We wrap things up. Top of the list. The very inner circle. The greatest players of the greatest game.
25. RANDY JOHNSON LHP 126.4
1988-2009
Mariners/DBacks
WAR: 103.2
Per Game: 25
Postseason: 4.9
ERA+ 135
323-214
5 Cy Youngs, count them. 3 second place finishes. Led all MLB in K/9 8 times. Won 4 Cy Youngs in a row ages 35-38. Had the top FIP and WHIP in all MLB when he was 40. World Series MVP, Here's what Randy Johnson did in the 2001 World Series: 3-0, 1.04. 19 Ks. 3 BB.
24. NAP LAJOIE 2B RH 126.4
1896-1916
Naps/Phillies
WAR: 106.4
Per Gm: 20
Postseason: 0
OPS+ 150
.330/.377/.556
The ballclub was named after him. What else do you need? Lajoie hit .426 in 1901, one of 4 times he had the top BA in MLB. Lajoie broke in at 21, he'd hit over .320 every year until he was 33. He then hit over .320 the next 5 seasons.
23. ALBERT PUJOLS 1B LH 127.7
2001-22
Cards/Angels
WAR: 100.7
Per Gm: 15
Postseason: 12
OPS+ 145
.298/.377/.554
The Machine retires as the second best first baseman of all time with a 154 OPS+ at the age of 42, his first OPS+ to hit 100 since 2016. To that point, he had never been below 113 - in fact, in the first decade of his career he never had an OPS+ below 150. 3 time MVP. His translated homer total was 735. And then comes the postseason: In 88 postseason games an OPS of .995. 19 homers. NLCS MVP, two World Championships.
22. GROVER CLEVELAND ALEXANDER RH 130.9
1911-30
Cubs/Phillies
WAR: 109
Per Gm: 21
Postseason: 7.8
ERA+ 135
311-203, 34
Through 2022, the 4th greatest starter in history. 6 times he led MLB in wins. 5 times in complete games, 4 times in ERA., 4 times in shutouts, 3 times in Ks. In a 20 year career, his only season with an ERA+ below 112 was his final year, age 43, when he pitched just 21 innings. He won one title, in the 1926 World Series he was 2-0 with a save, 1.33, 2 complete games, 17 Ks, 4 BB. With the Cards down 3 games to 2 in Yankee Stadium, Alexander throws a complete game (holding Babe Ruth hitless). The next day, he comes out of the pen with a 1 run lead to shut New York out in the last 2 1/3, giving up only a walk (to Ruth, with 2 out in the 9th).
21. MEL OTT RF LH 131.9
1926-47
Giants
WAR: 108.2
Per Gm: 19
Postseason: 4.7
OPS+ 155
.283/.405/.593
The greatest player, beyond all doubt, to play his entire career in a Giants uniform. 6 times had an OPS above 1.000, 5 times led the NL in OPS+. 6 times led the NL in homers. Ott broke in at 17, had a 91 OPS+ at 19 -- and then from age 20 through 36, his lowest OPS+ was 134. Had a .901 OPS in 16 World Series Games.
20. ALEX RODRIGUEZ RH SS/3B 138.1
1994-2016
Yankees/Mariners
WAR: 114.8
Per Gm: 19
Postseason: 4.3
OPS+ 140
.284/.375/.562
Through 2022, the second greatest shortstop of all time; ARod's got nearly 25 points of Total Value on Ripken, the third greatest. Broke in at 18; hit .358 to lead all MLB at 20. 2 years later, had more hits than anyone in the AL. 2 years later had his 2nd of what would be 6 1.000 OPS years. Hit 52 homers to lead the AL the following year. Hit 57 to lead all MLB the next year. In 2003, ARod won his first of 3 MVPs. In 2007, ARod led all MLB in runs, homers, RBI, slugging, OPS, OPS+. From '96-'13, his lowest OPS+ was 111 at the age of 36. 735 translated homers.
