Bracketeering: Historical MLB Players

by Spezzal Teams Playa

Above, you will find a blank bracket that you can use to predict the winners in our eventual coaches' poll. And don't forget that you can vote already for the 'play-in' matchup between George Davis and John Clarkson, to see who gets the final 16-seed in the Infielders Region.

I highly recommend that you DO NOT try "penning" them onto the .jpg using MS-Paint, but maybe some other photoshop program wouldn't take as long. Here is what took me an hour to "handwrite":

[UPDATE: April 2nd]

The first round of polling now complete, we can see that there were many upsets and several places where my own predicted backet was busted. Here are the results:

[UPDATE: April 8th]

After two rounds, we have narrowed things down to the Sweet Sixteen. My own personal bracket (above) is now thoroughly busted, as Babe Ruth was upset by Ted Williams. Here are the rest of the scores:

[UPDATE: April 10th]

After three rounds, we are down to the Elite Eight, with each "region" pitting its two "best" players against each other. Here is the new bracket:

[UPDATE: April 11th]

After four rounds, we have finally reached the Final Four, with no two same seeds having advanced this far. We are down to a single one-seed (Cy Young), and single two-seed (Rogers Hornsby), a single five-seed (Christy Mathewson), and the nominal Cinderella, Ted Williams, the eight-seed from the Outfielders. Here are the deets:

[UPDATE: April 13th]

Just to wrap things up over here on the blog, we ended up voting, 5 to 1, for Cy Young as the top pitcher, and voted 4 to 2 for Ted Williams as the top hitter. We followed that up with Ted Williams besting Cy Young by 4 votes to 2, to capture the title of Best Baller in Baseball History.

Thanks to all for participating in this lengthy, and not always interesting exercise.

My Enormous Crystal Balls: Prediction By Position

By Spezzal Teams Playa

So you guys already saw this shit, even though I strictly forbid you from doing so. I figured, why not throw it up on here, so that at the end of the season, I can point to it and laugh.


Starting Pitchers

1. Lincecum – led in K/9 (10.42)
2. Greinke – led in ERA (2.16)
3. Hernandez – led in W (19), QS (29)
4. Halladay – led in K/BB (5.94), BB/9 (1.318)
5. Sabathia – led in W (19)
6. Verlander – led in IP (240.0), W (19), K (269)
7. Haren – led in WHIP (1.00)
8. Wainwright – led in W (19)
9. Santana – only 73rd in IP (166.2), will improve
10. Johnson – 8th in QS (23)
11. Lester – 3rd in K/9 (9.96)
12. Carpenter – runner-up in WHIP (1.01), ERA (2.24)
13. Lee – 3rd in BB/9 (1.671)
14. Beckett – 5th in W (17)
15. Gallardo – runner-up in H/9 (7.271)
16. Hamels – 6th in BB/9 (1.998)
17. Kershaw – led in H/9 (6.263)
18. Hanson – 5th in H/9 (7.402)
19. Vazquez – 3rd in WHIP (1.03), K/BB (5.41)
20. Cain – 9th in ERA (2.89)

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Catchers

1. Mauer – led in R (94), H (191), HR (28), XBH (59), BB (76), AVG (.365), OBP (.444), OPS (1.031)
2. Martinez – led in AB (588), RBI (108)
3. McCann – runner-up in 2B (35), XBH (57)
4. Montero – 5th in 2B (30), despite being only 11th in AB (425)
5. Weiters – only 20th in AB (354), will improve
6. Martin – led in SB (11)
7. Soto – 5th in BB (50), despite being only 21st in AB (331)
8. Posada – 4th in HR (22), despite being only 15th in AB (383)
9. Napoli – 6th in HR (20), despite being only 16th in AB (382)
10. Doumit – runner-up in SB% (4-for-4), despite being only in AB (280)
11. Molina, B. – 6th in AB (491), RBI (80), HR (20), XBH (46)
12. Suzuki – runner-up in AB (570)
13. Pierzinski – 3rd in AVG (.300)
14. Molina, Y. – runner-up in SB (9)
15. Baker – 7th in 2B (25), despite being only 18th in AB (373)
16. Ianetta – 7th in OPS (.804)
17. Hernandez – only 24th in AB (287), 1B-eligible
18. Ruiz – 18th in H (82), despite being only 22nd in AB (322)
19. Posey – only 17 AB in 2009, will improve
20. Rodriguez – 10th in R (55)

