Month: May 2021

The 100 Greatest in 100 Days: #79 Willie McCovey

Coming in at #79 on our list is Giants slugger Willie McCovey. To get an idea of how feared McCovey’s bat was, consider that he was intentionally walked 260 times in his career which is the 5th highest total in history behind only Barry Bonds, Albert Pujols, Stan Musial, and Hank Aaron. That’s some stellar company. Before Bonds rewrote the history books on intentional walks from 2002-2004, McCovey held the single-season intentional walks record (45). In fact, McCovey still has the highest non-Bonds single-season mark and he’s the only non-Bonds player to reach 40+ intentional walks in a season twice. McCovey led the National League in slugging % and OPS+ for three consecutive seasons. He led the league in home runs three times and finished in the top-5 seven times. He took home the National League MVP in 1969 and was 8th on the all time home run list when he retired in 1980. 

The 100 Greatest in 100 Days: #80 Tony Gwynn

Hitting the list at #80 is Padres legend Tony Gwynn. Gwynn is arguably the most skilled batsman in baseball history, using his keen eye and amazing contact skills to reach 3,000 hits in just 2,284 games which is the 3rd fastest to 3,000 in history and the fastest in more than 100 years. Gwynn led the league in batting average eight times and hits seven times, both ranking second in history behind Ty Cobb. He also led the league in at-bats/K a remarkable 10 times. His .338 career batting average is the highest since 1960 and the 18th best mark in history. Gwynn is one of only four players to hit at least .350 in four consecutive seasons and the only to do so since 1930. He’s one of only three players in history with at least 3,100 career hits, 300 stolen bases, and fewer than 450 strikeouts and the only player to do it since 1930. Gwynn hit over .300 in an incredible 19-straight seasons and hit .394 in 1994 which is the best single-season mark since 1941.

The 100 Greatest in 100 Days: #81 Rod Carew

At #81 on our countdown is 18-time all-star and Twins legend Rod Carew. Carew led the league in batting average seven times which is the 4th most in history behind only Honus Wagner, Ty Cobb, and Tony Gwynn. Carew joins Rogers Hornsby and Stan Musial as the only three players ever to lead the league in runs, hits, triples, batting average, on-base percentage, OPS, and OPS+ in the same season. He is the only player in history to have at least 235 hits, 125 runs, 35 doubles, 15 triples, 20 stolen bases, 65 walks, an OPS+ of 175, and a batting average of .388 in a single season. He was the 1977 American League MVP and finished in the top-10 six times. Carew has the 3rd highest career batting average since 1960, trailing only Tony Gwynn and Wade Boggs.