MLB History: Top 100 Players in Baseball History (80-71)
Over the past 145 years of Major League Baseball, there have been some truly impressive players. Let us continue our look at the top 100 players in MLB history, as we continue to count down through the greatest of the greats.
As we continue our journey though the greatest players in MLB history, we are beginning to get into the true legends of the game. While there may be debate as to which players should be ranked between 81 and 100, we are beginning to get to the point where these players are universally considered to be amongst the best that baseball has to offer.
Here, we have All-Stars, Hall of Famers and players that truly made an impact upon the game. We have players that may well have been underrated now that their playing days are over, but were considered to be in the upper echelon of players during their time. These players were some of the best that baseball had to offer.
Out of the 18,663 players in major league history, we are now down to the 80 best to ever lace up the cleats and set foot on the diamond. So, without further ado, let us continue the countdown, and get to this week’s installment of the greatest players ever in MLB history.
Next: The changeup artist
80. Tom Glavine
Tom Glavine had to make a choice as to whether or not he would pursue a career in baseball or the NHL, as the Los Angeles Kings drafted him with the 69th overall pick. In the end, Glavine chose baseball, and the Atlanta Braves and New York Mets are glad that he did.
A changeup artist, Glavine was not going to overpower the opposition. Instead, he relied upon his ability to change speed and command his pitches, using his repertoire to win twenty or more games five different times. He made ten All-Star Games, won two Cy Young awards and finished in the top three on four other occasions, and even proved his value with the bat, winning four Silver Slugger awards.
In his career, Glavine posted a 305-203 record with a 3.54 ERA and a 1.314 WHiP. His 2,607 strikeouts are 24th on the all time list, and Glavine ranks 28th in WAR for pitchers. Glavine also helped himself in the field, where, despite never winning a Gold Glove, he had six seasons without making an error.
Glavine was also a part of the Big Three in Altanta, helping to turn the Braves into a dynasty. Along with John Smoltz and the free agent signing of Greg Maddux, he helped turn a moribund franchise into a dynasty during the 1990’s. His impact upon Atlanta baseball cannot be understated.
One of the best pitchers of the 1990’s, Tom Glavine helped bring the Braves back to prominence. In doing so, he carved his way into baseball’s history books.
Next: A forgotten star
79. Al Simmons
When teaching younger players to swing a bat, they are taught to avoid stepping away from the plate when swinging, or ‘stepping in the bucket.’ That approach at the plate, where he stepped into the bucket, worked well for Al Simmons.
One of the biggest stars of the 1920’s and 1930’s, Simmons burst on the scene in his rookie season, finishing eleventh in the MVP vote. The following season, he emerged as a bona fide star, finishing second in the MVP vote. He was a two time batting leader, made three All-Star Games and finished in the top five of the MVP ballot four times.
Even after an extended dropoff in production, Simmons ended his career amongst the best in MLB history. He ended his career with a .334/.380/.525 batting line and 307 home runs. His 2,927 hits and 539 doubles rank 38th all time, and his 1,838 RBI are 19th. A hitting machine, Simmons is the fastest player to get to 2,000 and 2,500 hits.
While he was best known as an offensive force, Simmons was also a solid defensive left fielder. His strong arm helped him rank amongst the top five almost every season in assists and double plays. Simmons 117 assists as a left fielder are 19th all time, and he ranks 13th with 24 double plays.
Al Simmons may be relatively forgotten now, but during his time, he was an all around star and one of the key players on the Philadelphia A’s second dynasty in the late 1920’s.
Next: The Kid could play
78. Gary Carter
Known for his trademark exuberance and joy of being at the ballpark, Gary Carter was one of the greatest catchers in MLB history.
Gary Carter had a chance to play football at UCLA, but turned down a scholarship to join the Montreal Expos after being drafted in the third round. He quickly became a star, making the All-Star team in his second season while becoming one of the faces of the Expos. The decision to play baseball instead of football panned out as Carter made eleven All-Star Games, finished in the top ten in the MVP balloting four times, won five Silver Slugger awards and was a three time Gold Glove winner.
In his career, Carter was one of the premier offensive catchers to play the game. Overall, he posted a .262/.335/.439 batting line with 324 home runs and 1,225 RBI. He had a solid batting eye and an excellent ability to make contact, drawing 848 walks and only striking out 997 times in 9,019 career plate appearances.
Defensively, Carter was one of the better catchers of his time. He led the National League twice in caught stealing percentage, and is 15th in MLB history with a 25.5 defensive WAR. Carter ranks fifth all time with 11,785 putouts, tenth with 149 double plays and 24th with 1,203 assists.
