305
career batting average, and 35 doubles, seven triples, 17 home runs, and
85 RBIs for every 550 at-bats. In 1980, he had the baseball world in a
tizzy as he challenged the sacred .400 mark for most of the summer
before tapering off to .390. He also led the league that year in OBP with
.454 and SLG with .664. The husky left-handed hitter, who stood six
feet tall and weighed 200 pounds, led the league in batting two other
years, with a .333 average in 1976 and a .329 average in 1990, and he led
the league in slugging average two other years as well. Brett had excellent
range at third base, his plus 40 range factor differential being the fourth
widest differential in this study, but his work with the glove left something to be desired. His career elding average of .951 was two points
below the league average. Some experts point out that his excellent range
factor allowed him to reach balls that other players could not get to and
that that skill accounted for many of his errors. That may be true, but
when measured against other world-class third basemen, the mediocre
elding average hurt him in the ratings. George Bretts career offensive
statistics included 1,583 runs scored, 3,154 base hits, 665 doubles (number ve all-time), 137 triples, 317 home runs, and 1,595 RBIs.
Wade Boggs burst upon the major league scene like a runaway freight
train, hitting a sensational .349 as a rookie, and following that up with
ve batting titles in the next six years. After the 1988 season, with seven
years in the major leagues under his belt, Boggs owned a stratospheric
.356 lifetime batting average, the fourth-highest career batting average
in major league history, .0004 behind Shoeless Joe Jackson. He scored
more than 100 runs and stroked over 200 hits in each of his rst seven
years. But the 30-year-old superstar could not maintain that pace as he
tailed off dramatically over the nal eleven years of his career, nally
retiring in 1999 with a lifetime batting average of .328, number 29 alltime. The left-handed place hitter was not a power threat, averaging 35
doubles, four triples, and ve home runs a year, but his base hits combined with 85 bases on balls a year gave him a sensational .415 on-base
percentage. He led the league in OBP six times, with a high of .476 in
1988. Boggs, who was not a polished third baseman when he arrived in
the major leagues, worked on his defense until he became one of the
better third basemen in the league. He led the league in elding average
twice, putouts three times, assists once, and double plays four times.
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Frank Home Run Baker became an overnight sensation and earned his
nickname after hitting home runs off New York Giant aces Rube Marquard and Christy Mathewson on consecutive days to pace the Philadelphia Athletics to a World Series victory in 1911. Baker led the American
League in home runs four times, doubles once, and RBIs twice. He was
also adept at other phases of the offensive game, averaging 22 stolen bases
and 14 sacrice bunts a year. On defense, he was a sure-handed elder
who led the league in elding average three times, putouts seven times,
assists twice, and double plays three times. He was a member of Connie
Macks famous $100,000 ineld, joining Stuffy McInnis, Eddie Collins,
and Jack Barry, who helped the As capture four American League pennants and three world championships between 1910 and 1914.
Bob Elliott was a hard-hitting third baseman for the Pittsburgh Pirates
and Boston Braves in the 1940s. He led the Braves to the 1948 National
League pennant by slamming 24 doubles and 23 home runs with 100
RBIs, plus a league-leading 131 bases on balls. He continued his cannonading in a losing effort against the Cleveland Indians in the World
Series, leading the Braves with a .333 batting average while poling two
home runs with ve RBIs in six games. Elliott, who was often referred
to as Mr. Team, enjoyed a notable 15-year career that included a .289
career batting average, a ne .375 OBP, and a .440 slugging average.
On defense, Elliott was better than average but probably not in the same
category as the other candidates in this study, although he did lead the
Brooks Robinson became a legend during the 1970 World Series when he dazzled
the fans with one spectacular play after another at third base (courtesy Jay Sanford).
165
league in elding average once, putouts twice, assists three times, and
double plays twice.
Brooks Robinson, whose defensive magic had been well known in the
small Baltimore market for sixteen years, became a legend in the 1970
World Series when he continually stymied Cincinnati Red rallies with
spectacular defensive plays around third base, causing Reds manager
Sparky Anderson to lament, Im beginning to see Brooks in my sleep.
If I dropped this paper plate, hed pick it up on one hop and throw me
out at rst base. Robinsons defensive brilliance rewarded him with 25
league-leading performances in the four major defensive categories over
the years. He led the league in elding average an unprecedented eleven
times, compared to twenty times total by the other fourteen candidates.
He led in assists a record eight times, and he led in putouts and double
plays three times each. But Robinson was more than a defensive player;
he also contributed on offense. He was a tough out, slamming an average
of 25 doubles and 14 home runs a year, while driving in 70 runs. The
6'1", 190-pound right-handed hitter had a career year in 1964, earning
American League Most Valuable Player honors after hitting .317 with 35
doubles, 28 homers, and a league-leading 118 RBIs. He also led the league
in games played, innings played, elding average, putouts, assists, and
double plays. Robinson played on ve American League pennant-winners
in Baltimore between 1965 and 1974, and on two world championship
teams. He hit a resounding .348 in eighteen American League Championship Series games and .263 in 21 World Series games. In the famous
1970 Series, won by the Orioles four games to one, in addition to his
elding gems, he also scorched the ball at a .429 clip with two homers
and six RBIs. By the time he retired, Robinson had accumulated defensive statistics that still dominate the third-base position. He ranks rst
all-time in career games played with 2,870, career elding average with
.971, career putouts with 2,697, career assists with 6,205, and career double plays with 618.
Harold Pie Traynor, the guardian of the hot corner for the Pittsburgh
Pirates from 1920 to 1937, was arguably the greatest third baseman of
the rst half of the twentieth century. He was a career .320 hitter, the
second-highest average of the fteen candidates, and he averaged 86 runs
scored and 93 RBIs during his career. He batted over .300 ten times,
with a high of .366 in 1930, and he drove in more than 100 runs seven
times. He played on two National League pennant-winners and one
world championship team, batting .293 in the two Series, with a double,
two triples, a homer, and four RBIs. He led the league in elding average
once, putouts seven times, assists three times, and double plays four times
during his career. He had a strong throwing arm and was one of the best
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at elding bunts and gunning down the runner. He is number ve alltime in career putouts with 2,289.
Ron Santo is the Chicago Cubs all-time greatest third baseman and one
of the best of his generation. He played in the Windy City for fteen
years, leading the league in elding average once, putouts seven times,
assists seven times, and double plays six times, a record of defensive
excellence exceeded only by Brooks Robinson. His .954 elding average
was six points above the league average, and his 3.07 range factor was 49
points above the league average, the second-widest range factor differential of the fteen candidates in this study, trailing only Mike Schmidt.
Santo was a defensive stalwart, but he was also an offensive threat, batting a hard .277 over his career with 25 doubles, 23 home runs, and 90
RBIs for every 550 at-bats. His best year was 1964 when he tattooed the
ball at a .313 clip with 33 doubles, a league-leading 13 triples, 30 home
runs, 114 RBIs, and a league-leading .398 on-base percentage. He also
led the league in putouts, assists, and double plays. He is number ve
all-time in career assists with 4,581 and number eight all-time in career
double plays with 395.
Paul Molitor was one of the nest hitters of his generation, a career .308
hitter who averaged 31 doubles, six triples, 12 home runs, and 90 runs
scored for every 550 at-bats. He had several outstanding seasons with the
bat, notably 1987 when he hit .353 with 16 home runs and led the league
with 114 runs scored and 41 doubles. Four years later, he batted .325 with
32 doubles and 17 homers while leading the league with 133 runs scored,
216 base hits, and 13 triples. He was not a big RBI man during his career,
but in 1993, he drove in 111 runs and scored 121 on a league-leading 211
base hits while compiling a .332 batting average. After he turned 34 years
old, he became a designated hitter for the nal eight years of his career.
His 3,319 base hits are the most ever recorded by a third baseman,
although a high percentage of them were made as a DH. Molitor, who
stood six feet tall and weighed 185 pounds, was an average third baseman
with a slightly below average elding average, but he had excellent range
with a plus 43 range factor differential, the third-widest differential of the
fteen third basemen in the study.
Stan Hack was another of the ne third basemen to hold down the hot
corner in Wrigley Field. He handled the position for the Chicago Cubs
from 1932 to 1947, helping the Cubs win four National League pennants.
He batted a sizzling .348 in the four World Series, all losing efforts, with
ve doubles and a triple in 69 at-bats. The 6', 170-pound left-handed
batter was a contact hitter who sprayed singles and doubles all around
the outeld, but averaged only four home runs a year. He retired after 16
years with a .301 career batting average and a .394 on-base percentage,
167
Ron Santo gave the Cubs outstanding defense and a powerful bat for fteen years
(courtesy Jay Sanford).
the second-best OBP in the study. Hack added to his teams offense by
stealing 12 bases a year, and he hit into the fewest double plays, six, of
any third baseman in the study. Smiling Stan was also an excellent glove
man who led the league in the four major defensive categories a total of
12 times, including ve times in putouts, three times in double plays,
and twice each in elding average and assists. Hacks .957 career elding
average was eleven points above the league average, the second-widest
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ALL TIME
differential among the third basemen in the study, trailing only the
incomparable Brooks Robinson.
Graig Nettles led the league in elding average once, putouts twice,
assists four times, and double plays three times. He is number two alltime in career assists with 5,279, and number two in double plays with
470. Nettles was not a force to be reckoned with on offense, however,
compiling a mediocre .248 career batting average over twenty-two years.
His best year with the bat was 1978, when he hit .276 with 27 homers
and 93 RBIs. He also led the league with 32 homers in 1976 while driving in 93 runs with a .254 batting average, and he hit 37 homers with
107 RBIs and a .255 batting average in 1977. Over the course of his
career, Nettles averaged 20 doubles, two triples, 24 home runs, and 67
bases on balls for every 550 at-bats, giving him a .329 on-base percentage, fourteenth out of fteen players, and a .421 slugging average, good
for eleventh. Defense was a different story for Nettles, however. He took
a back seat to no one when he had a glove on his hand. He led the league
in the four major defensive categories a total of 10 times, including once
in elding average, twice in putouts, four times in assists, and three times
in double plays.
Eddie Yost was known as the Walking Man because of his ability to
draw numerous bases on balls during a season. He averaged 121 walks a
year during his 18 years in the major leagues. The 5'10", 170-pound
inelder led the league in walks six times with a high of 141 walks in
1950. He compiled a career batting average of just .254, but with his
walks added to his base hits, he had a .394 on-base percentage, the
second-highest career OBP of the candidates, trailing only Wade Boggs.
He led the league in OBP twice, in runs scored once with 115, and in
doubles once with 36. Yost was also an excellent defensive third baseman
who led the league in the four major defensive categories 15 times,
including a major league record eight times in putouts, three times in
elding average, and twice each in assists and double plays. He is number
three all-time in career putouts with 2,356.
Sal Bando, a member of the dysfunctional Oakland Athletics teams that
won three consecutive world championships from 1972 to 1974, was a
dangerous power hitter whose .254 career batting average belied his skill
with a bat. The 6' 2", 205-pound right-handed hitter averaged 23 doubles, three triples, 19 home runs, and 81 runs batted in for every 550
at-bats during his 16-year major league career. His best year was 1969,
when he hit .281 with 25 doubles, 31 home runs, 106 runs scored, 111
bases on balls, 113 RBIs, and a .400 on-base percentage. He batted just
.206 in three World Series with four RBIs, but in the sixth inning of
the seventh game of the 1972 World Series against the Cincinnati Reds,
169
Bando doubled home the tying run and then scored the eventual Serieswinning run on a double by Gene Tenace. Bandos .959 career elding
average was six points higher than the league average and his 2.83 range
factor was thirteen points higher than the league average. He led the
league in putouts twice and double plays once.
Active players
The two active players who stand ready to assume a place on the roster
of the games greatest players are Scott Rolen and Chipper Jones. Jones, a thirteen-year major league veteran who turned 35 in 2007, is nearing the end of
a memorable career that, to date, has contributed to the Atlanta Braves eleven
consecutive division titles, three National League pennants, and one world
championship. He owns a .307 career batting average with 31 home runs and
104 RBIs for every 550 at-bats. Rolen, an excellent all-around third baseman,
has completed eleven years of major league service through 2007 with a .283
batting average, 26 homers and 101 RBIs a year. He is also in the upper echelon for elding average and range factor.
Offensive Ratings
Normalized Adjusted
Wade Boggs .415 on-base percentage was the highest OBP of the third
base candidates. Eddie Yost and Stan Hack were next with .394 each. Boggs
and Yost maintained their lead after the era adjustments were made, but Stan
Hack, who had a negative 19-point era adjustment, fell from third place to
sixth. Sal Bando had a plus 11 era adjustment, while Brooks Robinson enjoyed
a plus 13 adjustment. Pie Traynor had one of the larger negative era adjustments, a huge 18-point drop, while the active players, Scott Rolen and Chipper Jones, currently have a minus 11 era adjustment.
Normalized Adjusted
Mike Schmidt, with a .527 career slugging average, and Eddie Mathews, with a .509 slugging average, were the only players to have a career slugging average over 5.00. Al Rosen with .495 and George Brett with .487 were
the nearest competitors. As usual, there were several era adjustments, both
favorable and unfavorable. Home Run Baker had the biggest positive era
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ALL-STARS
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ALL TIME
adjustment, plus 43. Brooks Robinson was plus 15; Ron Santo was plus 13;
Stan Hack was plus 14; Sal Bando was plus 17; Mike Schmidt was plus 13;
and Bob Elliott was plus 12. On the ip side, Wade Boggs was penalized by
a huge negative 23-point era adjustment, and Paul Molitor was minus 18. The
individual park factors also played havoc with some of the candidates. Ron
Santo, who averaged 23 home runs for every 550 at-bats during his career,
had a highly unfavorable 1.71 home run factor (HRF) that signicantly affected
his overall park factor, reducing his average home runs to 18 per 550 at-bats.
Al Rosen had a 1.19 HRF, and Graig Nettles had a 1.29 HRF. Curiously, only
one player, George Brett, had a favorable home run factor, 0.79, that increased
his average home runs per year from 17 to 19. When all the smoke cleared,
the rst four places were left unchanged, with Mike Schmidt still atop the
heap, followed by Eddie Mathews, Al Rosen, and George Brett, in that order.
One person who beneted from the era adjustment was Eddie Yost, whose
.371 SLG was last out of fteen players. But Yost, who had a slightly favorable era adjustment, nished ahead of Boggs, who had a huge negative era
adjustment as noted above, and Hack, whose lack of power doomed him to
fourteenth place, just ahead of Boggs.

Very few third basemen were threats to steal bases on a regular basis.
Only Paul Molitor, with an average of 26 stolen bases a year, and Home Run
Baker, with 22, stole more than 12 bases a year. Mike Schmidt and Stan Hack
had 12 stolen bases a year, and Pie Traynor had 12. Sal Bando was next with
seven.

Pie Traynor was the leader in sacrice hits with 17 a year. Home Run
Baker had 14, and Stan Hack had nine. It is quite obvious from the statistics
that the sacrice hit has become a lost art in recent years. Most modern-day
players show only one or two sacrice hits a year. The exceptions are Bando
and Brooks Robinson with ve, and Molitor with four.
Normalized Grounded
Into Double Plays (NGIDP)
Third basemen were average when it came to grounding into double
plays. The range of GIDP stretched from six to 20. Stan Hack grounded into
only six double plays a year. Eddie Mathews grounded into eight double plays
a year, and George Brett and Mike Schmidt grounded into nine. At the other
171
end of the spectrum, Pie Traynor grounded into 20 double plays a year, and
Al Rosen grounded into eighteen double plays a year.

Mike Schmidts early lead in NOBPA and NXSLGA combined held up
throughout the remainder of the offensive competition, giving him a slight
lead over Eddie Mathews and making him the top offensive third baseman
in baseball history.
Mike Schmidt
Eddie Mathews
Al Rosen
Home Run Baker
George Brett
Sal Bando
Bob Elliott
Ron Santo
Paul Molitor
Eddie Yost
Graig Nettles
Stan Hack
Brooks Robinson
Pie Traynor
Wade Boggs
NOBPA
20
NXSLGA .05NSB .05NSH .05NGIDP

20
20
20
20
18.301
18.252
18.252
17.767
18.010
17.621
17.816
18.816
17.864
18.932
16.214
18.204
16.262
16.699
20.000
20.000
18.781
16.233
13.130
13.629
12.853
12.299
12.299
9.917
8.864
11.745
8.144
10.693
8.753
6.427
0.462
0.115
0.231
0.846
0.192
0.269
0.192
0.077
1.000
0.192
0.115
0.462
0.077
0.423
0.077
0.059
0.118
0.059
0.824
0.118
0.294
0.294
0.059
0.235
0.059
0.000
0.529
0.294
1.000
0.118
0.667
0.889
0.333
0.429
0.667
0.500
0.429
0.316
0.600
0.600
0.462
1.000
0.353
0.300
0.429
Final
Total Offensive
Points Ratings
39.489
38.155
35.108
32.996
32.616
31.537
31.030
30.567
29.616
28.647
28.536
28.339
27.679
27.175
27.051
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
Defensive Ratings
Brooks Robinson, to no ones surprise, had the highest elding average
in baseball history at .971 as well as the highest elding average differential,
a whopping eighteen points above the league average. Stan Hack had an
eleven-point elding average differential and, what might be a surprise to
many people, Wade Boggs also checked in with an eleven-point differential,
two points better than the New York Yankee vacuum cleaner, Graig Nettles.
Paul Molitor and George Brett anchored the bottom of the list with a negative two point differential.
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ALL-STARS
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Mike Schmidt, who was in the middle of the pack with regard to elding average, captured rst place in the range factor category, with a range factor of 3.00, giving him a plus 55-point range factor differential. George Brett
was second with a plus 40 differential, and Brooks Robinson and Graig Nettles were close behind Brett with 36-point differentials each.

