MLB: Top 100 Players in Baseball History (70-61)
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 start to get to the middle part of our look into the top 100 players in MLB history, we are beginning to get into the area where these players are mainly household names. These players are among the elite in the game, and if they are not already Hall of Famers, they certainly deserve enshrinement.
The resumes of the players in this section are certainly impressive. They were amongst the best of their generation, true stars in their time. Their names are recalled fondly, still in the conversation instead of fading away. Even though some of these players have not played for decades, they are still fondly recalled for their exploits and contributions on the field.
Out of the 18,663 players in major league history, we are now down to the 70 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 greatest defensive third baseman
70. Brooks Robinson
If ever the Gold Glove award for third basemen was to be named for a player, Baltimore Orioles star Brooks Robinson would be the only logical choice.
Throughout the 1960’s and into the middle of the 1970’s, there were few players that could compare to Robinson. However, unlike most players, his star came from his amazing defensive ability. Robinson won 16 consecutive Gold Glove awards, the most of any position player in MLB history. He is the all time leader at third in putouts (2,697), assists (6,205), double plays (618) and runs saved (293). Overall, Robinson ranks third with a 38.8 career defensive WAR. Robinson was certainly without peer with the glove at third.
While Robinson may be recalled for his stellar defense, that is not to say that he was not an offensive threat. Although his overall batting line of .267/.322/.401 may not be overly impressive, he still managed to 268 home runs and get 2,848 hits. Robinson led the American League with 118 RBI in 1964, when he was named the MVP. He finished in the top ten in the MVP seven other times, and made 15 All-Star Games.
With a bit of pop in his bat, having hit twenty or more home runs five times in his career, Robinson was more than just a defensive wizard. In fact, Johnny Pesky once said that if Robinson could run, he would have been the perfect ballplayer. As it was, Robinson was a first ballot Hall of Famer, and perhaps the greatest defensive player ever to play his position.
Next: Big production in a small package
69. Willie Keeler
Listed as being 5’4″ tall and 140 pounds, Wee Willie Keeler proved that size alone cannot measure talent.
One of the stars at the turn of the century, Keeler had an amazing ability to put the bat on the ball and place the ball where he wanted it. From his first full season in the majors in 1894 through 1900, Keeler had a batting average of at least .370, with only Ty Cobb having more consecutive seasons at or above that mark. His .424 batting average in 1897 is the third highest in a single season, trailing only Ross Barnes and Hugh Duffy.
Overall, Keeler had an excellent .341/.388/.415 batting line. Known more for putting the ball in play and slapping singles, Keeler had 2,932 hits, 36th all time. His 2,513 career singles are the sixth best in MLB history, and he has the best mark for at bats per strikeout, striking out only once per 63.2 at bats.
Defensively, Keeler was a solid outfielder with a strong arm. He had 258 outfield assists, the 20th best of all time. Keeler also ranks 17th with 60 double plays, as he used that excellent arm to cut down any baserunner looking to advance on those potential sacrifice flies.
One of the best pure hitters in the history of the game, Willie Keeler once said that he “hit them where they ain’t.” He proved to be able to build quite the impressive career doing just that.
Next: The power of chicken
68. Wade Boggs
Wade Boggs was known for his superstitions, including his insistence on eating chicken before a game. Considering that he was one of the best hitters of the 1980’s, it is understandable that he would stay with his choice of cuisine.
Despite his ability to hit, Boggs spent six years in the minors, reaching the majors with the Boston Red Sox at age 24. In his first season, Boggs produced a .342/.406/.441 batting line in 104 games, yet finished third in the Rookie of the Year vote, behind Kent Hrbek and Cal Ripken. From that point, Boggs did not have a batting average below .325 for the rest of the decade, as he led the American League in average five times and on base percentage six times.
In his career, Boggs had a .328/.415/.443 batting line with 578 doubles and 3,010 hits. His 3000th hit was certainly memorable, as he became the first player in baseball history to hit a home run to reach that milestone. A first ballot Hall of Famer, Boggs was a twelve time All-Star and an eight time Silver Slugger winner.
Boggs was also more than just a hitter. He won two Gold Glove awards at third, and ranks ninth in assists and seventh in double plays at third base in MLB history. His 95 runs saved at third is the 11th best mark all time, showing that he was equally adept in the field as he was at the plate.
Wade Boggs may be remembered for his affair with Margo Adams and how he filmed his teammates affairs to keep his own a secret, but that did not change the player he was on the field. He may not have been a great person, but Boggs was certainly a great baseball player.
Next: The key to the Big Red Machine
67. Joe Morgan
Joe Morgan had been a solid player with the Houston Astros, but when he was traded to the Cincinnati Reds, he truly became a star.
