• Greatest Living Yankees Old-Timers

    Posted by on July 1st, 2012 · Comments (12)

    Some stats to help you enjoy Old Timer’s Day at Yankee Stadium today…

    The batters:

    Rk Player WAR/pos Died From To Age G PA HR RBI SB BA OBP SLG
    1 Yogi Berra 56.2   1946 1963 21-38 2116 8350 358 1430 30 .285 .348 .483
    2 Willie Randolph 51.7   1976 1988 21-33 1694 7464 48 549 251 .275 .374 .357
    3 Bernie Williams 45.9   1991 2006 22-37 2076 9053 287 1257 147 .297 .381 .477
    4 Roy White 43.0   1965 1979 21-35 1881 7735 160 758 233 .271 .360 .404
    5 Graig Nettles 41.0   1973 1983 28-38 1535 6248 250 834 18 .253 .329 .433
    6 Don Mattingly 39.8   1982 1995 21-34 1785 7722 222 1099 14 .307 .358 .471
    7 Jorge Posada 39.2   1995 2011 23-39 1829 7150 275 1065 20 .273 .374 .474
    8 Rickey Henderson 30.3   1985 1989 26-30 596 2735 78 255 326 .288 .395 .455
    9 Dave Winfield 25.0   1981 1990 29-38 1172 5021 205 818 76 .290 .356 .495
    10 Paul O’Neill 24.1   1993 2001 30-38 1254 5368 185 858 80 .303 .377 .492
    11 Wade Boggs 17.2   1993 1997 35-39 602 2600 24 246 4 .313 .396 .407
    12 Tony Kubek 16.7   1957 1965 21-29 1092 4493 57 373 29 .266 .303 .364
    13 Reggie Jackson 15.9   1977 1981 31-35 653 2707 144 461 41 .281 .371 .526
    14 Tino Martinez 14.5   1996 2005 28-37 1054 4244 192 739 17 .276 .347 .484
    15 Mickey Rivers 14.1   1976 1979 27-30 490 2117 34 209 93 .299 .324 .422
    16 Horace Clarke 13.8   1965 1974 25-34 1230 5143 27 300 151 .257 .309 .315
    17 Chris Chambliss 13.6   1974 1988 25-39 885 3636 79 454 10 .282 .323 .417
    18 Roberto Kelly 12.1   1987 2000 22-35 648 2538 57 259 151 .278 .331 .411
    19 Mike Stanley 11.9   1992 1997 29-34 426 1604 72 263 2 .285 .377 .504
    20 Bucky Dent 11.5   1977 1982 25-30 695 2429 27 209 4 .239 .295 .324
    21 Randy Velarde 10.7   1987 2001 24-38 673 2232 43 209 24 .261 .332 .388
    22 Oscar Gamble 10.5   1976 1984 26-34 540 1707 87 276 14 .259 .361 .496
    23 Butch Wynegar 9.9   1982 1986 26-30 449 1712 27 168 2 .259 .368 .363
    24 Jesse Barfield 9.3   1989 1992 29-32 396 1525 62 189 11 .231 .339 .421
    25 Steve Sax 9.3   1989 1991 29-31 471 2104 19 161 117 .294 .342 .376
    26 Ron Blomberg 8.8   1969 1976 20-27 400 1324 47 202 6 .302 .370 .486
    27 Gary Sheffield 8.1   2004 2006 35-37 347 1525 76 269 20 .291 .383 .515
    28 Jerry Kenney 8.0   1967 1972 22-27 460 1575 7 101 59 .237 .326 .299
    29 Lou Piniella 7.7   1974 1984 30-40 1037 3577 57 417 10 .295 .338 .413
    30 Mike Gallego 7.7   1992 1994 31-33 261 1023 19 109 3 .262 .347 .383
    31 Scott Brosius 7.2   1998 2001 31-34 540 2129 65 282 23 .267 .331 .428
    32 Danny Tartabull 7.1   1992 1995 29-32 424 1837 81 282 3 .252 .372 .473
    33 Elliott Maddox 7.1   1974 1976 26-28 210 852 4 71 15 .299 .384 .381
    34 Chuck Knoblauch 6.6   1998 2001 29-32 539 2478 49 202 112 .272 .366 .402
    35 Bobby Richardson 6.5   1955 1966 19-30 1412 5780 34 390 73 .266 .299 .335
    36 Irv Noren 6.4   1952 1956 27-31 488 1649 31 198 16 .272 .348 .402
    37 Don Baylor 6.3   1983 1985 34-36 420 1719 71 265 18 .267 .345 .472
    38 Jerry Mumphrey 6.3   1981 1983 28-30 286 1185 22 136 27 .293 .351 .434
    39 Bobby Brown 6.0   1946 1954 21-29 548 1863 22 237 9 .279 .367 .376
    40 Jerry Coleman 5.8   1949 1957 24-32 723 2415 16 217 22 .263 .340 .339
    Provided by Baseball-Reference.com: View Play Index Tool Used
    Generated 7/1/2012.