19. MICKEY MANTLE CF SH 140.7
1951-68
Yankees
WAR: 104.6
Per Gm: 21
Postseason: 15.1
OPS+ 172
.309/.420/.615
Hit 13 homers when he was 19 years old. 3 time MVP. Look at the OPS+, look at the translated slashline. 652 career translated home runs. Led all MLB in OPS+ 5 times. 8 times had an OPS over 1.000. In 1956 he slugged .705. In an 18 year career, Mantle won 7 World Championships. His OPS in 65 World Series games was .908. He hit 18 home runs. Mickey Mantle won a dozen pennants.
18. RICKEY HENDERSON RH LF 141
1979-2003
A's/Yankees
WAR: 118.3
Per Gm: 18
Postseason: 4.7
OPS+ 127
.290/.411/.471
Rickey had 406 translated home runs. Rickey is the career leader in runs and steals. In Rickey's first 11 seasons Rickey led the league in stolen bases 9 times. Rickey led the AL in steals when Rickey was 39. Rickey had a 101 OPS+ in '97 when Rickey was 38, Rickey played until Rickey was 44, and only reached 100 OPS+ one more time, as a 40 year old Met when Rickey had a .423 OBP.
17. EDDIE COLLINS 2B LH 141.2
1906-30
Athletics/White Sox
WAR: 116.2
Per Gm: 19
Postseason: 6
OPS+ 142
.323/.414/.488
Through 2022, the second greatest second baseman of all time, 15 Total Value points up on Lajoie, who is next. Collins played 20 full seasons in his career, his lowest OPS+ was 111. Had an OBP in the .400s 16 times. 6 Time World Champion. Hit .328 in 34 World Series games.
16. LOU GEHRIG 1B LH 146.6
1923-39
Yankees
WAR: 109.1
Per Gm: 23
Postseason: 14.5
OPS+ 179
.312/.415/.665
There's quite a tie at 146.6 Total Value. First is Gehrig. 761 translated home runs, that's the current high mark. In 1927, Gehrig's translated home run total is 71. With 15 players left, he's the Home Run King. Discounting his final year, 1939, when Gehrig played in 8 games and died two years later, his lowest OPS+ was 127. From '27-37 Gehrig had over a 1.000 OPS...every single year. Discounting, again, the last 8 games of his career, Gehrig had over a .400 OBP all but one season. If you also take out 1938, Gehrig had over a .420 OBP all but one season. He broke in at age 20 - and in 13 games hit .423. The next year he played in 10 games and hit .500. Only death got him out. 7 World Championships, his World Series career OPS was 1.214.
15. TED WILLIAMS LF LH 146.6
1939-60
Red Sox
WAR: 122.8
Per Gm: 25
Postseason: -1.2
OPS+ 191
.326/.450/.671
And here's the other half of the tie at 146.6 Total Value. Look at that career OPS+. Look at it. Think of a current guy who can hit. Let's say Aaron Judge. You know how many times he's has a 191 OPS+ through 2022? Once. Juan Soto? Once. How about a legit all time great slugger, how about Reggie Jackson, a guy high on this list, a no doubt about it power bat? Never, not once. Ted Williams career average is 191. Career leader in OBP, .482. Ted Williams had an OPS over 1.000....every year in his career except 1959. When he was 40. Williams led all MLB in OBP 11 times. Led all MLB in OPS 9 times. In OPS+ 7 times. 2 time MVP, finished in the top 5 7 additional times. In his final season, a 41 year old Ted Williams had a 190 OPS+. And he missed his age 24-25-26 seasons for the War -- Williams had back to back 2nd place MVP finishes -- then missed 3 years for the War -- came back and won the MVP in his return season, then finished second, then third, then won it again. 721 career translated home runs.
