http://espn.go.com/mlb/feature/video/_/id/8652210/espn-hall-100-ranking-all-greatest-mlb-players
There are definitely guys on that list who haven't been inducted yet. Pete Rose is permanently banned, right? Their thinking is just to name 100 players who were amazing on the field, overlooking personal flaws or allegations of cheating.
Some of my thoughts:
96. Tim Raines
I think he's still on the ballot? They seem to be saying he's unlucky to have played during the Rickey Henderson era and was an amazing leadoff hitter.
95. Sammy Sosa
Probably not for his defense . I shouldn't really talk, because he plays my position on the church softball team, and I can't throw a ball accurately. In my mind, he probably cheated. It's too bad, since he did seem to have some power, a fun personality, and just wanted to get to "the playoff."
84. Mark McGwire
Basically because of hitting home runs out of Fenway Park during the derby one year? I didn't think of him as a strong overall hitter (average, doubles, RBI).
83. Kid Nichols
Who? Played mostly in the 1890s.
79. Mike Piazza
Seems like a low ranking for a guy who had lots of power, playing at a position (catcher) not known for power. He also started his career hitting in the high .300s (over .350 a few times?).
75. Barry Larkin
I don't get this guy! His position is pretty thin (shortstop) at producing HoF talent. Looking at his career numbers, he was capable of hitting .300 or better for most of those years. He stole a decent number of bases (379). He fell way short of 3,000 hits and didn't score that many runs. It wasn't because of HR or RBI (you're not supposed to specialize in those categories as a SS anyway). He sprinkled in three Gold Gloves and one MVP award.
I believe he won in his only World Series appearance - a year when the Reds somehow swept the A's, who probably still had Henderson and the "Bash Brothers" (McGwire and Canseco).
74. Roberto Alomar
This makes perfect sense to me at his position (2B). He has better numbers than Larkin, was known for his amazing defense, and played on two World Series winning teams. I just wonder why he's ranked this low (maybe because of his middle infield position).
70. Frank Thomas
Speaking of low ranks ... At some point, he became my favorite baseball card to collect, even though Ken Griffey, Jr. is a better all-around athlete (steals, defense, even power). In real life, I've heard this guy is a jerk who doesn't like to be asked to sign autographs.
69. Jeff Bagwell
I'm not sure how you rank this guy ahead of Thomas. Then I went and looked at his numbers. He's pretty much Mr. RBI in the NL from 1996 through 2001. Some speed, too (202 career steals).
67. Eddie Murray
Yet another first baseman?!! In the overall 100, I think his rank is too low for a switch hitter who can hit for volume (over 3,000) and power (500 HR club). I'd definitely draft him ahead of Thomas and Bagwell.
62. Ozzie Smith
A guy with hardly ANY power, and a lower average than Barry Larkin. His strengths were definitely stolen bases (580) and defense. If you don't elect him, then I'm not sure why they'd elect any shortstops, except the Cal Ripkens, the Derek Jeters, and the Honus Wagners.
I believe he also played in three World Series (all in the 1980s)? The Cardinals only won in 1982, though.
50. "Chipper" Jones
I know he's a good player, but it's weird how I don't view him as a first ballot HoFer. Maybe I just developed a bias after he kept beating up on the Mets? He's best known for being a switch hitter who could put together a .300/25/100 season. At best, I think this rank is really high, unless they're rating him just on the switch-hitting aspect (in which case I'd rank Eddie Murray ahead of him).
47. Miguel Cabrera
I believe he was a rookie when he took Roger Clemens DEEP during the World Series? This rank should probably rise as he continues to play and put up triple crown numbers. Or, maybe he's kind of reached his peak in a recent season?
41. Pedro Martinez
About to be inducted to the real thing this year. He doesn't have an amazing number of wins (219), but he was probably the best right-handed pitcher in the league in the late 1990s or the start of the 2000s. Kind of a high rank if you ask me.
36. Nolan Ryan
I think I missed most of his prime years (wasn't following baseball yet). The "nitpicks" on him are his win percentage and high number of walks. Didn't he also play deep into his 40s - still as a power pitcher?!!
35. Ken Griffey, Jr.
Trivia: His real first name is George.
He seems like a jerk in a movie ("Little Big League"?). I always wanted to collect his cards growing up. He was never bulked up, so he probably didn't cheat. You would just see him taking this almost effortless swing with an uppercut motion at the end, and the ball would leave the stadium. Then he threw his body around on defense (which may have hurt his longevity). Basically, a fun guy to watch on highlight reels.