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First Basemen

1. Pujols – led in R (124), HR (47), XBH (93), OBP (.443), OPS (1.101)
2. Cabrera – led in H (198)
3. Fielder – led in RBI (141)
4. Teixeira – 3rd in R (103), XBH (85), SB% (2-for-2)
5. Howard – led in AB (616), RBI (141)
6. Reynolds – led in SB (24), NSB (15), 3B-eligible
7. Votto – 3rd in OPS (.981)
8. Youkilis – 4th in OPS (.961), NSB (5)
9. Morneau – 12th in RBI (100), despite being only 25th in AB (508)
10. Gonzalez – led in BB (119)
11. Sandoval – led in AVG (.330)
12. Martinez – 5th in H (178)
13. Berkman – 5th in BB (97)
14. Morales – 5th in AVG (.306)
15. Butler – 4th in H (183)
16. Dunn – runner-up in BB (116)
17. Lee – 4th in OPS (.972)
18. Pena – 6th in HR (39)
19. Lopez – runner-up in AB (613)
20. Davis – only 40th in AB (391), will improve

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Second Basemen

1. Utley – led in SB% (23-for-23)
2. Kinsler – led in SB (31), NSB (26)
3. Pedroia – led in R (115)
4. Phillips – runner-up in RBI (98)
5. Cano – led in AVG (.320), H (204), XBH (75)
6. Hill – led in HR (36), RBI (108), AB (682)
7. Roberts – led in 2B (56)
8. Zobrist – led in OBP (.405), OPS (.948)
9. Kendrick – only 35th in AB (374), will improve
10. Uggla – led in BB (92)
11. Lopez, J. – 3rd in RBI (96)
12. Cabrera – 3rd in AVG (.308), SS-eligible
13. Stewart – 6th in HR (25), despite being only 25th in AB (425)
14. Weeks – 5th in OPS (.857)
15. Polanco – 5th in AB (618)
16. Prado – 4th in AVG (.307)
17. Hudson – 3rd in SB% (8-for-9)
18. McGehee – 4th in OPS (.859)
19. Barmes – 9th in HR (23)
20. Sizemore – rookie phenom

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Third Basemen

1. Rodriguez – 3rd in OPS (.934), BB (80)
2. Longoria – led in RBI (113), 2B (44), XBH (77), SB% (9-for-9)
3. Wright – runner-up in SB (27), NSB (18)
4. Reynolds – led in HR (44)
5. Zimmerman – runner-up in AB (610), R (110), HR (33), RBI (106)
6. Youkilis – led in OBP (.413), OPS (.961), 1B-eligible
7. Sandoval – led in H (189), 2B (44), AVG (.330)
8. Ramirez – 3rd in AVG (.317)
9. Figgins – led in AB (615), R (114), BB (101), SB (42), NSB (25)
10. Young – runner-up in AVG (.322)
11. Beckham – only 37th in AB (378), will improve
12. Jones – led in BB (101)
13. Davis – 11th in HR (21)
14. Beltre – 7th in SB (13), NSB (11)
15. Stewart – 7th in HR (25)
16. Cantu – 3rd in AB (585), 2B (42)
17. Peralta – 5th in AB (582)
18. Prado – 4th in AVG (.307)
19. DeRosa – 9th in HR (23)
20. Gordon – runner-up in SB% (5-for-5)

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Shortstops

1. Ramirez, H. – led in RBI (106), AVG (.342), OBP (.410), OPS (.953)
2. Tulowitzki – led in HR (32)
3. Reyes – only 60th in AB (147), will improve
4. Rollins – led in AB (672), XBH (69)
5. Jeter – led in H (212), R (107)
6. Zobrist – led in BB (91)
7. Ramirez, A. – 8th in HR (15), despite being only 12th in AB (542)
8. Bartlett – 3rd in AVG (.320), SB (30), NSB (23)
9. Andrus – led in SB (33), NSB (27)
10. Cabrera, A. – 6th in AVG (.308)
11. Drew – led in 3B (12)
12. Escobar, Y. – 6th in OPS (.813), OBP (.377)
13. Furcal – 5th in AB (613), BB (61)
14. Cabrera, E. – 6th in SB (25)
15. Peralta – 5th in RBI (83)
16. Tejada – runner-up in H (199)
17. Escobar, A. – 7th in AVG (.304)
18. Scutaro – runner-up in BB (90)
19. Theriot – 5th in H (171)
20. Cabrera, O. – 2nd in AB (656)

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Left Fielders

1. Braun – led in AB (635), R (113), H (203)
2. Holliday – 3rd in AVG (.313)
3. Crawford – led in SB (60)
4. Lind – runner-up in RBI (114)
5. Bay – led in RBI (119), OFA (15), FPCT (1.000)
6. Lee – runner-up in AB (610)
7. Choo – 4th in BB (78), OFA (11)
8. Dunn – led in HR (38), BB (116)
9. Abreu – runner-up in BB (94)
10. Quentin – 6th in SB% (3-for-3)
11. Ramirez – led in OPS (.949)
12. Gonzalez – 8th in FPCT (.988)
13. Ibanez – 4th in HR (34), SB% (4-for-4)
14. Soriano – only 27th in AB (477), will improve
15. Kubel – 6th in HR (28), RBI (103)
16. Span – led in Put-Outs (350)
17. Damon – led in SB% (12-for-12)
18. Borbon – 4th in AVG (.312)
19. Reimold – 15th in OPS (.831)
20. Morgan – runner-up in SB (42), OFA (13)