14. STAN MUSIAL 1B/LF/RF LH 149.9
1941-63
Cards
WAR: 127.7
Per Gm: 20
Postseason: 2.8
OPS+ 159
.323/.409/.603
Just short of 150 Total Value; Musial had 691 translated homers. 3 MVPs, 3 World Championships, from 1943-63 an All Star every year. Led the NL in hits 5 times. In doubles 8 times. In triples 5 times. In batting average 7 times. In OBP 6 times. In slugging 6 times. In OPS 6 times. In OPS+ 6 times. Didn't have a season where he hit below .310 until he was 38. Never had an OPS+ below 101. Musial had 3,000 more plate appearances than Williams/Gehrig - and that's how you think about this, it's a balance; it isn't just "most WAR wins" - but 3,000 extra plate appearances where Musial maintained productivity - that ain't nothing. Per Game, you take Williams. But 3,000 extra plate appearances.
13. ROGERS HORNSBY 2B RH 150.4
1915-37
Cards/Browns
WAR: 126
Per Gm: 27
Postseason: -2.6
OPS+ 175
.326/.415/.618
625 translated home runs; Hornsby's home run total doubles with the translation. 3/4/6 translated slashline for the greatest second baseman ever. Hornsby's real career batting average was .358. Career OPS was 1.010. Hornsby hit .400 3 times. Hornsby had a .400 OBP in full seasons 10 times and once...once...Hornsby's OBP was .507. For 6 straight years, 1920-25, Hornsby led the league in BA, OBP, SLG, OPS, OPS+
12. MARIANO RIVERA RHRP 151.8
1995-2013
Yankees
WAR: 57.1
Per Gm: 59
Postseason: 43.7
ERA+ 205
122-48, 635
Okay. I really don't know if this one makes sense or not, Rivera broke the curve for the relief pitcher calculations, but after multiple data runs - this was the outcome. The 4th best pitcher who ever lived, the greatest player to only wear a Yankee uniform, the greatest postseason player in MLB history. Rivera's the career leader in ERA+ finished in the top 5 for the Cy Young 5 times. The key to this ranking is the postseason. 5 World Series Championships. Pitched in 96 postseason games, 141 innings, 8-1, 42 saves. 0.70 ERA. 110 Ks. 21 walks. Rivera gave up just 2 homers. Gave up just 86 hits in those 110 innings. It's sort of astonishing. World Series MVP, ALCS MVP. As I started this whole thing off with in part 1, I'm not sure how much postseason should weigh, so I just played with all the data until it made sense to me -- but the answer just can't be it should weigh nothing, particularly as MLB moves forward into its current playoff format.
11. HONUS WAGNER SS RH 152.2
1897-1917
Pirates
WAR: 128.7
Per Gm: 22
Postseason: 1.5
OPS+ 151
.315/.384/.562
The greatest shortstop who ever lived, the translation jumps his 101 career homers to 558. 21 career dWAR, per b-Ref -- and led the NL in OPS+ a half dozen times. Doubles 7 times, triples 3 times, RBI
4 times, stolen bases 5 times, batting average 8 times.
10. CY YOUNG RHP 154.1
1890-1911
Spiders/Red Sox
WAR: 140.4
Per Gm: 19
Postseason: 2.8
ERA+ 138
365-221, 15
Just 7 players in big league history with 140 WAR, here's the first. MLB career record for wins (511, which is silly, but his translated number is still 365 which tops the list so far) losses, starts, complete games, innings pitched (Cy Young pitched over 7300 innings, that's more than Unit+Pedro, for example). Young led all MLB in K/BB 11 times. BB/9 12 times. WHIP 6 times. FIP 6 times. In Young's rookie season, his ERA+ was 101...17 years later, it was 86. In between, Young's lowest was 120, and when Young was 41, his ERA was 1.26 in 299 IP.
