The 200 Greatest Major League Baseball Players of All Time, 2012 Ed. 31-40

The previous ten is here.

31. Christy Mathewson 1900-16 Giants RHP
      95.25
      ERA+ 136
      277-183
      MVPQ: 1910
      Elite: 1905
      Inner Circle: 1908, 1909
      IP 4800
      

32. Eddie Mathews 3B Braves 1952-68
      95.15
      OPS+143
      .289/.396/.562
      MVPQ=1953, 1959,
      PA: 10,100

33. Albert Pujols 1B Cardinals 2001-
      93.3
      OPS+170
      .337/.430/.632
      MVPQ: 2005, 2007, 2010
      Elite: 2003, 2004, 2006, 2008, 2009
      PA: 7400

34. Bert Blyleven RHP 1970-92 Twins/Indians
      91.3
      ERA+ 118
      308-220
      MVPQ=1973,
      IP: 4970

35. Steve Carlton LHP 1965-88 Phillies/Cardinals
      91.2
      ERA+ 115
      317-246
      Elite=1980
      Inner Circle=1972
      IP: 5200

36. Phil Niekro RHP Braves 1964-87 
      90.95
      ERA+115
      322-259
      MVPQ=1978
      IP: 5400

37. Gaylord Perry RHP Giants/Indians 1962-83
      90.9
      ERA+ 117
      313-239
      Inner Circle=1972
      IP: 5350

38. Bob Gibson RHP Cardinals 1959-75 
      89.65
      ERA+ 128
      247-157
      MVPQ=1972
      Elite=1970
      Inner Circle=1968, 1969
      IP: 3880

39. Nolan Ryan RHP 1966-93 Astros/Angels/Mets/Rangers
      88.05
      ERA+ 112
      337-262
      MVPQ=none
      IP: 5400

40. Roger Connor 1B Giants 1880-97 
      87.9
      OPS+ 153
      .310/.401/.546
      MVPQ=1888
      Elite=1885
      PA: 8850

Okay - we start with Pujols, he's the new starter at first and, with only 30 players remaining, the best player in baseball history.  Connor edges out Foxx as the starter for the B team.  Mathews (and yes, I also enjoy Mathews and Mathewson next to each other on the all time value list) is the new third baseman, everyone slides down a spot.  Then come all of these damn pitchers, you'd rank them in this order: Mathewson/Gibson/Carlton/Perry/Blyleven/Niekro/Ryan.  I'll put Matty second, although Grove has a good case to make to stay in that spot.  Gibson slides in ahead of Walsh.  Carlton is just ahead of Feller. Perry and Blyleven at the back end of team 2. The other two don't make it.  All but 30 players in MLB history are now accounted for.  Here are the current All-Time teams.

 Team One

 C Bench 
    Piazza

    
1B Pujols
     Brouthers
     

2B Robinson

      Grich

SS  Vaughan
      Banks

      

3B Mathews
     Boggs 
     

LF Delahanty

     Jackson

CF DiMaggio 
     Hamilton

      

RF Ramirez 

     Heilmann

     

 P Martinez
    Mathewson
    Grove (L)
    Gibson   
    Walsh

    Rivera
    Nichols

    Hubbell(L)

  

Uti Caruthers

Team 2

C Dickey
    Carter

1B Connor 
      Foxx
     
  2B  Gehringer
      Carew

      

SS Davis
     Boudreau
     
3B Jones
     Brett

     
LF Yastrzemski
     Flick


CF Griffey 
    Edmonds
     
RF Kaline 
     Waner
           

P Clarkson
   Newhouser (L) 
   Carlton(L)
   Feller
   Halladay
   Marichal
   Perry
   Blyleven

  

 DH Martinez

That Sin Cara Shirt

Yeah, that one.  You can buy it.

The Weekly Tendown: November 27-Dec 3 2011

Dear Internet:

It's the littlest Tendown ever.  It's Tendown 104. 103 is here.

Ready?

1. Summer Watches Survivor

2. Kirk Hiner Plugs the Blog
But not this one, the Counterfactual.

3. Let's have Fun With Newt
Newt Gingrich, the new presumptive GOP nominee, is opposed to the 99% movement, saying that it's un-American and divisive.  Don't divide the many against the few, Newt's saying.  We're all one united people!

Here's Newt Gingrich saying that Christians are a persecuted majority who must take back the country from a minority elite.  Don't let a small privileged group run your country, Newt's saying.  You fight for your rights!

Love me some Newt.  Gonna be a fun election.  (Probably, by the time you read this, the Herman Cain candidacy will be no more, but take a look at Men For Cain before Mr 9-9-9 becomes another highly paid mouthpiece for hegemony)

4. 3 Years in Jail
The thesis of Glenn Greenwald's new book is that the last 40 years has seen the criminal justice system simultaneously increase its degree of punishment for (sorry Newt) the majority of Americans who run afoul of the law while declaring that the power elite is essentially too big to jail. 

Here's an example of that a woman in Mississippi got 3 years in jail for lying on a food stamp application.

5. God Hates Menstruation
Homosexuality is, as you are aware, an abomination.  'Cause God says so in Leviticus.

Here's what else is condemned in Leviticus.

