I'm honestly not sure if this should be here or in MLB or in P&G so mods, please place it accordingly.
There's an article up on ESPN right now on Albert Pujols. Just how incredible he was. It got me thinking of who's the greatest right-handed hitter baseball has ever seen. After thinking about many possibilities, I narrowed the field down to six candidates. Let me first state that Josh Gibson was a player I considered, but there's just no way to accurately gauge his statistics and his ability, so reluctantly I had to leave him off the list. This is only talking about HITTING, not defense, not base running, just hitting. Note: by "fantasy season", I put their best number they've ever put up into one season, and the ops might not add up. I might take their best obp from one season and combine it with their best slg from a different season, and their ops from a third season; I won't take their best obp and slg and add them up to form their mythical best ops. Here are the six candidates, in alphabetical order:
Joe DiMaggio
- Career line: 7672 pa, 361 hr, 3948 total bases, .325/.398/.579/.977, 155 ops+
- Best season: 1939, 524 pa, 30 hr, .381/.448/.671/1.119, 184 ops+
- Peak five seasons: 1937-1941, 3070 pa, 169 hr, .350/.420/.638/1.058, 168 ops+
- Fantasy season: 141 r, 215 h, 44 2b, 15 3b, 46 hr, 80 bb, .381/.459/.673/1.119, 184 ops+, 418 tb
- Notes: 790 bb to only 369 (!) career strikeouts. 56-game hitting streak. 5 times with an ops over 1.050. In his career, at various points, he managed to lead the AL in batting average, slugging, ops, ops+, total bases, runs, triples, and rbi. So a very well-rounded hitter, whose numbers stack up historically and against his peers. Lost three prime seasons to WW2.
Willie Mays
- Career line: 12496 pa, 660 hr, 6066 total bases, .302/.384/.557/.941, 156 ops+
- Best season: 1965, 638 pa, 52 hr, .317/.398/.645/1.043, 185 ops+
- Peak five seasons: 1954-1958, 3316 pa, 192 hr, .328/.401/.618/1.019, 167 ops+
- Fantasy season: 129 r, 190 h, 43 2b, 20 3b, 52 hr, 141 rbi, 112 bb, .345/.425/.667/1.078, 185 ops+, 382 tb
- Notes: 10 seasons with ops+ of 160 or better. 10 seasons with 35 or more homers. At various points in his career, he led the NL in hits, triples, homers, walks, average, obp, slugging, ops, ops+, and total bases.
Albert Pujols
- Career line: 11823 pa, 639 hr, 5701 total bases, .301/.381/.553.934, 149 ops+
- Best season: 2008, 641 pa, 37 hr, .357/.462/.653/1.114, 192 ops+
- Peak five seasons: 2006-2010, 3354 pa, 207 hr, .330/.435/.628/1.064, 177 ops+
- Fantasy season: 137 r, 212 h, 51 2b, 4 3b, 49 hr, 137 rbi, 115 bb, .359/.462/.671/1.114, 192 ops+, 394 tb
- Notes: Has led his league in runs, hits, doubles, homers, rbi, average, obp, slugging, ops, ops+, and total bases. 10 straight seasons of 30+ homers, 100+ rbi, and .312+ average. 7 times with 40+ homers. 6 times with ops+ of 173 or better.
Manny Ramirez
- Career line: 9774 pa, 555 hr, 4826 total bases, .312/.411/.585/.996, 154 ops+
- Best season: 2000, 532 pa, 38 hr, .351/.459/.697/1.154, 186 ops+
- Peak five seasons: 1999-2003, 2989 pa, 193 hr, .331/.435/.637/1.072, 172 ops+
- Fantasy season: 131 r, 185 h, 45 2b, 3 3b, 45 hr, 165 rbi, 100 bb, .351/.457/.697/1.154, 186 ops+, 348 tb
- Notes: 5 times with 40+ homers. 6 straight seasons with an ops of 1.009 or better. Led the AL in homers, rbi, average, obp, slugging, ops, ops+, and total bases.
