High Five: The Greatest Five-Year Performances in Baseball History

              In rating the best five-year stretches every played in the game of baseball, one has to really split hairs in choosing one performance over another.  Needless to say, there is an inherent level of subjectivity based on what I (a completely unqualified baseball nerd whose opinion no one should take seriously) deem to be the most important metrics or intangibles.  I can already hear the sabermetric groupies are screaming at the screen right now.  Advanced stats make your subjective weighting scale totally unnecessary!!!  This is debatably true, however, I find that once one delves too deep into the Land Before Time-esque sinkhole that is sabermetrics, they never come back quite the same.  Sabermetric immersion is akin to an extreme acid addiction.  From the user’s perspective, it seems completely illogical why everyone isn’t doing it too, and from everyone else’s perspective, it is a moot point because it’s impossible to understand a fucking word the dude’s saying.  So, for the sake of my sanity and anyone else who doesn’t comprehend the vast inter-workings of Defense-Independent Component ERA, I will proceed using only traditional stats (and WAR, which, in my opinion, is the single-most all-encompassing and understandable sabermetric).

First off, let me explain my grading process:

(1)  No team accomplishments are factored in.  Besides my blind eye to PEDs, this is probably the most controversial.  That is, Joe D’s 1936-40 stretch doesn’t get an immediate bump over Bonds’s 2000-04 stretch because the Yankee Clipper won four rings and Bonds came up empty.  The nature of the game itself is to blame for my thinking here.  Whereas in basketball, trading Lebron James to the Bobcats immediately makes them a playoff team (if not a darkhorse contender*), in baseball, phenomenal players like Joe Mauer and David Wright (A very intentional backhanded Met’s diss.  Don’t worry, these will continue) can languish on terrible teams year after year at no fault of their own.  Admittedly, a similar argument can be made for individual awards, in that, they are often given to players whose teams also performed at a high level, but this is not always the case (See every MVP that Arod has ever won. ’03 Rangers - last place in AL West.  ’05 Yankees - lost in ALDS.  ’07 Yankees - lost in ALDS.  This all reinforces an unrelated, but very important point:  Arod is really good at being the best player on an underachieving team).  Thus, individual awards provide a better baseline for dominance than World Series Rings, Pennants, etc...   

* On a side note, if you don’t remember the atrocity that was 06-07 Cavs roster that Lebron singlehandedly took to the finals, here’s a refresher.  Larry Hughes was the second leading scorer on that team, and a 33-year old Eric Snow started 45 games.  This all reinforces an unrelated, but very important point:  Lebron is really good at basketball.

(2)  Use of WAR.   When it came down to comparing pitchers versus position players, or even position players with extremely different roles (i.e. catcher vs 1st baseman), I relied heavily on WAR to differentiate.  WAR (“Wins Above Replacement”), or the amount of wins that one’s performance added to their team’s season over the statistically “average” player at their respective position, is an excellent tool when comparing players of different positions or different eras, and I used it as such. 

(3) Use of 162 game averages.  In most cases, this is a misleading metric, but seeing as I was only filtering through the greatest five-year performances of all time, the assumption is that if the players were not playing in every game, they were damn close.  Furthermore, the projected full season numbers were a useful way to compare players who had different lengths of seasons on an even playing field.

(4) No pre-Bambino bullshit.  I tossed out everyone whose prime stretch precluded Ruth’s career in pinstripes (as we speak, I can hear the muted echo of Ty Cobb screaming racial epithets at me from beyond the grave).  I cannot really give much justification to this decision outside of the fact that the comically skewed stats from the dead ball era have always really bugged me (yea, I’m talking to you Hugh Duffy, with your ridiculous .440 batting average).  Therefore, even if a player’s prime includes a single season before Ruth’s 1920 debut with the Yankees, they’re DQ’d.  My list, my rules, Walter Johnson, go cry about it. 

(5) Any PED conversation is out.  Hate thinking about it, hate talking about it, hate justifying it, but if it was up to me, every player would be juiced to the gills, sweating testosterone, and hitting 800ft bombs.  How can this be bad for the game?  I’ll say it, I miss the Steroid Era, get over it.  Stop screaming Ty Cobb, those days are over.

