The 200 Greatest Major League Baseball Players of All Time, 2012 Ed. 161-170

The previous ten is here.

161. Wee Willie Keeler 1892-10 RF Orioles/Superbas/Highlanders
         59.15
         .335/.389/.451
         OPS+ 126
         PA=9600
         MVPQ=none

162. Jake Beckley 1B 1888-07 Pirates/Reds
        58.95
        .292/.349/.490
        OPS+ 125
        PA=10,500
        MVPQ=none

163. Vladimir Guerrero RF 1996-  Expos/Angels
        58.8
        .314/.377/.548
        OPS+140
        PA=9050
        MVPQ=none

164. Bobby Doerr 2B 1937-51 Red Sox
        58.55
        .279/.344/.483
        OPS+115
        PA=8000
        MVPQ=none

165. John Olerud 1B 1989-05 Blue Jays/Mariners
        58.5
        .296/.399/.471
        OPS+ 128
        PA=9050
        MVPQ=1993, 1998

166. Joe Gordon 2B Yankees 1938-50 Yankees
        58.45
        .269/.346/.513
        OPS+120
        PA=6500
        MVPQ=1942

167. Ducky Medwick  1932-48 LF Cardinals
        58.25
        .315/.358/.555
        OPS+134
        PA=8100
        MVPQ=1936, 1937

168. Jim Bunning RHP 1955-71 Tigers/Phillies
        58.25
        ERA+114
        229-176
        IP=3750
        MVPQ=1965, 1966, 1967

169. Richie Ashburn CF 1948-62 Phillies
        57.9
        .318/.405/.405
        OPS+ 111
        PA=9700
        MVPQ=1958

170. Joe Jackson LF 1908-20 Indians/White Sox
        57.85
        .343/.410/.592
         OPS+169
        PA=5700
        MVPQ=1911, 1912

In this section, we have Bunning, the first player of the 40 on the list so far with 3 MVPQ seasons; Jackson/Medwick/Olerud join the group who have two.  Jackson adds to that the best bat we've seen so far, a 169 OPS+ and my favorite pet adjusted slash, a 3/4/5 (joining Berkman and Flick in that group).  Jackson also has fewer than 6000 plate appearances, the fewest on the board so far - making him the best per game player on the list to date.  No Elite seasons (10 wins above replacement) in this group, Rusie/Giambi are still the only members of that club.

So, where do we stand a fifth of the way through the list?

C King Kelly
-clearly the best catcher with his .500 career adjusted slugging percentage

1B Hank Greenberg
     Jason Giambi
-no change at first base; Olerud had two MVPQ seasons, but runs smack into Giambi having a better top end, a better overall bat, and almost as much value in a thousand fewer plate appearances.  They both sit behind Greenberg, as he had a better bat than both and a couple thousand fewer plate appearances than Giambi.

2B Joe Gordon
-putting Gordon in direct comparison with Doerr gets the former on the team; Gordon had a better top end, a better bat (.513 career adjusted slugging from second base) and almost identical career value in 1500 fewer plate appearances.

No one at either short or third is in this conversation yet.

LF Ducky Medwick
-2 MVPQ seasons and a career adjusted slugging of .555.

RF Joe Jackson
      RF Elmer Flick
-Jackson's the best player in this first 40.  He's got 2 MVPQ seasons, a career slashline of 3/4/5, and accumulated his value in fewer than 6000 plate appearances.  Flick's also got a 3/4/5 slash but loses to Jackson on every count.

RHP Amos Rusie
        Dazzy Vance
        Jim Bunning
        Bret Saberhagen

Bunning's the first guy with 3 MVPQ seasons, but his adjusted career ERA isn't special, so that's where I'll slot him.