Month: June 2021

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.

The 100 Greatest in 100 Days: #30 Warren Spahn

Toeing the rubber at #30 is starting pitcher Warren Spahn. There is a pretty convincing argument that Spahn is squarely in the conversation of the greatest pitcher of all time. Quite literally, there is an 85-year stretch where Spahn’s career was unrivaled. From 1915 to 2000, Spahn won 34 more games than any other pitcher and threw 26 more complete games than any other pitcher. He threw a minimum of 260 innings in 14 different seasons during this stretch, which is four more seasons than anyone else. Even more remarkable is that Spahn was a 13-time 20-game winner, which is the most in history. He led the league in wins eight times and complete games nine times, both are the most in history. Spahn was a 17-time all-star selection, which is five more than any other pitcher in history. His Black Ink and Gray Ink scores are the highest of any pitcher since 1930. Spahn’s durability showed up in the postseason as well. He is the only pitcher since 1912 to throw two 10-inning games in the World Series, including in Game 4 of the 1957 series, helping propel the Minneapolis Braves over the heavily favored New York Yankees. It’s fun to imagine what Spahn’s career might have looked like had he not missed three-and-a-half seasons of his prime serving in WWII.