The Top Ten

The "What Could Have Been" Group

Players whose careers were so spectacular, yet all one can do is sit back and wonder how amazing they would have been if fate hadn't intervened

10. Sandy Koufax (1962-66)

	W	L	CG	SHO	IP	H	SO	BB	WHIP	ERA	WAR
Totals	111	34	100	33	1377.0	959	1444	316	0.926	1.95	40.9
162 game ave	22	7	20	7	262	183	275	61	0.926	1.95	8.3

The world only got to witness the full display of Koufax’s prowess for five seasons, as his career was bookended by horrifying control issues on one end, and debilitating arm issues on the other, but what a five years it was.  I cannot name a pitcher who put together an indisputable Hall of Fame career with a smaller sample size of brilliance.  Over the five-year stretch, Koufax was five for five in All Star appearances, won three Cy Young awards, and also captured one of those coveted pitcher MVPs.  Toss in three Triple Crowns (the most in history), and you have a guaranteed spot on this list.  
The last superlative I can throw in for Koufax is this: the footage still speaks for itself.  When you watch the grainy images of Koufax winding back and snapping off a curveball, from the left side no less, there is no need for further explanation of his dominance.  In an era which pitching was king, Koufax had a goddamn death-grip on the throne.

9. Lou Gehrig (1927-31)

	AB	R	H	HR	RBI	SB	BB	BA	OBP	SLG	OPS	WAR
Totals	2899	721	1025	196	801	47	544	0.354	0.458	0.677	1.135	47.2
162 Game Ave	609	152	216	42	169	10	115	0.354	0.458	0.677	1.135	9.2

Choosing between Gehrig and Mantle was by far the most difficult decision on the list.  Based purely on a linear comparison of their numbers, Gehrig is the easy decision for #8, but there are a couple hugely important reasons why I couldn’t bring myself to do it.  First of all, the lineups that the Yankees had were some of the most terrifying lineups ever assembled in the history of the game.  They don’t call you “Murder’s Row” because you often pop out in foul territory and routinely ground into double plays.  If you’ve never taken done it, take a moment to look at the 1930 Yankee’s lineup.  That is the statistical equivalent of Brooklyn Decker making out with Kate Upton.  Naked.  Secondly, Gehrig played while the game was still segregated, whereas Mantle played against an integrated, and much more talented, league.

8. Mickey Mantle (1954-58)

	AB	R	H	HR	RBI	SB	BB	BA	OBP	SLG	OPS	WAR
Totals	2586	630	840	192	522	57	602	0.325	0.451	0.618	1.070	47.7
162 Game Ave	569	139	185	43	115	13	133	0.325	0.451	0.618	1.070	10.1

The Mick.  Half-drunk and half-hobbled, Mickey Mantle still made the top ten.  The stories about Mantle before he blew out his knee get more and more grandiose as the years go by, and I love it.  He was one part Bo Jackson, with an unfathomable combination of power and speed, one part Babe Ruth, running New York City with a bottle of whiskey in one hand and a prostitute in the other.  What a legend.  

The New Guys:

The two best pitchers of the modern era.  Obviously, the other notable contenders were Clemens and the Big Unit, but their “prime five” WHIP/ERAs just couldn’t compete with these two.

7. Greg Maddux (1992-1996)

	W	L	CG	SHO	IP	H	SO	BB	WHIP	ERA	WAR
Totals	90	40	42	`12	1191.2	951	905	204	0.969	2.13	40.3
162 game ave	20	9	9	3	256	204	194	44	0.969	2.13	9.1