Perhaps the greatest player in Expos history, Gary Carter made an impact upon his teammates and on the ballfield. His love of the game was truly contagious and a joy to behold during his career.
Next: The greatest defensive catcher
77. Ivan Rodriguez
Ivan Rodriguez may best be known for his defensive prowess, and later unsubstantiated accusations of steroid use by Jose Canseco, but he was far more than a great glove.
A solid power threat, Rodriguez hit 20 or more home runs from 1997 through 2001. His all around game helped Rodriguez to 14 All-Star Games, the 1999 MVP award and the 2003 NLCS MVP. He was a seven time Silver Slugger, and won 13 Gold Gloves for his prowess behind the plate.
Overall in his career, Rodriguez posted a .296/.334/.464 batting line with 311 home runs and 1332 RBI. Rodriguez finished his career 47th all time with 2,844 hits and 25th with 572 doubles. He also had a solid amount of speed during his prime, finishing with 127 stolen bases, making him the rare catcher who could contribute on the basepaths as well as in the batter’s box.
Defensively, Rodriguez was without peer. The all time leader with 2,427 games behind the plate, Rodriguez 14,864 putouts are the most in MLB history, and he ranks fifth with 158 double plays as a catcher. He is also credited as having saved 167 runs as a catcher, the most in history.
More than just a defensive force, Ivan Rodriguez was an all around catcher who may well have been one of the greatest players at his position in baseball history.
Next: One of the best moustaches in the game
76. Rollie Fingers
He may be known more for his trademark handlebar moustache than his performance on the mound these days, but Rollie Fingers was one of the greatest closers in MLB history.
That moustache came into being prior to the 1972 season. While it is common knowledge that A’s owner Charlie Finley held a contest to see who would have the best facial hair, which Fingers won, the moustache originally came about as a protest against Reggie Jackson showing up to Spring Training with a beard. Several A’s players refused to shave to try to force a ban on facial hair; instead, Fingers ended up with his trademark look, which he still wears.
After a couple of seasons of bouncing between the rotation and the bullpen, Fingers found his place as the Oakland A’s closer during the 1972 season. From that point, he became one of the greatest closers in baseball, making seven All-Star Games. In the strike shortened 1981 season, Fingers saved 28 games while posting a 1.04 ERA and a 0.872 WHiP en route to winning the Cy Young award and the MVP.
During his 17 year career, Fingers saved 341 games while posting a 2.90 ERA and a 1.156 WHiP. He struck out 1299 batters against 492 walks in 1701.1 innings, with 109 of those free passes as intentional. Fingers is also notable for being the only pitcher in the Hall of Fame with a losing record, having gone 114-118 during his career.
One of the first closers selected to the Hall of Fame, Fingers is considered by many to be the most dominant reliever of his era, and helped set the stage for the modern closer.
Next: A true leader
75. Willie Stargell
Willie Stargell, who was considered one of the nicest people in baseball during his career and was affectionately known as ‘Pops’ for his leadership, was a leader on and off the field for the Pittsburgh Pirates.
A player who truly loved the game, Stargell was a key part of the Pirates resurgence during the 1970’s. A star almost from the moment that he appeared in Pittsburgh, Stargell made the All-Star Game seven times and won an MVP as part of the 1979 ‘We Are Family’ World Series winning Pirates squad after finishing second twice.
In a career spent entirely with the Pirates, Stargell was one of the premier power hitters of the second dead ball era. A two time home run leader, Stargell finished with 475 home runs and 1,540 RBI. His .282/.360/.529 batting line may seem solid, but he finished with a 147 OPS+, showing how far offense was down during his playing days.
Defensively, Stargell’s best asset was his arm. He led National League left fielders in assists four times, and led in double plays on three different occasions. Stargell is still 31st all time with 96 assists, and is 70th with 12 double plays.
One of those players who meant just as much off the field as he did on it, Willie Stargell was a Hall of Fame talent in the lineup and in the locker room.
Next: An incredible peak
74. Dizzy Dean
Typically, six seasons would not be enough to warrant a Hall of Fame career, but when one had a peak like Dizzy Dean had in the 1930’s, exceptions can be made.
From 1932 through 1937, there were few pitchers in baseball in the same class as Dean. He was a four time All-Star, and won the MVP award following his stellar 1934 season when he was 30-7 with seven saves and a 2.66 ERA. In 1935 and 1936, Dean was second in the MVP vote. He led the National League in strikeouts four times, complete games and innings three times, wins twice and even led the league in saves in 1936.
Unfortunately, after the 1937 season, Dean was just about done. He had fractured his toe during the 1937 All-Star Game when Earl Averill hit him with a base hit up the middle, and after altering his delivery when he came back too quickly, injured his arm to lose his fastball. Even though his arm was gone by 1938, Dean finished his career with a 150-83 record and a 3.02 ERA, striking out 1,163 batters in 1967.1 innings.
