The 200 Greatest Major League Baseball Players of All Time, 2012 Ed. 101-110

The previous ten is here.

101. Rick Reuschel 1972-91 RHP Cubs/Giants
       67.2
       ERA+114
       225-176
       MVPQ=1977
       IP=3550

102. Sam Crawford 1899-1917 RF Tigers
       67.15
       OPS+144
       .308/.367/.533
       MVPQ=none
       PA=10,600

103.  Ryne Sandberg 2B Cubs 1981-1997
        67.1
        OPS+114
        .288/.351/.481
        MVPQ=1984, 1992
        PA=9300
     
104. John Clarkson 1882-94 RHP/RF
        67.05
        ERA+134
       OPS+60
       177-127
       .217/.249/.339
        MVPQ=1886
        Inner circle=1885, 1887, 1889
        IP=4500
        PA=2050

105.  Willie McCovey 1B Giants 1958-80
        67
        OPS+147
        .280/.389/.569
        MVPQ=1969
        PA=9900


106.  Red Ruffing 1924-47 RHP Yankees/Red Sox
       66.9
       ERA+110
       247-227
       MVPQ=none
       IP=4350
   
107. Reggie Jackson A's/Yankees/Angels 1967-87 RF
       66.5
       OPS+ 139
       .269/.363/.539
       MVPQ=1969
       PA=11,400
     
108.  Bob Feller RHP Indians 1936-56
       66.5
       241-175
       ERA+122
       MVPQ=1941
       Elite=1939, 1940
       Inner circle=1946
       IP=3800

109.  Jim Palmer RHP Orioles 1965-84
       66.4
       ERA+126
       228-178
       MVPQ=1975
       IP=3950
     
110.   Derek Jeter SS Yankees 1995-
       66.3
       .309/.381/.449
        OPS+117
       MVPQ=none
       PA=11,150

If Jeter's 2012 matches his 2011 and absent injury its hard to imagine he could have a less valuable season, he will crack the top 100 at year's end.  He doesn't make the all time team; per game, Boudreau was solidly better and he retains the backup spot.

Similarly, Sandberg doesn't crack the roster either given how many more plate appearances it took for him to accumulate his value than it took for Gordon.

Stretch is in the same spot; his value advantage over Greenberg gives him a better argument than Jeter/Sandberg, but still you need to say Greenberg was the better player.

Crawford and Reggie are comparable; Crawford had a little better bat and a little more value in fewer plate appearances; so despite the absence of MVPQ season, he was a better player.  Crawford had a solidly better bat than Medwick, but without any MVPQ seasons and with 2,000 more plate appearances I think you'd lean Ducky for the backup RF spot.

Feller/Clarkson/Palmer, in that order, are pitching staff contenders.  Feller's got so many top end seasons; he slides in right after Newhouser.  In fact, let me backtrack - Clarkson was better than both of them.  Palmer can't quite beat out Whitey Ford, sitting there in the last spot on the roster, but to get to 25, I'll add him and Sam Crawford.

So - 100 players down, half of the list gone - here's the All Time MLB 25 Man Roster:

C Piazza
    Dickey
1B McGwire
     Greenberg
2B Robinson
      Gordon
SS Banks
      Boudreau
3B Allen
LF Jackson
     Flick
CF Hamilton
RF Heilmann
      Medwick
      Crawford

P Walsh
    Rivera
    Clarkson
    Newhouser(L)
    Feller
    Halladay
    Marichal
    Ford
    Palmer

Uti Caruthers

The 200 Greatest Major League Baseball Players of All Time, 2012 Ed. 111-120

The previous post is here.

111.   Billy Hamilton 1888-1901 OF Phillies/Beaneaters
        66.2
        OPS+141
        .319/.437/.463
        MVPQ=1894
        PA=7600      

112. Carlton Fisk C Red Sox/White Sox 1969-93
        65.8
        OPS+117
        .261/.339/.473
        MVPQ=none
        PA=9850

113. Roy Halladay RHP 1998- Blue Jays 
        65.75
        ERA+138
        193-121
        MVPQ=none
        IP=2500

114. Joe Cronin SS 1926-45 Red Sox/Senators
        65.55
        OPS+119
        .281/.365/.467
         Elite=1930
       PA=8800

115. Larry Walker 1989-05 RF Rockies/Expos
        65.4
        OPS+140
        .293/.384/.533
        MVPQ=none
         PA=8000
     
116. Yogi Berra C Yankees 1946-65
        65.3
        OPS+125
        .286/.343/.514
        MVPQ=none
        PA=8350

117. Mark McGwire 1B Athletics/Cardinals 1986-01
        64.9
        OPS+162
        .270/.399/.618
        MVPQ=1998
        PA=7650


118. Tim Keefe 1880-93 RHP Giants
        64.85
        ERA+127
        185-124
        Inner Circle=1883
        IP=5050
     
119. Bob Caruthers 1884-93 RHP/RF
        64.55
        ERA+123
        OPS+133
        102-81
        .269/.383/.433
         MVPQ=1888
         Elite=1889
         Inner Circle=1886, 1887
         IP=2800
         PA=2900
     
120. Juan Marichal RHP Giants 1960-75
        64.45
        ERA+123
        216-154
        MVPQ=1963
        Elite=1965, 1966
        IP=3500
     
The current all time subjective pitching staff will get shaken up following this section.  Let's start with Hamilton and his all time adjusted OPB of nearly .440; he's the new starting CF.

Fisk and Berra are both in this section; Piazza and Dickey are the current catchers on the roster.  Berra's bat puts him over Fisk and into contention, but I'll stick with Piazza and Dickey; they both had better bats, accumulated value in fewer plate appearances, and better top end seasons.

Cronin and Boudreau are really, really comparable - Boudreau's career was accumulated in significantly fewer plate appearances, so that's not going to change either.

Walker's bat compares favorably to Medwick, currently the backup RF - but Ducky's top end keeps the job.

McGwire and Greenberg are essentially the same player; McGwire's total value gets him the nod.

Now to the pitchers.  Let's rank this group in this order: Halladay, Marichal, Caruthers, Keefe.  Doc doesn't have the top end of any of the other guys, but is the best per inning pitched, Caruthers is the best two way player ever not named George Herman, Marichal and Keefe both hit you with big top ends.  Halladay/Marichal are going to slide into the all time rotation after Newhouser.  If Halladay's 2012 matches his 2011, he'd be just outside the Top 75. Keefe's not going to make it; Caruthers is going to be the 25th man on this team for as long as I can keep him there.

C Piazza
    Dickey
1B McGwire
     Greenberg
2B Robinson
     Gordon
SS Banks
      Boudreau
3B Allen
LF Jackson
      Flick
CF Hamilton
      Smith
RF Heilmann
      Medwick

P Walsh
    Rivera

    Newhouser (LHP)

    Halladay

    Marichal

    Ford

    Rusie

    Vance

   

Utility: Caruthers

We still need a backup third baseman, maybe we'll get one before we are halfway through the list.  And I'm down to 8 pitchers, I'm likely to carry one more.  That would be 26 as opposed to 25, we'll see how that turns out.