50. JOHN SMOLTZ RHP 105.5
1988-2009
Braves
WAR: 74.9
Per Gm: 22
Postseason: 14.2
ERA+ 125
245-194, 143
In 1996, Smoltz led MLB in wins. In 2002, in saves. In 2006, he led the NL in wins. He led the NL in IP twice in the 90s. Missed a year with injury. Pitched out of the pen for four years. In the mid 2000s, from the ages of 38-40, Smoltz again pitched in over 200 innings, starting a hundred games in 3 seasons, leading MLB in starts when he was 39.
49. JOE DIMAGGIO CF RH 105.8
1936-51
Yankees
WAR: 80.9
Per Gm: 21
Postseason: 3.9
OPS+ 155
.311/.377/.641
Broke in at 21 and led MLB in triples. In his second season he led MLB in homers and total bases. In his 4th season, he hit .381 and won the MVP. Next year he led the AL in OPS. Then came 1941, the year of the hit streak. DiMaggio missed his aged 28,29,30 seasons for the War. In 1947, in his second year back, he won the MVP. He was second the next year. In 1950, a now 35 year old DiMaggio led the AL in slugging. He would play just one more year. 9 time World Champion.
48. ROGER CONNOR 1B SH 106.2
1880-1897
Giants
WAR: 86.2
Per Gm: 19
Postseason: 1
OPS+ 153
.298/.387/.532
Connor played 16 full seasons, he only had two with OPS+ below 129.
47. CLAYTON KERSHAW LHP 106.6
2008-
Dodgers
WAR: 80.5
Per Gm: 31
Postseason: .7
ERA+ 157
242-131
Through 2022, 3 Cy Youngs. An MVP. 4 times the top ERA in all MLB. Through 2022, the active ERA+ leader. Kershaw hasn't thrown over 150 innings since 2019, but he is still bringing it, 12-3 with a 184 ERA+ He may have some room left to climb over the two pitchers right in front of him.
46. PEDRO MARTINEZ RHP 108
1992-2009
Red Sox
WAR: 82.8
Per Gm: 29
Postseason: 1.9
ERA+ 154
243-136, 2
Very Similar profiles, Kershaw and Martinez. WAR. Per Game. ERA+ Translated W-L record. 3 Cy Youngs for Pedro. Led MLB in ERA+ five times in WHIP 5 times, in FIP 4 times.
45. WARREN SPAHN LHP 108.1
1942-65
Braves
WAR: 94.9
Per Gm: 18
Postseason: .9
ERA+ 119
331-254, 30
Spahn draws us closer to the first 100 WAR player. His rookie year was late, he had a cup off coffee in '42, but then served for three years, so didn't have his rookie season until he was 25 in '46. Spahn led the NL in wins 8 times. In complete games 9 times. In strikeouts 4 times. Spahn led all MLB in complete games with a total of 44 when he was 41 and 42.
44. CAP ANSON RH 1B 109
1871-97
Colts
WAR: 93
Per Gm: 16
Postseason: -
OPS+ 142
.303/.385/.467
What a hitter. Cap Anson played 27 seasons, he didn't have an OPS+ below 108 until Year 27. Led the league in RBI 8 times.
43. MIKE MUSSINA RHP 110.2
1991-2008
Orioles/Yankees
WAR: 86
Per Gm: 24
Postseason: 6
ERA+ 123
287-199
Mussina's got more WAR than Martines, more per game than Spahn. Mussina threw 139 innings in the postseason, struck out 145, walking 33.
42. DAN BROUTHERS LH 1B 110.6
1879-1904
Bisons
WAR: 87.1
Per Gm: 23
Postseason: .5
OPS+ 171
.319/.408/.578
Brouthers has that 3/4/5 translated slashline and that monster, monster OPS+ Led the league in OPS+ 8 times.
41. GEORGE BRETT 3B/DH LH 110.6
1973-93
Royals
WAR: 89.5
Per Gm: 18
Postseason: 5.7
OPS+ 135
.319/.408/.578
Brett's got the translated 3/4/5 slashline; through 2022 he's the 4th best third baseman ever. Led the AL in batting average when he ws 23. Led the AL in batting average when he was 37. The year he almost hit .400 - you remember if you're of that age, 1980 when he hit .390; Brett's OPS+ that year was 203.