    .

    And, the pitchers:

    Rk Player WAR Died From To Age G W L SV IP SO ERA ERA+
    1 Whitey Ford 50.6   1950 1967 21-38 498 236 106 10 3170.1 1956 2.75 133
    2 Ron Guidry 45.4   1975 1988 24-37 368 170 91 4 2392.0 1778 3.29 119
    3 Mel Stottlemyre 37.5   1964 1974 22-32 360 164 139 1 2661.1 1257 2.97 112
    4 Mike Mussina 33.1   2001 2008 32-39 249 123 72 0 1553.0 1278 3.88 114
    5 Dave Righetti 21.8   1979 1990 20-31 522 74 61 224 1136.2 940 3.11 127
    6 Roger Clemens 19.9   1999 2007 36-44 175 83 42 0 1103.0 1014 4.01 114
    7 David Cone 19.1   1995 2000 32-37 145 64 40 0 922.0 888 3.91 118
    8 Rich Gossage 18.4   1978 1989 26-37 319 42 28 151 533.0 512 2.14 179
    9 Tommy John 18.4   1979 1989 36-46 214 91 60 0 1367.0 483 3.59 112
    10 Orlando Hernandez 17.9   1998 2004 32-38 139 61 40 1 876.1 703 3.96 116
    11 Fritz Peterson 17.2   1966 1974 24-32 288 109 106 1 1857.1 893 3.10 106
    12 David Wells 16.0   1997 2003 34-40 124 68 28 0 851.2 557 3.90 114
    13 Sparky Lyle 14.1   1972 1978 27-33 420 57 40 141 745.2 454 2.41 148
    14 Al Downing 13.8   1961 1969 20-28 208 72 57 2 1235.1 1028 3.23 105
    15 Jimmy Key 12.8   1993 1996 32-35 94 48 23 0 604.1 400 3.68 123
    16 Rudy May 11.2   1974 1983 29-38 184 54 46 7 841.2 586 3.12 120
    17 Ramiro Mendoza 10.6   1996 2005 24-33 278 54 34 16 699.2 414 4.10 112
    18 Doc Medich 10.3   1972 1975 23-26 111 49 40 0 787.0 431 3.40 107
    19 Stan Bahnsen 10.2   1966 1971 21-26 153 55 52 2 985.2 534 3.10 105
    20 Lindy McDaniel 9.1   1968 1973 32-37 265 38 29 58 544.2 363 2.89 118
    21 Jim Bouton 8.6   1962 1968 23-29 197 55 51 4 1013.2 561 3.36 104
    22 Ed Figueroa 8.6   1976 1980 27-31 132 62 39 1 911.2 373 3.53 106
    23 Ralph Terry 8.5   1956 1964 20-28 210 78 59 8 1198.0 615 3.44 106
    24 Mike Stanton 8.2   1997 2005 30-38 456 31 14 15 448.1 407 3.77 121
    25 Bob Turley 8.1   1955 1962 24-31 234 82 52 12 1269.0 909 3.62 102
    26 Steve Kline 7.2   1970 1974 22-26 97 40 37 0 659.0 213 2.96 110
    27 Melido Perez 7.2   1992 1995 26-29 93 33 39 0 631.1 519 4.06 104
    28 Randy Johnson 6.9   2005 2006 41-42 67 34 19 0 430.2 383 4.37 100
    29 Tom Gordon 6.8   2004 2005 36-37 159 14 8 6 170.1 165 2.38 185
    30 Scott Kamieniecki 6.0   1991 1996 27-32 113 36 39 1 627.1 323 4.33 99
    31 Jeff Nelson 6.0   1996 2003 29-36 331 23 19 9 311.0 334 3.47 136
    32 Phil Niekro 5.9   1984 1985 45-46 65 32 20 0 435.2 285 3.59 109
    33 Bobby Shantz 5.8   1957 1960 31-34 138 30 18 19 461.1 272 2.73 132
    34 Steve Farr 5.5   1991 1993 34-36 159 9 9 78 169.0 136 2.56 161
    35 Ron Davis 5.5   1978 1981 22-25 144 27 10 22 291.2 191 2.93 133
    36 Jack Aker 5.4   1969 1972 28-31 124 16 10 31 197.1 101 2.23 154
    37 Dennis Rasmussen 5.0   1984 1987 25-28 103 39 24 0 597.1 393 4.28 96
    38 Dwight Gooden 4.7   1996 2000 31-35 67 24 14 2 341.1 223 4.67 103
    39 Shane Rawley 4.7   1982 1984 26-28 92 27 27 4 444.1 259 4.11 95
    40 Ray Fontenot 4.3   1983 1984 25-26 50 16 11 0 266.2 112 3.51 109
    Provided by Baseball-Reference.com: View Play Index Tool Used
    Generated 7/1/2012.