The favorites justied everyones condence in them when the nal
returns were in to identify the games greatest defensive third baseman. Brooks
Robinson, who was rst in elding average differential and third in range
factor differential, edged Mike Schmidt for rst place in the nal defensive
ratings. Schmidt was number one in range factor differential, but could do
no better than a tie for sixth in elding average differential. Ron Santo, with
a sixth-place tie for FAD and a second-place nish in RFD, came in third,
just ahead of Graig Nettles, who nished third in FAD and tied for fth in
RFD.
Mike Schmidt did it all hit 548 home runs, drove in 1,595 teammates, and won
ten Gold Gloves during his 18-year career.
173
Mike Schmidt
Eddie Mathews
Al Rosen
George Brett
Wade Boggs
Home Run Baker
Bob Elliott
Brooks Robinson
Pie Traynor
Ron Santo
Paul Molitor
Stan Hack
Graig Nettles
Eddie Yost
Sal Bando
NFAD
20
NRFD
20
Total
Points
Final
Defensive
Ratings
8.000
8.000
9.000
0.000
13.000
8.000
2.000
20.000
2.000
8.000
0.000
13.000
11.000
5.000
8.000
20.000
8.727
0.727
14.545
10.545
6.909
4.364
13.090
10.909
17.818
15.636
4.000
13.090
5.091
4.727
28.000
16.727
9.727
14.545
23.545
14.909
6.364
33.090
12.909
25.818
15.636
17.000
24.090
10.091
12.727
2
7
14
9
5
10
15
1
11
3
8
6
4
13
12

The nal all-around ratings for third basemen were based on the assumption that, although the position is regarded as a power position, it is also considered to be an important defensive position. It is not considered as important
defensively as shortstop or catcher, but it ranks above most of the other positions, and it is considered to be on par with second base. Both positions
require tenacious glove-work. The second baseman has to be adept at making the double play, but the third baseman has to have a powerful throwing
arm in order to make the difcult plays around the hot corner. The nal ratings for third basemen, therefore, rate the offense at twice the defense, the
same ratio used for evaluating second basemen. Under those conditions, Mike
Schmidt was able to sneak past Brooks Robinson to claim the title as the
games greatest all-around third baseman. Robinsons spectacular defense
allowed him to hold off a challenge from Eddie Mathews, but Mathews explosive offense was more than enough to overtake both Ron Santo and Graig
Nettles for third place overall.
Mike Schmidt
Brooks Robinson
Offense
Divided by
43 2
Defense
Divided
by 40
Total
Points
Final
All-Around
Ratings
HOF
1.837
1.287
0.700
0.827
2.537
2.114
1
2
*
*
174
Eddie Mathews
Ron Santo
Graig Nettles
George Brett
Al Rosen
Wade Boggs
Home Run Baker
Sal Bando
Paul Molitor
Stan Hack
Bob Elliott
Eddie Yost
Pie Traynor
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Offense
Divided by
43 2
Defense
Divided
by 40
Total
Points
Final
All-Around
Ratings
1.684
1.422
1.327
1.517
1.633
1.258
1.437
1.467
1.377
1.225
1.443
1.332
1.184
0.418
0.645
0.602
0.370
0.243
0.589
0.373
0.318
0.391
0.425
0.159
0.252
0.323
2.102
2.067
1.929
1.887
1.876
1.847
1.810
1.785
1.768
1.650
1.602
1.584
1.507
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
HOF
*
*
*
*
*
*
Scott Rolen and Chipper Jones have an excellent chance of competing

for a place on the roster of the legendary all-star team. Based on his impressive .401 OBP and .538 SLG, and in spite of large negative era and park factor adjustments, Jones still has an outside chance of nishing in the top ve
offensively, but his average defensive statistics, which currently rank him about
fourteenth, could drop him out of the top ten all-around, although he could
still nish in the top fteen. Rolen is in a better position to complete his career
with a top ten nish, although his career has probably passed its peak as well.
The eleven-year major league veteran turned 31 in 2007, so his statistics will
probably begin to decline from this point on. He too will have a signicant
negative era adjustment, but he will probably retain his positive park factor,
and that will serve him well in the nal evaluation. At the present time, his
statistics would give him about a number three nish in the offensive category, and his defensive numbers are even better. His career elding average
of .966 is thirteen points above the league average, while his plus 56 range
factor differential is the best ever recorded. Those numbers, if they were to
hold up throughout the remainder of his career, would give him a number
one rating defensively and a number two rating overall, just 0.004 behind
Mike Schmidt. But with perhaps another eight to ten years remaining in his
career, his nal rating is in danger of falling.
C HAPTER 10
Baseballs Greatest
Right Fielders
and Left Fielders
A total of twenty players competed for the title of baseballs greatest right
and left elder.
Frank Robinson was the only man to win the Most Valuable Player
trophy in both the National League and the American League. He walked
off with the honor in the senior circuit in 1961 after leading the Cincinnati Reds to the World Series with a .323 batting average, 117 runs
scored, 32 doubles, 37 home runs, and 124 RBIs. He duplicated the feat
for the Baltimore Orioles ve years later after winning the Triple Crown
and leading the league in runs scored with 122, home runs with 49, RBIs
with 122, and batting average with .316. Overall, Robinson helped his
team win four league pennants and one world championship. The 6'1",
195-pound right-handed slugger exploded out of Columbia in the South
Atlantic League in 1956 to capture the National League Rookie of the
Year award after crushing 38 home runs, scoring a league-leading 122
runs, and batting .290 for the Cincinnati Reds. He went on to enjoy a
21-year career in which he batted over .300 nine times, with a high of
.342 in 1962, en route to a career .294 batting average with 586 home
runs. He led the league in doubles, home runs, RBIs, and batting once
each, on-base percentage twice, and slugging average four times.
Ted Williams was arguably the greatest hitter of the last eighty years.
His .344 batting average is the highest batting average in the lively ball
era that began in 1920. The Kid, as he was called, always wanted to
be known as baseballs greatest hitter, and he practiced his swing ad
innitum, to the exclusion of all other parts of the game. He may have
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had the best hand-eye coordination the game has ever seen. He had more
home runs than strikeouts four times. Williams did not completely
ignore defense, but he played it with indifference. He compiled a sensational batting average as well as other offensive statistics over a 19-year
career, but his numbers would have been even more impressive if he had
not lost almost ve years to military service in World War II and the
Korean War. The gangly 6' 3", 205-pound left-handed slugger was a true
war hero, ying combat missions in Korea and escaping from a aming
jet after a crash-landing. In 1941 Williams had one of the greatest seasons
in baseball history, batting a stratospheric .406, and leading the league
with 37 homers, 135 runs scored, 147 bases on balls, a .553 on-base percentage, and a .735 slugging average. Williams had an even .400 average
on the last day of the season, and his manager offered to let him sit out
the nal games to protect his magic number. Williams insisted on playing
both games of the doubleheader and promptly went out and ripped six
base hits in eight at-bats, to nish at .406. The next year, he won the
Triple Crown, batting .356 with 36 homers and 137 RBIs. Over his
remarkable career, Williams led the league in runs scored six times, doubles twice, home runs four times, RBIs four times, bases on balls eight
times, batting average six times, on-base percentage twelve times, and
slugging average eight times. If he had not lost ve years to military service, it is likely he would have scored more than 2,400 runs, driven in
more than 2,400 runs, and walked over 2,700 times. His home run total
would have approached 700, and his batting average might have been
even higher than .344.
Carl Yastrzemski, Ted Williams replacement, more than lived up to the
Boston fans expectations, holding down the left-eld position in Beantown for 23 years, more than any other Red Sox outelder. The handsome southpaw swinger helped Boston to two American League pennants,
in 1967 and 1975. He batted over .300 six times in his career, with a high
of .329 in 1970, and he won the Triple Crown in 1967 with 44 home
runs, 121 runs batted in, and a .326 batting average. He then went on
to bat .400 with three home runs and ve RBIs in the clubs seven-game
losing effort to the St. Louis Cardinals in that years Fall Classic. In the
1975 Series, a seven-game loss to the Cincinnati Reds, Yaz batted .310
with four RBIs. Over his career, the husky 5'11", 182-pound left-handed
hitter exhibited outstanding bat control, striking out just 64 times a year
while drawing 85 bases on balls. He was also an excellent defensive
outelder who led the league in elding average once, putouts four times,
assists nine times, and double plays three times. He is number two alltime in plate appearances with 13,991, number three in at-bats with
11,988, number seven in career base hits with 3,419, number seven in
10. Baseballs Greatest Right Fielders and Left Fielders
177
doubles with 646, number eleven in runs batted in with 1,844, and number six in bases on balls with 1,845.
Goose Goslin was a pure hitter who spent every winter rubbing his bats
and chomping at the bit to get to spring training and begin another baseball season. He lived to hit a baseball, and when he could no longer do
it, he retired to the New Jersey shore and went shing. The stocky lefthanded hitter played major league baseball for 18 years, dividing his time
with the Washington Senators, Detroit Tigers, and St. Louis Browns. He
played on ve pennant winners and two world championship teams. In
1924, he paced the Senators to the World Series title by hitting .344 with
three homers and seven RBIs in seven games. Eleven years later he hit
.273 with three RBIs in the Detroit Tigers win over the Chicago Cubs,
and he drove in the World Series-winning run with a two-out single in
the bottom of the ninth inning of Game Seven. Goslin led the American
League in triples twice, RBIs once, and batting once, with an average of
.379 in 1928. He hit over .300 twelve times in eighteen years, scored
more than 100 runs seven times, and drove in more than 100 runs twelve
times, a record exceeded only by Foxx, Gehrig, and Ruth. He retired
with a .316 batting average, 2,735 base hits, 500 doubles, 173 triples
(number 22 all-time but number two in the lively ball era, behind Stan
Musial), 248 home runs, and 1,609 RBIs.
Al Simmons was a key member of the great Philadelphia Athletic teams
that captured three consecutive American League pennants and two world
championships between 1929 and 1931. Simmons batted a combined .378
during that span, winning batting titles in 1930 (.381) and 1931 (.390).
He also led the league in RBIs in 1929 with 157, and runs scored (152)
and elding average (.990) in 1930. He continued his long-ball barrage
in the Series, batting .333 in eighteen games with six home runs and 14
RBIs. He was a participant in the greatest comeback in World Series
history. With the As trailing the Chicago Cubs by an 80 score in the
bottom of the seventh inning of Game Four of the 1929 Fall Classic,
Simmons led off the inning with a home run onto the roof of the lefteld stands at Shibe Park; later in the inning he singled and eventually
scored what proved to be the winning run in the As 108 victory. Over
his storied 20-year career, the man they called Bucketfoot Al, batted
over .300 fourteen times, including his rst eleven years in the major
leagues, en route to a career average of .334, number twenty all-time.
The rugged right-handed hitter ripped the ball at a .387 pace as a
twenty-three-old second-year player in 1925, with 253 base hits (number
ve all-time), 122 runs scored, 43 doubles, 12 triples, 24 home runs, and
129 RBIs. He followed that performance with averages of .341, .392, .351,
.365, .381, and .390, giving him a combined batting average of .363 after
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Al Simmons batted .334 over a memorable 20-year career.
eight years in the big leagues. His career slowed slightly during his 30s,
but he still maintained a .300 average with good power for another seven
years.
Rickey Henderson was the quintessential leadoff hitter, a 5'10", 180pound right-handed batter with blazing speed and a powerful bat. He
holds the all-time record for the most career home runs by a leadoff
179
batter, the most stolen bases in a season, and the most stolen bases in
a career. His 81 career leadoff home runs broke the mark of 35 set by
Bobby Bonds in 1981, his 130 stolen bases in 1982 broke the mark of 118
set by Lou Brock in 1974, and his 1,406 career stolen bases broke the mark
of 897 set by Ty Cobb in 1928. The amboyant outelder, whose dash
and cocky attitude t right in with the garish gold and green uniform he
wore as a member of the Oakland Athletics, played major league baseball
for twenty-ve years, usually with contending teams. He played on seven
pennant winners and three world champions, batting .339 in fourteen
World Series games with two homers and seven stolen bases. In 1982,
Henderson set the all-time single-season stolen base record by swiping
130 bases in 172 attempts. He also stole 108 bases in 1983 and 100 bases
in 1980. In 1985 he became the rst man to steal fty bases and hit
twenty home runs in a season, a feat he duplicated the following year.
During his career, he led the league in runs scored ve times, bases on
balls four times, on-base percentage once, and stolen bases a record
twelve times. He is number one all-time in leadoff home runs, singleseason stolen bases, and career stolen bases, as noted above. He is also
number one in runs scored (2,294), number four in games played
(3,081), number four in plate appearances (13,346), number ten in
at-bats (10,961), number nineteen in base hits (3,055), number nine
in doubles (510), number two in bases on balls (2,190), and number three
in putouts (6,468).
Shoeless Joe Jackson may have been the greatest natural hitter the game
has ever produced. His smooth, compact swing was copied by no less
a slugger than Babe Ruth, who carried it to the ultimate. The illiterate
country boy from Pickens County, South Carolina, set a rookie record
that will probably never be broken, hammering the ball to the tune of
.408 in 1911. He led the American League in on-base percentage that
year with .468, but lost the batting title to Ty Cobb, who hit .420, the
fourth-highest single-season batting average of the twentieth century.
Shoeless Joes .408 mark was the sixth-highest single-season batting average of the twentieth century. The powerful 6'1", 200-pound left-handed
hitter swung his favorite bat, Black Betsy with bad intentions, averaging 34 doubles, a major league record 19 triples, and six home runs with
just 23 strikeouts for every 550 at-bats. He was barred from the game
for life in 1920, at the peak of his career, after Commissioner Kenesaw
Mountain Landis accused him of conspiring to throw the 1919 World
Series, a charge that was imsy at best. The fact is that Jackson led both
teams at bat in the Series with a hefty .375 average, a Series-record
twelve base hits, one home run, ve runs scored, and six RBIs in eight
games, and he played awlessly in the eld with sixteen putouts and one
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Shoeless Joe Jackson may have been the greatest natural hitter in the history of the
game.
assist. In his last year in the major leagues, Jackson batted a robust .382
with 42 doubles, a league-leading 20 triples, 12 homers, and 121 RBIs.
His .356 career batting average is the third highest in baseball history,
trailing only Ty Cobb (.366) and Rogers Hornsby (.358).
Willie Pops Stargell was the heart and soul of the great Pittsburgh
Pirate teams of the 1960s and 1970s. He led the Pirates to six division
181
titles and two world championships. He batted .315 in fourteen World

