Top 10 position players of all time.( Baseball ). (1 Viewer)

[nvflash]

It's tough to narrow this list down to 10, I took into account durability and longevity, this list heavily favors runs scored, so it isn't just hits, RBI's and HR's. It factors in OBS and BB.

You have to be on base to score runs, and scoring runs is how you win.

1. Babe Ruth
2. Albert Pujols
3. Ty Cobb
4. Rickey Henderson
5. Stan Musial
6. Willy Mays
7. Hank Aaron
8. Cap Anson
9. Derek Jeter
10. Pete Rose

I know some notable names have been left off this list, Ted Williams, Lou Gehrig, Barry Bonds, Tony Gwynn.

We know why Bonds isn't on the list, he cheated and that inflated his stats. Williams and Gehrig just didn't get the stats because of the lack of games played. They are great players, top 25 all time to be sure.

Defense really doesn't factor into this list, but base running does. That's why Gwynn doesn't make the list, for as much as he was on base, his runs scored comes nowhere near anyone on this list, and you must score to win.

By my criteria Babe Ruth is still the greatest position player of all time, I know he played on great Yankee teams, but that just makes his Base on Balls stats that much more impressive. Ruth was not going fishing for balls out of the strike zone, he was just as happy to take a walk as he was to hit a round tripper.

Think someone else belongs on this list, don't like the order of the list. Let me know who, or what order you like and I'll see if they fit the criteria.

 

[mrjurrs]

It's tough to narrow this list down to 10, I took into account durability and longevity, this list heavily favors runs scored, so it isn't just hits, RBI's and HR's. It factors in OBS and BB.

You have to be on base to score runs, and scoring runs is how you win.

1. Babe Ruth
2. Albert Pujols
3. Ty Cobb
4. Rickey Henderson
5. Stan Musial
6. Willy Mays
7. Hank Aaron
8. Cap Anson
9. Derek Jeter
10. Pete Rose

I know some notable names have been left off this list, Ted Williams, Lou Gehrig, Barry Bonds, Tony Gwynn.

We know why Bonds isn't on the list, he cheated and that inflated his stats. Williams and Gehrig just didn't get the stats because of the lack of games played. They are great players, top 25 all time to be sure.

Defense really doesn't factor into this list, but base running does. That's why Gwynn doesn't make the list, for as much as he was on base, his runs scored comes nowhere near anyone on this list, and you must score to win.

By my criteria Babe Ruth is still the greatest position player of all time, I know he played on great Yankee teams, but that just makes his Base on Balls stats that much more impressive. Ruth was not going fishing for balls out of the strike zone, he was just as happy to take a walk as he was to hit a round tripper.

Think someone else belongs on this list, don't like the order of the list. Let me know who, or what order you like and I'll see if they fit the criteria.

You don't think the pitchers Bonds was facing were juiced?
Babe, Ty, and Cap should be eliminated because they didn't play against major league talent, they played against the most talented white players. There are some who suggest that the Babe would have qualified to play in the Negro Leagues.

 

[nvflash]

You don't think the pitchers Bonds was facing were juiced?
Babe, Ty, and Cap should be eliminated because they didn't play against major league talent, they played against the most talented white players. There are some who suggest that the Babe would have qualified to play in the Negro Leagues.

Cap, Babe, and Ty would have hit anyone. You could make the case that Jeter and Pujols faced the best pitching, you could make a lot of cases.

 

[dmpi]

I'd put Johnny Bench on the list just because I admire the guy.

 

[nvflash]

You don't think the pitchers Bonds was facing were juiced?

Bonds was the best player of his generation before he started on the performance enhancing drug, then he was in a league all his own.

If the pitchers were all juiced it didn't seem to matter to Bonds, if you put it over the plate he was taking you deep or you just had to walk him.

That was when he was 36-40 years old.

No one else even comes close to putting up those type of numbers at that age.

 

[Loulit01]

If Lou Gehrig's isn't on the list, the list is worthless.

 

[nvflash]

I'd put Johnny Bench on the list just because I admire the guy.

Only the pitcher and catcher are really woking all the time when the team is in the field. Everyone else is just standing there most of the time.

Likely I should do a top ten for catchers alone, because all that work wares on you and hampers your hitting. Also, catchers do a lot of things that don't show up in stats books.