Frank Robinson
- Career line: 11742 pa, 586 hr, 5373 total bases, .294/.389/.537/.926, 154 ops+
- Best season: 1966, 680 pa, 49 hr, .316/.410/.637/1.047, 198 ops+
- Peak five seasons: 1965-1969, 3068 pa, 159 hr, .301/.401/.553/.954, 171 ops+
- Fantasy season: 134 r, 208 h, 51 2b, 7 eb, 49 hr, 136 rbi, 88 bb, .342/.421/.637/1.047, 198 ops+, 367 tb
- Notes: Led the league in runs, doubles, homers, rbi, average, obp, slugging, ops, ops+, and total bases. Four straight seasons leading the league in intentional walks (which speaks to how feared he was).
Mike Trout
- Career line: 3979 pa, 247 hr, 2278 total bases, .306/.418/.573/.990, 175 ops+
- Best season: 2018, 608 pa, 39 hr, .313/.460/.628/1.088, 196 ops+
- Peak five seasons: 2014-2018, 3183 pa, 178 hr, .303/.422/.588/1.010, 179 ops+
- Fantasy season: 129 r, 190 h, 39 2b, 9 3b, 41 hr, 111 rbi, 122 bb, .326/.460/.629/1.088, 196 ops+, 338 tb
- Notes: Has led the league in runs, rbi, walks, obp, slugging, ops, ops+, and total bases. 5 out of his 8 full seasons, he's had an ops+ of 168 or better.
Let me just put the slash lines and ops+ numbers up there to compare them all differently. In each listing, the best number in that category (avg, ops, etc.) is bolded.
Career line:
DiMaggio: .325/.398/.579/.977, 155 ops+
Mays: .302/.384/.557/.941, 156 ops+
Pujols: .301/.381/.553.934, 149 ops+
Ramirez: .312/.411/.585/.996, 154 ops+
Robinson: .294/.389/.537/.926, 154 ops+
Trout: .306/.418/.573/.990, 175 ops+
Best season:
DiMaggio: .381/.448/.671/1.119, 184 ops+
Mays: .317/.398/.645/1.043, 185 ops+
Pujols: .357/.462/.653/1.114, 192 ops+
Ramirez: .351/.459/.697/1.154, 186 ops+
Robinson: .316/.410/.637/1.047, 198 ops+
Trout: .313/.460/.628/1.088, 196 ops+
Best 5-year peak:
DiMaggio: .350/.420/.638/1.058, 168 ops+
Mays: .328/.401/.618/1.019, 167 ops+
Pujols: .330/.435/.628/1.064, 177 ops+
Ramirez: .331/.435/.637/1.072, 172 ops+
Robinson: .301/.401/.553/.954, 171 ops+
Trout: .303/.422/.588/1.010, 179 ops+
Fantasy season:
DiMaggio: .381/.459/.673/1.119, 184 ops+
Mays: .345/.425/.667/1.078, 185 ops+
Pujols: .359/.462/.671/1.114, 192 ops+
Ramirez: .351/.457/.697/1.154, 186 ops+
Robinson: .342/.421/.637/1.047, 198 ops+
Trout: .326/.460/.629/1.088, 196 ops+
So how would you guys rank these six? To me, Robinson is #6 (yet obviously an all-time, elite inner circle great), but otherwise, man it's really hard. Manny stacks up very well, especially in the slash categories. Not as much in the raw totals. Trout obviously has a problem with the raw totals because he hasn't played that long, and his slash numbers aren't as good as I thought (compared to these guys). But what he does have going for him is that *relative to his era*, he's the best of the bunch by a significant margin. The thing that helps Trout is that he doesn't have his "decline phase" impacting his stats yet. While playing longer helps raw totals and counting stats, they hurt the slash lines. Trout has the opposite thing going here - his slash line and ops+ numbers are great, but his counting stats suffer.
