Adrian Beltre has announced his retirement. In my mind he's a sure-fire first ballot Hall of Famer. Anyone who votes against him is ignorant to where Beltre stands in regards to the All-Time greats who have played third. Here's my list of the Top 5 All-Time Third Basemen:
1. Mike Schmidt - averaged 37 HR, 107 RBI and 101 runs scored in his career. The 12-time All-Star finished his career with 548 HR, 3 League MVP's and 10 Gold Gloves. The best all-around third baseman in history.
2. George Brett - averaged 19 HR, 96 RBI and 95 runs scored plus a career .305 batting average. Brett was also a 12-time All-Star and he won the 1980 AL MVP.
3. Adrian Beltre - averaged 26 HR, 94 RBI and 84 runs scored. Finished his career with 3,166 hits and 5 Gold Gloves.
4. Brooks Robinson - averaged 15 HR, 76 RBI and 69 runs scored. He was a 15-time All-Star and won an incredible 16 Gold Gloves. He was the 1964 AL MVP and the 1970 World Series MVP
5. Eddie Mathews - averaged 35 HR, 98 RBI and 102 runs scored. Hit 512 HR back when 500 HR really meant something.
If you wanted to switch the order around after Mike Schmidt - I wouldn't argue too much but this is the way I view the list.
Jason Stark had this nugget about Beltre - he's the only player other than Willie Mays to have at least 3,166 hits, 477 HR, an .819 OPS and 5 Gold Gloves. Mays and Beltre - that's it! First ballot Hall of Famer!
Chris Lynch's slanted view on sports, politics and entertainment. Please send thoughts or comments to chris.lynch@gmail.com
Showing posts with label Eddie Mathews. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Eddie Mathews. Show all posts
Wednesday, November 21, 2018
Tuesday, September 04, 2007
Top 5 - Baseball Players from Texas
Here are who I consider the top 5 baseball players from Texas.
1. Rogers Hornsby - in 1922 he hit 42 HR and still hit over .400 (.401). Career batting average of .359 is second only to Ty Cobb's .364
2. Joe Morgan - perhaps the best 2nd baseman the game has ever seen (still a lousy announcer though)
3. Tris Speaker - Bill James has Tris Speaker ranked ahead of Joe DiMaggio in terms of all-time centerfielders. That speaks volumes.
4. Greg Maddux - 344 wins and counting
5. (tie) Frank Robinson - won the MVP in both the NL and in the AL (tie) Ernie Banks - Mr. Cub - 2 time MVP and 14 time All-Star (tie) Eddie Mathews - 12 time All-Star who finished his career with 512 HR (tie) Nolan Ryan - the all-time strikeout king
An embarrassment of riches for Texas. This was the hardest state to rank the players because they are all so great. If you had to pick a single player for 5th place - who do you go with? In case you are wondering - Roger Clemens is not on the list because he was born in Ohio.
Here are who I consider the top 5 baseball players from Texas.
1. Rogers Hornsby - in 1922 he hit 42 HR and still hit over .400 (.401). Career batting average of .359 is second only to Ty Cobb's .364
2. Joe Morgan - perhaps the best 2nd baseman the game has ever seen (still a lousy announcer though)
3. Tris Speaker - Bill James has Tris Speaker ranked ahead of Joe DiMaggio in terms of all-time centerfielders. That speaks volumes.
4. Greg Maddux - 344 wins and counting
5. (tie) Frank Robinson - won the MVP in both the NL and in the AL (tie) Ernie Banks - Mr. Cub - 2 time MVP and 14 time All-Star (tie) Eddie Mathews - 12 time All-Star who finished his career with 512 HR (tie) Nolan Ryan - the all-time strikeout king
An embarrassment of riches for Texas. This was the hardest state to rank the players because they are all so great. If you had to pick a single player for 5th place - who do you go with? In case you are wondering - Roger Clemens is not on the list because he was born in Ohio.
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