MLB all-time list: Expansion-era battle at second base behind Joe Morgan
By Bill Felber
MLB all-time list: Five-season peak performance
This criteria is simply the player’s best five-season average OPS+.
Here are the 10 best peak averages among the 30 candidates.
| Players (seasons) | Average |
|---|---|
| 1. Joe Morgan (1972-76) | 163.6 |
| 2. Rod Carew (1973-77) | 155.4 |
| 3. Robinson Cano (2010-14) | 142.2 |
| 4. Jeff Kent (1998-2002) | 141.8 |
| 5. Jose Altuve (2014-18) | 141.0 |
| 6. Bobby Grich (1979-83) | 139.2 |
| 7. Craig Biggio (1994-98) | 136.4 |
| 8. Chase Utley (2005-09) | 135.2 |
| 9. Ryne Sandberg (1989-93) | 133.2 |
| 10. Lou Whitaker (1991-95) | 132.4 |
Let’s begin by focusing on the Hall of Famers not named Joe Morgan. The clear edge goes to Rod Carew, secure in the category’s runner-up spot. Between 1973-77 he won four batting titles, topping out at .388 in 1977. Craig Biggio finished only seventh, Ryne Sandberg ninth and Roberto Alomar 12th, behind the entire top 10 plus Chuck Knoblauch.
Robinson Cano, Bobby Grich and Chase Utley all represented well for the non-Hall inductees. Cano’s candidacy, however, is likely to be hurt by his ordinary defense and his cumulative OPS+ may also be hurt by the fact that his career is not yet complete.
Morgan’s claim to the top spot is only intensified by his showing in this category. Between 1972-76, he never failed to post at least a .400 on-base percentage. In 1976 this was his slash line: .320/.444/.576. Guess who won the MVP?