How can that goofy S.O.B. be one the greatest players of all time?  He looks the charter member of a World of Warcraft guild, who moonlights as the shoe-sanitizer at a bowling alley, collects crystalline cat figurines, and has an affinity for taxidermy.  It is very easy to underestimate Greg Maddux.   But you would be doing it to the detriment of your batting average, as a tailing 90 MPH wake-up call, followed by a splintery mess of an 0-for-4 would soon be coming your way.  When I look at pictures like this, it makes me think that Greg Maddux might have been the very first baseball troll.  He probably hired a full-time photographer whose only purpose was to take pictures like this.  No, no, no, it needs to emphasize the extra chip flab more.  Wow, evil genius at its most comedic level.  
Five years, four Cy Young awards.  And, just for kicks, five Gold Gloves as well.   The only possible blemish on Maddux’s most notable stretch of dominance was the fact that we only got to watch him for 25 starts in the strike-shortened season of ’94.  Up to that point, he had a 1.56 ERA, 10 complete games, 3 shutouts, and a .896 WHIP.  It was the kind of once in a lifetime season that could never be repeated again.  Unless your name is Greg Maddux.  And you do it again the very next season.  In his 1995 campaign, Maddux posted a jaw-dropping 19-2 record, with a 1.63 ERA, and a video-game-like 0.811 WHIP.  A true master of the game at the height of his powers. 

6. Pedro Martinez (1996-2000)

	W	L	CG	SHO	IP	H	SO	BB	WHIP	ERA	WAR
Totals	90	35	32	12	1122.0	823	1375	273	0.977	2.45	41.6
162 game ave	20	8	7	3	245	180	300	60	0.977	2.45	9.6

If the picture above doesn’t tell the whole story by itself, there can be only one highlander.  And his name is Pedro Martinez.  And if you want to fuck with him, prepare yourself for an eye-full of Jerry Curl juice, and a mouth-full of first base line. Seriously, what was Zimmer’s end game here?  Knocking Pedro unconsious with an overhand right and getting the key to the city?  Or a statue with six-pack abs inside the Yankee museum?  Although we may have lost hours of our lives as ESPN combed through this footage like it was the Zapruder film, all was not lost, as we also learned one of the most important lessons in all of sports:  if you’re rocking a uniform you’re one of the guys, and the shit goes down, prepared to get slapped on like you’re one of the guys.  To be honest, nothing that has happened in baseball since this even holds a candle up to this.  A singular moment of pure, visceral entertainment.  Lets’s all have a short moment of silence.  Ok, Pedro/Zimmer tangent over, let’s get back to the list. 
How can a man who is 170 lb. soaking wet, pitching in the eye of PED-infested storm, put up numbers like this?  During his prime, Pedro won three Cy Young’s and came in second another time.  And his brilliance culminated in the year 2000 when, given the era, he had arguably the greatest season of all time: 1.74 ERA, 5.3 H/9, 8.88 SO/BB, and .737 WHIP, the lowest in the history of baseball.  As a fan who has a boner for all things WHIP-related, Pedro was a lock to be included in the top 10.  
One more note - remember when the Red Sox and Yankees used to actually hate each other?  Not out of ritualized necessity, but purely for the fact that they thought the other guys were douche bags?  Two (complacency laced) rings for the Sox and a half dozen incestuous trades later, and the rivalry has turned into a mid-season episode of Downton Abbey.



The Willie Mays Group:

5. Willie Mays (1962-66)

	AB	R	H	HR	RBI	SB	BB	BA	OBP	SLG	OPS	WAR
Totals	2905	583	883	223	570	59	372	0.304	0.382	0.601	0.983	52.3
162 Game Ave	599	121	182	46	118	13	77	0.304	0.382	0.601	0.983	10.8

Barely batting above .300??  Less than a .400 OBP??  What is so ludicrous about this list is how pedestrian the other performances make the Say Hey Kid’s look.  Compared to every other name listed, his batting average and on-base percentage look pathetic, but when you get to his WAR you see the real story.  The fact of the matter is that National League pitching had become so dominant in the ‘60s that only one hitter who eclipsed .350 for the entire decade (Roberto Clemente did it twice - in ’61 and ’67.  Clemente is probably the leader in the clubhouse for biggest snub on the honorable mention list.  He won four batting titles in the 60s and was a perennial All Star/Gold Glove guy, but his lack of run production put him a notch below guys like Musial and Berra in my mind.  Jesus Christ, Saunders, you are such an idiot).   Factor in that Mays lead the league in homers three out of these five seasons, and that he was the best center fielder the game has ever seen, and he has a legitimate spot at number four on this list.