A solid all around player, Morgan may well have been the best second baseman in MLB history. A true catalyst for the Reds, Morgan led the National League in on base percentage four times and drew over 100 walks in all but one season from 1969 through 1977. He was an All-Star in each of his eight seasons with the Reds, and eleven times overall. Morgan was a back-to-back MVP, taking home the award in 1975 and 1976, and finished in the top five two other times.
During his career, Morgan produced a .271/.392/.427 batting line with 268 home runs and 449 doubles. Despite never leading the league in stolen bases, Morgan ranks 11th all time with 689 steals. His 1,865 career walks are fifth in baseball, as he proved to be one of the best second hitters ever to play the game.
Defensively, Morgan was every bit as good as he was in the batter’s box. A five time Gold Glove winner, Morgan ranks fourth all time with 5,742 putouts and is third with 6,967 assists. His 1,505 double plays at second ranks sixth all time, as he solidified the middle of the Reds infield.
The Cincinnati Reds were a juggernaut through the 1970’s, but they did not take off until Joe Morgan came in to play second. With that trade, his career took off and Morgan arguably became the greatest second baseman in MLB history.
Next: An amazing career cut short
66. Ed Walsh
Another pitcher whose career was cut short due to arm injuries, Ed Walsh packed quite a bit of production into his seven year prime.
Pitching for the Chicago White Sox just after the turn of the century, Walsh became a mainstay in the White Sox rotation beginning in 1906. Over the next seven years, Walsh led the American League in ERA and strikeouts twice, and won 40 games during the 1908 season. A true workhorse, he led the league in innings four times, and in games pitched five times.
Although his overall 195-126 record may not seem impressive, the vast majority of that came in a seven year span. Due to arm injuries, Walsh only pitched in 33 games after his age 31 season. Yet, even with those injuries, he posted a major league record 1.82 ERA in his career, and a WHiP of exactly 1.000.
Walsh was far more than a dominant pitcher. He was considered one of the best fielders on the mound during his heyday, and may well have won multiple Gold Glove awards had the honor existed during his time. He also helped design Comiskey Park, which likely helps explain why it was so beneficial to pitchers.
He may have only had seven years where he was able to show how well he could perform, but Walsh still carved through the opposition and into the record books.
Next: A workhorse beyond compare
65. Robin Roberts
Robin Roberts had an incredible peak before falling off in the second half of his career. Even though he was not the same type of pitcher. Roberts was still productive enough to put together a Hall of Fame career.
From 1950 through 1956, few pitchers were the equal of Roberts. He was an All-Star in each of those seven seasons, finishing as high as second in the 1952 MVP vote. During that time, he went 157-96 with a 3.13 ERA and a 1.113 WHiP, leading the National League in wins and innings pitched four times, and twice leading the league in strikeouts.
Outside of that peak, Roberts was a fairly average pitcher. Yet, he still performed well enough to win 286 games (against 245 losses) with a 3.41 ERA and a 1.170 WHiP, striking out 2,357 batters in his career. Saddled with being on some fairly putrid Phillies squads during the 1950’s, one has to wonder what his career would have looked like on another, more competitive, team.
While he is remembered for his time in Philadelphia, ROberts bounced around a bit towards the end of his career. After a disastrous 1-10 season with a 5.85 ERA in 1961, Roberts was purchased by the Yankees, who released him before he ever took the mound for them. He then went to the Baltimore Orioles, before ending his career with the Houston Astros and the Chicago Cubs.
Unlike most pitchers who had such a brilliant, and brief, peak, Roberts managed to pitch for 19 years. Yet, it was that peak that made him a Hall of Fame pitcher, and one of the best to ever take the mound.
Next: He deserves to be in the Hall
64. Jeff Bagwell
Not only is Jeff Bagwell one of the greatest players in MLB history, but he may also be one of the five best first basemen ever to play the game. Just one look at his resume should be enough to have ensured his enshrinement in Cooperstown, yet seemingly unfounded PED allegations have hampered his candidacy.
Sent to the Houston Astros in exchange for Larry Andersen in what was one of the most lopsided trades in history, Bagwell became a star almost from the moment he put on an Astros jersey. He won the Rookie of the Year award in 1991, made four All-Star Games, won the 1994 MVP award and finished in the top ten on five other occasions, and won three SIlver Slugger awards.
A first baseman, Bagwell had a blend of power and speed that just had not been seen from that position. He finished with a .297/.408/.540 batting line, hitting 449 home runs and stealing 202 bases. Defensively, the Gold Glove winner had one of the best arms of anyone ever to play first, as he finished his career with 1,704 assists, third best in MLB history.