Series games with three home runs and eight RBIs. His two-run homer
in the sixth inning of the seventh game of the 1979 Fall Classic provided
the winning margin in a 41 Pirate triumph. Pops held down the left eld
spot in the Pittsburgh lineup for twenty-one years, but defense was not
his strong suit. He was primarily a slugger who was paid to produce runs.
And he did that with gusto, driving in an average of 107 runs a year. His
best year was 1973 when he led the league in doubles with 43, home runs
with 44, RBIs with 119, and slugging average with .646. He also led the
league in home runs in 1971 with 48. Over his long career, Stargell batted
.282 with 33 homers a year. And because he was not a strong defensive
outelder, opposing runners challenged his arm, often to their disappointment. He led the National League in assists four times and double
plays three times.
Pete Rose was one of the most competitive players ever to put on a uniform. The man they called Charlie Hustle gave 110 percent on every
play, even if there was a wide discrepancy in the score. He always played
hard and he always played to win. Rose did not have an abundance of
talent, but he had desire and a dedicated work ethic that made him one
of the top players in the game. His 24-year major league career produced
seven division titles, six World Series appearances, and three world championships. In 1975, Rose pummeled Pittsburgh Pirate pitching to the
tune of .357 in the NLCS, and he kept up the barrage against the Boston
Red Sox in the World Series, hitting .370 as the Big Red Machine rolled
to the world championship in seven games. Rose led the league in many
offensive and defensive categories during his career. He led the league in
runs scored four times, base hits seven times, doubles ve times, batting
average three times, on-base percentage twice, elding average three
times, putouts ve times, and assists four times. His best year may have
been 1969 when he led the league in batting (.348) and runs scored (120).
Or it could have been 1976 when he led the league in runs scored (130),
base hits (215), and doubles (42), while stroking the ball at a .323 clip.
When he retired in 1986, he left a barrel of records behind. He broke
Ty Cobbs record for the most base hits in a career in 1985, nishing
with 4,256. He is also number one in games played (3,562) and at-bats
(14,053), number six in runs scored (2,156), number two in doubles
(746), number seven in total bases (5,752), and number ve in career
elding average (.991).
Joe Medwick, called Ducky-Wucky because of the way he walked,
was one of the games top sluggers during the 1930s. The rugged 5'10",
187-pound right-handed hitter was a notorious bad-ball hitter who hit
balls off his shoe-tops or above his shoulders, driving them to all elds
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for extra bases. Over the course of his 17-year career, Medwick averaged
39 doubles, eight triples, 15 home runs, and 100 runs batted in for every
550 at-bats. He disdained the base on balls, as evidenced by his 31 walks
a year, but he seldom struck out, fanning only 40 times a year. Medwick
joined the St. Louis Cardinals as a 20-year-old outelder in 1932 after
literally destroying the pitching in the Texas League with a .354 batting
average and 82 extra-base hits in 139 games. He batted .349 with St.
Louis in 26 games at the end of that season, and went on to hit over .300
in each of the next eleven years. He won the National Leagues last Triple
Crown in 1937, batting a sizzling .374 with 31 homers and 151 RBIs. He
won the MVP that year while also leading the league in runs scored (111),
base hits (237), doubles (56), slugging average (.641), and elding average
(.988). In all, Medwick led the league in base hits one more time, RBIs
twice more, triples once, and doubles twice more, with a National League
record 64 in 1936, second only to Earl Webbs 67 doubles in major league
history. He retired in 1948 with a career batting average of .324.
Harry Heilmann, a big 200-pound right-handed hitter, was strictly an
offensive player. After playing a mediocre outeld in Detroit for four
years, he was moved to rst base, but when he led the league in errors for
two years, he was returned to the outeld where he nished his career. He
might not have been a standout with the glove, but he was a terror with
the bat, winning four batting titles in seven years. In 1921, he beat Ty
Cobb out of the batting title, hitting a blistering .394 to Cobbs .389.
Two years later, Heilmann topped the magic .400 mark, taking his second batting title with a .403 average, ten points better than Babe Ruths
.393. He won his third crown in 1925 with a .393 average, four points
better than Tris Speakers .389, and in 1927 he ripped seven base hits in a
season-ending doubleheader to come from behind to edge Al Simmons,
.398 to .392. The man known as Slug arrived on the big league scene
in 1914 as a 19-year-old phenom from the Northwest League, but it took
him a few years to get his sea legs. He batted .320 in 1919, his fth year
in the American League, and followed that with a .309 season. Then,
with the lively ball in full use in 1921, he went on a tear, averaging .380
over the next seven years. When arthritis in his wrists forced him to call
it a day in 1930 at the age of 35, he could still hit, stinging the ball at a
.333 clip in his last full season. His career batting average of .342 is number ten all-time and number three in the lively ball era, beginning in
1920.
Stan Musial was a thorn in the side of all National League teams during
his 22-year career, but he was particularly hard on the Brooklyn Dodgers
pitchers, raking them for a .356 batting average. During one visit to
Ebbets Field, St. Louis swept a three-game series, with Musials 11-for-15
183
Stan Musial was a seven-time batting champion en route to a career .331 batting
average.
performance at the plate leading the attack as usual. As he stepped to the

plate for his last at-bat, one depressed Dodger rooter moaned, Here
comes that man again. The moniker stuck, and Musial was respectfully
referred to as Stan the Man the rest of his career. The smooth-swinging
left-handed hitter with the curious coiled batting stance had an excellent
batting eye, striking out only 35 times a year while drawing 80 bases
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Babe Ruth was baseballs all-time greatest home run hitter.
on balls. He also hit for average and hit with power, averaging .331 with
36 doubles, nine triples, 24 home runs, 98 runs scored, and 98 RBIs for
every 550 at-bats. He is the greatest National League hitter-slugger of the
last eighty years and second only to Rogers Hornsby in the lively ball era.
Stan the Man led the National League in hitting seven times, with a high
of .376 in 1948. He also led the league in runs scored four times, base
185
hits six times, doubles eight times, triples ve times, RBIs twice, on-base
percentage six times, slugging average six times, and elding average three
times. He is number six in games played with 3,026, number eight in
plate appearances with 12,712, number nine in at-bats with 10,972, number eight in runs scored with 1,949, number four in base hits with 3,630,
number three in doubles with 725, number 19 in triples with 177 (number one in the lively ball era), number two in extra-base hits with 1,377,
number two in total bases with 6,134, number ve in RBIs with 1,951,
number eleven in bases on balls with 1,599, number 20 in on base percentage with .417, and number 22 in slugging average with .559.
Babe Ruth. The name conjures up visions of a Bunyan-type character
standing astride the baseball world like a colossus. And in Ruths case,
truth is stranger than ction. He almost single-handedly saved baseball
after the infamous Black Sox scandal. The Baltimore native was the
American Leagues top southpaw pitcher for several years, a two-time
twenty-game winner prior to being converted to the outeld in 1918.
The man known as the Bambino and the Sultan of Swat suddenly
exploded with the bat when he became a full-time outelder, hitting
monstrous home runs from New York to St. Louis. In 1919 his 29 home
runs broke the single-season record of 27 home runs set by Ned
Williamson in 1884. He went on to break his own record three times,
culminating in his sensational 60-home run season in 1927. Twice he hit
more home runs than every other team in the American League not
man, but TEAM in 1920 and again in 1927. Ruth set the career home
run record with 139 in 1921, breaking the twenty-ve-year-old mark set
by Roger Connor. Every home run he hit after that just increased his own
record. When he retired in 1935 with 714 home runs, his nearest rivals,
Lou Gehrig and Jimmie Foxx, had just 378 homers and 302 homers,
respectively. Gehrig retired with 493 homers, and Foxx retired with 534
homers, leaving him 180 home runs shy of Ruths record. No other player
of Ruths era hit more than 301 home runs in his career; that is how good
the Bambino was! He led the American League in home runs twelve
times. Hank Aaron led the league four times, Barry Bonds twice, Mark
McGwire four times, and Roger Maris once. In the most important
offensive categories batting average, runs scored, doubles, triples, home
runs, RBIs, bases on balls, OBP, and SLG Ruth led the league a total of
49 times. Ty Cobb was second with 42 times, and no other player in
baseball history has led the league in those categories more than 31 times.
Mel Ott was the greatest slugger produced by the New York Giants until
the arrival of Willie Mays, and he took advantage of the short right-eld
wall in the Polo Grounds like no one else. Ott crushed 511 home runs
during his 22-year career, and he quickly became procient at lofting
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y balls over the friendly 257-foot right-eld wall at the Polo Grounds,
hitting 323 homers at home against 188 homers on the road. Master
Melvin compiled a career batting average of .304 with the Giants, leading the league in runs scored twice, home runs six times, RBIs once,
bases on balls ve times, on-base percentage four times, and slugging
average once. He was a dangerous hitter who hit 30 or more homers eight
times and knocked in over 100 runs ten times. But he was also a patient
hitter who drew 99 bases on balls a year against just 52 strikeouts. And
he was just as dangerous in the three World Series he played in. When
the Giants won their only world championship with a four games-to-one
win over the Washington Senators in 1933, Ott batted .389 with two
homers and four RBIs. He is still number eleven in both runs scored
with 1,859 and RBIs with 1,860, and number eight in bases on balls with
1,708.
Al Kaline was an outstanding all-around outelder and a true ve-tool
player who could hit for average, hit with power, run, eld, and throw.
The 6' 2", 180-pound right-handed hitter burst upon the major league
scene in 1953 at the age of 18. In his rst full year, in 1954, he batted
.276, and the following year he tore the league apart, capturing the batting title with a .340 average. He also led the league in base hits with
200, scored 121 runs, drove in 102 runners, and collected 24 doubles,
eight triples, and 27 home runs. He continued in the same vein for the
next nineteen years, batting over .300 eight more times, and helping the
Tigers win two American League pennants and one world championship.
Detroit defeated the St. Louis Cardinals in the 1968 Fall Classic, four
games to three, with Mickey Lolich tossing three complete-game victories. Kaline chipped in with a torrid .379 batting average with two doubles, two home runs, and eight runs batted in. Over his career, Kaline
only led the league once in base hits and once in doubles, but he was
extremely consistent from year to year offensively, and he led the league
in defensive categories ten times, including elding average ve times.
When he retired in 1974, he left behind a .297 batting average and a total
of 3,007 base hits, one of just 25 players with 3,000 or more hits. He is
number six all-time in career games played in the outeld with 2,488,
and number ten in career putouts with 5,035.
Roberto Clemente along with Honus Wagner, is one of the Pittsburgh
Pirates greatest players. The amboyant native of San Juan, Puerto Rico,
was snatched out of the Brooklyn Dodger farm system in 1954 where the
Dodgers were trying to hide him. The next year, the twenty-year-old
outelder played 124 games for the Pirates, batting .255, and in 1956 he
upped his average to .311. He hit his stride in 1960, batting .314 with 16
homers and 94 RBIs. He batted over .300 in 13 of his last 14 years in a
187
Pittsburgh uniform, winning four batting championships .351 in 1961,

.339 in 1964, .329 the next year, and .357 in 1967. He also led the league
in eleven defensive categories, including six times in assists. He is still
number nine in games played in the outeld with 2,370. Clemente
played on three National League pennant winners and in two World
Series, winning the world championship both times. In 1960, the year
Bill Mazeroski hit his dramatic ninth-inning home run off Bill Terry to
bury the New York Yankees in Game Seven, Clemente batted .310. Eleven
years later, when the Bucs edged the Baltimore Orioles in seven games,
Clemente led both teams at bat with two doubles, one triple, two home
runs, four RBIs and a .414 batting average. His fourth-inning home run
in Game Seven proved to be the winning margin in the Pirates 21 victory, and gave him the Series MVP trophy. His career ended prematurely
on New Years Eve, 1972, when the plane he was on, carrying relief supplies to Managua, Nicaragua, crashed into the Atlantic Ocean. There
were no survivors.
Dwight Dewey Evans was one of the best right elders in Boston Red
Sox history. He arrived on the scene in 1972 at the age of twenty with a
reputation as a strong-armed outelder, and he was that, but he was also
a threat with the bat. He played major league baseball for twenty years,
all but one in Boston. He batted a tough .272, with 30 doubles, four
triples, 24 home runs, 90 runs scored, and 85 RBIs for every 550 at-bats.
He also drew 85 bases on balls a year, giving him a fancy .370 on-base
percentage. Evans best year was 1987 when he batted .305 with 37 doubles, 34 homers, 109 runs scored, and 123 RBIs. He led the league in runs
scored once during his career, home runs once, walks three times, and
OBP once. Even though he was a dangerous offensive player, he was best
known as one of the games best defensive outelders with probably the
strongest throwing arm in the major leagues during his career. The eighttime Gold Glove winner led the American League in elding average
three times, putouts and assists four times each, and double plays three
times. He might have led the league in assists several more years but very
few base runners challenged his arm. Evans played in two World Series,
but was on the losing side both times. In 1975, when the Sox lost to the
Cincinnati Reds in seven games, Evans batted .292 with a home run and
ve RBIs. In Game Six, eventually won by Boston on Carlton Fisks
dramatic twelfth-inning home run, Evans saved the game in the eleventh
inning when he robbed Joe Morgan of a home run and started an inningending double play. In the 1986 Series, known for Bill Buckners error in
the ninth inning of Game Six that opened the door for an eventual Met
victory in seven games, Evans crushed the ball at a .308 clip with two
doubles, two homers, and nine RBIs.
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FOR
ALL TIME
Bob Johnson, known as Indian Bob, played in the American League for
thirteen years, primarily with the Philadelphia Athletics. He was a hardhitting outelder who averaged .296 during his career, with 31 doubles,
eight triples, 23 home runs, 98 runs scored, and 102 RBIs for every 550
at-bats. His 85 bases on balls a year combined with his good batting
average gave him an excellent .393 on-base percentage. Indian Bob hit 20
or more home runs his rst nine years in the major leagues, and he drove
in more than 100 runs seven consecutive years. He did not have a best
season; he was consistently good many years, with a good balance of runs
scored, home runs, RBIs, and batting average. He did have several memorable days, however. On August 29, 1937, he set a major league record
by hitting a grand slam homer and a two-run double in the same inning,
good for six RBIs. In another game, he went six-for-six with two doubles
and two homers. The seven-time All-Star retired from the game in 1945
at the age of 39, hitting a solid .280 in his nal season.
Reggie Smith may have been the greatest right elder in Boston Red Sox
history, although fans of Dewey Evans and Harry Hooper might object
to the statement. Smith, who was a xture in Fenway Parks right-eld
pasture for seven years, had a strong throwing arm and good range, but
he was noted more for his big bat than his reliable glove. He batted over
.300 six times in his 17-year major league career, with a high of .322 with
the Los Angeles Dodgers in 1980. His best year was probably 1977, when
he helped the Dodgers take the National League pennant. The 6', 190pound switch-hitter caressed the ball to the tune of .307 that year, with
104 runs scored, 32 homers, and a league-leading .427 on-base percentage. He, Steve Garvey, Dusty Baker, and Ron Cey became the rst quartet to hit 30 or more home runs each in the same season. Smith batted
.287 over his career, averaging 28 doubles, 25 home runs, 88 runs scored,
and 85 runs batted in for every 550 at-bats. He led the league in doubles
twice, putouts twice, and assists and double plays once each.
Paul Waner, known as Big Poison, was one of the greatest hitters in
Pittsburgh Pirate history, stroking the ball to the tune of .333 over a
20-year career. The 5' 8", 153-pound left-handed hitter was never a
power hitter, but he could hit the ball in the gaps as well as anyone,
averaging 35 doubles, 11 triples, and seven home runs a year. He and
his brother Lloyd, a .316 hitter known as Little Poison, patrolled the
Forbes Field outeld from 1927 to 1941, giving Pirate fans some of the
most exciting baseball ever seen in the Steel City. Paul Waner joined
the San Francisco Seals in 1923 at the age of twenty, and after putting
together averages of .369, .356, and .401 in the Pacic Coast League,
his contract was purchased by Pittsburgh. In his rookie season, he batted
.336 with a league-leading 22 triples. He went on to hit over .300 the
189
next twelve years, winning three batting championships along the way,
with averages of .380, .362, and .373. He also led the league in runs
scored twice, base hits twice, doubles twice, triples twice, and RBIs once.
He scored over 100 runs nine times and posted eight seasons with more
than 200 base hits. One of the keys to Waners success was his keen batting eye. He struck out an average of just 22 times a year while walking
63 times, giving him an outstanding .404 on-base percentage, the tenthhighest OBP of the twenty players in the study.
Active Players
There are several active players who might deserve a place on this list
once they retire, including Gary Shefeld, Vladimir Guerrero, Ichiro Suzuki,
and Manny Ramirez. Gary Shefeld has been one the games most dangerous
hitters for 19 years. He has averaged .296 over that span with 99 runs scored,
31 home runs, and 102 runs batted in a year. He won the batting championship in 1992 with a .330 average. He is a decent defensive outelder,
although not outstanding. Vladimir Guerrero, who is in the middle of a
potential Hall of Fame career, is primarily an offensive player. He sported a
.325 career batting average through the 2007 season, with 33 homers and 107
RBIs for every 550 at-bats. Ichiro Suzuki, who played for ten years in Japan
with a .355 batting average, was hitting .333 after seven years in the major
leagues. He is a talented all-around player who has blazing speed on the bases
and in the outeld. He averages 90 runs scored and 31 stolen bases a year. He
also is among the leaders in outeld defense, with excellent range and a powerful throwing arm. Manny Ramirez is another pure hitter who is less than
interested in playing defense. The 34-year-old right-handed hitter has a .313
batting average for 15 years in the big leagues, with an average of 105 runs
scored, 38 home runs, and 125 RBIs a year. He had 490 career home runs
through 2007 and broke the 500 career home run barrier in 2008.
Offensive Ratings
Normalized Adjusted
Ted Williams had the highest published on-base percentage of any player
in the study as well as the highest on-base percentage of any major league
player in the history of the game. His .482 OBP is eight points higher than
the next man, Babe Ruth. His 121-point favorable OBP differential from the
league average was also the best of any player and again gave him the edge
190
ALL-STARS
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Vladimir Guerrero, a .325 hitter who is averaging 34 home runs a year, is in the middle of a potential Hall of Fame career.
over Ruth, and he maintained that advantage after the era adjustment was
made. Babe Ruth nished second to Williams in NOBPA, followed by Joe
Jackson and Stan Musial. Ott, Heilmann, and Henderson, who had published OBPs over .400, rounded out the top ve, but Paul Waner, who had
a .404 OBP, had a negative era adjustment, allowing Al Kaline to pass him
in the ratings.
Normalized Adjusted
Once again, Babe Ruth and Ted Williams stood head and shoulders
above the competition in the slugging category. This time, Babe Ruth was
number one with a .690 published slugging average, and Ted Williams was
close behind at .634. Neither man had a signicant advantage in either era
adjustment or park factor, enabling Ruth to protect his rst-place lead to
191
the end. Stan Musial (.559), Frank Robinson (.537), Al Simmons (.535), Mel
Ott (.533), Willie Stargell (.529), Harry Heilmann (.520), Joe Jackson (.517),
Bob Johnson (.506), Ducky Medwick (.505), and Goose Goslin (.500), had
published slugging averages over .500, and all of them except Goslin had a
favorable differential to the league average of more than 100 points. Willie
Stargell, thanks to favorable era and park factor adjustments, leapfrogged
Musial, Robinson, Simmons, and Ott to nish in third place in NXSLGA.
Al Simmons negative era and park factor adjustments dropped him from
fth place to ninth place in the category. Musial held down fourth place, but
Mel Ott, thanks to his higher batting average, was fth, ahead of Frank
Robinson.

Ricky Henderson had no competition in the stolen-base category with
his 72 stolen bases a year average. Joe Jackson, with 22 stolen bases, ranked
second, while Frank Robinson with 12, Goose Goslin with 11, and Reggie
Ted Williams was the greatest hitter of the lively ball era, after 1920.
ALL-STARS
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FOR
ALL TIME
Smith with 10 were the only other candidates to have ten or more stolen bases
a year.