34. Roberto Clemente
Speaking of guys who play the same position as me on the softball team ... Has there EVER been another player who could throw a dart from right field and beat a runner to third base? I've only seen him in old videos. He could also hit (exactly 3,000), .317 average, and died way too young.
33. Bob Gibson
I doubt he pitched during my lifetime (nope), but his stats look amazing. The main thing that doesn't make sense is how he could lose 9 games in the season where he posted a 1.77 ERA. Then again, I think Clayton Kershaw has lost even more games than that in his best ERA season.
32. Cal Ripken, Jr.
This rank looks really LOW for a once-in-a-lifetime player. He's basically my height and weight, playing a position usually dominated by smaller guys who play strong defense. I forget how good he was on defense, but it's shocking to see that he only won a single Gold Glove. Offensively, his numbers barely resemble a shortstop: 600 doubles, 400 HRs, almost 1,700 RBI?!!!
As if that weren't enough, he seems to be genuine and humble.
31. Derek Jeter
He's ahead of Ripken? I guess it's kind of apples to oranges trying to compare them, even at the same position. Jeter has more hits, a great average (.310) and some speed (358 steals). I guess it depends what you're looking for in a shortstop. He probably fits the prototype better than Ripken. Even despite all the winning and World Series, I never really viewed him as a Hall of Famer (anti-Yankees bias?).
29. Albert Pujols
They had him ranked #16 last year, so what happened? It bugs me that he may not be a .300 hitter for the rest of his career. He was still near the league lead in RBIs this past season. To me, he has a good chance to become the best all-around right-handed hitter (leaving out speed or defense). He's close to 600 career doubles. Only 14 other players have ever done that. If he gets to 700 doubles, he'd be one of just five players to do that. If he also gets to 700 home runs, no player has gotten to both of those levels (700 doubles AND 700 HR). In terms of home runs, he's also done it in a Hank Aaron kind of way (high of only 49 and very consistent).
23. Alex "Roidriguez"
SERIOUSLY?!!! I know he's the best power-hitting shortstop ever. The sad thing is, what percentage of his numbers are legitimate? He probably is a top 25 player if he never cheated.
21. Randy Johnson
Just watching him on TV is intimidating! Imagine this 6'10" guy with a mullet, throwing over 100 MPH!! In my mind, he's possibly the best left-handed pitcher I'll get to watch. Who is even close to him among the current players? I think Clayton Kershaw is a lefty, but how hard does he throw?
16. Mike Schmidt
Supposedly, the best combination of power and defense at third base. I tend to focus on 1,883 strikeouts.
14. Rickey Henderson
If we still had paper dictionaries, and the term "leadoff hitter" was in there, I think it would HAVE to show his picture. He stole at least 100 bases THREE times?
13. Greg Maddux
He doesn't even look like a pitcher, and I don't remember him throwing hard. It's still difficult to think of many better pitchers, though.
9. Mickey Mantle
My uncle idolized this guy growing up. Then he saw him after a game, drunk, and lost respect for him.
8. Stan "The Man" Musial
Not a lot of HRs (475), but a huge number of doubles (725), and I think he's top 10 or top 5 in RBI and runs scored. He maintained a really high average, too (over .330, I believe).
7. Roger Clemens
The highest ranked pitcher. I'm not sure on this one. I know he's amazing, and won a bunch of Cy Young awards. The alleged cheating taints everything. He's definitely a top 5 all-time pitcher without any cheating.
5. Hank Aaron
I'd rank him as the best right-handed hitter to have played a full career (Pujols and Cabrera could eventually catch up). The amazing thing to me is how he barely struck out, and he had over 3,000 hits that weren't home runs. Power hitters usually don't do those other two things.
3. Barry Bonds
Possibly the best left fielder of all-time (then I realized that Ted Williams also played LF and had good power numbers for his era).
My problem with him is arrogance. He probably could've won one or more World Series with two franchises. Instead, you can see a replay of the year when he hit 73 HRs and the interview was about how that record won't get broken. Who cares?!! Isn't baseball a team sport?
If he doesn't cheat, I still think he'd reach close to this rank, but his stats might be more like Willie Mays.
2. Willie Mays
Speaking of Willie Mays ... He was a right-handed hitter, too, and they have him ahead of Hank Aaron? It made sense when I looked at his speed numbers and Golden Gloves. He was really well-rounded.
1. Babe Ruth
Well, duh!
Trivia: He died on my birthday (well, the date, but not literally the day I was born).
I'm thinking he was a jerk, too.
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