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Center Fielders

1. Kemp – led in RBI (101), OFA (14)
2. Ellsbury – led in H (188), SB (70)
3. Sizemore – runner-up in FPCT (1.000)
4. Granderson – led in AB (631), Put-Outs (400)
5. Werth – led in HR (36), BB (91)
6. Zobrist – led in OPS (.948), BB (91), ASST (247), DPT (55)
7. Upton – 3rd in SB (42), Put-Outs (375)
8. Hamilton – only 47th in AB (336), will improve
9. Victorino – led in R (102)
10. McCutchen – 7th in OPS (.836), OFA (10)
11. Jones – 8th in HR (19), RBI (70)
12. Hunter – 4th in RBI (90)
13. Gonzalez – 4th in OPS (.878)
14. McLouth – 3rd in DPT (4)
15. Span – runner-up in AVG (.311)
16. Bourn – runner-up in SB (61)
17. Rios – 6th in RBI (71)
18. Stubbs – 6th in FPCT (1.000)
19. Morgan – runner-up in OFA (13)
20. Pierre – 3rd in AVG (.308)

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Right Fielders

1. Kemp – led in SB (34), Put-Outs (377)
2. Upton – only 19th in AB (526), will improve
3. Suzuki – led in H (225), AVG (.352)
4. Werth – led in R (98)
5. Cruz – 3rd in HR (33)
6. Markakis – led in AB (642)
7. Ethier – led in RBI (106)
8. Zobrist – led in OPS (.948)
9. Hamilton – only 55th in AB (336), will improve
10. Choo – 3rd in AVG (.300)
11. Dunn – led in HR (38), BB (116), Put-Outs (673)
12. Abreu – runner-up in SB (30), BB (94)
13. Pence – led in OFA (16)
14. Bruce – 4th in OFA (11)
15. Kubel – 3rd in OPS (.908), AVG (.300), RBI (103)
16. Hawpe – 4th in OPS (.903)
17. Span – runner-up in AVG (.311), R (97)
18. Rios – 4th in Put-Outs (329)
19. Cuddyer – runner-up in Put-Outs (488)
20. Ludwick – 5th in DPT (4)

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Relief Pitchers

1. Rivera – led in NSV (42)
2. Papelbon – 5th in SV (38), NSV (35), ERA (1.85)
3. Broxton – led in W (7), K (114)
4. Soria – 4th in K/9 (11.72)
5. Bailey – led in IP (83.1)
6. Rodriguez – 7th in SVOP (42)
7. Marmol – led in HLD (27)
8. Wilson – 4th in W (5), SVOP (45)
9. Bell – runner-up in W (6), SVOP (48)
10. Soriano – runner-up in K (102)
11. Cordero – 4th in SV (39)
12. Valverde – 5th in W (4)
13. Aardsma – 3rd in HLD (6)
14. Jenks – 7th in BB/9 (2.700)
15. Fuentes – led in SV (48), SVOP (55)
16. Hoffman – 3rd in ERA (1.83)
17. Francisco – 7th in K/9 (10.40), K/BB (3.80), BB/9 (2.736)
18. Wagner – led in ERA (1.72), K/9 (14.94)
19. Gonzalez – 4th in W (5)
20. Feliz – led in WHIP (0.68), H/9 (3.774)

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The Top Ten List: The Top Ten Third Basemen List

By Will-He-M


Compiling this list taught me something important. Before now, I had no idea that the average third baseman had such a short MLB career. I always knew it was the most demanding position in baseball because I have played third base myself, for the past three years. When looking at the Catchers, and the First Basemen, and the Second Basemen, I noticed that they generally all had very long and careers and were still effective in the latter stages. The exact opposite seems to happen to the elite Third Basemen. They usually start their careers slowly, have tremendous success through their prime years, then just drop completely off during their final three to five seasons. I can honestly say that I have new found respect for these guys and I can finally sympathize with Chipper Jones for never having been able to stay healthy.

Before anyone has the chance to question the obvious, let me head them off at the pass. I have A-Rod ranked 8th for the simple reason that he has played just 752 of his 2024 career games at Third Base. I firmly believe that had A-Rod stayed at shortstop, that he'd be by far the greatest shortstop in MLB history. I just have a hard time trying to justify A-Rod's placement among the greatest when he's played just 37% of his career at a certain position. That said, tell me what you think of the order, in the Comments section.