The corner gardeners were not big on sacrice hits. Their job was to drive
the ball for extra bases, not bunt. Harry Heilmann, although a slugger of
note, laid down an average of 20 sacrice bunts a year. Joe Jackson, another
slugger, had 14, and Paul Waner had 10. No other candidate had more than
seven.
Normalized Grounded Into

Double Plays (NGIDP)
The big men in this category hit into more double plays than the average player. Al Simmons topped the list with 21 GIDPs. He was followed by
Goose Goslin with 17 and Frank Robinson and Roberto Clemente with 16
each. Only Ricky Henderson and Willie Stargell with nine GIDPs each and
Mel Ott with seven were below 10 GIDPs.

There were some minor shifts, up and down, due to a players skills in
the stolen base, sacrice hits, and grounded into double plays categories, but
for the most part the players who led the way after the OBP and SLG competitions also led the way in the nal offensive ratings. Babe Ruth and Ted
Williams nished one-two, but Joe Jackson, thanks to his huge advantage over
Stan Musial in stolen bases and sacrice hits, passed Stan the Man, for a
third-place nish in the offensive ratings. The biggest change in the ratings
was Rickey Hendersons jump from 18th place in the combined OBP and
SLG categories to 14th place in the nal overall ratings, thanks to his excellent showings in stolen bases and grounding into double plays. Passed by Mel
Ott, Stan Musial dropped from third to fth place because of his poor showing in the stolen base and sacrice hit categories.
Final
NOBPA
20
Frank Robinson
Ted Williams
Carl Yastrzemski
Goose Goslin
NXSLGA
20

20
20
20
Points Rating
16.674 12.351 0.167 0.050

20.000 16.716 0.028 0.000
16.421 8.582 0.111 0.000
15.453 10.187 0.153 0.500
0.438
0.528
0.467
0.412
29.680
37.244
25.581
26.705
6
2
17
13
193
Final
Al Simmons
Ricky Henderson
Joe Jackson
Willie Stargell
Pete Rose
Joe Medwick
Harry Heilmann
Stan Musial
Babe Ruth
Mel Ott
Al Kaline
Roberto Clemente
Dwight Evans
Bob Johnson
Reggie Smith
Paul Waner
NOBPA
20
NXSLGA
20

20
20
20
Points Rating
15.200
16.758
17.895
15.326
15.958
14.947
16.884
17.305
19.326
16,968
16.716
15.284
15.747
16.042
15.705
16.547
10.746
7.687
11.716
13.172
5.896
10.336
9.627
12.649
20.000
12.575
9.552
9.142
8.918
10.597
10.858
8.097
0.083
1.000
0.306
0.014
0.097
0.042
0.111
0.056
0.111
0.069
0.111
0.083
0.069
0.111
0.139
0.083
0.350
0.050
0.700
0.000
0.100
0.150
1.000
0.100
0.350
0.300
0.100
0.100
0.100
0.100
0.050
0.500
0.333
0.778
0.583
0.889
0.700
0.467
0.467
0.583
0.583
1.000
0.467
0.438
0.538
0.467
0.538
0.538
26.712
26.273
31.200
29.401
22.751
25.942
28.089
30.693
40.370
30.912
26.946
24.847
25.372
27.317
27.290
25.765
12
14
3
7
20
15
8
5
1
4
11
19
18
9
10
16
Defensive Ratings
Normalized Fielding
Average Differential (NFAD)
In general, the outer gardeners, in right eld and left eld, are not particularly good defensive players. However, in the case of the world-class cornermen in this study, many of them were better than average defenders. Al
Simmons, for instance, had a elding average of .982 compared to a league
average of .968, a 14-point favorable differential. In fact, of the 2,142 games
Al Simmons played in the outeld, 771 of them occurred in center eld. Pete
Rose was another outer gardener who stood out defensively in this competition. He also boasted a plus 14 elding average differential. They were by far
the best elding outelders in the group, but there were others who displayed
signicant defensive capabilities, such as Frank Robinson, Stan Musial, Al
Kaline, and Dwight Evans, all of whom had a six-point positive differential.
Players who were carried primarily for their slugging skills included Willie
Stargell, who had a minus fteen-point differential, Goose Goslin, who was
at minus seven, and Harry Heilmann and Bob Johnson, who were at minus
four. Reggie Smith was also at minus four, but in his case he covered acres
ALL-STARS
194
FOR
ALL TIME
of ground, and he reached balls that most of the other outelders in this group
could not reach.

Reggie Smith, who showed a negative elding average differential, was
the leading outer gardener when it came to range factor, as noted above.
Smith had a 2.28 range factor, a full 37 points above the league average. He
was followed closely by Rickey Henderson, who had a plus 34-point differential, Roberto Clemente, who had a plus 22-point differential, and Al Kaline,
who had a plus 16-point differential. Range factor is the area where the elding deciencies of the outer gardeners usually appear. Many of them can catch
balls hit at or near them, but those same players do not have the quick reexes
or the foot speed that allows them to run down balls in the alleys or in foul
territory.

Al Simmons, who was number one in elding average differential,
nished in a tie for fourth place in the range factor differential category, assuring him the title of the best defensive player in either right or left eld. Pete
Rose, who tied Simmons for rst place in the elding average category, nished
sixth in the range factor category, good enough for second place overall. Al
Kaline and Frank Robinson, who tied for third place in elding average differential, accumulated enough points in the range factor category to nish
third and fth overall, respectively. Rickey Henderson, who could do no better than thirteenth place in the elding average differential category, nished
a close second to Reggie Smith in the range factor category to edge ahead of
Frank Robinson for third place overall.
Frank Robinson
Ted Williams
Carl Yastrzemski
Goose Goslin
Al Simmons
Rickey Henderson
Joe Jackson
Willie Stargell
Pete Rose
NFAD
20
NRFD
20
Total
Points
Final
Defensive
Ratings
14.483
8.276
11.034
5.517
20.000
9.655
13.103
0.000
20.000
8.571
2.857
8.776
8.163
10.408
14.082
5.918
2.653
10.000
23.054
11.133
19.810
13.680
30.408
23.737
19.021
2.653
30.000
5
18
11
17
1
4
12
20
2
195
Joe Medwick
Harry Heilmann
Stan Musial
Babe Ruth
Mel Ott
Al Kaline
Roberto Clemente
Dwight Evans
Bob Johnson
Reggie Smith
Paul Waner
NFAD
20
NRFD
20
Total
Points
Final
Defensive
Ratings
13.103
7.586
14.483
11.724
13.793
14.483
8.276
14.483
7.586
7.586
11.724
7.143
0.000
5.714
4.082
3.061
10.408
11.633
6.939
8.980
14.694
6.122
20.246
7.586
20.197
15.806
16.854
24.891
19.909
21.422
16.566
22.280
17.846
8
19
9
16
14
3
10
7
15
6
13
Two of the top nishers on the all-defensive team may surprise some people, namely Rickey Henderson and Pete Rose. Many in the baseball establishment considered Henderson and Rose to be average to mediocre defensive
outelders, but that was not the case as shown by this study. In Hendersons
case, his dazzling speed gave him a favorable range factor that was 34 points
above the average, putting him in the upper echelon in that category. His
elding percentage was just average, but as a left or right elder, he outperformed the other players at that position. Most of the best elding outelders were, naturally, center elders. Pete Rose was another matter. He was
actually a very good left or right elder who was above average in range factor and who led the league in elding average three times, his career elding
average of .991 being a full 14 points above the league average.

The offense, which was weighted at four-to-one over the defense, was a
major factor in determining the best overall outer gardeners. It was no surprise, therefore, that Babe Ruth, who was the top offensive player in the
group, was also number one in the nal all-around ratings in spite of a 16thplace nish in defense. Likewise, Ted Williams, who nished second in the
offensive ratings but no better than 18th in defense, claimed the number two
spot in the nal all-around ratings. Williams was a perfectionist whose goal
was to be recognized as the greatest hitter in baseball history. In this study
he nished at number two behind Babe Ruth, but with his power of concentration and his tremendous focus, if he had spent as much time and effort on
196
ALL-STARS
FOR
ALL TIME
Ichiro Suzuki, Japans all-time greatest hitter with a career average of .353, posted a
.331 batting average after six years in the major leagues (courtesy James R. Madden,
Jr.).
197
his defensive play as he did on his offensive play, it is very possible that he
could have become a very solid outelder, joining the same class as Al Simmons and Pete Rose. Under those circumstances, he might have passed Babe
Ruth in combined offense-defense and been rated as the greatest all-around
outelder in major league baseball history. And, as noted above, Williams was
probably penalized in the range factor category by the geometry of Fenway
Parks tiny left-eld area that greatly reduces a elders opportunities for
putouts and assists.
Frank Robinson
Ted Williams
Carl Yastrzemski
Goose Goslin
Al Simmons
Rickey Henderson
Joe Jackson
Willie Stargell
Pete Rose
Joe Medwick
Harry Heilmann
Stan Musial
Babe Ruth
Mel Ott
Al Kaline
Roberto Clemente
Dwight Evans
Bob Johnson
Reggie Smith
Paul Waner
Offense
Divided by
43 4
Defense
Divided by
40 1
Total
Points
2.761
3.465
2.380
2.484
2.485
2.444
2.902
2.735
2.116
2.413
2.613
2.855
3.755
2.876
2.540
2.311
2.360
2.541
2.539
2.397
0.576
0.278
0.495
0.342
0.760
0.593
0.476
0.066
0.750
0.506
0.189
0.505
0.395
0.421
0.622
0.498
0.536
0.414
0.567
0.446
3.337
3.743
2.875
2.826
3.471
3.037
3.378
2.801
2.866
2.919
2.802
3.360
4.150
3.297
3.162
2.809
2.896
2.955
3.106
2.843
Final
All-Around
Ratings
HOF
5
2
14
17
7
10
3
20
15
12
19
4
1
6
8
18
13
11
9
16
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
Barry Bonds and Sammy Sosa are in limbo at the present time. If at some
future date they qualify for the study, Bonds has an excellent chance to nish
in the top three all-around, while Sosa might crack the top twenty.
Gary Shefelds offensive contributions give him a ghting chance of
crashing this list, perhaps in the top ten, if he can maintain his current level
of production for the rest of his career; like other active players, he is hampered by negative era adjustments. His defense is above average for right and
left elders, and that should help him in the nal overall ratings. Vladimir
198
ALL-STARS
FOR
ALL TIME
Guerrero has an excellent chance of nishing in the top ten offensively when
he retires, but his defense may derail his chances at crashing the nal allaround top twenty. At the present time his elding average differential is worse
than any player in the study, retired or active, although his range factor differential is exceptional for the group. Ichiro Suzuki is one of baseballs greatest hitters, sporting a .333 batting average through 2007. He is also one of
the games outstanding defensive right elders with exceptional reexes, blazing speed, and a cannon for a throwing arm, but his lack of power will hurt
him in his quest for a top ten nish. He averages only 20 doubles, seven
triples, and eight home runs for every 550 at-bats. Manny Ramirezs statistics support the contention that he is primarily an offensive player. His published OBP of .409 would give him about a sixth-place nish in that category,
and his .593 slugging average would probably put him in the top three for
NXSLGA. If he were to retire today, he might nish in the top ve offensively in spite of a huge negative era adjustment. His defense, however, is
another matter. His elding average differential is a negative ten points, and
his range factor differential is also a negative ten points, relegating him to a
very low nish in defense and probably dooming him to a near-bottom nish
in the overall rating. In fairness to Manny, he, like Ted Williams and Carl
Yastrzemski, may be the victim of Fenway Parks short left-eld wall that punishes Red Sox left elders in the range factor category.
C HAPTER 11
Baseballs Greatest
Center Fielders
There were ten players competing for the title of baseballs greatest allaround center elder.
Willie Mays, a graduate of the Negro leagues, was a ashy bundle of talent and energy who was called the Say Hey Kid because of his way of
addressing people. The 5'11", 180-pound right-handed hitter has been
called the greatest player of the twentieth century by many baseball
experts, or at least the greatest player of the last half of the century, sharing the honor with Joe DiMaggio. Mays was the prototypical ve-tool
player. He could hit for average, hit with power, run, eld, and throw.
He played for the Giants in both New York and San Francisco for 22
years, retiring in 1973 with a career average of .302, 3,283 base hits, 660
home runs, and 2,062 runs scored. He is number seven all-time in career
runs scored, number ten in base hits, number four in home runs, and
number nine in RBIs. Mays was Mister Giant during his career, leading
the team to four World Series match-ups and one world championship,
with the New York Giants in 1954. His back-to-the-plate catch of a drive
off the bat of Vic Wertz in the eighth inning of Game One of that Series
with two men on base protected a 22 tie, and the Giants eventually won
the game in the bottom of the tenth inning on a three-run homer by
Dusty Rhodes. Mays catch has become legendary over the years, and has
been called the greatest catch in World Series history. Mays did make a
sensational catch off Wertz, but in many situations he demonstrated his
air for the dramatic by making the routine look extraordinary. For
instance, he reportedly wore a hat one size too big so when he ran after a
y ball, his hat would y off, giving the impression of much greater speed
on his part. And he would often time his pursuit of a y ball in order to
199
Willie Mays, shown here in a Minneapolis Millers uniform from 1951, may have
been baseballs greatest all-around player during the second half of the twentieth
century.
catch the ball on the run, giving the impression that he had made a sensational catch when in fact he had choreographed the entire scenario.
Some outelders, like Hank Aaron and Tris Speaker, would instinctively
run to the spot where they had projected the ball to land, then turn and
make the routine catch. Not so with Willie Mays. Nothing he did was
11. Baseballs Greatest Center Fielders
201
routine. Still, in spite of his showmanship, he was one of the greatest

players of his time. During his career, he led the league in batting one
time, with a .345 batting average in 1954. He led the league in runs
scored twice, base hits once, triples three times, home runs four times,
on-base percentage three times, slugging average ve times, stolen bases
four times, putouts once, assists twice, and double plays ve times. He
scored over 100 runs for twelve consecutive years, drove in more than 100
runs ten times, and hit more than 30 home runs eleven times, with highs
of 52 home runs in 1965 and 51 in 1955. He is number one all-time in
career putouts by an outelder with 7,095. In 1957, he put together a season unmatched in baseball history, hitting 26 doubles, a league-leading
20 triples, 35 home runs, and a league-leading 38 stolen bases, becoming
the rst and only player to equal or exceed 20 in all four categories.
Mickey Mantle, the Commerce Comet, might have been the greatest
player to ever step on a baseball eld if he could have exorcised his
demons, but the demons got the best of him and slowly eroded his enormous skills. Several of Mantles male ancestors, including his father, had
died young, victims of Hodgkins disease. Mantle believed he would die
young as well, and tried to enjoy life to the fullest while he lived. The
result was a decade of debauchery and all-night partying in the nightspots around the American League, a practice that made him a shadow of
his former self by the time he was 32. In addition to his wanton lifestyle,
he also suffered from various knee injuries as well as from osteomyelitis, a
severe bone disease that severely limited his range in the outeld and his
base running capabilities. Still, the handsome, colorful 5'11", 198-pounder
became one of the games legends and the greatest switch-hitter the game
has ever known. The Oklahoma strongman hit some of the longest home
runs ever seen in a major league park, from both sides of the plate, including a 502-foot blast to right-center eld in Yankee Stadium and a
565-foot homer over the left-eld wall in Grifth Stadium. Mantle, who
broke into the New York Yankee lineup in 1951 as a 19-year-old phenom,
hit just .267 in 96 games in his rookie season. The following year, he
upped his average to .311 with 23 home runs, and in 1955, entering the
prime of his career, he batted .306 while leading the American League in
triples with 11, home runs with 37, bases on balls with 113, on-base percentage with .431, and slugging average with .611. He went on to lead the
league in runs scored six times, triples once, home runs four times, RBIs
once, bases on balls ve times, batting average once, on-base percentage
three times, slugging average four times, elding average once, assists
once, and double plays twice. His greatest year was 1956, when he won
the Triple Crown and led the American League in batting (.353), runs
scored (132), home runs (52), RBIs (130), and slugging average (.705).
202
ALL-STARS
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ALL TIME
Mickey Mantle was the greatest switch-hitter in the history of the game.
The next year, he hit .365 and led the league in runs scored (121) and
bases on balls (146). In 1961, the year he and Roger Maris both chased
Babe Ruths home run record before he was laid low with injuries, Mantle
crushed 54 homers, batted .317, and led the league in runs scored (132),
bases on balls (126), and slugging average (.617). Over the years, Mantle
was one of the major contributors to the New York Yankees twelve
American League pennants and eight world championships. He batted
203
a modest .257 in 65 Series clashes and 230 at-bats, but he established