6. Smart Bomb Mouthwash
Hells yeah.

7. Tax Cuts Pay For Themselves
Take a moment and rewind to the discussion over the debt.  Remember that - we need to cut spending because our debt is too high.  But we don't need to increase revenue, say by allowing the Bush tax cuts to expire - because, as the Republicans made clear, tax cuts pay for themselves.

But not the payroll tax cuts, apparently, the Republicans blocked their extension this week, amounting to a tax increase on 113 million American households. 

8. Who Do Religious People Trust the Least?
Athiests. Well, and also rapists.

9. Who Does Mark Burnett Trust the Least?
If you've wondered why Survivor has felt a little like an evangelical rally (or a Denver Broncos game) the past two seasons, it could be because of his relationship with anti-gay preacher Joel Osteen.  His thoughts about menstruation have gone unexpressed.

10. The People's Convention of Florida
If you're in Orlando next weekend.

That's all for this time.  I'll be back next time.  If there is a next time...

Your pal,

Jim

The 200 Greatest Major League Baseball Players of All Time, 2012 Ed. 41-50

The previous ten is here.


41. Jimmie Foxx 1B 1925-45 Athletics/Red Sox
      87.4
      OPS+163
      .301/.398/.609
      Elite=1933
      Inner Circle=1932
      PA=9670

42. Lefty Grove LHP 1925-41 Athletics/Red Sox 
      85.4
      257-162
      ERA+148
     MVPQ=1930, 1931
      IP=3950

43. Robin Roberts RHP 1948-66 Phillies
      85.2
      ERA+113
     294-217
     MVPQ=1952, 1954
     Elite=1953
     IP=4700

44.Wade Boggs 3B Red Sox/Yankees 1982-99
     85.1
     OPS+130
     .327/.416/.447
      MVPQ=1985, 1987, 1988,
     PA=10,740

45. Al Kaline  RF 1953-74 Tigers
      85
      OPS+134
      .302/.378/.495
      MVPQ=none
      PA=11,600

46.    George Davis SS 1880-09 Giants/White Sox
       84.75
       OPS+121
       .290/.365/.467
       MVPQ=none
       PA=10,160

47 . Ken Griffey CF 1989-10 Mariners/Reds
       82.95
       OPS+135
       .282/.368/.540
       Elite=1996, 1997
       PA=11,300

48. Tom Glavine LHP Braves 1987-08
      82.8
      ERA+118
      294-249
      MVPQ=none
      IP=4400

49.     Dan Brouthers 1B 1879-04 Bisons/Wolverines
       82.55
       OPS+ 170
       .333/.422/.590
       MVPQ=1882,
       Elite=1886, 1892
       PA=7700
       

50. Kid Nichols RHP 1890-06 Beaneaters 
      82.45
      ERA+140
      224-173
      MVPQ=1890, 1893, 1897, 1898
      IP=5070

Foxx and Brouthers are contenders for the first base job, in the inverse order, Brouthers had a little more bat and more per game value.  They both move onto the A team roster.  Davis is the new starter for the B team at short.  Boggs is the new best third baseman ever, everyone slides down.  Griffey and Kaline are new outfield contenders.  Griffey can't quite make the A team, but is the new starter for the B squad, and he's flanked by Kaline.  Grove/Nichols/Roberts/Glavine, in that order, are the pitching contenders.  Grove's the second best starter on the board thusfar, right behind Pedro.  Nichols goes in after Rivera, neither Roberts or Glavine makes either team.

40 players left - that means at least ten of the following (including all four catchers) are still going to be here at the end.  Here are the current all time rosters.

 Team One

 C Bench 
    Piazza

    
1B Brouthers
     Foxx

     

2B Robinson

      Grich

SS  Vaughan
      Banks

      

3B Boggs 
     Jones
      

LF Delahanty

     Jackson

CF DiMaggio 
     Hamilton

      

RF Ramirez 

     Heilmann

     

 P Martinez
    Grove (L)   
    Walsh

    Rivera
    Nichols

    Hubbell(L)

    Clarkson

    Newhouser(L)

Uti Caruthers

Team 2

C Dickey
    Carter

1B Mize 
     McGwire


2B  Gehringer
      Carew

      

     

SS Davis
     Boudreau
     
     
3B Brett

      Allen
       


LF Yastrzemski
     Flick


CF Griffey 
    Edmonds
     


RF Kaline 
     Waner
      

     

P Feller
   Halladay
   Marichal
   Brown

   Schilling
   Mussina

   Ford
   Drysdale

   
   

DH Martinez

   

I Pick Every NFL Game in 2011 - Week 13

I'm 82-87-7 against the number, 120-56 straight up.

Philly -2.5 Sea(loss/loss)
Bills -2 Tenn(loss/loss)
Chi -7.5 KC(loss/loss)
Oak +3 Mia(Dolphins win)(loss/win)
Pit -7 Cin(win/win)
Was +3 NYJ(jets win game)(loss/win)
Hou +2.5 Atl(win/win)
Den +1.5 Minn(win/win)
TB -3 Carol(loss/win)
Indy +20.5 NE(NE wins - what's the biggest point spread in nfl history?)(win/win)
Ravens -7 Cle(win/win
Rams +13.5 Niners (niners win game)(loss/win)
Dall -4.5 Ariz(loss/loss)
NYG +7 GB (Pack wins game)(win/win)
Det +9 NO (Saints win game)(loss/win)
Jax +3 SD(loss/loss)

6-10, 88-97-7
11-5, 131-61