I had planned a top ten list of starting pitchers, then relief pitchers, and a top five list of guys who did both on a high level.

If we think narrowing down a list of top 10 position players is though, top 10 starting pitchers is almost impossible because there are about 20 or 25 guys you can make a very good case for.

 

[nvflash]

If Lou Gehrig's isn't on the list, the list is worthless.

Lou was great, but he just got a bad break.

 

[Hari Seldon]

It's tough to narrow this list down to 10, I took into account durability and longevity, this list heavily favors runs scored, so it isn't just hits, RBI's and HR's. It factors in OBS and BB.

You have to be on base to score runs, and scoring runs is how you win.

1. Babe Ruth
2. Albert Pujols
3. Ty Cobb
4. Rickey Henderson
5. Stan Musial
6. Willy Mays
7. Hank Aaron
8. Cap Anson
9. Derek Jeter
10. Pete Rose

I know some notable names have been left off this list, Ted Williams, Lou Gehrig, Barry Bonds, Tony Gwynn.

We know why Bonds isn't on the list, he cheated and that inflated his stats. Williams and Gehrig just didn't get the stats because of the lack of games played. They are great players, top 25 all time to be sure.

Defense really doesn't factor into this list, but base running does. That's why Gwynn doesn't make the list, for as much as he was on base, his runs scored comes nowhere near anyone on this list, and you must score to win.

By my criteria Babe Ruth is still the greatest position player of all time, I know he played on great Yankee teams, but that just makes his Base on Balls stats that much more impressive. Ruth was not going fishing for balls out of the strike zone, he was just as happy to take a walk as he was to hit a round tripper.

Think someone else belongs on this list, don't like the order of the list. Let me know who, or what order you like and I'll see if they fit the criteria.

I'll take Williams, Gehrig, and Gwynn over Jeter or Henderson in a heartbeat.

 

[Bucky]

It's tough to narrow this list down to 10, I took into account durability and longevity, this list heavily favors runs scored, so it isn't just hits, RBI's and HR's. It factors in OBS and BB.

You have to be on base to score runs, and scoring runs is how you win.

1. Babe Ruth
2. Albert Pujols
3. Ty Cobb
4. Rickey Henderson
5. Stan Musial
6. Willy Mays
7. Hank Aaron
8. Cap Anson
9. Derek Jeter
10. Pete Rose

I know some notable names have been left off this list, Ted Williams, Lou Gehrig, Barry Bonds, Tony Gwynn.

We know why Bonds isn't on the list, he cheated and that inflated his stats. Williams and Gehrig just didn't get the stats because of the lack of games played. They are great players, top 25 all time to be sure.

Defense really doesn't factor into this list, but base running does. That's why Gwynn doesn't make the list, for as much as he was on base, his runs scored comes nowhere near anyone on this list, and you must score to win.

By my criteria Babe Ruth is still the greatest position player of all time, I know he played on great Yankee teams, but that just makes his Base on Balls stats that much more impressive. Ruth was not going fishing for balls out of the strike zone, he was just as happy to take a walk as he was to hit a round tripper.

Think someone else belongs on this list, don't like the order of the list. Let me know who, or what order you like and I'll see if they fit the criteria.

Hank Aaron is not even in the top ten or your honorable mention list.

LOL.

 

[nvflash]

I'll take Williams, Gehrig, and Gwynn over Jeter or Henderson in a heartbeat.

You could make the case for Williams and Gehrig but Gwynn's runs are not there because he didn't walk much and his OBP isn't that great.

Also the guy was just a slow and poor baserunner.

 

[nvflash]

Hank Aaron is not even in the top ten or your honorable mention list.

LOL.

He's #7 on the list.

 

[Loulit01]

Lou was great, but he just got a bad break.

Lou belongs on the list.

No only was his career cut short but seasons were also shorter.

Nevertheless:

Despite playing in the shadow of Ruth for two-thirds of his career, Gehrig was one of the highest run producers in baseball history; he had 509 RBIs during a three-season stretch (1930–32). Only two other players, Jimmie Foxx with 507 and Hank Greenberg with 503, have surpassed 500 RBIs in any three seasons; their totals were not consecutive. (Babe Ruth had 498.) Playing 14 complete seasons, Gehrig had 13 consecutive seasons with 100 or more RBIs (a major-league record shared with Foxx and tied in 2010 by Alex Rodriguez).