Yet, as impressive as Bagwell’s career was, he has not been enshrined in the Hall of Fame at this point. From the moment he appeared on the ballot, whispers of PED usage began to surface, although he had never been linked to steroids during his playing days. Fortunately, these seemingly baseless allegations are fading, and having received 71.6% of the vote last year, he seems almost certain to be inducted in the next few years.
Jeff Bagwell may have been overshadowed by some of the bigger sluggers during his era, but his career stands among the best that the game has to offer.
Next: The Triple Crown Winner
63. Carl Yastrzemski
Following in the footsteps of the immortal Ted Williams, Carl Yastrzemski was the last player to win the batting Triple Crown in the 20th century, and was known for winning a batting title with a .301 average in 1968.
Yet, he was far more than the answer to a trivia question. He was the unquestioned leader of the Boston Red Sox, an offensive threat that helped carry the team throughout the 1960’s and 1970’s. A 19 time All-Star, Yaz led the American League in batting average and doubles three times, while winning an MVP award due to his stellar 1967 season, where he produced a .326/.418/.622 batting line with 44 home runs and 121 RBI. He also led the American League in hits (189) and runs (112) that year.
Despite never collecting 200 hits in a single season, Yaz was an offensive force throughout his career. He hit at a .285/.379/.462 rate with 452 home runs, despite spending most of his prime during the second Dead Ball Era in MLB history. Yaz ranks ninth with 3,419 hits, eighth with 646 doubles and 13th with 1,844 RBI, cementing his place among baseball’s immortals.
He was also a stellar left fielder. Known for his ability to play the ball off the Green Monster, Yaz used his strong arm and uncanny ability to lead the American League in assists as a left fielder eight times, and ranks fifth all time with 177 assists. He is also tenth with 27 double plays as a left fielder. His excellent defense was recognized with a Gold Glove award seven times in his career.
A true hero in Red Sox Nation, Carl Yastrzemski was a great all around player, and a worthy successor to Williams.
Next: The Ryan Express
62. Nolan Ryan
One of the more intimidating pitchers in the history of the game, few players were as tough, either on the field or to face, as Nolan Ryan.
Remembered for his blazing fastball and questionable command, Ryan led his league in strikeouts eleven times, yet also led the league in walks on eight occasions. He won twenty or more games in a season only twice, and never won a Cy Young award, but was also virtually impossible to hit when on his game, as proven by his record seven career no hitters. An eight time All-Star, Ryan had over 300 strikeouts in a season six times in his career.
Pitching in a record 27 seasons, Ryan put together an interesting resume. He had a 324-292 record, with a 3.19 ERA and a 1.247 WHiP. Ryan is the career leader in strikeouts (5,714) and walks (2,795), and ranks second all time with 277 wild pitches. Yet, Ryan was also the most difficult pitcher in MLB history to hit, as he allowed only 6.6 hits per nine innings.
Along with his fastball, Ryan is remembered for a notable incident in his final season on the mound. On August 4, 1993, Ryan hit White Sox third baseman Robin Ventura with a pitch. Ventura charged the 46 year old, who put the upstart youngster in a headlock and began to pummel him in the head. Not only did Ventura become a bit of a punchline, but Ryan also emerged victorious in the game, allowing two runs, one earned, on three hits and two walks, striking out five in seven innings.
Nolan Ryan was a presence on the mound, a pitcher who could intimidate with his fastball and toughness. Any time he took the mound, there was a chance that history could be made.
Next: A Giant in San Francisco
61. Willie McCovey
At this point, Willie McCovey may be best known for the cove outside PNC Park that bears his name, but he was a fearsome power hitter in the second Dead Ball Era.
In a career that spanned four different decades, McCovey was a threat to hit a home run any time he stepped to the plate. He led the National League in home runs three times, hitting thirty or more home runs in seven different seasons. He also led the league in RBI twice, and in slugging percentage and on base percentage three times. A six time All-Star, McCovey won the 1969 MVP award, posting a .320/.453/.656 batting line, leading the league with 45 home runs and 126 RBI.
Even though he was not a regular until 1963 due to the presence of Orlando Cepeda, a player who also played first and left, McCovey certainly made up for lost time. His .270/.374/.515 batting line is a bit deceptive, as he posted a career OPS+ of 147, showing the depressed offensive production of his time. McCovey hit 521 home runs, good for 19th all time, while driving in 1,555 runs and drawing 1,345 walks.
Defensively, McCovey may well have been better served playing in the designated hitter era. While he appeared in the outfield and at first, he was not particularly adept at either position. Yet, as a first baseman, he still made enough plays to rank 45th all time with a 9.74 range factor per nine innings, and 30th with 1,405 career double plays.
Next: Top 100 players in MLB history (80-71)
Despite playing in an era when pitching dominated, Willie McCovey still posted some amazing power numbers. Just imagine what he would have done had his career been a decade later.