Month: June 2021

The 100 Greatest in 100 Days: #27 Manny Ramirez

Smashing in at #27 is the most underrated hitter in baseball history Manny Ramirez.  Man-Ram battered pitchers in a way that hasn’t been seen since Babe Ruth and Ted Williams, literally. Manny and Ruth are the only two players in history with at least 550 career home runs, a .410 on-base percentage, and a .310 batting average. Manny and Ted Williams are the only players since 1936 with at least a .310 batting average and a .585 slugging %. Manny is 8th all-time in career slugging % and has the third-highest slugging % since 1958. He’s 10th all-time in AB/HR and his 165 RBIs in 1999 are the most in a single season since 1937. He tallied seven seasons of at least 120 RBIs which trails only Alex Rodriguez for the most since 1937. Manny’s regular-season career was extraordinary, but his postseason performance is the secret weapon that puts Manny’s career in the pantheon of baseball sluggers. He led 11 teams to the postseason, winning two World Series titles in four appearances while also being named the 2004 World Series MVP. His 29 postseason home runs are seven more than any other player in history. He’s the all-time leader in postseason RBIs (78) and tied for the lead in walks (72), and he is third all-time in postseason hits (117) and runs (67).  While these sound like video game numbers, this was simply Manny being Manny.

The 100 Greatest in 100 Days: #28 Rickey Henderson

Speeding in at #28 is the ultimate leadoff man Rickey Henderson. Rickey’s career was so unique that simply trying to describe it is an exercise in fun.  Rickey’s 1,406 career stolen bases are the most in MLB history and a whopping 468 ahead of Lou Brock for second place. There are only 47 players in history who even reached 468 stolen bases as a career total. The gap between Rickey and Brock is bigger than the gap between Brock and 45th place. Rickey’s 2,295 career runs are the most in history. His 2,190 non-intentional walks are also the most in history. He’s the only player in history with 3,000 hits and 2,000 walks. He’s the only player in history with 3,000 hits, 2,000 runs, and a .400 on-base percentage. Just to put into perspective how remarkable Rickey’s career was, if we cut in half his career hits, runs, walks, stolen bases, and home runs total, there is only one player in major league baseball history to reach those marks (Tim Raines). Rickey is the only player in MLB history with 100 walks, 100 stolen bases, and 100 runs in a single season and he did it three times. He joins Stan Musial as the only two players in history with 3,000 hits, 295 home runs, and a .400 OBP. He led the league in stolen bases a record 12 times including in 1998 when he reached an astonishing 66. Rickey was the table-setter for eight playoff teams and two World Series champions while also being named the 1989 ALCS MVP.

The 100 Greatest in 100 Days: #29 Miguel Cabrera

Lumbering in at #29 is Florida Marlins and Detroit Tigers hit-man Miguel Cabrera. Miggy brought the total package of patience, power, and an elite hit tool to the batter’s box during his stellar peak that extended from 2004-2016. During this time, he won back-to-back AL MVPs, finished in the top-5 seven times and the top-10 nine times. He holds the record for most seasons with 175 hits and 100 RBIs (12). His 10 consecutive seasons with at least 320 total bases is the second-longest streak of all-time behind only Willie Mays. He’s the only player since 1949 to lead the league in batting average four times and home runs twice. In 2012, he became the first player in 45 years to win the Triple Crown. He’s on pace to become the first player in history with 3,000 hits, 500 home runs while hitting above .305. and the first player in history with 500 home runs, 600 doubles while hitting above .305. It remains to be seen where Miggy will finish on all-time lists but he’s poised to enter the top-15 in hits, home runs, RBIs, doubles, extra-base hits, total bases, and runs created, and he’s already 9th all-time in intentional walks. Not to be outdone in the postseason, Miggy helped lead the Marlins to the World Series title in 2003 while also setting the record for most postseason home runs, hits, RBIs, and runs by the age of 20. He led the Tigers to four consecutive playoff appearances for the first time in franchise history and a World Series appearance in 2012.