Gehrig had six seasons where he batted .350 or better (with a high of .379 in 1930), plus a seventh season at .349. Gehrig led the American League in runs scored four times, home runs three times, and RBIs five times. His 185 RBIs in 1931 remain the American League record as of 2024 and rank second all-time to Hack Wilson's 191 in 1930. On the single-season RBI list, Gehrig ranks second, fifth (175), and sixth (174), with four additional seasons of over 150 RBIs.

He also holds the baseball record for most seasons with 400 total bases or more, accomplishing this feat five times in his career.[101] He batted fourth in the lineup behind Ruth, making intentionally walking Ruth counterproductive for opposing pitchers.

Lefty Grove, one of the AL's best pitchers during Gehrig's playing days who often threw the ball at batters, refrained from doing so to Gehrig. "You can never tell what that big fellow will do if you get him mad at you," Grove explained.[102]

If Gehrig's not on the list, the list is worthless.

 

[nvflash]

Lou belongs on the list.

No only was his career cut short but seasons were also shorter.

Nevertheless:

Despite playing in the shadow of Ruth for two-thirds of his career, Gehrig was one of the highest run producers in baseball history; he had 509 RBIs during a three-season stretch (1930–32). Only two other players, Jimmie Foxx with 507 and Hank Greenberg with 503, have surpassed 500 RBIs in any three seasons; their totals were not consecutive. (Babe Ruth had 498.) Playing 14 complete seasons, Gehrig had 13 consecutive seasons with 100 or more RBIs (a major-league record shared with Foxx and tied in 2010 by Alex Rodriguez).

Gehrig had six seasons where he batted .350 or better (with a high of .379 in 1930), plus a seventh season at .349. Gehrig led the American League in runs scored four times, home runs three times, and RBIs five times. His 185 RBIs in 1931 remain the American League record as of 2024 and rank second all-time to Hack Wilson's 191 in 1930. On the single-season RBI list, Gehrig ranks second, fifth (175), and sixth (174), with four additional seasons of over 150 RBIs.

He also holds the baseball record for most seasons with 400 total bases or more, accomplishing this feat five times in his career.[101] He batted fourth in the lineup behind Ruth, making intentionally walking Ruth counterproductive for opposing pitchers.

Lefty Grove, one of the AL's best pitchers during Gehrig's playing days who often threw the ball at batters, refrained from doing so to Gehrig. "You can never tell what that big fellow will do if you get him mad at you," Grove explained.[102]

If Gehrig's not on the list, the list is worthless.

Lou would be #11, I can't bump Rose( 6th all time in runs scored ) for #13 on that list. Jeter could be bumped, but then he played in the modern era of specialized relievers and expanded playoffs and still won 5 titles.

Could make a case that Cap Anson could be bumped, he mostly faced the same guy over and over, but I just feel that era of baseball still deserves someone to represent it on the list, and Anson was the greatest position player until Ty Cobb.

 

[mrjurrs]

Cap, Babe, and Ty would have hit anyone. You could make the case that Jeter and Pujols faced the best pitching, you could make a lot of cases.

They could, but they didn't. You have no idea what their career stats would be if they did.

 

[mrjurrs]

Bonds was the best player of his generation before he started on the performance enhancing drug, then he was in a league all his own.

If the pitchers were all juiced it didn't seem to matter to Bonds, if you put it over the plate he was taking you deep or you just had to walk him.

That was when he was 36-40 years old.

No one else even comes close to putting up those type of numbers at that age.

Got any proof that steroids improve hand-eye coordination?

 

[Nickyjo]

It's tough to narrow this list down to 10, I took into account durability and longevity, this list heavily favors runs scored, so it isn't just hits, RBI's and HR's. It factors in OBS and BB.

You have to be on base to score runs, and scoring runs is how you win.

1. Babe Ruth
2. Albert Pujols
3. Ty Cobb
4. Rickey Henderson
5. Stan Musial
6. Willy Mays
7. Hank Aaron
8. Cap Anson
9. Derek Jeter
10. Pete Rose

I know some notable names have been left off this list, Ted Williams, Lou Gehrig, Barry Bonds, Tony Gwynn.