two World Series career records with 18 home runs and 45 RBIs. Mantle,
who always swung as hard as he could on every pitch, struck out an
average of 118 times a season over his 18-year career, but he also walked
116 times, and averaged 36 home runs, 114 runs scored, and 102 RBIs
with a .421 on-base percentage, the third highest OBP of the ten
candidates. Once while Detroit Tiger star Al Kaline was signing autographs, a young boy said to him, Youre not half as good as Mickey
Mantle, to which Kaline replied, Son, nobody is half as good as Mickey
Mantle.
Joe DiMaggio, the Yankee Clipper, has been called the greatest allaround player of the twentieth century by many baseball experts, and his
performance on the eld for 13 years would seem to justify that title.
Joltin Joe arrived in New York in 1936 at the age of 21 after punishing
Pacic Coast League pitching to the tune of .398, and he immediately
took the big city by storm. He ripped into American League pitching
with gusto, batting .323 with 44 doubles, a league-leading 15 triples, 29
home runs, 132 runs scored, and 125 RBIs. He continued his hard-hitting
in the World Series with a .346 average as the Yankees took the measure
of the New York Giants in six games. DiMaggio batted over .300 eleven
times in his 13-year career, but lost three years in the prime of his life to
military service during World War II. He led the American League in
batting in both 1939 and 1940 with averages of .381 and .382, respectively, hit .357 in 1941, tailed off to .305 the next year, and then left to
join the U.S. Army. The interruption robbed him of his best baseball
years, but he did hit over .300 four more times after the war before retiring in 1951 at the age of 36. DiMaggio was a ve-tool player and one of
the games greatest center elders. He could do it all, and unlike some of
his rivals, he did it with class, making everything look easy. He had quick
reexes, outstanding speed, and a powerful throwing arm, and he seemed
to glide after y balls. At the plate, his wide stance, short stride, and
quick wrists gave him tremendous power, but unfortunately his power
was neutralized by Yankee Stadiums enormous left-center eld area,
called Death Valley, that extended 457 feet from home plate. Joe D.
averaged just 24 home runs for every 550 at-bats in Yankee Stadium during his career, but he pounded 36 home runs away from the Bronx. He
also had a great batting eye, striking out only 30 times a year while hitting 29 home runs. And he was an outstanding base runner, who ran the
bases like a ballet dancer, gracefully and effortlessly. In 1941, DiMaggio
set a major league record that has never been threatened. He hit in 56
consecutive games, from May 18 to July 17, when Jim Bagby of Cleveland
nally shut him down in four at-bats with help from third baseman
204
ALL-STARS
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Joe DiMaggio was arguably baseballs greatest all-around player during the rst half
of the twentieth century.
Ken Keltner, who made two sensational plays to rob the Yankee Clipper
of base hits. DiMaggio was one of the main cogs in the great Yankee
machine that won ten American League pennants and nine World Championships between 1936 and 1951. He won three Most Valuable Player
trophies during his career, and retired with a career batting average of
.325.
205
Duke Snider, Brooklyns answer to Mantle

and Mays, out-hit hit
his two rivals over the
ve-year period from
1953 through 1957,
averaging 41 homers
and 116 RBIs a year,
compared to 39 and
100 for Mays and 37
and 112 for Mantle.
Unfortunately for
Snider, the Dodgers
moved to Los Angeles
in 1958, and Snider
had to contend with
the L.A. Coliseums
vast right-eld territory that dramatically
reduced his home run
totals and took its toll
on his aging legs. The
man known as the
Silver Fox was a
Duke Snider hit forty or more home runs in ve conDodger xture from
secutive seasons.
1948 until 1963, when
he was traded to the
edgling New York Mets. During his 18-year career, Snider batted .295
with 27 doubles, 31 home runs, 97 runs scored, and 102 RBIs a year. He
led the National League in runs scored three times, base hits, home runs,
RBIs, bases on balls, and on-base percentage once each, and slugging
average twice. Sniders greatest day in baseball may have been May 30,
1950, when he hit three home runs against the Philadelphia Phillies and
missed a fourth one when the ball struck the right-eld wall one foot
from the top. Five years later, against Milwaukee, the big slugger hit
three home runs and a double, driving in six runs in an 118 win over the
Braves. The Duke of Flatbush played in six World Series, winning one
World Championship. In 36 World Series games and 133 at-bats, he batted .286, with a National League record eleven home runs and 26 RBIs.
Twice he hit four home runs in a Series, tying Babe Ruths record for a
single Series. He is the only man to ever hit four home runs in each of
two World Series.
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Tris Speaker, the Gray Eagle, was so-named because, like Duke Snider,
his hair was prematurely gray. Speaker has long been considered the
greatest defensive center elder in baseball history. He was noted for
playing an exceptionally shallow center eld, with the quick reexes and
speed that was necessary to chase down and catch balls hit over his head.
He was a great judge of how far and in what direction a batted ball
would travel, and was able to turn his back on the ball when it was hit,
run to the spot where the ball would land, turn and make a routine
catch. The Gray Eagle was also an outstanding hitter and a dangerous
base runner. The 6', 193-pound left-handed hitter played 22 years in the
big leagues and hit over .300 eighteen times, including his rst ten years
as a full-time player, with a high of .389 in 1925. Six times he batted
over .370, and in 1916 he led the league in batting with a .386 average.
He also led the league twice in base hits, eight times in doubles, once in
triples, four times in on-base percentage, once in slugging average, twice
in elding average, seven times in putouts, three times in assists, and six
times in double plays. The Hubbard, Texas, native was not a power hitter
but he drove the ball to the gaps in the outeld with regularity. His keen
batting eye and his patience at the plate rewarded him with 75 bases on
balls a year against just 15 strikeouts. The walks, combined with his .345
career batting average, gave him the best career on-base percentage .428,
of any of the center eld candidates. His 792 career doubles are the most
in baseball history, and his 222 triples are number six all-time. He is
number ten in runs scored (1,882) and extra-base hits (1,131), number
nine in on-base percentage (.428), number ve in batting average (.345),
number two in putouts (6,788), and number one in assists (148) and
double plays (139).
Jimmy Wynn, the Toy Cannon, so-named because of his explosive bat,
played in the major leagues for fteen years, most of it with the Houston
Colt .45s, later the Astros. He was small by slugger standards, standing
just 5' 9" tall, but he weighed a husky 170 pounds, and he hit the ball
with authority, averaging 24 doubles and 24 home runs for every 550
at-bats. The free-swinging Wynn struck out 118 times a year, but he also
drew 101 bases on balls, scored 91 runs, and drove in 80. He led the
league in walks twice, with 148 in 1969 and 127 in 1976. His best year
was 1974 with the Los Angeles Dodgers when he hit .271 with 32 home
runs, 104 runs scored, and 108 RBIs. He also had a big year in 1967
when, in spite of a mediocre .247 batting average, he slammed 37
homers, scored 102 runs, and drove in 107. Defensively, Wynn led the
league in elding average and putouts twice, assists three times, and
double plays four times.
207
Hank Aaron was the consummate baseball player. He could do it all

hit for average, hit for power, run, eld, and throw. The man who broke
Babe Ruths career home run record was more than a slugger. In addition
to leading the league in home runs three times, he also led the league in
batting twice, runs scored three times, doubles four times, RBIs four
times, and slugging average four times. He scored more than 100 runs in
a season fteen times in sixteen years, and drove in more than 100 runs
eleven times. He hit 30 or more home runs fteen times, with a high of
47 homers in 1971. He stole 240 bases during his 23-year career, and he
batted over .300 fourteen times, nishing his career with a .305 batting
average. One of his best years was 1963 when he batted .319, stole 31
bases, and led the league with 121 runs scored, 44 homers, 130 RBIs, and
a .586 slugging average. His greatest day (or night) had to have been
April 8, 1974, when he took an Al Downing slider downtown, depositing
it into the Atlanta Braves bullpen in left-center eld for career home run
number 715, breaking the record of Babe Ruth that had stood for 47
years. Hammerin Hank was one of the games most consistent players,
and he was most dangerous and best in post-season play, where he hit
a combined .362 with six home runs and 16 RBIs in 17 games. In 1957,
after hitting the pennant-clinching home run for Atlanta, he went on to
punish New York Yankee pitching in the World Series to the tune of a
.393 batting average, with three home runs and seven RBIs, as the Braves
spanked Casey Stengels Bronx Bombers, four games to three. The next
year, in a losing effort, Aaron batted .333 with two RBIs. And in 1969,
in a losing National League Championship Series, he scorched the ball
at a .357 clip with three home runs and seven RBIs in three games.
Aaron was a humble man who did his job in a workman-like manner
while serving as an excellent role model for the young children around
the country. The man from Mobile, Alabama, quietly went about his
business, maintaining a low prole while all the while establishing his
legacy as a great all-around player. Offensively, he is number two in
career home runs (755), number two in at-bats (12,364), number four
in runs scored (2,174), number three in base hits (3,771), number nine
in doubles (624), and number one in extra-base hits (1,477), total bases
(6,856), and runs batted in (2,297). He was also one of the top defensive
outelders in the major leagues, leading the National League in putouts
three times, assists once, and double plays four times, and he is number
seven in career putouts with 5,539.
Kirby Puckett, a squat 5' 8", 210-pound right-handed hitter, was the
heart and soul of the Minnesota Twins for twelve years until eye problems
ended his career at the age of 34. The Chicago native raced through
Minnesotas minor league farm system like a ery comet, leading the
208
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Appalachian League in batting with an average of .382 in 1982, and then

hitting .314 for Visalia in the California League before moving up to
AAA ball. Midway through the 1984 season, Puckett was promoted to
the major league roster where he proceeded to punch out four base hits
in his debut en route to winning American League Rookie of the Year
honors. In 1986, the 25-year-old center elder suddenly blossomed into
a power hitter. After hitting just four home runs in his rst two years,
covering 1,248 at-bats, Puckett pounded 31 homers in 680 at-bats, to
go along with a .328 batting average, 223 base hits, 119 runs scored, 37
doubles, 96 RBIs, and 20 stolen bases. The next year he produced similar
numbers while leading the Twins to the American League pennant. He
batted only .205 as the Twins dumped the Detroit Tigers in the ALCS
four game to one, but he sizzled in the World Series, batting .357 to lead
Tom Kellys team to a seven-game triumph over Whitey Herzogs St.
Louis Cardinals. In 1988, Kirby Puckett had one of his best years, batting
a career-high .356 with 109 runs scored and a league-leading 234 base
hits to go with 42 doubles, 24 homers, and 121 RBIs. The following year
he won the batting title with a .339 average and once again led the league
with 215 base hits. The Twins, with Puckett leading the way, beat the
Chicago White Sox by eight games in the Western Division of the American League, and then took the measure of the Toronto Blue Jays in the
ALCS, four games to one, with Puckett hitting a stratospheric .429 with
two homers and six RBIs. In the Fall Classic, a four games-to-three victory over the Atlanta Braves, Puckett hit only .250, but he rose to the
occasion in the last two games. With the Twins trailing the Braves three
games to two, Puckett smashed an RBI triple off Steve Avery in the rst
inning of Game Six, and then carried the second run across himself. In
the third inning, he quenched an Atlanta rally by making a sensational
catch against the left-center eld wall, robbing Ron Gant of an extra-base
hit and the Braves of at least one run. Two innings later, he hit sacrice
y to snap a 22 tie, after the Braves had scored in the top of the inning.
And then he put the icing on the cake by driving a game-winning home
run in the bottom of the eleventh inning, forcing Game Seven, an exciting pitching duel between Jack Morris and John Smoltz, won by the
Twins, 10, in the bottom of the tenth inning on a bases-loaded single
by Gene Larkin. Pucketts career ended four years later when glaucoma,
a debilitating eye disease, forced him into premature retirement. During
his career, he batted .318 and led the league in batting once, base hits
four times, RBIs once, putouts three times, assists ve times, and double
plays four times.
Ty Cobb compiled baseballs all-time highest batting average, stroking
the ball at a .366 clip for twenty-four years. He may have been baseballs
209
most hated player, but he played the game with a passion unmatched in
baseball history by doing whatever it took to win a game. He was a erce
base runner who set the standard for stolen bases in the early part of the
twentieth century. He was known to sharpen his spikes, sometimes in the
dugout in full view of the opposing team, before a game so he could
cause serious damage to an inelder when he slid into a base. Cobb, a
sleek 6'1", 175-pound left-handed batter, had blazing speed that stood
him in good stead both on the bases and in the eld. It has been erroneously assumed that the Georgia Peach was strictly a singles hitter,
but his .512 career slugging average belies that belief. Over his career,
most of which was played in the dead-ball days, he averaged 35 doubles,
14 triples, six home runs, 108 runs scored, and 93 RBIs a year. He was
a scientic hitter who held the bat with his hands several inches apart so
he could shift them with the pitch and either pull a ball into right eld or
push a line drive to left. And his exceptional eyesight permitted him to
wait until the last second to commit to a pitch. Cobb was one of the few
players who did not adjust his approach to batting when the lively ball
came into play in 1920. When many of his counterparts began holding
the bat down at the end to generate more power, Cobb continued to
choke up on the bat with his hands apart. He was always a sensational
hitter who, after batting just .240 as an 18-year old rookie in 1905, ran
off 23 consecutive years of hitting over .300, a major league record that
will probably never be broken. He won twelve batting championships,
including nine in a row, and had seven consecutive years over .367, with
a high of .420 in 1911. He also led the league ve times in runs scored,
eight times in base hits, three times in doubles, four times in triples,
four times in RBIs, six times in on-base percentage, and eight times in
slugging average. In the eld, he led the league in elding average and
putouts once each, assists twice, and double plays four times. Cobbs
biggest disappointments were probably the three straight humiliations his
teams suffered at the hands of National League clubs in the World Series
and his sub-par performances. The toothless Bengals were defeated by the
Chicago Cubs in the 1907 Fall Classic, four games to none with one tie.
They fell to the Cubs again in 1908 in ve games, and they were edged by
the Pittsburgh Pirates the following year in seven games. Cobb batted a
combined .262 in 17 games in the three Series after hitting a robust .350
during regular-season play.
Tony Gwynn, the pride of San Diego, was the major leagues leading batsmith during the 1980s and 1990s, placing the ball neatly to all elds
depending on the pitch, the location of the pitch, and the game situation.
The roly-poly left-handed hitter stroked the ball at a .338 clip during his
20-year career, the seventeenth-highest career batting average in baseball
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ALL-STARS
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history, and the highest career batting average since Ted Williams retired
in 1960. Over his career, Gwynn won eight batting titles, tying the
National League record set by Honus Wagner in 1911. In 1994, he challenged the magic .400 mark most of summer but fell six points short,
nishing with a .394 average when the baseball season was suddenly cut
short by a players strike on August 11. In all, he batted over .367 four
times and hit over .350 on three other occasions. He led the Padres into
the postseason on three occasions and into the World Series twice, but his
team never grabbed the gold ring, falling to the Detroit Tigers in ve
games in 1984 prior to being swept by the New York Yankees in 1998. In
addition to winning eight batting championships, Gwynn led the league
in runs scored once, base hits seven times, and on-base percentage once.
He also had some outstanding seasons running the bases. He stole 319
bases during his career, including 56 stolen bases in 1987 and 40 stolen
bases in 1989. Defensively, Gwynn became a good outelder through hard
work, and he combined his work ethic with exceptional speed to lead the
league in elding average, assists, and double plays once each and putouts
three times.
Active Players
Ken Griffey, Jr., cracked the 600 career home run

barrier early in 2008, making him just the sixth
player to reach that elevated level (courtesy James
R. Madden, Jr.).
Ken Griffey, Jr., is the

only active center elder
who appears ready to claim
a place on this team when
he retires. Cincinnatis sensational center elder was
on track to hit 800 career
home runs until injuries
derailed him in 2001. He
suffered through six years of
nagging injuries, hitting
only 125 home runs over
that stretch, but he was
back on track in 2007. He
can still top the 700 career
home run mark if he plays
another ve years, but his
dreams of hitting 800 home
runs and perhaps being
hailed as baseballs all-time
greatest all-around player
211
are a thing of the past. His offensive statistics through 2007 include a .290
career batting average, with 96 runs scored, 37 home runs, and 106 RBIs per
550 at-bats.
Offensive Ratings
Normalized Adjusted On-Base
Percentage (NOBPA)
Ty Cobb (.431), Tris Speaker (.428), and Mickey Mantle (.421) were the
only center elders with published OBPs over .400. When the necessary era
adjustments were made, the top three retained their positions, except that
Mantle slipped past Speaker into second place. None of the other center elders was able to challenge the top three. On the other hand, all the candidates
had respectable numbers, with Jimmy Wynn, who was last in the group, still
presenting a strong .371 OBPA.
Normalized Adjusted
Six of the center-eld candidates had slugging averages over .500, with
Joe DiMaggio (.579), Willie Mays (.557), Mickey Mantle (.557), and Hank
Aaron (.555), not surprisingly, leading the way, with Duke Snider (.540) close
behind. Snider, Puckett, and Gwynn were penalized by unfavorable era adjustments, while the other candidates beneted from favorable era adjustments,
particularly Tris Speaker and Ty Cobb, who enjoyed 30-point and 21-point
favorable adjustments, respectively. Joe DiMaggio, who had a 0.69 Home
Run Factor, received the biggest boost from the park factor adjustment, and
his .414 XSLGA was a full 38 points higher than the next man, Mickey Mantle. Ty Cobb had a 0.29 HRF, but his adjusted home run average of seven
home runs for every 550 at-bats was too low to have a signicant effect on
his XSLGA. Duke Snider, hitting in friendly Ebbetts Field, had a 1.22 HRF,
but the other big sluggers, Willie Mays (1.03 HRF), Hank Aaron (1.04 HRF),
and Mickey Mantle (0.99 HRF), showed no advantage, either at home or on
the road. That is somewhat surprising in Mantles case. It might be assumed
he would have had a signicant home advantage from hitting left-handed in
Yankee Stadium, especially when he hit 373 of his 536 home runs batting
left-handed, but Mantle was more of a straightaway hitter than a pull hitter,
and that neutralized his apparent home eld advantage. DiMaggio, Mantle,
Aaron, Mays, and Snider, in that order, easily outdistanced the other ve candidates in the slugging average category.
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Ty Cobb, with his aming afterburners, made a shambles of the stolenbase category, averaging 43 stolen bases a year compared to 24 stolen bases a
year for Tris Speaker and 20 for Tony Gwynn. Joe DiMaggio, with only two
stolen bases a year, nished in last place. Actually, Joe D. was an excellent
base runner with good speed, but in a lineup that included such sluggers as
Lou Gehrig, Bill Dickey, Charlie Keller, and Tommy Henrich, there was very
little incentive for a Yankee base runner to try to steal a base. Duke Snider,
who averaged eight steals a year, was in a similar situation with Roy Campanella, Gil Hodges, Jackie Robinson, and Carl Furillo waiting to drive him in.