How would you rank these guys and why?
There's an article up on ESPN right now on Albert Pujols. Just how incredible he was. It got me thinking of who's the greatest right-handed hitter baseball has ever seen. After thinking about many possibilities, I narrowed the field down to six candidates. Let me first state that Josh Gibson was a player I considered, but there's just no way to accurately gauge his statistics and his ability, so reluctantly I had to leave him off the list. This is only talking about HITTING, not defense, not base running, just hitting. Note: by "fantasy season", I put their best number they've ever put up into one season, and the ops might not add up. I might take their best obp from one season and combine it with their best slg from a different season, and their ops from a third season; I won't take their best obp and slg and add them up to form their mythical best ops. Here are the six candidates, in alphabetical order:
Joe DiMaggio
- Career line: 7672 pa, 361 hr, 3948 total bases, .325/.398/.579/.977, 155 ops+
- Best season: 1939, 524 pa, 30 hr, .381/.448/.671/1.119, 184 ops+
- Peak five seasons: 1937-1941, 3070 pa, 169 hr, .350/.420/.638/1.058, 168 ops+
- Fantasy season: 141 r, 215 h, 44 2b, 15 3b, 46 hr, 80 bb, .381/.459/.673/1.119, 184 ops+, 418 tb
- Notes: 790 bb to only 369 (!) career strikeouts. 56-game hitting streak. 5 times with an ops over 1.050. In his career, at various points, he managed to lead the AL in batting average, slugging, ops, ops+, total bases, runs, triples, and rbi. So a very well-rounded hitter, whose numbers stack up historically and against his peers. Lost three prime seasons to WW2.
Willie Mays
- Career line: 12496 pa, 660 hr, 6066 total bases, .302/.384/.557/.941, 156 ops+
- Best season: 1965, 638 pa, 52 hr, .317/.398/.645/1.043, 185 ops+
- Peak five seasons: 1954-1958, 3316 pa, 192 hr, .328/.401/.618/1.019, 167 ops+
- Fantasy season: 129 r, 190 h, 43 2b, 20 3b, 52 hr, 141 rbi, 112 bb, .345/.425/.667/1.078, 185 ops+, 382 tb
- Notes: 10 seasons with ops+ of 160 or better. 10 seasons with 35 or more homers. At various points in his career, he led the NL in hits, triples, homers, walks, average, obp, slugging, ops, ops+, and total bases.
Albert Pujols
- Career line: 11823 pa, 639 hr, 5701 total bases, .301/.381/.553.934, 149 ops+
- Best season: 2008, 641 pa, 37 hr, .357/.462/.653/1.114, 192 ops+
- Peak five seasons: 2006-2010, 3354 pa, 207 hr, .330/.435/.628/1.064, 177 ops+
- Fantasy season: 137 r, 212 h, 51 2b, 4 3b, 49 hr, 137 rbi, 115 bb, .359/.462/.671/1.114, 192 ops+, 394 tb
- Notes: Has led his league in runs, hits, doubles, homers, rbi, average, obp, slugging, ops, ops+, and total bases. 10 straight seasons of 30+ homers, 100+ rbi, and .312+ average. 7 times with 40+ homers. 6 times with ops+ of 173 or better.
Manny Ramirez
- Career line: 9774 pa, 555 hr, 4826 total bases, .312/.411/.585/.996, 154 ops+
- Best season: 2000, 532 pa, 38 hr, .351/.459/.697/1.154, 186 ops+
- Peak five seasons: 1999-2003, 2989 pa, 193 hr, .331/.435/.637/1.072, 172 ops+
- Fantasy season: 131 r, 185 h, 45 2b, 3 3b, 45 hr, 165 rbi, 100 bb, .351/.457/.697/1.154, 186 ops+, 348 tb
- Notes: 5 times with 40+ homers. 6 straight seasons with an ops of 1.009 or better. Led the AL in homers, rbi, average, obp, slugging, ops, ops+, and total bases.