40. JOHNNY BENCH C RH 110.7
1967-83
Reds
WAR: 76.9
Per Gm: 18
Postseason: 5.7
OPS+ 126
.269/.345/.529
Catching's hard. The greatest catcher of all time. 2 time MVP, 2 time World Champion, World Series MVP (Bench hit .533 in the '76 Series) led all MLB in homers twice and RBI 3 times.
39. JUSTIN VERLANDER LHP 110.7
2005-
Tigers/Astros
WAR: 82.6
Per Gm: 26
Postseason: 7.9
ERA+ 132
277-177
Through 2022, 3 Cy Young Awards, including 2022, his age 39 season when he had a career best 220 ERA+. Verlander has led all MLB in innings pitched 4 times, including when he was 36, the next two seasons he pitched a total of 6 innings, and then came back with his best ever year, 18-4, 1.75, and his second World Championship. He may keep climbing.
38. WADE BOGGS 3B LH 111.3
1982-99
Red Sox/Yankees
WAR: 92.9
Per Gm: 17
Postseason: 1.4
OPS+ 131
.329/.419/.470
Boggs didn't have a season where he hit below .300 until he was 34. and then not a second until he was 39. Boggs hit .301 when he was a 41 year old Devil Ray. Led all MLB in OBP half a dozen times. Led the AL in intentional walks 6 straight years.
37. MIKE TROUT RH CF 112.7
2011-
Angels
WAR: 85.2
Per Gm: 28
Postseason: -.5
OPS+ 176
.320/.437/.633
Through 2022, the top ranked active player and that's likely to be the same status until retirement. Broke in at 19, his first full season was the following year. At the age of 20, Trout led the AL in OPS+ and won Rookie of the Year. That 168 OPS+ that led the AL? Through 2022 that is the second lowest of Trout's career. 3 MVPs, led MLB in OPS+ 4 times. Through 2022, active leader in OBP, SLG, OPS, OPS+. 2023 is his age 31 season; he does have some type of back condition - I'll say conservatively Trout retires as a top 20 player of all time.
36. CAL RIPKEN RH SS/3B 113.5
1981-2001
Orioles
WAR: 97.5
Per Gm: 15
Postseason: 1
OPS+ 112
.277/.345/.485
35.7 dWAR per b-ref. 21 year career - never had a negative glove. 19 time All Star. Had a 162 OPS+ when he was 30 and then the bat died, he only had 1 season in the back half of his career over 107 OPS+, that was an out of nowhere spike in 1999, in 86 games Ripken hit .340, his best ever BA and slugged .584, his best ever slugging. Ripken was 38 years old. He hadn't had an OPS within a hundred points of his 1999 total since he was 23. Brady Anderson was on that Orioles team, you know, the guy who hit 50 homers in '96 and who was a noted close friend of Ripken's. Cal Ripken is, of course, in the Hall of Fame.
35. BOB GIBSON RHP 113.8
1959-75
Cards
WAR: 87.4
Per Gm: 23
Postseason: 9.4
ERA+ 127
243-154, 6
Gibson threw 240 innings when he was 38. 2 Cy Youngs, an MVP, 5 times won 20+ games. 2 World Series MVPs. Gibson was 7-2 in the World Series, 1.89. 92 strikeouts. 17 walks.
34. BERT BLYLEVEN RHP 114.9
1970-92
Twins/Angels
WAR: 97.3
Per Gm: 20
Postseason: 3.6
ERA+ 118
311-220
Pitched 160 innings when he was 19. Didn't have an ERA+ below 108 for a decade. Threw 24 complete games when he was 34. Threw 200+ innings every year from ages 35-38. Nearly 5000 career innings pitched. Thousand more than Gibson, 2 thousand more than Martinez. Bert Blyleven had 18 seasons with ERA+ above 106.
33. LEFTY GROVE LHP 115.5
1925-41
Athletics/Red Sox
WAR: 91.2
Per Gm: 23
Postseason: 7.4
ERA+ 148
264-169, 66
The translation hurts his win total, which was 300 even. Led MLB in wins 3 times. Led the AL in Ks the first 7 seasons of his career. Led the AL in ERA+ 9 times, including the ages 38-39. 2 World Championships, was 4-2 with 2 saves in the World Series, 1.75 ERA, 4 complete games. Struck out 36, walked 6.