We know why Bonds isn't on the list, he cheated and that inflated his stats. Williams and Gehrig just didn't get the stats because of the lack of games played. They are great players, top 25 all time to be sure.

Defense really doesn't factor into this list, but base running does. That's why Gwynn doesn't make the list, for as much as he was on base, his runs scored comes nowhere near anyone on this list, and you must score to win.

By my criteria Babe Ruth is still the greatest position player of all time, I know he played on great Yankee teams, but that just makes his Base on Balls stats that much more impressive. Ruth was not going fishing for balls out of the strike zone, he was just as happy to take a walk as he was to hit a round tripper.

Think someone else belongs on this list, don't like the order of the list. Let me know who, or what order you like and I'll see if they fit the criteria.

Williams had WWII and Korea limiting his stats. A lesser impediment faced Mays, who could rank higher but for years spent at Candlestick with the wind blowing in from left field. Mays adapted his swing to hit many out to right.

 

[nvflash]

They could, but they didn't. You have no idea what their career stats would be if they did.

And we have no idea what Bonds stats would be without juice or Williams and Gehrig had they played 20+ full season.

The greatest position players of each generation of baseball is represented, and they put up the stats to prove their greatness.

 

[mrjurrs]

And we have no idea what Bonds stats would be without juice or Williams and Gehrig had they played 20+ full season.

The greatest position players of each generation of baseball is represented, and they put up the stats to prove their greatness.

Then Bonds is included.

 

[Nickyjo]

Lou would be #11, I can't bump Rose( 6th all time in runs scored ) for #13 on that list. Jeter could be bumped, but then he played in the modern era of specialized relievers and expanded playoffs and still won 5 titles.

Could make a case that Cap Anson could be bumped, he mostly faced the same guy over and over, but I just feel that era of baseball still deserves someone to represent it on the list, and Anson was the greatest position player until Ty Cobb.

One of the keys to appreciation of Lou G —look at the stats of his last year, when he was sick: .295, 29 HR, 114 RBIs, 117BB, 115 runs. This is a fabulous year for anyone, but compared to what came before, it said something was wrong.

 

[Hari Seldon]

You could make the case for Williams and Gehrig but Gwynn's runs are not there because he didn't walk much and his OBP isn't that great.

Also the guy was just a slow and poor baserunner.

The guy stole 50 bases one year. Better on base than Jeter and only 40 less SB in a career. .388 for career. Also played on much worse teams than Jeter. Also no DH. I would take Gwynn over Jeter based on hitting. Don't know what you are looking at.

 

[nvflash]

Then Bonds is included.

Nope, no body even comes close to Bonds production after the age of 35, his stats a tainted by the performance enhancing drugs.

He cheated, pure and simple.

 

[nvflash]

One of the keys to appreciation of Lou G —look at the stats of his last year, when he was sick: .295, 29 HR, 114 RBIs, 117BB, 115 runs. This is a fabulous year for anyone, but compared to what came before, it said something was wrong.

He does not have 3000 career hits and less than 2000 runs scored, if I make an exception because he could not play his full career then what about guys who only played 5 or 10 years who had great production.

Sorry Williams and Gehrig are top 15 all time, even given they could not play their full careers, they just don't make the top 10.

 

[nvflash]

The guy stole 50 bases one year. Better on base than Jeter and only 40 less SB in a career. .388 for career. Also played on much worse teams than Jeter. Also no DH. I would take Gwynn over Jeter based on hitting. Don't know what you are looking at.

Then it's likely the five rings Jeter has.

Jeter is #11 all time in runs scored, and Gwynn is #101. This isn't even a contest, Gwynn played for who he chose to play for, he could have left for a better team.

You ask me Gwynn was a selfish player who didn't care if the team won as long as he got two hits.

 

[Hari Seldon]

Then it's likely the five rings Jeter has.

Jeter is #11 all time in runs scored, and Gwynn is #101. This isn't even a contest, Gwynn played for who he chose to play for, he could have left for a better team.

I can't think of a dumber post about players but I'm sure you are capable. Runs scored has as much to do with the team as it does with the individual. Gwynn had a better batting avg and on base.