Peak OPS+
With an average 138.6 peak OPS+, Beltre is solidly in the middle class of our 20-player field. He stands ninth overall, just above the group average of 137.47.
The best news for Beltre may be this: All eight of the players ahead of him in peak OPS+ are already Hall of Famers.
Jones’ peak average of 152.6, sixth overall, is better than Beltre’s, but not decisively so. Again, Schmidt is the peak leader at 168.
Plate appearances is a significant standard because a player has to be on the field to help his team. At the same time, it is variable, given the differing lengths of seasons.
Still it is worth noting that Beltre ranks second among our 20 third basemen in plate appearances, his 12,130 trailing only Paul Molitor (12,167). When Jones retired, he had 10,614 plate appearances, 1,516 fewer than Beltre.
Here is how Beltre compares with the five best seasons by 3rd basemen all time as measured by peak OPS+:
1. Mike Schmidt 168.0
2. Eddie Mathews 162.0
3. Wade Boggs 158.4
T4 George Brett 153.6
T4 Home Run Baker 153.6
9. Adrian Beltre 138.6
And here is how he compares with the five best careers by 3rd basemen as measured by plate appearances:
1. Paul Molitor 12,167
2. Adrian Beltre 12,130
3. Brooks Robinson 11,782
4. George Brett 11,625
5. Wade Boggs 10.740