9. MIKE SCHMIDT 3B RH 157.2
1972-89
Phillies
WAR: 131.7
Per Gm: 26
Postseason: -.5
OPS+ 148
.262/.380/.579
704 career translated homers for the greatest third baseman who ever lived. 3 time MVP including his age 37 season. 6 times Schmidt led MLB in homers. 6 times Schmidt led the NL in OPS+ 10 Gold Gloves and a World Series MVP.
8. TRIS SPEAKER CF LH 158
1907-28
Indians/Red Sox
WAR: 127.2
Per Gm: 21
Postseason: 9.8
OPS+ 158
.320/.404/.561
Like Musial, 12,000 plate appearances, very similar in OPS+, per game value, WAR -Speaker did it from center field, 2700 games in center field, and he had the extra postseason value which is the differentiator. 3 World Championships; in 20 World Series games Speaker was Speaker, hit .306, .856 OPS, just remarkably consistent throughout his regular season and postseason records. Career doubles leader. Had a .479 OBP when he was 37. If you're prioritizing, say the 7 best seasons in a career, Williams/Gehrig get the nod over Musial/Speaker -- but its not an enormous nod -- and then you add another 3,000 plate appearances where Musial and Speaker were still Musial and Speaker. I've been making this list forever, trying to find the "right" balance between career value and peak value, this time I tossed in postseason, and came up with a final number - believe me, whatever the calculation is, unless you're putting your thumb on the scale, will create results that you question - if you don't want to rank Mussina this high, I understand; if you want Bench to be higher, I understand - but when you tweak the numbers in a way that might generate those results, then new results pop up that will trouble you more. I like numbers, I like settling on an overall number, I like this list.
7. WALTER JOHNSON RHP 160.1
1907-27
Senators
WAR: 146.3
Per Gm: 25
Postseason: -2.8
ERA+ 147
382-203, 42
That's the new high mark for translated career wins. I started doing some version of list your all time starting 9" over 40 years ago; I do not think I've ever had a single baseball list where Walter Johnson was not the top starting pitcher ever. Until now where he is second. Career leader in shutouts. Led the AL in wins six times. Led MLB in ERA+ 4 times. Led the AL in complete games 6 times. Led MLB in Ks 7 times. Led MLB in FIP 5 times. Led the AL in K/BB 9 times. 2 time MVP.
6. TY COBB CF/RF LH 162.1
1905-28
Tigers
WAR: 140.6
Per Gm: 21
Postseason: .5
OPS+ 168
.349/.417/.595
The translation rockets Cobb's home run total to 541. By dWAR, Cobb was a negative glove. The career batting average leader, .366. Led all MLB in batting average 9 times, hit .400 3 times, the last when he was 35. Hit .316 when he was 19. He'd never have that low a batting average the rest of this career. .350 at 20. Had a 170 OPS+ at 21. When he was 22 he hit .377 and led all MLB in BA, OBP, SLG, OPS, OPS+. The next year he hit .382. The next year, .419. The next year, .409. Cobb never stops hitting, he hit .323 when he was a 41 year old Athletic. Cobb led the AL in OPS+ when he was 38. The second greatest center fielder of all time.
5. HANK AARON RF RH 163.9
1954-76
Braves
WAR: 137.5
Per Gm: 20
Postseason: 6.4
OPS+ 155
.312/.385/.615
Would you like to know how many home runs the translation gives Hank Aaron? 940. You normalize the history of MLB, put everyone in the same era on the same field and roll out the ball, Hank Aaron hits 940 homers. Career leader in RBI, career leader in total bases.
4. ROGER CLEMENS RHP 170.1
1984-2007
Red Sox/Yankees
WAR: 140.4
Per Gm: 29
Postseason: 9.6
ERA+ 143
391-218
The greatest pitcher who ever lived. Clemens has the exact same WAR as Young, but in 2300 fewer innings pitched. Johnson has 6 more WAR, but it took him a thousand more innings to get it. Clemens has 391 translated wins, that's the all time record. Led all MLB in wins 4 times, in shutouts, 4 times. In ERA+ 6 times, Clemens had a 1.87 ERA for the Astros at 42 after going 18-4 the year before when he won his 7th...I'm sorry, let me check that ag...yeah, his 7th Cy Young. Clemens pitched in 8 World Series games, 3-0, 2.37. Remember the stretch of the list with Gibson and Pedro and Spahn? That was 60 Total Value ago.