    .

    Filed under Season Finders,Yankee Stadium · ·

    Comments on Greatest Living Yankees Old-Timers

    1. Evan3457
      July 2nd, 2012 | 12:45 am

      I’m always surprised at how high Willie is on the list. He had very few great seasons, but a whole lot of good ones.
    2. Steve L.
      July 2nd, 2012 | 6:33 am

      Willow and White are two of the most unappreciated Yankees of all-time.
    3. Joseph Maloney
      July 2nd, 2012 | 7:02 pm

      There is something wrong with a calculation that drives a list where a player like Blomberg is ranked above a Bobby Richardson. Blomberg could not field a position. Blomberg could not run the bases, he couldn’t hit left handed pitching. His conitioning was terrible, he was constantly pulling muscles. He was the most fundamentally unsound player I have ever seen. Richardson was considered the glue of the Yankee infield. He was a three time world champion, a World Series MVP, finished second in MVP voting in 1962 and four other times finished in the top 20. He won 5 gold gloves, and made 7 all Star teams.
    4. Raf
      July 2nd, 2012 | 7:38 pm

      Joseph Maloney wrote:

      There is something wrong with a calculation that drives a list where a player like Blomberg is ranked above a Bobby Richardson. Blomberg could not field a position. Blomberg could not run the bases, he couldn’t hit left handed pitching. His conitioning was terrible, he was constantly pulling muscles. He was the most fundamentally unsound player I have ever seen.

      Blomberg: .302/.370/.486
      Richardson: .266/.299/.335

      Richardson’s fielding doesn’t make up the offense he loses to Blomberg.
    5. Evan3457
      July 2nd, 2012 | 9:43 pm

      Raf wrote:

      Joseph Maloney wrote:
      There is something wrong with a calculation that drives a list where a player like Blomberg is ranked above a Bobby Richardson. Blomberg could not field a position. Blomberg could not run the bases, he couldn’t hit left handed pitching. His conitioning was terrible, he was constantly pulling muscles. He was the most fundamentally unsound player I have ever seen.
      Blomberg: .302/.370/.486
      Richardson: .266/.299/.335
      Richardson’s fielding doesn’t make up the offense he loses to Blomberg.