One of the true characters in the game, Dean was known for his quotable phrases and his time as a broadcaster. With lines such as “The doctors x-rayed my head and found nothing” and his bravado, Dean was a true favorite amongst Cardinals fans and, when healthy, had cemented his place as the ace of the Gashouse Gang.
Dizzy Dean only had six seasons in his arm, but they were amongst the best in MLB history. One has to wonder what would have happened had he remained healthy.
Next: The Iron Man
73. Cal Ripken
For almost two decades, Cal Ripken was a fixture in the Baltimore Orioles lineup, never taking a day off. But he was far more than just the Iron Man of Baseball.
Best known for his incredible endurance and his 2,632 consecutive game streak, Ripken was far more than a permanent part of the Orioles lineup. He helped changed the way the shortstop position was looked at, being more than a glove first middle infielder. He was a 19 time All-Star, won the Rookie of the Year award in 1982, was a two time MVP, an eight time Silver Slugger and won two Gold Gloves.
Far more than the consecutive games streak, Ripken was one of the premier offensive players of the 1980’s. He produced a .276/.340/.447 batting line with 431 home runs and 1,695 RBI. His 3,184 hits rank 15th all time in MLB history. Overall, his 95.5 WAR is 37th all time.
Not only was Ripken a gifted offensive presence, but he was a solid defensive player. He was frequently among the league leaders in putouts and assists, ranking eighth all time with 6,977. Ripken also ranks third all time with 1,565 double plays and with 176 runs saved at short. He was truly a gifted defensive shortstop, fitting well with the glove first mindset of the time.
Cal Ripken may be best known for his streak, but he was a force in every facet of the game.
Next: The Fordham Flash
72. Frankie Frisch
A force on the field, Frankie Frisch played with a confidence and swagger that may have been perfectly suited to today’s game.
Inserted directly into the lineup after he graduated from Fordham, Frisch made an immediate impact with the Giants. He quickly became a fan favorite and a team captain, helping to lead the Giants to the World Series every year from 1921 through 1924. Then, after a dispute with manager John McGraw where Frisch left the Giants, he was traded to the Cardinals, heading to lead them to four more World Series appearances.
The 1931 MVP, Frisch appeared in the top ten on the ballot three other times and made three All-Star Games. As the All-Star Game did not begin until 1933, when Frisch was 35, it is easy to imagine that he would have made quite a few other contests had the game existed earlier. Frisch led the National League in stolen bases three times, and was the league leader in hits and runs once.
A career .316/.369/.432 hitter, Frisch hit 105 home runs and stole 419 bases. His 2,880 hits rank 40th all time. A player who had an amazing ability to put the bat on the ball, he struck out only 272 times in his career, and his 33.5 at bat per strikeout mark is 13th in MLB history.
Defensively, Frisch was one of the best second basemen of all time. He ranks 16th in putouts at second (4,345), 13th in assists (6,026), 22nd in double plays (1,062) and 17th in range factor per game (5.89). There were few plays that Frisch could not make during his playing days, as he truly excelled in all facets of the game.
Wherever Frankie Frisch went, winning seemed to follow. As a stellar all around player, it is easy to see why.
Next: The Dutchman
71. Bert Blyleven
There may be few players that have been as underappreciated during their playing careers as Bert Blyleven.
Perhaps this was due to the teams he played on, as Blyleven only made three trips to the postseason in his 22 year career. Or perhaps this was due to how he was a steady, but relatively unspectacular, workhorse whose best pitch was a devastating curveball. Either way, Blyleven only made two All-Star Games and received votes for the Cy Young award on three occasions.
While one could consider Blyleven to be a bit of a compiler, his numbers do stand out when looked at over the course of his career. His 287-250 record belies his actual performance, and indicates the types of teams that he typically toiled upon. He finished his career with a 3.31 ERA and a 1.198 WHiP, marks that show that his record is not entirely indicative of his ability. His 3,701 strikeouts rank fifth all time, a testament to his durability and curve, and his 60 shutouts are ninth all time.
Blyleven appeared set to be snubbed once more by those in baseball, as he had under 30% of the vote for the Hall of Fame after six years on the ballot. However, the rise of sabermetrics and a series of articles by Rich Lederer helped boost his candidacy, helping him gain his induction on his 14th year on the ballot.
Next: Has Jamaal Charles Lost a Step?
To his detractors, Bert Blyleven was someone who hung around the game and compiled meaningless statistics. However, he was far better than his record indicated, and had he been fortunate enough to pitch on more competitive teams, there likely would not be a question as to his place among baseball’s greats.