The positions and teams listed aren't comprehensive, instead they are most representative of the player's career.
The slash stats aren't raw, they're translated for park/era.
MVPQ refers to all seasons where the player had a combined WAR/WARP of 16, as that's the number that means a MVP caliber season.
200. Harmon Killebrew 1B/3B WARP+WAR 111.4
1954-75 Twins
Translated BA/OBP/SLG .268/.383/.545
OPS+ 143
MVPQ – none (Best season ’67 WARP+WAR 14.7)
-The precision with which we evaluate offense is sharper than our understanding of defense; were you looking to make changes to the list, one way would be to bump up guys like Killebrew, whose value was almost entirely tied into offensive production. An OPS+ of 143 is a big ole' stick.
199. Goose Goslin LF 111.5
1921-38 Senators
.289/.359/.503
OPS+ 128
MVPQ – none (Best season ’28 – 13.7)
-Gotta love that translated +.500 SLG.
-Gotta love that translated +.500 SLG.
198. Jimmy Collins 3B 111.5
1895-1908 Red Sox
.279/.337/.455
OPS+ 113
MVPQ – none (Best season ’98 – 15.4)
-WAR (reminder, I use the B-Ref version) overrates the 19th century players a little bit; consider that when looking at guys like Collins.
197. Jose Cruz LF 111.8
1970-88 Astros
.306/.375/.481
OPS+ 120
MVPQ – none (Best season ’84 – 15.3)
-Of note, Cruz's best seasons, sizeably so, were when he was 35 and 36. He has avoided steroid accusations.
196. Bobby Bonds RF 112.2
1968-81 Giants
.279/.336/.535
OPS+ 129
MVPQ – none (Best Season ’73 14.6)
-The first SFG; the father/son Bonds is the greatest father/son combo in baseball history.
195. Graig Nettles 3B 112.4
1967-88 Yankees
.257/.340/.469
OPS+ 110
MVPQ – none (Best season ’76 15.1)
-A mistake sportswriters have been prone to make (as reflected in HOF votes) is underestimating positional value (WAR does as well a little bit). Nettles wasn't a great bat, as evidenced by that 110 OPS+, but there aren't many guys who could give you two decades at third base with even that bat - and that's why Nettles makes the list.
-A mistake sportswriters have been prone to make (as reflected in HOF votes) is underestimating positional value (WAR does as well a little bit). Nettles wasn't a great bat, as evidenced by that 110 OPS+, but there aren't many guys who could give you two decades at third base with even that bat - and that's why Nettles makes the list.
194. Jack Clark RF 113.2
1975-92 Giants
OPS+ 137
.283/.395/.542
MVPQ - none (Best Season ’87, with Cardinals 12.7)
-Two SFG in this first section; note that his best year wasn't with the Giants, but instead with the Cardinals.
193. Ron Cey 3B 113.2
1971-87 Dodgers
.269/.365/.499
OPS+ 121
MVPQ – none (Best season ’75 - 15.1)
-The best of that longtime Dodger infield.
192. Dazzy Vance RHP 113.4
1915-35 Dodgers
ERA+ 125
MVPQ – 1924 (18.7) 1928 (18.7)
-Our first pitcher on the list; ERA+ works like OPS+ the higher above 100 (the baseline number) the better. Also the first player to have MVP type seasons; in my previous build of this list, I gave bonus points for those seasons to reflect some type of peak in my list - I'm not doing it here, but if you want to consider that, at his best, Vance was one of baseball best players (twice!) and bump him up, I wouldn't object.
191. Jim Bunning RHP 113.5
1955-71 Tigers/Phillies
ERA+ 114
MVPQ – 1966 (17.7) 1965 (17.4) 1967 (16.2)
-A better pitcher than statesman, which probably is not the last political comment in the list, but they're unlikely to be any more incendiary than that.
That's the first ten - next ten coming next week.