32. EDDIE MATHEWS LH 3B 118.5
1953-68
Braves
WAR: 94.7
Per Gm: 19
Postseason: 4.8
OPS+ 143
.283/.390/.572
Through 2022, the second greatest third baseman of all time. In seasons 2-4, at the ages of 22-24, had an OPS over 1.000. Didn't have an OPS+ below 108 until his final season, 31 games with the Tigers. Hit 20 + homers every year the first 14 seasons of his careeer.
31. JIMMIE FOXX 1B RH 119.5
1925-45
Athletics/Red Sox
WAR: 92.2
Per Gm: 19
Postseason: 8.3
OPS+ 163
.295/.392/.617
Broke in at 17, went 6 for 9. Had a 148 OPS+ at 20. Led the league in OBP at 21. Won the MVP at 24, hit 58 homers, 169 RBI, slugged .749, had a 207 OPS+...the next year, he did it again, another MVP, an OPS+ of 201. Over the next 6 seasons, Foxx led the AL in OPS+ 3 times and won a third MVP. Foxx pitched 23 innings in his career, had an ERA of 1.52. Foxx won two World Championships, in 18 World Series games he hit .344 with a 1.034 OPS.
30. TOM SEAVER RHP 121
1967-86
Mets/Reds
WAR: 104.7
Per Gm: 22
Postseason: .7
ERA+ 127
315-199, 1
Seaver breaks through the 100 WAR barrier and crosses 120 Total Value. 5 times won 20 + games; 3 time Cy Young winner. Double digit complete games in 13 seasons, the last being 1984 as a 39 year old with the White Sox. Led the NL in Ks 5 times. In a 20 year career, had an ERA+ below 100 just twice.
29. JOE MORGAN 2B LH 123.4
1963-84
Astros/Reds
WAR: 101.1
Per Gm: 18
Postseason: 4.3
OPS+ 132
.282/.405/.492
Back to Back MVPs in the Reds Back to Back World Championship seasons. Led the NL in OBP four times, broke in when he was 19, his rookie year was 2 years later; from that season to retirement at age 40, never had an OPS+ below 104. Had a run of 6 straight .400+ OBP seaons in mid career - then had one more; as a 38 year old San Francisco Giant.
28. GREG MADDUX RHP 125.2
1986-2008
Braves/Cubs
WAR: 110.1
Per Gm: 22
Postseason: -.3
ERA+ 132
363-295
Escalating quickly. 110 WAR, 125 Total Value. Maddux goes by Spahn to lead in most translated wins. Maddux won 4 straight Cy Youngs (and was top 5 the next 3 seasons) In all 4 of those years, Maddux led the NL in ERA+, FIP and IP. In '94-'95 Maddux topped 260 ERA+ both seasons; here was Greg Maddux in 1995: 19-2, 1.63, led MLB in complete games, led NL in shutouts, IP, FIP, led MLB in ERA+, WHIP, fewest homers/9, fewest walks/9, K/BB rate.
27. FRANK ROBINSON RF/LF RH 125.9
1956-76
Reds/Orioles
WAR: 106.3
Per Gm: 18
Postseason: 1.6
OPS+ 154
.293/.394/.590
Rookie of the year at age 20 with a 143 OPS+. Led MLB in OPS+ when he was 24. Won the MVP at 25. Led the NL in OBP, SLG, OPS and OPS+ at 26. 4 years later he's in Baltimore, led MLB in runs, HR, SLG, OPS, OPS+ and total bases. Robinson had 19 seasons where he played at least 40 games, his lowest OPS+ was 118.
26. CHRISTY MATHEWSON RHP 126
1900-16
Giants
WAR: 103.1
Per Gm: 22
Postseason: 7.5
ERA+ 136
270-170, 29
Won 373 games, so takes a translation hit. Mathewson had a cup of coffee at 19, but his rookie year was the next season when he won 20 games. He'd fail to win 20 only once between then and age 34 and he was out of the league at 36. Led the NL in K/BB 9 times. That's over half his career. 8 times in FIP. 6 times in ERA+. Led all MLB in Ks 4 times. Here was Christy Mathewson's 1908: 37-11, 1.43, he led the NL in saves, complete games, Ks, ERA+, WHIP, BB/9, led MLB in shutouts, FIP, K/BB.