      Joseph’s description of Blomberg is correct. That’s what he was.
      The stats don’t lie about Richardson, however.

      Just one example. Richardson batted leadoff for the 1961 Yankees. He was the leadoff hitter in 117 of the 162 games. He batted 662 times (704 PA). The Yanks hit 240 HR that season. They were 2nd in the league in runs scored.

      Richardson scored 80 runs that season. Think about that one for a moment.
    6. Evan3457
      July 2nd, 2012 | 9:45 pm

      Richardson was voted to the All-Star team and got MVP votes in 4 different seasons where his OPS was under .630 and his OPS+ was under 80.
      That’s overvaluing defense by quite a bit, I think.
    7. Steve L.
      July 2nd, 2012 | 11:29 pm

      Here’s one for you – who had the better “Yankees” career – O’Neill or Winfield? Or, on a per PA basis, Mickey Rivers or Bernie Williams?
    8. Raf
      July 3rd, 2012 | 5:31 pm

      @ Steve L.:

      O’Neill > Winfield: Opposite ends of what they were supposed to be. O’Neill was a platoon OF that couldn’t hit lefties, Winfield was already a star by the time he made it to the Yankees. O’Neill hadn’t shown up on the owner’s (or press’ for that matter) radar nearly as much as Winnie did (battling George, the seagull incident, Howie Spira, the events leading to his trade to the Angels)

      Williams > Rivers: For a while there, Bernie was the second best CF in the game, behind Ken Griffey Jr. Rivers, not so much, though it doesn’t take away from his accomplishments; he was a good player in his own right.
    9. Joseph Maloney
      July 3rd, 2012 | 7:43 pm

      @ Raf:
      Raf, you are making my point for me. If the numbers are producing those kind of results then find new numbers. Blomberg could hit right handed pitching (he seldom batted against left handers) but that was it. The second he left the batter box he was lost on a baseball field. He was the worst baserunner you could imagine. He wasn’t a bad fielder, because that would give him to much credit. He barely made an effort to field the ball at all. He was like a statue at first. In the outfield he got a late break on every fly hit to him.

      I’ll tell one story, the Yanks are playing the Brewers, bottom of the 9th, 1st and 2nd for the Brewers, two outs, 3 and 2 on the batter, a grounder is hit to Stick at short, he looks to third but the runner will beat the throw, looks to 1st sees Blomberg waiting for the throw, he did the only thing he could do, threw to second (this story appeared in Baseball Digest in the 70′s).
    10. Raf
      July 3rd, 2012 | 7:52 pm

      Joseph Maloney wrote:

      If the numbers are producing those kind of results then find new numbers.

      I don’t think batting average, on base percentage and slugging are going away anytime soon.
    11. Joseph Maloney
      July 4th, 2012 | 3:22 pm

      @ Raf:
      “I don’t think batting average, on base percentage and sluggung are going away anytime soon”.

      I agree, but that’s not the point. We know from other information (namely newspaper stories, interviews, comments from on field personnel, all star and MVP voting) that one player (Richardson) was much more highly thought of than the other (Blomberg). If a list is produced that indicates something different, then we have to question the result. The list has other issues in my opinion, I used this as the most dramatic example.
    12. Raf
      July 4th, 2012 | 6:44 pm

      Joseph Maloney wrote:

      I agree, but that’s not the point. We know from other information (namely newspaper stories, interviews, comments from on field personnel, all star and MVP voting) that one player (Richardson) was much more highly thought of than the other (Blomberg). If a list is produced that indicates something different, then we have to question the result. The list has other issues in my opinion, I used this as the most dramatic example.

      The list compiled the results of what players have done on the field. “Newspaper stories, interviews, comments from on field personnel, all star and MVP voting” are all nice, but at the end of the day it’s the stats that count.

    Leave a reply

    You must be logged in to post a comment.