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10. Frank "Home Run" Baker (Philadelphia Athletics, New York Yankees 1908-1922)
1575 GP, 5984 AB, 887 R, 1838 H, 315 D, 103 T, 96 HR, 987 RBI, 235 SB, .307 AVG, .943 FPCT

4x AL Home Run Crown Winner (1911-1914)
2x AL RBI Crown Winner (1912, 1913)
3x World Series Champion (1910, 1911, 1913)
Hall of Fame 1955

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9. John "Mugsy" McGraw (Baltimore Orioles, St. Louis Cardinals. New York Giants 1891-1906)
1099 GP, 3924 AB, 1024 R, 1309 H, 121 D, 70 T, 13 HR, 462 RBI, 436 SB, .334 AVG, .898 FPCT

3x World Series Champion (1905, 1921, 1922)
Hall of Fame 1937

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8. Alex "A-Rod" Rodriguez (Seattle Mariners, Texas Rangers, New York Yankees 1994-present)
2042 GP, 7860 AB, 1605 R, 2404 H, 428 D, 26 T, 553 HR, 1606 RBI, 283 SB, .306 AVG, .962 FPCT

3x AL MVP (2003, 2005, 2007)
2x Gold Glove Award Winner (2002, 2003)
10x Silver Slugger Award Winner (1996, 1998-2003, 2005, 2007, 2008)
12x All-Star (1996-1998, 2000-2008)

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7. Scott Rolen (Philadelphia Phillies, St. Louis Cardinals, Toronto Blue Jays, Cincinnati Reds 1996-present)
1630 GP, 5945 AB, 1021 R, 1679 H, 412 D, 35 T, 274 HR, 1067 RBI, 109 SB, .282 AVG, .966 FPCT

1997 Rookie of the Year Award Winner
7x Gold Glove Award Winner (1998, 2000-2004, 2006)
Silver Slugger Award Winner (2002)
World Series Champion (2006)
5x All-Star (2002-2006)

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6. Larry "Chipper" Jones (Atlanta Braves 1993-present)
2029 GP, 7361 AB, 1382 R, 2285 H, 451 D, 35 T, 409 HR, 1378 RBI, 138 SB, .310 AVG, .954 FPCT

1999 NL MVP
2x Silver Slugger Award Winner (1999, 2000)
World Series Champion (1995)
6x All-Star (1996-1998, 2000, 2001, 2008)

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5. Eddie Mathews (Boston Braves, Milwaukee Braves, Atlanta Braves, Houston Astros, Detroit Tigers 1952-1968)
2391 GP, 8537 AB, 1509 R, 2315 H, 354 D, 72 T, 512 HR, 1453 RBI, 68 SB, .271 AVG, .956 FPCT

2x NL Home Run Crown Winner (1953, 1959)
2x World Series Champion (1957, 1968)
9x All-Star (1953, 1955-1962)
Hall of Fame 1978

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4. Wade Boggs (Boston Red Sox, New York Yankees, Tampa Bay Devil Rays 1982-1999)
2439 GP, 9180 AB, 1513 R, 3010 H, 578 D, 61 T, 118 HR, 1014 RBI, 24 SB, .328 AVG, .962 FPCT

2x Gold Glove Award Winner (1994, 1995)
8x Silver Slugger Award Winner (1983, 1986-1989, 1993, 1994)
World Series Champion (1996)
12x All-Star (1985-1996)
Hall of Fame 2005

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3. Michael "Mike" Schmidt (Philadelphia Phillies 1972-1989)
2404 GP, 8352 AB, 1506 R, 2234 H, 408 D, 59 T, 548 HR, 1595 RBI, 174 SB, .267 AVG, .955 FPCT

3x NL MVP (1980, 1981, 1986)
10x Gold Glove Award Winner (1976-1986)
6x Silver Slugger Award Winner (1980-1984, 1986) *won the first five handed out
World Series Champion (1980)
12x All-Star (1974, 1976, 1977, 1979-1984, 1986, 1987, 1989)
Hall of Fame 1995

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2. George "Mullet" Brett (Kansas City Royals 1973-1993)
2707 GP, 10349 AB, 1583 R, 3154 H, 665 D, 137 T, 317 HR, 1595 RBI, 201 SB, .305 AVG, .951 FPCT

1980 AL MVP
Gold Glove Award Winner (1985)
3x Silver Slugger Award Winner (1980, 1985, 1988) *won the inaugural award
World Series Champion (1985)
13x All-Star (1976-1988)
Hall of Fame 1999

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1. Brooks "Vacuum Cleaner" Robinson (Baltimore Orioles 1955-1977)
2896 GP, 10654 AB, 1232 R, 2848 H, 482 D, 68 T, 268 HR, 1357 RBI, 28 SB, .267 AVG, .971 FPCT

1964 AL MVP
16x Gold Glove Award Winner (1960-1975)
15x All-Star (1960-1974)
Hall of Fame 1983




[Editor's Note: This list was originally published on April 30th, 2009].

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