Sacrice hits, like the corncob pipe, went out of style as the twentieth
century progressed. Tri Speaker with 17 sacrice hits and Ty Cobb with 14
topped the sacrice-hit category, while Mays, Mantle, and DiMaggio, with
one sacrice hit each, tied for the bottom spot.
Normalized Grounded Into

Double Plays (NGIDP)
Most of the candidates for the center-eld position had above average
speed, a necessary requirement for a position that was responsible for patrolling
a vast expanse of territory beyond the ineld grass, especially in those instances
when the corner gardeners had lead feet, as often occurred. Mickey Mantle,
who grounded into only eight double plays a year, set the pace in that category, with Jimmy Wynn close behind with nine GIDPs. Aaron and Gwynn
with 16 GIDPs and Puckett with 15 brought up the rear.

As might be expected, the nal offensive center-eld ratings were biased
in favor of the big sluggers, especially ones with favorable era and park factor adjustments. Mickey Mantle, whose 116 bases on balls a year, compared
to 74 bases on balls and 64 bases on balls for fellow sluggers Willie Mays and
Joe DiMaggio, respectively, gave him a big lead in NOBPA, and his secondplace nish, behind Joe D., in NXSLGA allowed him to maintain his lead
throughout the remainder of the competition. DiMaggio nished second and
Aaron came in third. Cobb and Speaker, who ran one and three in NOBPA,
faltered in the slugging competition, nishing fth and sixth overall. Willie
Mays nished fourth in NOBPA, fourth in NXSLGA, and fourth overall.
213
Willie Mays
Mickey Mantle
Joe DiMaggio
Duke Snider
Tris Speaker
Jimmy Wynn
Hank Aaron
Kirby Puckett
Ty Cobb
Tony Gwynn
NOBPA
20
NXSLGA
20
.05NSB
20
.05NSH .05GIDP
20
20
16.168
17.979
16.126
15.832
17.895
15.621
15.747
15.158
18.274
16.211
13.060
14.030
15.448
12.873
9.925
9.813
13.806
7.015
9.664
6.418
0.250
0.139
0.028
0.111
0.333
0.236
0.167
0.125
0.597
0.278
0.050
0.050
0.050
0.250
0.850
0.150
0.100
0.100
0.700
0.100
0.538
0.875
0.700
0.538
0.700
0.778
0.438
0.467
0.700
0.438
Total
Points
Final
Offensive
Ratings
30.066
33.073
32.352
29.604
29.703
26.598
30.258
22.865
29.935
23.445
4
1
2
7
6
8
3
10
5
9
Defensive Ratings
Normalized Fielding Average
Differential (NFAD)
All the center-eld candidates were outstanding defensive players, and
all of them had career elding averages higher than the league average. Tris
Speaker, who was noted for his shallow play, his quick reexes, and his blazing speed, nished his career with a .970 elding average, a full ten points
higher than the league average. Kirby Puckett enjoyed a nine-point advantage, and Duke Snider had a seven-point advantage.

Speakers great speed gave him an excellent 2.68 range factor, 60 points
above the league average, but that only gained him second place in the category. Willie Mays, who posted a 2.73 range factor, nished in rst place as
a result of his 63-point advantage over the league average. Kirby Puckett,
with a plus 59-point advantage, pressed Speaker. Once again, all the candidates had positive range factors, justifying their place in the competition.

The battle for number one in the defensive center-eld category was a
close race, particularly between Tris Speaker, Kirby Puckett, and Willie Mays.
Speaker claimed the overall prize as a result of his rst-place nish in the
NFAD category and his second-place nish in the NRFD category. Kirby
214
ALL-STARS
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Puckett nosed out Willie Mays for second place, with Joe DiMaggio and
Jimmy Wynn nishing fourth and fth, respectively.
Willie Mays
Mickey Mantle
Joe DiMaggio
Duke Snider
Tris Speaker
Jimmy Wynn
Hank Aaron
Kirby Puckett
Ty Cobb
Tony Gwynn
NFAD
20
NRFD
20
Total
Points
Final
Defensive
Ratings
13.103
11.724
13.103
15.172
17.241
13.793
13.103
16.552
11.034
14.483
20.000
12.449
15.510
10.000
19.388
14.694
11.224
19.184
12.245
10.204
33.103
24.173
28.613
25.172
36.629
28.487
24.327
35.736
23.279
24.687
3
9
4
6
1
5
8
2
10
7

The nal all-around ratings for center elders favored the offense over
the defense by a three-to-one ratio. Once again, the Gray Eagle, Tris Speaker,
confounded the experts who predicted that either Joe DiMaggio or Willie
Mays would grab the brass ring. Speaker parlayed his sixth-place nish in
offensive ratings with a dominating rst-place nish in the defensive ratings
to narrowly defeat the Yankee Clipper for the overall title. DiMaggio enjoyed
a big advantage over Speaker in the offensive ratings, but was severely outdistanced by Speaker in the defensive ratings. Mickey Mantle, who slugged
his way to a convincing rst-place rating in the offensive category, fell victim to his nagging leg injuries that greatly reduced his ability to cover large
expanses of territory in the outeld, relegating him to a ninth-place nish in
the defensive category and fourth place overall.
Willie Mays
Mickey Mantle
Joe DiMaggio
Duke Snider
Tris Speaker
Offense
Divided by
43 3
Defense
Divided
by 40
Total
Points
Final
All-Around
Ratings
HOF
2.098
2.307
2.257
2.065
2.072
0.828
0.604
0.715
0.629
0.916
2.926
2.911
2.972
2.694
2.988
3
4
2
6
1
*
*
*
*
*
215
Jimmy Wynn
Hank Aaron
Kirby Puckett
Ty Cobb
Tony Gwynn
Offense
Divided by
43 3
Defense
Divided
by 40
Total
Points
Final
All-Around
Ratings
HOF
1.856
2.111
1.595
2.088
1.636
0.712
0.608
0.893
0.582
0.617
2.568
2.719
2.488
2.670
2.253
8
5
9
7
10
*
*
*
*
Ken Griffey Jr., one of the top sluggers of his era, could nish in the top
ten offensively, but probably not in the top ve because of his negative era
and park factor adjustments. His 29-point negative era adjustment, in particular, cost him valuable points in the slugging average category. And on
defense, he suffered from a negative elding average differential. No center
elder in this study had a negative elding average differential. He shows a
decent range factor differential, but not great enough to overcome his low
elding average point total. The projected nish for Griffey at the present time
is approximately an eighth-place nish in the offensive ratings, a tenth-place
nish in the defensive ratings, and a tenth-place nish overall.
C HAPTER 12
Baseballs
Legendary All-Stars
Baseballs Legendary All-Star Team, based on both the offensive and
defensive skills of the candidates, is given below. The outelders were rated
on a 4-to-1 offense-to-defense ratio for this team. The team would have been
slightly different if the center-eld candidates were separated from the other
outeld positions, and were rated with a 3-to-1 ratio, as they are in the four
all-star teams that follow.
C
P
Roy Campanella
Gabby Hartnett
Walter Johnson
Grover Cleveland
Alexander
Cy Young
Lefty Grove
Tom Seaver
Christy Mathewson
Sandy Koufax
Whitey Ford
P
1B
2B
SS
3B
OF
Dizzy Dean
Ed Walsh
Lou Gehrig
Jimmie Foxx
Nap Lajoie
Bobby Grich
Honus Wagner
Lou Boudreau
Mike Schmidt
Brooks Robinson
Babe Ruth
OF Ted Williams
Joe DiMaggio
Mickey Mantle
Tris Speaker
Willie Mays
Al Simmons
Hank Aaron
Duke Snider
Joe Jackson
Baseballs Legendary All-Star Teams

Top Four Teams
The following table identies the top four all-time all-star teams as determined by this study. There are not many surprises on the teams. Even the
younger fans will be happy to see such modern legends as Ozzie Smith, Mike
216
217
12. Baseballs Legendary All-Stars
Schmidt, Bobby Grich, and Gary Carter cavorting with the stars of yesteryear. And they should also agree with the estimated future ratings for active
players like Pedro Martinez, Roger Clemens, Albert Pujols, Alex Rodriguez,
and Vladimir Guerrero (see Appendix).
Team 1
Catcher
Pitcher
First Base
Second Base
Shortstop
Third Base
Left Field
Center Field
Right Field
Team 2
Campanella
W. Johnson
Gehrig
Lajoie
Wagner
Schmidt
Williams
Speaker
Ruth
Team 3
Hartnett
Alexander
Foxx
Grich
Boudreau
B. Robinson
J. Jackson
DiMaggio
Musial
Carter
Young
Greenberg
Collins
O. Smith
Mathews
F. Robinson
Mays
Ott
Team 4
Bench
Grove
Mize
Doerr
Banks
Santo
Simmons
Mantle
Kaline
This study rated all the players, not only on their offensive contributions, but also on their defensive contributions. In the area of pitching, the
candidates were evaluated on their combined pitching, batting, and elding
skills. In the past, all-time all-star teams were selected by vote (which is essentially nothing more than a popularity contest) or by rating the players offensive skills only and, in the area of pitching, rating the candidates on their
pitching skills only. The following table shows the weakness in those methods.
Position
Name
Catcher
First Base
Second Base
Shortstop
Third Base
RF-LF
Roy Campanella
Lou Gehrig
Nap Lajoie
Honus Wagner
Mike Schmidt
Babe Ruth
Ted Williams
Tris Speaker
Center Field
Offensive
Rating
Defensive
Rating
Final
All-Around
Rating
4
1
3
1
1
1
2
6
1
15
1
3
2
16
18
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
2
1
PITCHERS
Name
Walter Johnson
Pitching
Rating
Batting
Rating
Fielding
Rating
Final
All-Around
Rating
13
218
ALL-STARS
FOR
ALL TIME
Roger Clemens, still active in 2007 at the age of 45, reached the 354 career victory
total, moving him into eighth place on the all-time list (courtesy Boston Red Sox).
219
If the All-Time All-Star team had been selected on offense only, Gene
Tenace would have been the catcher, with Mickey Cochrane a close second.
Rogers Hornsby would have been the second baseman, and Mickey Mantle
would have been the center elder.
SECOND TEAM
Position
Name
Catcher
First Base
Second Base
Shortstop
Third Base
RF-LF
Gabby Hartnett
Jimmie Foxx
Bobby Grich
Lou Boudreau
Brooks Robinson
Joe Jackson
Stan Musial
Joe DiMaggio
Center Field
Offensive
Rating
Defensive
Rating
Final
All-Around
Rating
5
2
8
5
13
3
5
2
2
6
4
2
1
12
9
4
2
2
2
2
2
3
4
2
PITCHERS
Name
Pitching
Rating
Batting
Rating
10
Final
Fielding All-Around
Rating
Rating
5
Based on offense only, or pitching only in the case of the pitcher, the
second team would have consisted of Cochrane, Foxx, Morgan, Banks, Mathews, Jackson, Musial, DiMaggio and Grove.
BASEBALLS GREATEST OFFENSIVE TEAM

AS DETERMINED BY THIS STUDY
C
P
1B
2B
SS
Gene Tenace
Mickey Cochrane
Wes Ferrell
Walter Johnson
Lou Gehrig
Jimmie Foxx
Rogers Hornsby
Joe Morgan
Honus Wagner
Ernie Banks
3B
Mike Schmidt
Eddie Mathews
RF-LF Babe Ruth
Ted Williams
Joe Jackson
Mel Ott
Stan Musial
CF
Mickey Mantle
Joe DiMaggio
220
ALL-STARS
FOR
ALL TIME
BASEBALLS GREATEST DEFENSIVE TEAM

AS DETERMINED BY THIS STUDY
Roy Campanella
Gabby Hartnett
Ed Walsh
Addie Joss
Vic Power
Keith Hernandez
Nap Lajoie
Bill Mazeroski
Ozzie Smith
P
1B
2B
SS
SS
3B
Lou Boudreau
Brooks Robinson
Mike Schmidt
RF-LF Al Simmons
Pete Rose
Al Kaline
Rickey Henderson
CF
Tris Speaker
Kirby Puckett
Baseballs Prospects
POTENTIAL FUTURE LEGENDARY ALL-STARS
ACTIVE PLAYERS PLUS FOUR OTHERS
Catcher
Pitcher
First Base
Second Base
Ivan Rodriguez
Mike Piazza
Pedro Martinez
Roger Clemens
Greg Maddux
Randy Johnson
Mark McGwire
Albert Pujols
Todd Helton
Jim Thome
Paul Konerko
Frank Thomas
Rafael Palmeiro
Craig Biggio
Jeff Kent
COMPARISON
OF THE
WITH MLBS
Position
Catcher
Shortstop
Third Base
Outeld
Alex Rodriguez
Omar Vizquel
Derek Jeter
Nomar Garciaparra
Miguel Tejada
Chipper Jones
Scott Rolen
Barry Bonds
Sammy Sosa
Ken Griffey, Jr.
Ichiro Suzuki
Gary Shefeld
Vladimir Guerrero
Manny Ramirez
LEGENDARY ALL-STAR TEAM

ALL-CENTURY TEAM
MLBS ALL-CENTURY TEAM

Name
Johnny Bench
Yogi Berra
LEGENDARY ALL-STARS
Name
Roy Campanella
Gabby Hartnett
221
Position
MLBS ALL-CENTURY TEAM

Name
Pitcher
First Base
Second Base
Shortstop
Third Base
Outeld
Nolan Ryan
Sandy Koufax
Cy Young
Roger Clemens
Bob Gibson
Walter Johnson
Lou Gehrig
Mark McGwire
Jackie Robinson
Rogers Hornsby
Cal Ripken
Ernie Banks
Mike Schmidt
Brooks Robinson
Babe Ruth
Hank Aaron
Ted Williams
Willie Mays
Joe DiMaggio
Mickey Mantle
LEGENDARY ALL-STARS
Name
Walter Johnson
Cy Young
Lefty Grove
Tom Seaver
Christy Mathewson
Lou Gehrig
Jimmie Foxx
Nap Lajoie
Bobby Grich
Honus Wagner
Lou Boudreau
Mike Schmidt
Brooks Robinson
Babe Ruth
Ted Williams
Joe DiMaggio
Mickey Mantle
Tris Speaker
Willie Mays
Baseballs thirty greatest offensive players, as determined by the sum of

their runs scored per total at-bats including bases on balls, and their runs batted in per ofcial at-bats with walks excluded, were compared to the ratings
of the OBP/SLG composite and the ratings from this study.
Babe Ruth
Lou Gehrig
Ted Williams
Hank Greenberg
Jimmie Foxx
Joe DiMaggio
Roy Campanella
Rogers Hornsby
Mel Ott
Johnny Mize
Mickey Mantle
Runs/
Tot. AB
RBIs/
Off. AB
Total
Points
Rating
.208
.199
.185
.174
.183
.183
.132
.171
.167
.153
.171
.263
.249
.239
.246
.236
.225
.244
.194
.197
.208
.186
.471
.448
.424
.420
.419
.408
.376
.365
.364
.361
.357
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
OBP/SLG This Study

Rating
Rating
1
3
2
5
4
8
6
11
10
7
1
3
2
7
5
6
19
8
9
12
4
222
Harry Heilmann
Ty Cobb
Hank Aaron
Mike Schmidt
Willie Mays
Frank Robinson
Mickey Cochrane
Stan Musial
Yogi Berra
Eddie Mathews
Duke Snider
Honus Wagner
Willie McCovey
Joe Jackson
Nap Lajoie
Tris Speaker
Reggie Jackson
Johnny Bench
Ernie Banks
ALL-STARS
FOR
ALL TIME
Runs/
Tot. AB
RBIs/
Off. AB
Total
Points
Rating
.149
.177
.158
.153
.167
.160
.173
.155
.142
.151
.135
.153
.129
.159
.149
.163
.138
.128
.128
.198
.169
.186
.191
.175
.181
.161
.178
.189
.170
.186
.166
.190
.158
.167
.150
.173
.180
.174
.347
.346
.344
.344
.342
.341
.334
.333
.331
.321
.321
.319
.319
.317
.316
.313
.311
.308
.302
12
13
14
14
16
17
18
19
20
21
21
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
OBP/SLG This Study