The Sickos Who Somehow Managed to Win Two Triple Crowns Group:

4. Ted Williams (1941-48)

	AB	R	H	HR	RBI	SB	BB	BA	OBP	SLG	OPS	WAR
Totals	2529	667	916	168	621	9	736	0.362	0.508	0.658	1.166	50.4
162 Game Ave	557	147	202	37	137	2	162	0.362	0.508	0.658	1.166	10.5

No, not that Ted Williams, the other one.  The who is currently floating in a jar somewhere in the Arizona desert, face stuck in a terrified perma-scream, listening to an eternal laugh-track of giddy lab techs as they play home run derby using his head as the tee (This is closer to the truth than it may sound).   
Most notably, Williams is known for being the last guy to hit .400, but I think his most amazing accomplishment were his two Triple Crowns, one on both end of WWII.  Somehow, after his first Crown, in one of the most blatant Yankee-biased heists I’ve seen, Williams came in second to Joe Gordon in the 1942 MVP voting.  Someone please explain this one to me.  Don’t worry, I’ll wait.

Joe Gordon, 1942

AB	R	H	HR	RBI	SB	BB	BA	OBP	SLG	OPS	WAR
538	88	173	18	103	12	79	0.322	0.409	0.491	0.900	8.2

 Ted Williams, 1942

AB	R	H	HR	RBI	SB	BB	BA	OBP	SLG	OPS	WAR
522	141	186	36	137	3	145	0.356	0.499	0.648	1.147	10.6

And, if that didn’t paint a vivid enough picture for you, Gordon also led the league in strikeouts and grounding into double plays that year.  Arguably the biggest MVP voting travesty of all time.
And if you want to play the “What-if” game with Williams, think about the fact that he missed three of his prime years (’43-’45) while in the Navy in WWII.  If you think about what he could have accomplished with three more years like the ones list above, it’s staggering.

3. Rogers Hornsby (1921-25)

	AB	R	H	HR	RBI	SB	BB	BA	OBP	SLG	OPS	WAR
Totals	2679	615	1078	144	598	43	352	0.402	0.474	0.690	1.164	49.8
162 Game Ave	625	144	252	34	140	11	83	0.402	0.474	0.690	1.164	10.8

          Hornsby has my vote as the most under-appreciated player in the history of the game.  Not only does he have the highest aggregate batting average on this list by far, he also had plus power and was a run producing machine.  Beyond Williams, Hornsby rounds out the illustrious multiple Triple Crown club (with Mr. Cabrera knocking at the front door) and has a 1922 Crown that seemingly gets more difficult to look at the longer you stare:

	AB	R	H	HR	RBI	SB	BB	BA	OBP	SLG	OPS	WAR
1922	623	141	250	42	152	17	65	0.401	0.459	0.722	1.181	10.0

But then you continue down the page and see his 1924, 1925 seasons and you are literally blinded:

	AB	R	H	HR	RBI	SB	BB	BA	OBP	SLG	OPS	WAR
1924	536	121	227	25	94	5	89	0.424	0.507	0.696	1.203	12.1
1925	504	133	203	39	143	5	83	0.403	0.489	0.756	1.245	10.1

So, for those of you keeping score at home, that’s five years, five batting titles, two triple crowns, and an aggregate batting average above .400 for Mr. Hornsby.  It must have been something else to see this guy in person.

The Great Debate Group:

2. Barry Bonds 2.0 (2000-04)

	AB	R	H	HR	RBI	SB	BB	BA	OBP	SLG	OPS	WAR
Totals	2122	615	720	258	544	46	872	0.339	0.535	0.781	1.316	51.2
162 Game Ave	480	139	163	59	123	11	198	0.339	0.535	0.781	1.316	11.4

Camera one, camera two.  Camera one, camera two.  Let me introduce you to Bonds 2.0.  I covered everything I needed to say about Bonds in my first article.  And my hands are beginning to hurt, so just marvel at the stats.  Stat-porn at its finest.