Frank Robinson
- Career line: 11742 pa, 586 hr, 5373 total bases, .294/.389/.537/.926, 154 ops+
- Best season: 1966, 680 pa, 49 hr, .316/.410/.637/1.047, 198 ops+
- Peak five seasons: 1965-1969, 3068 pa, 159 hr, .301/.401/.553/.954, 171 ops+
- Fantasy season: 134 r, 208 h, 51 2b, 7 eb, 49 hr, 136 rbi, 88 bb, .342/.421/.637/1.047, 198 ops+, 367 tb
- Notes: Led the league in runs, doubles, homers, rbi, average, obp, slugging, ops, ops+, and total bases. Four straight seasons leading the league in intentional walks (which speaks to how feared he was).
Mike Trout
- Career line: 3979 pa, 247 hr, 2278 total bases, .306/.418/.573/.990, 175 ops+
- Best season: 2018, 608 pa, 39 hr, .313/.460/.628/1.088, 196 ops+
- Peak five seasons: 2014-2018, 3183 pa, 178 hr, .303/.422/.588/1.010, 179 ops+
- Fantasy season: 129 r, 190 h, 39 2b, 9 3b, 41 hr, 111 rbi, 122 bb, .326/.460/.629/1.088, 196 ops+, 338 tb
- Notes: Has led the league in runs, rbi, walks, obp, slugging, ops, ops+, and total bases. 5 out of his 8 full seasons, he's had an ops+ of 168 or better.
Let me just put the slash lines and ops+ numbers up there to compare them all differently. In each listing, the best number in that category (avg, ops, etc.) is bolded.
Career line:
DiMaggio: .325/.398/.579/.977, 155 ops+
Mays: .302/.384/.557/.941, 156 ops+
Pujols: .301/.381/.553.934, 149 ops+
Ramirez: .312/.411/.585/.996, 154 ops+
Robinson: .294/.389/.537/.926, 154 ops+
Trout: .306/.418/.573/.990, 175 ops+
Best season:
DiMaggio: .381/.448/.671/1.119, 184 ops+
Mays: .317/.398/.645/1.043, 185 ops+
Pujols: .357/.462/.653/1.114, 192 ops+
Ramirez: .351/.459/.697/1.154, 186 ops+
Robinson: .316/.410/.637/1.047, 198 ops+
Trout: .313/.460/.628/1.088, 196 ops+
Best 5-year peak:
DiMaggio: .350/.420/.638/1.058, 168 ops+
Mays: .328/.401/.618/1.019, 167 ops+
Pujols: .330/.435/.628/1.064, 177 ops+
Ramirez: .331/.435/.637/1.072, 172 ops+
Robinson: .301/.401/.553/.954, 171 ops+
Trout: .303/.422/.588/1.010, 179 ops+
Fantasy season:
DiMaggio: .381/.459/.673/1.119, 184 ops+
Mays: .345/.425/.667/1.078, 185 ops+
Pujols: .359/.462/.671/1.114, 192 ops+
Ramirez: .351/.457/.697/1.154, 186 ops+
Robinson: .342/.421/.637/1.047, 198 ops+
Trout: .326/.460/.629/1.088, 196 ops+
So how would you guys rank these six? To me, Robinson is #6 (yet obviously an all-time, elite inner circle great), but otherwise, man it's really hard. Manny stacks up very well, especially in the slash categories. Not as much in the raw totals. Trout obviously has a problem with the raw totals because he hasn't played that long, and his slash numbers aren't as good as I thought (compared to these guys). But what he does have going for him is that *relative to his era*, he's the best of the bunch by a significant margin. The thing that helps Trout is that he doesn't have his "decline phase" impacting his stats yet. While playing longer helps raw totals and counting stats, they hurt the slash lines. Trout has the opposite thing going here - his slash line and ops+ numbers are great, but his counting stats suffer.
How would you rank these guys and why?