Rating
Rating
19
13
20
15
24
37
9
43
27
39
16
24
11
14
16
15
10
23
20
22
27
23
17
29
Note: Mark McGwire would be number seven in the Runs/RBI ratings, number eight
in OBP/SLG, and number eight in this study. Barry Bonds would be number eight,
number four, and number four, respectively. The Barry Bonds prior to 1999 would be
number eleven in this study.
This study was not intended to be the end-all, greatest all-star team. It
is simply the rst all-time all-star team based on a complete evaluation of a
players skills, both offensively and defensively. My hope is that, in the near
future, Pete Palmer will present his ultimate all-star team composed of the
greatest players at each position. As the most talented and respected baseball
statistician in the eld today, Palmer has developed the most sophisticated
formulas for evaluating the offensive and defensive contributions of major
league baseball players, and he is well positioned to achieve the nal result.
From his existing Total Baseball Ranking (TBR) formulas, and from his correspondence, I believe he needs only to make a few minor modications to
his present formulas, such as including a caught-stealing percentage in his formula for catchers, and then replacing the generalized park factors with individual park factors and converting his formulas from a value system to a skill
system. He can also eliminate the positional adjustment since each player will
be evaluated against only players playing the same position.
Appendix:
The Steroid Problem
A study to identify the greatest
players of the twentieth century would
not be complete without a review of
the steroid problem that has compromised the integrity of the game for the
past twenty years. Barry Bonds, Mark
McGwire, Sammy Sosa, and Rafael
Palmeiro were ineligible for this study
based on the suspicion that steroids
may have contributed to their spectacular offensive statistics, particularly
their home run totals. It is possible
that all four of them will be persona
non grata by the National Baseball
Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, New
York, when they become eligible for
election into that elite body. That has
already happened in the case of Mark
McGwire. He was considered to be a
shoo-in for election to the hallowed
halls on the rst ballot when he be- Mark McGwire thrilled the fans of the
came eligible in 2007, but the voters game when he chased Roger Maris sinshunned him, giving him just 23.5 gle-season home run record in 1998.
percent of the vote, with 75 percent
needed for election. A similar fate may await Palmeiro, Sosa, and Bonds. Two
of the players, McGwire and Palmeiro, did not help their cause any when they
testied before a congressional committee investigating steroid use in major
223
224
APPENDIX: THE STEROID PROBLEM
league baseball, on March 17, 2005. McGwire, who had previously admitted
taking androstenedione, a muscle-building supplement that has since been
added to the illegal steroid list, refused to answer questions about whether or
not he took steroids, saying repeatedly that he did not want to discuss the
past. Palmeiro emphatically denied taking steroids but, shockingly, was suspended by major league baseball less than ve months later for testing positive for steroids. And this occurred just one month after he had joined Willie
Mays, Hank Aaron, and Eddie Murray as the only major league players with
3,000 base hits and 500 home runs. He subsequently retired.
The evidence against the four players, most of which is circumstantial,
ranges from imsy to fairly strong. As far as I know, there is no credible
evidence against Sammy Sosa except his Samsonian physique and his CHR
curve that will be discussed shortly. The evidence against McGwire consists of his admission to taking andro, his CHR curve, his bulging physique,
and the testimony of Jose Canseco that he had administered steroids to McGwire. The evidence against Palmeiro consists of his CHR curve, testimony of
Jose Canseco, and a positive steroid test taken by MLB in 2005.
The strongest case seems to be the case against Barry Bonds. His enormous physique and puffy face have been interpreted as a sign that he was taking steroids. Reportedly, Bonds testied to the grand jury that he took the
Clear and the Cream, two steroids given to him by his trainer, Greg Anderson, but he denied that he knew the two substances were steroids that were
undetectable by existing steroid testing procedures. He said he thought he
was taking axseed oil and arthritis balm. Anderson, who spent three months
in jail in 2003 for distributing steroids, went back to jail in August 2006 for
refusing to testify against Barry Bonds in Bonds perjury investigation prior
to being released in late 2007. Many people feel that Andersons refusal to
testify is proof of Bonds guilt. Bonds alleged mistress, Kimberly Bell, who
said she was Bonds girlfriend for nine years, from 1994 to 2003, told Geraldo Rivera that Bonds said he was taking steroids as early as 1999.
In addition to testimony from former players and associates of Bonds,
Sosa, McGwire and Palmeiro, statistical evidence is becoming more and more
incriminating. Gabriel Costa, Michael Huber, and John Saccoman wrote an
illuminating and informative treatise titled Cumulative Home Run Frequency and the Recent Home Run Explosion, for SABRs Baseball Research
Journal in 2005. In it, they graphed the cumulative home run ratios (CHR)
for all players with more than 500 career home runs. Their ndings were not
unexpected. Most of the elite sluggers prior to the 1990s, including Babe
Ruth, Hank Aaron, and Mike Schmidt, reached the peak of their CHRs by
their mid-to-late twenties, with very little variability thereafter. A subsequent
study by the author conrmed the ndings of the rst group. Todays active
500-career home runs sluggers Jim Thome, Ken Griffey, Jr., Manny
225
Appendix: The Steroid Problem
Ramirez, Frank Thomas, and Alex Rodriguez reached their peak CHRs by
their late 20s or early 30s. And Gary Shefeld, who has periodically been
implicated in the steroid scandal, has a fairly normal CHR curve that resembles the CHR curves of Mickey Mantle and Babe Ruth. Shefelds CHR curve
peaked in his late 20s. In the cases of Bonds, McGwire, Sosa, and Palmeiro,
their CHRs continued to increase well into their 30s and, in the case of
Bonds, his CHR was still on the rise as he approached the age of 40. When
Bonds year-by-year home run rates (HRR) were plotted graphically, they
conrmed that his home run rate peaked initially when he was thirty years
old and went into decline over the next four years, dropping from 52 homers
for every 550 at-bats to 37 homers for every 550 at-bats. Then, in 1999, his
home run rate suddenly exploded to 53 homers for every 550 at-bats and
remained above that level for seven years.
BONDS HOME RUN RATE PER 550 AT-BATS

Team
Home Run Rate

Per 550 At-Bats
Year
Age Weight
1986
1987
1988
1989
1990
1991
1992
1993
1994
1995
1996
1997
1998
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
32
33
34
185
185
185
185
185
190
185
185
185
185
190
206
206
Pittsburgh
Pittsburgh
Pittsburgh
Pittsburgh
Pittsburgh
Pittsburgh
Pittsburgh
San Francisco
San Francisco
San Francisco
San Francisco
San Francisco
San Francisco
21
25
25
18
36
27
40
47
52
36
45
41
37
1999
2000
2001
2002
2003
2004
2005
2006
2007
35
36
37
38
39
40
41
42
43
210
210
228
228
228
228
228
228
236
San Francisco
San Francisco
San Francisco
San Francisco
San Francisco
San Francisco
San Francisco
San Francisco
San Francisco
53
56
84
63
63
66
65
39
49
HRR 198692: 27
HRR 199398: 43
HRR 198698: 34
HRR 199906: 62
226
Based on the normal CHR for all career 500 home run hitters, with their
CHR leveling off by the time they reach 30, and based on Bonds own record,
it was estimated that Barry Bonds should have hit between 570 and 618 home
runs through 2006 under normal conditions. His actual home run total was
734, a discrepancy of at least 116 home runs.
In addition to the above studies, CHR curves of three players who had
admitted using steroids Jose Canseco, Ken Caminiti, and Jason Giambi
were plotted. The CHR curves of both Giambi and Caminiti followed the
typical steroid line, a sharp increase in CHRs well into their thirties.
Caminitis CHR showed a continuous sharp incline from the time he was 29
years old until his nal major league season nine years later. Giambis CHR
curve was similar to Caminitis, rising sharply from the time he was 27 years
old until 2004, when at the age of 33 he admitted to the federal grand jury
that he took steroids. He said he obtained the Clear and the Cream from
Greg Anderson, Barry Bonds personal trainer, in 2002. Surprisingly, Jose
Cansecos CHR curve rose sharply from 1987 until 1991, when he was just 27
years old, and then attened out. But it must be remembered that Canseco
was injury prone and spent nine sessions on the disabled list, many of them
for prolonged periods of time, between 1989 and 2000.
Another home run study that was discussed in my book Ruth, Maris,
McGwire, and Sosa determined the number of home runs that might be attributed to the new Costa Rican rabbit baseball that was introduced in 1993 and
the increased home run totals due to a players increased weight. The effect
of the rabbit ball, plus smaller ballparks and other factors, was estimated to
be a 33 percent increase in the players home run totals. It was also determined that the average player could be expected to hit one home run for
every 3.3 pounds of weight added. Weight gains attributed to the four players by 1998 were 30 pounds for Barry Bonds (from 180 to 210), 25 pounds
for Mark McGwire (225 to 250), 55 pounds for Sammy Sosa (165 to 220),
and 34 pounds for Rafael Palmeiro (180 to 214). The following table of average home runs per 550 at-bats summarizes the results.
Name
Barry Bonds
Mark McGwire
Sammy Sosa
Rafael Palmeiro
Avg. HRs
19861992
HR due to
rabbit ball
HR due to
incr. weight
Predicted HRs
19931998
27
39
16
16
9
13
5
5
9
8
17
10
45
60
38
31
Actual HRs
19931998 Difference
43
65
39
35
2
+5
+1
+4
The interesting thing about the above table is that there is no clear indication that any of the four players were experimenting with steroids during
the 19931998 period. It supports the case that Barry Bonds achievements
227
Appendix: The Steroid Problem
through 1998 were strictly the result of his natural conditioning programs.
The story, however, seems to be different after 1998. According to the yearby-year computation of Bonds home run rates per 550 at-bats (HRR), he
averaged 43 home runs for every 550 at-bats from 1993 through 1998, and
then suddenly his rate skyrocketed to 55 homers for every 550 at-bats in
19992000, and to 84 homers for every 550 at-bats in 2001.
Barry Bonds career statistics, presented here, tend to support the theory that a mystery supplement in addition to his normal conditioning program may have contributed to his success. One study has indicated that as
many as 116 of Bonds home runs and perhaps more can be attributed to that
unknown supplement. Jose Canseco, in his book Juiced said that when Barry
Bonds rst saw him at the All-Star Game in 2000, he was amazed at Cansecos
spectacular physique, and asked Canseco what his secret was. Over the next
year, with Joses secret in hand, Bonds added twenty pounds of muscle and
proceeded to celebrate his new-found strength by crushing Mark McGwires
single-season home run record.
Years
Years
Age
AB
HR
Per 550 AB
HR RBI
BA
19861992
19931998
19992005
7
6
7
2228
2934
3541
3584
3037
2519
984
933
825
176
235
297
27
85
43 120
65 139
.275
.307
.328
Another table, showing the home run averages of the four players
between 2001 and 2004, highlights the problems that people have with Barry
Bonds achievements. The idea that a major league player could average 70
home runs a year between the ages of 37 and 40 is nothing short of miraculous. McGwires numbers are inconclusive for the one year he played before
he retired, and Palmeiros numbers are also inconclusive. Sosas numbers look
suspicious.
Name
Barry Bonds
Mark McGwire
Sammy Sosa
Rafael Palmeiro
Predicted HRs
20012004
Actual HRs
20012004
Difference
51
60
38
31
70
53 (one year)
49
37
+19
7
+11
+6
As I noted in a previous book, wine gets better with age. Baseball players, with the possible exception of Barry Bonds, do not. Remember the Team
of the Century that was selected by a panel of writers and editors and the staff
of Stats, Inc. in 1999? That survey, which chose the fty greatest players of
228
the twentieth century, did not identify Barry Bonds, a 13-year veteran, as one
of them, although it did honor a number of active players, including Ken
Griffey, Jr., Roger Clemens, Mike Piazza, and Mark McGwire. Seven years
later, however, many baseball experts were calling Bonds not only a great
player, but THE greatest player ever to play the game.
Bibliography
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Costa, Gabriel, Michael Huber, and John Saccoman. Cumulative Home Run Frequency and the Recent Home Run Explosion. Baseball Research Journal 34 (2005):
3741.
Couzens, Gerald Secor. A Baseball Album (...History & Trivia Never Before Published). New York: Lippincott & Crowell, 1980.
ESPN.com. MLB All-Century Team Final Voting, 13. http://espn.go.com/mlb/
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Ivor-Campbell, Frederick, ed. Baseballs First Stars. Cleveland: Society for American
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Kallay, Mike, ed. Team of the Century, Street & Smiths Baseball (1999): 2427.
Kavanagh, Gerard. 50 Years, Street & Smiths Baseball (1990): 5459.
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_____. Baseballs Other All-Stars. Jefferson, N.C.: McFarland, 2000.
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Palmer, Pete, and Gary Gillette, eds. The Baseball Encyclopedia. New York: Barnes &
Noble, 2004.
Reidenbaugh, Lowell. Baseballs Hall of Fame: Cooperstown: Where Legends Live Forever. New York: Arlington House, 1988.
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229
230
BIBLIOGRAPHY
_____, Pete Palmer, Michael Gershman, and David Pietrusza, eds. Total Baseball.
New York: Viking Penguin Books, 1997.
Tiemann, Robert L., and Mark Rucker. Nineteenth Century Stars. Kansas City: Society for American Baseball Research, 1989.
Index
Aaron, Henry Hammerin Hank 8, 10, 11,
185, 200, 207, 211216, 221, 222, 224
Adcock, Joe 132
Alexander, Grover Cleveland 6, 7, 10, 32, 85,
101106, 108111, 216, 217, 219, 221
Allen, Ethan 6
Allen & Ginter 5
Allison, Doug 4
Alomar, Roberto 136, 137, 142, 143, 145, 146
Anderson, Greg 224, 226
Anderson, Sparky 165
Anson, Cap 6, 4547
Aparicio, Luis 8, 147, 148, 152, 153, 156160
Appling, Luke 151, 152, 155, 157160
Arroyo, Luis 95
Averill, Earl 90
Avery, Steve 208
Bagby, Jim 203
Bagwell, Jeff 121, 126128, 130, 131, 138
Baker, Dusty 188
Baker, Frank Home Run 164, 169171, 173,
174
Bando, Sal 168171, 173, 174
Banks, Ernie 8, 10, 11, 147, 150, 151, 155157,
159, 160, 217, 219, 221, 222
Barry, Jack 164
Battey, Earl 71, 75, 77, 81, 82
Beckley, Jake 4547
Bell, Kimberly 224
Bench, Johnny 8, 10, 11, 63, 66, 75, 77, 79,
8082, 217, 220, 222
Bennett, Charlie 6
Berra, Yogi 8, 10, 11, 13, 66, 67, 70, 75, 77,
79, 8082, 220, 222
Biggio, Craig 121, 138, 143, 145, 146, 220
Blomberg, Ron 28
Blyleven, Bert 14
Boggs, Wade 163, 169171, 173, 174
Bonds, Barry 9, 10, 35, 132, 185, 197, 220,

223228
Bonds, Bobby 179
Boudreau, Lou 148, 152, 153, 156160, 216,
217, 219221
Brainard, Asa 4
Brett, George 11, 163, 169174
Brock, Lou 8, 179
Brodie, Steve 60, 61
Brouthers, Dan 4547
Brown, Mordecai Three Finger 96, 97,
100, 101, 104, 107, 109111
Browning, Pete 5759
Buckner, Bill 132
Burkett, Jesse The Crab 5759
Burns, Thomas Oyster 57, 59
Caminiti, Ken 226
Campanella, Roy 7, 16, 1828, 64, 73, 75,
7782, 121, 156, 212, 216, 217, 220, 221
Canseco, Jose 154, 224, 226, 227
Carew, Rod 136, 140146
Carlton, Steve 10, 11, 93, 94, 102104, 106,
109111
Carter, Craig 229
Carter, Gary 6668, 7782, 217
Caruthers, Bob 6, 4144
Casey, Hugh 101, 102
Cash, Norm 71, 118, 119, 124127, 129131
Cepeda, Orlando 120, 123, 126128, 130
Cepeda, Perucho 120
Cey, Ron 188
Chance, Frank 96
Chapman, John 4
Charlston, Oscar 9
Chesbro, Jack 95
Clark, Jack 121, 127, 130
Clark, Will The Thrill 119, 127130
Clarkson, John 6, 4144
231
232
INDEX
Clemens, Roger 911, 84, 97, 99, 100, 105,

106, 108, 112, 217, 218, 220, 221, 228
Clemente, Roberto 8, 10, 11, 186, 187, 192
195, 197
Clements, Jack 3840
Cobb, Ty 68, 10, 11, 84, 96, 162, 179, 180,
182, 185, 208, 209, 211215, 222
Cochrane, Mickey 6, 7, 15, 62, 66, 7476,
79, 8083, 113, 115, 219, 222
Cody, Wild Bill 5
Collins, Eddie 68, 17, 135, 140146, 164,
217
Combs, Earl 6
Comiskey, Charles 6
Connor, Roger 45, 47, 185
Cordeiro, Julie 107
Costa, Gabriel 224
Costello, James 229
Couzens, Gerald Secor 7, 229
Crandall, Otis Doc 100
Creighton, Jimmy 3
Cronin, Joe 6, 8, 99, 151, 155157, 159, 160
Cross, Lave 5456
Dahlen, William Bad Bill 5053
Daly, Thomas Tido 4850
Danning, Harry 69, 70, 77, 78, 81, 82
Davis, George 5153
Dean, Dizzy 7, 90, 104, 106, 108111, 216
Delahanty, Ed 56, 58, 59
Dickey, Bill 6, 13, 63, 64, 66, 67, 75, 77,
8082, 212
Dihigo, Martin 9
DiMaggio, Joe 7, 8, 10, 11, 13, 63, 199, 203,
204, 211214, 216, 217, 219, 221
Doerr, Bobby 8, 139, 141146, 217
Downing, Al 207
Duffy, Hugh 56, 58, 59
Dugan, Joe 6
Dunlap, Fred Sure Shot 4850
Eckersley, Dennis 10
Elliott, Bob 164, 165, 170, 171, 173, 174
Erskine, Carl 162
Evans, Dwight Dewey 187, 188, 193, 195,
197
Evers, Johnny 96
Ewing, Buck 3740
Feller, Bob 7, 8, 10, 88, 98, 104, 106, 109
111
Ferguson, Bob 4, 5
Ferrell, Rick 99
Ferrell, Wes 29, 30, 32, 99, 103110, 112,
219
Fingers, Rollie 8
Fisk, Carlton 11, 15, 66, 71, 75, 77, 79, 81, 82
Ford, Whitey 8, 10, 41, 9395, 102106,