1. Babe Ruth (1920-24)

	AB	R	H	HR	RBI	SB	BB	BA	OBP	SLG	OPS	WAR
Totals	2455	723	909	235	659	59	691	0.370	0.511	0.777	1.288	56.8
162 Game Ave	560	165	208	54	151	14	158	0.370	0.511	0.777	1.288	12.1

Even though I am sick and tired of seeing the fat old man being ranked number one, he’s done it again.  The truth is, no list would ever be complete without Ruth being mentioned somewhere on it.  He is the godfather.  He is the king.  He is the G.O.A.T.  The only controversy with Ruth’s inclusion is which five-year stretch to choose.  The two obvious choices are 1920-24 or 1926-30, and the decision comes down to a matter of statistical preference.  Homers or batting average?  Runs or RBI?  Instead of singling out any of the numbers individually, I made my choice based on the more holistic stats of OPS and WAR, and then the decision became quite straightforward.  As you can see above, the Sultan of Swat’s OPS from 1920-24 was Jon Dowd-ian (if you don’t know who Jon Dowd is, shame on you) 1.288, versus a paltry 1.209 from 1926-1930.  And the WAR comparison is even more decisive at 12.1 versus 10.5.   

Dudes Who Were in the Discussion, But Just Slightly Outside of the Top Ten:

Lefty Grove (1928-32)

Known for: Ace of Philadelphia A’s dynasty, 

	W	L	CG	SHO	IP	H	SO	BB	WHIP	ERA	WAR
Totals	128	33	119	16	1408.1	1297	925	346	1.167	2.56	42.6
162 game ave	24	6	22	3	255	235	168	63	1.167	2.56	8.2

Lefty Grove was from the Good ‘Ol Days.  The glory years when a pitcher was considered a prima donna for getting pulled out in the 12th inning with a four digit pitch-count.  Here’s proof:  in 1930, Grove led the league in wins AND saves.  Twenty-eight wins, and nine saves.  Not only did nine saves somehow lead the league, it was a mark set by a starting pitcher who dabbled in relief on his off days.  Looking back through the lens of today’s game, where there are closers, and set-up men, and 7th inning guys, and long relievers, and lefty-specialists, you gotta give props to an old-school horse like Lefty Grove.

Jimmie Foxx (1932-36)

Known for: Best hitter of the Philadelphia A’s dynasty

	AB	R	H	HR	RBI	SB	BB	BA	OBP	SLG	OPS	WAR
Totals	2817	644	980	227	720	35	542	0.348	0.454	0.675	1.129	42.9
162 Game Ave	606	139	211	49	155	8	117	0.348	0.454	0.675	1.129	8.8

Jimmie Foxx accomplished just about everything you can can on a baseball field, yet I feel that he has gone down as one of history’s most underrated players.  The guy was in the Majors when he was seventeen years old.  If only he had played for the Yankees, Foxx would undoubtedly be a household name. 

Joe DiMaggio (1937-41)

Known for: Being Captain of the Yankees, having the longest hitting streak of all time, being legendarily pussy-whipped by Marilyn Monroe

	AB	R	H	HR	RBI	SB	BB	BA	OBP	SLG	OPS	WAR
Totals	2731	603	957	169	691	17	312	0.350	0.420	0.638	1.058	38.0
162 Game Ave	645	143	226	40	164	3	74	0.350	0.420	0.638	1.058	8.6

The definition of a winner, DiMaggio was the Captain of the Yankee squad during arguably the most dominant period of the club’s unparalleled history.  Between ’37 and ’41 he was five for five in All Star appearances, won two MVPs, and mixed in a little hit streak as well.   You’d think that would be enough to get you into the top ten, but you’d be wrong.

Stan Musial (1943-48) 

Known for: Best player on the Cardinals dynasty of the 40s, being somewhere near the top of like every goddamn hitting category there is

	AB	R	H	HR	RBI	SB	BB	BA	OBP	SLG	OPS	WAR
Totals	3007	615	1078	144	598	43	352	0.352	0.430	0.582	1.012	39.7
162 Game Ave	638	126	225	21	107	8	84	0.352	0.430	0.582	1.012	8.0

Of all the players included on this list, I think that WAR short-changes Musial the most. Ty Cobb, in a 1952 Life magazine article, called Stan the Man “the closest to being perfect in the game today.”  And, trust me, if a certified douche bag like Ty Cobb is giving you compliments like that, you’re the real deal.   And here’s a random, but equally jaw dropping note, the dude had more doubles in this five year stretch than every Mets roster from 1962 to 1976.  Maybe the most astounding stat I’ve ever seen.  And that is not at all a shot at the Mets.  I swear.

