ESPN's Top 100 MLB Players of All Time

Pujols? Didn't see him yet.

 

Walter Johnson was clocked 2 different times with a gravity drop recorder on this fastball. Due to his low sidearm delivery, he had to stand 75 feet away. They estimated him to throw at 95.1 Mph in 1912 and 93.4 in 1917. Johnson was not adequately warmed up for this test and he had to throw the ball at a shoulder level, a level that he wasn't too comfortable with. He was also clocked at 99.7 using the same motorcycle test that Bob Feller did. Based on this, I believe that Walter Johnson in his prime was somewhere in the 97-99 mph. Bob Feller easily over 100 mph and is said to have the 2nd fastest fastball ever(behind Nolan Ryan). However, Walter Johnson had pinpoint control. And just was important, his sidearm delivery was very difficult to hit

On another note, Christy Mathewson was tested with the same device in 1917 when his arm was already fried. Mathewson was clocked at 88.6. Mathewson's arm actually started failing him in 1914 when he had an ERA+ of 88, down 64 points from his league leading ERA+ of 152 the year before. Mathewson's ERA+ the last 3 years of his career(1914-1916) was a pitiful 82. I believe that Christy Mathewson threw somewhere around 94-95 in his prime.

 

Slapping head.

 

You're telling me that pitchers from 100+ years ago threw just as hard as modern pitchers? No way. A four minute mile was once considered impossible now it's commonplace. So how can it be that the human body hasn't also evolved to throw faster fastballs?

 

Well, if we're going with drug cheats, I haven't seen Ryan Braun's name yet.

 

Aaron
Mays
Henderson
Clemens
R. Johnson
W. Johnson
Maddux
Pujols
A-Rod
Seaver
Cobb
Ruth
Gehrig
Mantle
T. Williams
F. Robinson
Cy Young
Wagner
Bonds
Schmidt
Anson
Musial
Hornsby
Speaker

I think I'm forgetting one person... Although, it's possible I missed one on the list...

 

Cy Young will be the top Pitcher. Also in top 25 Bonds/ Clemens / A Rod which makes things interesting.

At first glance Gary Sheffield was glaring omission in top 125 but further study shows it now makes sense.

 

Again, any list that doesn't have Babe Ruth #1 is Bull Shit. Name another player who won an ERA title and Batting Crown and Home Run title?

10 times Ruth had an OPS+ over 200, Hank Aaron never did it once.

Aaron broke the all time HR needing about 2,500 more plate appearances. Not to denigrate Hank Aaron, but it's not fair to compare Ruth to any other baseball player. He's that much better.

 

The coolest thing about Frank Robinson is that in high school he kept Bill Freakin' Russell on the (basketball) bench. Imagine that.

 

I made my own top 75 players of all-time and this is what I came up. *Does not contain pitchers. *I included Negro League Players.

1. Babe Ruth
2. Ty Cobb
3. Willie Mays
4. Honus Wagner
5. Ted Williams
6. Hank Aaron
7. Mickey Mantle
8. Tris Speaker
9. Lou Gehrig
10. Rogers Hornsby
11. Stan Musial
12. Barry Bonds
13. Joe DiMaggio
14. Oscar Charleston
15. Mike Schmidt
16. Josh Gibson
17. Eddie Collins
18. Alexander Rodriguez
19. Frank Robinson
20. Jimmie Foxx
21. Joe Morgan
22. Rickey Henderson
23. Nap Lajoie
24. Johnny Bench
25. Mel Ott
26. John (Pop) Lloyd
27. George Brett
28. Eddie Mathews
29. Yogi Berra
30. Jackie Robinson
31. Carl Yastrzemski
32. Arky Vaughan
33. Buck Ewing
34. Dan Brouthers
35. Al Kaline
36. Cal Ripken
37. Reggie Jackson
38. Cap Anson
39. Ken Griffey, Jr.
40. Johnny Mize
41. Turkey Stearns
42. Hank Greenberg
43. Mike Piazza
44. Ed Delahanty
45. Al Pujols
46. Pete Rose
47. Charlie Gehringer
48. Roberto Clemente
49. Robin Yount
50. Sam Crawford
51. Frank Thomas
52. Wade Boggs
53. Jeff Bagwell
54. Joe Jackson
55. Mickey Cochrane
56. George Davis
57. Duke Snider
58. Roger Connor
59. Paul Waner
60. Manny Ramirez
61. Willie McCovey
62. George Sisler
63. Roy Campanella
64. Chipper Jones
65. Rod Carew
66. Tony Gwynn
67. Harmon Killebrew
68. Eddie Murray
69. Craig Biggio
70. Gary Carter
71. Al Simmons
72. Luke Appling
73. Ernie Banks
74. Derek Jeter
75. Cool Papa Bell

 

Yes, I know some people will disagree with the list.

 

It's a fine list, Gehrig. Of course I disagree with some of it, but hell, if you're arguing about whether somebody is the 11th or 8th best ballplayer ever, you're arguing fine points of theology, not baseball history.