3. WILLIE MAYS CF RH 172.5
1948-73
Giants
WAR: 148.5
Per Gm: 24
Postseason: 0
OPS+ 155
.305/.391/.608
831 translated homers for Mays. Mays played 13 games in the Negro Leagues at 17; at 20, he was Rookie of the Year for the pennant winning Giants. Between injury and military service he only played in 34 games over the next two seasons. In 1954, in his second full MLB season, the Giants won the World Series and Mays won the MVP. In 1955, a 25 year old Mays led MLB in triples, homers, slugging, OPS and total bases. In '56, Mays started a 4 year run of leading MLB in steals. In '57, Mays had his 3rd season over 1.000 OPS. In '58 the Giants moved west and a 27 year old Mays led the NL in OPS+ and total bases. Mays wins his second MVP 7 years later, in 1965, when he led MLB in OBP, SLG, OPS, OPS+ and total bases. From '54-'65, Mays never had an OPS below .925. How did Mays age? Great. In 1971, a 40 year old Willie Mays had a 158 OPS and led the NL in OBP. How was Mays with the Mets? In 1972, Mays was 41, in 242 plate appearances with the Mets, Mays had a .402 OBP and a 145 OPS+.
The top two players are the top two players. It's not close.
2. BARRY BONDS LH LF 195.6
1986-2007
Giants/Pirates
WAR: 164.4
Per Gm: 26
Postseason: 5.2
OPS+ 182
.296/.439/.631
Bonds keeps the single season home run record, 72 in 2001, with the translated stats, but falls behind Aaron with 844 career home runs. Look at that WAR - Bonds rolls right by the 150 mark. And the Total Value nears 200. Frank Thomas+Johnny Mize with room to spare. 7 time MVP. Career leader in homers, walks. In Bonds's rookie year, his OPS+ was 103. It would never be lower. In his second year, it was 114. It would never be lower. In his 4th year, Bonds's OPS+ was 126. It would never be lower. From the age of 25 to his retirement at 42, Bonds's lowest OPS+ was 156. Led all MLB in OBP 7 times. In OPS 6 times. In OPS+ 7 times. 5 times, Bonds led all MLB in all of it - OBP, SLG, OPS, OPS+. Bonds's OPS+ in his 4 consecutive MVP seasons: 259, 268, 231, 263. Bonds led all MLB in OBP in his final two seasons.
1. BABE RUTH RF/LF/LHP LH 241.8
1914-35
Yankees/Red Sox
WAR: 181.4
Per Gm: 31/13
Postseason: 18.3
OPS+ 206
ERA+ 122
.313/.445/.727
68-50, 4
If Ruth never pitched a game, his WAR would be 165, nearly identical to Bonds. His total value would be 206.2 and he'd still be first on the list. The translation gives him his home run record back - 1003. In 1916, a 21 year old Babe Ruth led the AL in starts, shutouts, ERA+. He did not give up a homer in over 300 innings pitched. The next year, he led all MLB in complete games. Babe Ruth's career ERA in over 1200 innings pitched is 2.28. Ruth was 3-0 in the World Series, in 31 innings pitched he had a 0.87 ERA. Ruth won 3 World Championships in 4 seasons as a pitcher with the Red Sox.
Ruth led MLB in homers 11 times. In OBP 8 times. In SLG 8 times. Ruth led the AL in OPS 13 times. He won 4 more World Championships with the Yankees; in 41 career World Series games he had 167 plate appearances: .326/.470/.744. Ruth hit 15 World Series homers. There's not a circumstance in my lifetime that anyone else will take this spot.