109111, 216
Foutz, Dave 41, 94
Fox, Nellie 139, 140, 142146
Foxx, Jimmie 10, 11, 34, 99, 113, 115, 123,
127131, 177, 185, 216, 217, 219, 221
Freehan, Bill 15, 66, 70, 71, 77, 81, 82
Frisch, Frankie 7, 137, 138, 142146
Furillo, Carl 212
Gant, Ron 208
Garciaparra, Nomar 154, 155, 160, 220
Garvey, Steve 132, 188
Gehrig, Lou 611, 33, 34, 63, 99, 113115,
123, 127132, 147, 177, 185, 212, 216, 217,
219, 221
Gehringer, Charlie 8, 135, 136, 141146
Gershman, Michael 230
Giambi, Jason 226
Gibson, Bob 8, 10, 11, 84, 90, 91, 104106,
109111, 119, 221
Gibson, Josh 9, 10
Gibson, Kirk 71
Gillette, Gary 42, 229
Glasscock, Jack 6, 51, 52
Glavine, Tom 99, 100, 112
Gordon, Joe Flash 139, 142146
Gore, George 5961
Goslin, Goose 177, 191194, 197
Gould, Charley 4, 5
Greenberg, Hank 114, 115, 123, 127131,
217, 221
Grich, Bobby 139, 142, 144146, 216, 217,
219, 221
Griffey, Ken, Jr. 911, 210, 211, 215, 220,
224, 228
Grifn, Mike 5961
Grifth, Clark 4144
Grove, Lefty 8, 10, 11, 32, 87, 103, 106,
109111, 216, 217, 219, 221
Guerrero, Vladimir 189, 190, 197, 198, 217,
220
Gwynn, Tony 9, 10, 209215
Hack, Stan 166171, 173, 174
Hall, George 4, 5
Hamilton, Billy 5759
Harris, Bucky 153
Hartnett, Gabby 15, 16, 27, 28, 6365, 67,
75, 76, 78, 8082, 90, 216, 217, 219, 220
Hauser, Joe 115
Heilmann, Harry 182, 190193, 195, 197,
222
Helton, Todd 20, 122, 127, 128, 132, 220
Henderson, Rickey 8, 178, 179, 190195,
197, 220
Henrich, Tommy 212
Index
Hernandez, Keith 34, 117, 118, 127131, 220
Herzog, Whitey 69, 208
Hines, Paul 5961
Hodges, Gil 121, 122, 127132, 156, 212
Hoiles, Chris 15, 70, 7779, 81, 82
Honig, Donald 229
Hooper, Harry 188
Hornsby, Rogers Rajah 68, 10, 11, 134,
140146, 180, 184, 219, 221
Horton, Willie 71
Howard, Elston 13
Hubbell, Carl 7, 8, 99, 104, 106, 107, 109,
110, 112
Huber, Michael 224
Huggins, Miller 85
Ivor-Campbell, Frederick 229
Jackson, Reggie 222
Jackson, Shoeless Joe 7, 163, 179, 180,
190194, 197, 216, 217, 219, 222
James, Bill 13, 14, 229
James, Bill (pitcher) 94
Jennings, Hughie Ee-Yah 5052
Jeter, Derek 154, 155, 160, 220
Johnson, Bob 188, 191, 193, 195, 197
Johnson, Randy 98100, 105, 106, 112, 220
Johnson, Walter 6, 7, 911, 2932, 84,
101106, 109112, 216, 217, 219, 221
Jones, Chipper 169, 174, 220
Joss, Addie 7, 95, 103, 104, 106, 108111,
220
Kaline, Al 186, 190, 193195, 197, 203, 217,
220
Kallay, Mike 8, 229
Kavanagh, Gerard 229
Keefe, Tim 6, 40, 4244
Keeler, Wee Willie 5759
Keller, Charlie King Kong 212
Kelly, Michael J. King 6, 3740
Kelly, Tom 208
Keltner, Ken 204
Kent, Jeff 140, 146, 220
Killebrew, Harmon 8, 115, 116, 127, 129, 130
Kluszewski, Ted 132
Konerko, Paul 122, 127, 132, 220
Koufax, Sandy 811, 14, 87, 88, 90, 91, 93,
98, 103106, 108111, 216, 221
Lajoie, Nap 11, 134, 135, 140, 141, 216, 217,
220222
Landis, Kenesaw Mountain 179
Larkin, Barry 154, 156, 157, 159, 160
Larkin, Gene 208
Latham, Arlie 5456
Lazzeri, Tony 85, 113
233
Lemon, Bob 95
Leonard, Andy 4
Lloyd, John Henry 148
Lolich, Mickey 119, 186
Lombardi, Ernie 66, 7880
Long, Herman Germany 5153
Lopes, Davey 17
Lyons, Denny 54, 55
Mack, Connie 62, 86, 94, 113, 164
Mackey, Biz 64
Madden, James R. Jr. 9, 98, 196, 210
Maddux, Greg 911, 99, 100, 105, 106, 108,
112, 220
Mantle, Mickey 8, 10, 11, 151, 201203, 205,
211214, 216, 217, 219, 221, 225
Marberry, Firpo 101
Marichal, Juan 10, 93, 104106, 109111
Maris, Roger 132, 185, 226
Marquard, Rube 164
Martinez, Pedro 99, 100, 105107, 112, 217,
220
Mathews, Eddie 10, 161, 162, 169171, 173,
174, 217, 219, 222
Mathewson, Christie 6, 7, 10, 11, 29, 30,
32, 8587, 94, 96, 104106, 108111, 164,
216, 221
Mattingly, Don 8, 34, 121, 127, 128, 130
Mays, Willie 7, 8, 10, 11, 34, 151, 185, 199
201, 205, 211214, 216, 217, 221, 222,
224
Mazeroski, Bill 140, 142146, 187, 220
McConnell, Bob 229
McCovey, Willie 8, 11, 117, 118, 127, 129, 130,
222
McDonald, Dan 4
McGraw, John 5355, 100
McGriff, Fred 122, 127, 128, 130, 131
McGuire, James Deacon 3740
McGwire, Mark 911, 35, 132, 154, 185, 220,
221, 223228
McInnis, Stuffy 164
McNeil, William F. 229
McPhee, John Bid 4750
McVey, Cal 4, 5
Medwick, Joe 181, 182, 191, 193, 195, 197
Merkle, Fred 96
Mize, Johnny 116, 117, 126131, 217, 221
Molitor, Paul 166, 170, 171, 173, 174
Moore, Wilcy 101
Morgan, Joe 8, 10, 11, 17, 134, 142, 143, 145,
146, 219
Morris, Jack 208
Mueller, Ray 15, 70, 7578, 82
Mulvey, Joe 6
Murphy, Johnny 101
Murray, Eddie 117, 118, 127, 129131, 224
234
INDEX
Musial, Stan 7, 8, 10, 11, 177, 182185, 190

193, 195, 197, 217, 219, 222
Nash, Billy 53, 55, 56
Nemec, David 229
Nettles, Graig 168, 170174
Newcombe, Don 29
Neyer, Rob 229
Nichols, Charles Kid 7, 4044
Niedenfuer, Tom 148
Oakley, Annie 5
ORourke, James Orator Jim 5759
Orr, Dave 4547
Ott, Mel 185, 186, 190193, 195, 197, 219,
221
Page, Joe 101, 102
Paige, Satchel 911, 90
Palmeiro, Rafael 35, 132, 220, 223227
Palmer, Jim 10, 9193, 103, 104, 106, 108,
109111
Palmer, Pete 13, 14, 32, 33, 42, 111, 129, 222,
229, 230
Parrish, Lance 69, 75, 7780, 82
Pearce, Dickey 4, 5
Pena, Tony 69, 7577, 80, 82
Perez, Tony 132
Perranoski, Ron 101
Pfeffer, Fred 4850
Phelps, Babe 66
Piazza, Mike 9, 10, 15, 72, 74, 76, 82, 83,
220, 228
Pietrusza, David 230
Pike, Lipman 4, 5
Plank, Eddie 94, 104, 106, 108, 109111
Porter, Darrell 6466, 7478, 80, 82
Powell, Boog 120, 127, 130
Power, Vic 34, 119, 120, 123, 127130, 220
Puckett, Kirby 34, 207, 208, 211215, 220
Pujols, Albert 122, 123, 127, 128, 132, 217,
220
Radburne, Charles Old Hoss 4144
Ramirez, Manny 189, 198, 220, 224, 225
Reese, Pee Wee 67, 121, 148, 149, 157, 159
Reidenbaugh, Lowell 229
Reitz, Ken 64
Rhodes, Dusty 199
Richardson, Bobby 117
Richardson, Hardy 4850
Rickey, Branch 7, 229
Riger, Robert 229
Ripken, Cal, Jr. 911, 113, 147, 153, 156159,
221
Rivera, Geraldo 224
Rizzuto, Phil Scooter 149, 156, 157, 159, 160
Roberts, Robin 95
Robinson, Brooks 8, 10, 11, 163166,
168174, 216, 217, 219221
Robinson, Frank 8, 175, 191194, 197, 217,
222
Robinson, Jackie 7, 8, 10, 11, 17, 67, 121, 133,
141146, 212, 221
Rodriguez, Alex A-Rod 154, 155, 160, 217,
220, 225
Rodriguez, Ivan Pudge 15, 7274, 76, 78,
83, 220
Rolen, Scott 169, 174, 220
Rose, Pete 8, 10, 11, 34, 181, 193195, 197,
220
Rosen, Al 162, 163, 169171, 173, 174
Rucker, Mark 230
Rusie, Amos 4144
Ruth, Babe 611, 63, 99, 105, 113, 115, 132,
177, 182, 184, 185, 189, 190, 192, 193, 195,
197, 207, 216, 217, 219, 221, 224226
Ryan, Nolan 10, 11, 84, 9799, 102105,
107110, 112, 119, 221
Saccoman, John 224
Sandberg, Ryne 136, 142146
Sanford, Jay 153, 162, 164, 167
Santa Maria, Michael 229
Santo, Ron 166, 167, 170174, 217
Sax, Steve 17
Schmidt, Mike 811, 161163, 166, 169, 170
174, 216, 217, 219222, 224
Seaver, Tom 10, 91, 92, 104, 106, 108111, 216,
221
Seitz, Peter 101
Sewell, Joe 154160
Shatzkin, Mike 229
Shefeld, Gary 189, 197, 220, 225
Shindle, Billy 5456
Simmons, Al 6, 34, 99, 177, 178, 182, 191194,
197, 216, 217, 220
Simmons, Ted 64
Sisler, George 68, 117, 123, 124, 126130
Smith, Charles 4
Smith, George Germany 5153
Smith, Ozzie 8, 10, 11, 147149, 153, 154,
156159, 216, 217, 220
Smith, Reggie 188, 191195, 197
Smoltz, John 208
Snider, Duke 121, 156, 205, 206, 211, 213,
214, 216, 222
Sosa, Sammy 35, 197, 220, 223227
Spahn, Warren 7, 10, 11, 8890, 93, 95, 102,
104, 106, 109111
Speaker, Tris 68, 10, 34, 182, 200, 206,
211214, 216, 217, 220222
Stargell, Willie Pops 180, 181, 191194,
197
Index
Start, Joe 4, 5
Stengel, Casey 66, 67, 94, 116, 207
Stivetts, Jack 41, 43, 44, 104
Stovey, Harry 56, 59
Sullivan, John L. 5
Sundberg, Jim 15, 6668, 70, 7578,
8082
Sutter, Bruce 8
Sutton, Don 99
Suzuki, Ichiro 117, 189, 196, 198, 220
Sweasy, Charlie 4
Tejeda, Miguel 154, 155, 160, 220
Tenace, Gene 62, 64, 7476, 8083, 169,
219
Terry, Bill 99, 119, 126130
Terry, Ralph 117, 187
Thomas, Frank The Big Hurt 122, 127,
128, 132, 220, 225
Thome, Jim 122, 127, 127, 132, 220, 224
Thompson, Samuel Big Sam 56, 58, 59
Thorn, John 229
Tiant, Luis 29
Tiemann, Robert L. 230
Tiernan, Mike 57, 59
Tinker, Joe 96
Torre, Joe 64, 66, 75, 77, 8082
Trammell, Alan 138, 153, 154, 156160
Traynor, Pie 68, 165, 166, 169171, 173,
174
Van Haltren George 60, 61
Vaughan, Arky 149, 151, 155157, 159, 160
Vincent, David 229
Vizquel, Omar 154, 155, 160, 220
235
Waddell, Rube 7
Wagner, Honus 68, 10, 11, 147, 148,
155159, 186, 210, 216, 217, 219, 221, 222
Walsh, Ed 7, 95, 96, 101, 103, 104, 106, 108
111, 216, 220
Waner, Lloyd 188
Waner, Paul 6, 188190, 192, 193, 195, 197
Ward, John Montgomery 6, 50, 52, 53
Waterman, Fred 4
Weaver, Earl 92
Webb, Earl 182
Welch, Michael Francis Smiling Mickey
40, 4244
Wertz, Vic 199
Westrum, Wes 15
Whitaker, Lou 138, 143, 145, 146, 153
Wilhelm Hoyt 10, 93, 99
Williams, Smokey Joe 9
Williams, Ted 7, 8, 10, 11, 175, 176, 189192,
194, 195, 197, 198, 216, 217, 219, 221
Williamson, Ned 185
Wood, Smoky Joe 104, 105
Wright, George 3, 4
Wright, Harry 3, 4
Wynn, Jimmy 206, 211215
Yastrzemski, Carl 8, 176, 177, 192, 194, 197,
198
Yost, Eddie 168171, 173, 174
Young, Cy 6, 7, 10, 11, 84, 91, 93, 97, 100,
104, 107, 109, 110, 112, 216, 217, 221
Yount, Robin 149, 150, 157160
Zettlein, George 4, 5
Zimmer, Charles Chief 3740

McNeil - All-Stars For All Time

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ALL-STARS

FOR ALL TIME

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Miracle in Chavez Ravine:

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McFarland & Company, Inc., Publishers

CONGRESS CATALOGUING-IN-PUBLICATION DATA

McFarland & Company, Inc., Publishers

To the latest arrival in the McNeil clan,

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Doug Allison Cincinnati

Asa Brainard Cincinnati

Charley Gould Cincinnati

Charlie Sweasy Cincinnati

George Wright Cincinnati

Fred Waterman Cincinnati

Andy Leonard Cincinnati

Harry Wright Cincinnati

Cal McVey Cincinnati

1. Baseballs All-Time All-Star Teams Through the Years

George The Charmer Zettlein played in the NA for ve years and in

Mickey Cochrane, Bill Dickey.

Walter Johnson, Grover Cleveland Alexander, Christy Mathewson,

Lou Gehrig, George Sisler.

Second Base: Rogers Hornsby, Eddie Collins.

Honus Wagner, Joe Cronin.

Pie Traynor, Joe Dugan.

Babe Ruth, Tris Speaker, Ty Cobb, Earle Combs, Paul Waner, Al

1. Baseballs All-Time All-Star Teams Through the Years

Pitchers (left-handed) Lefty Grove, Sandy Koufax, Carl Hubbell

1. Baseballs All-Time All-Star Teams Through the Years

1. Baseballs All-Time All-Star Teams Through the Years

Major League Baseball conducted its own All-Century Team poll in

Unfortunately, there are no perfect measuring devices for evaluating the

A catcher also needs to have quick reexes in order to respond to the

On-Base Percentage (OBP)

ADJUSTED ON-BASE PERCENTAGE (OBPA)

NORMALIZED ON-BASE PERCENTAGE (NOBPA)

Slugging Average (SLG)

ADJUSTED SLUGGING AVERAGE (XSLG)

FINAL ADJUSTED SLUGGING AVERAGE (XSLGA)

NORMALIZED FINAL ADJUSTED SLUGGING

Stolen Bases (SB)

NORMALIZED STOLEN BASES (NSB)

Sacrice Hits (SH)

NORMALIZED SACRIFICE HITS (NSH)

Number of Double Plays Grounded Into (GIDP)

NORMALIZED DOUBLE PLAYS GROUNDED INTO (NGIDP)

Fielding Average (FA)

FIELDING AVERAGE DIFFERENTIAL (FAD)

NORMALIZED FIELDING AVERAGE DIFFERENTIAL (NFAD)

Caught Stealing Percentage (CS)

CAUGHT STEALING PERCENTAGE DIFFERENTIAL (CSD)

58 = Campanellas career caught stealing percentage.

NORMALIZED CAUGHT STEALING PERCENTAGE

Passed Balls (PB)

NORMALIZED PASSED BALL (NPB)

Wild Pitches (WP) Prevented