Yogi Berra (1951-55)

Known for: Where to start?  Being the goofiest looking dude in the Hall of Fame, appearing in 21 World Series as a player, coach, or manager (winning 13), having countless ridiculous sayings (my favorite: “I’m not going to buy my kids an encyclopedia - let ‘em walk to school like I did.”)

	AB	R	H	HR	RBI	SB	BB	BA	OBP	SLG	OPS	WAR
Totals	2709	441	782	133	527	8	276	0.289	0.358	0.489	0.847	24.9
162 Game Ave	613	100	177	31	120	2	63	0.289	0.358	0.489	0.847	5.9

I shit you not, Berra got the nickname Yogi because his childhood friends said “he just walked like a Yogi.”  How can you not become a legend with a start like that?  The stats may not knock your socks off, in fact, Berra never led the league in a single category.  Not one.  Though, to be fair, he did win “most likely to be cast in a supporting role in Lord of the Rings” in the annual Yankee yearbook.  Nonetheless, the three MVPs he won over these five seasons speak volumes as to how good Yogi Berra really was.  In the two seasons he didn’t win?  He came in second and fourth.  A true Renaissance man of the diamond, Berra routinely split time between catcher, left field, right field, and even occasionally filled in at third and first when the Yankees needed him to. 

Hank Aaron (1959-63)

Known for: being the real home run king

	AB	R	H	HR	RBI	SB	BB	BA	OBP	SLG	OPS	WAR
Totals	3045	581	984	202	627	91	311	0.323	0.383	0.600	0.984	43.4
162 Game Ave	634	121	205	43	131	19	65	0.323	0.383	0.600	0.984	8.8

This is exactly the kind of list that works against a guy like Hammerin’ Hank.  That is, a guy who brilliance is not defined by meteoric moments of greatness, but rather, a methodical and relentless body of work.  Aaron was damn close to cracking the top ten, but a relatively mediocre OBP, coupled with the fact that his main competition was Willie Mays, left him inches short in my mind.

Bob Gibson (1968-72)

Known for: This quote is all you need know: Hank Aaron once told Dusty Baker, “Don't dig in against Bob Gibson, he'll knock you down. He'd knock down his own grandmother if she dared to challenge him. Don't stare at him, don't smile at him, don't talk to him. He doesn't like it. If you happen to hit a home run, don't run too slow, don't run too fast. If you happen to want to celebrate, get in the tunnel first. And if he hits you, don't charge the mound, because he's a Gold Glove boxer.”  Baseball was so much cooler in the 60s.

	W	L	CG	SHO	IP	H	SO	BB	WHIP	ERA	WAR
Totals	100	53	122	29	1436.1	1152	1204	409	1.087	2.35	42.5
162 game ave	21	11	25	6	291	233	144	83	1.087	2.35	9.1

Although I would never say it to his face, in my opinion, Koufax was definitively better than Gibson.  The proof is truly in the pudding on this on as Gibson’s ERA is significantly higher, he has less strikeouts, less wins, more walks, etc, etc...  However, an argument can be made that Gibson’s 1968 campaign is the single greatest season any pitcher in the history of baseball.  Take a look:

	W	L	CG	SHO	IP	H	SO	BB	WHIP	ERA	WAR
1968	22	9	28	13	304.2	198	268	62	0.853	1.12	11.2

Everything about this stat line is horrifying.  Thirteen shutouts???  How did the anemic St. Louis offense manage to lose this guy nine games?  Anyways, Gibson was so dominant that they actually changed the rules of the game in response to make pitchers less dominant.   I can’t think of a swaggier move than getting the rules changed in response to your swag.  That’s all I have to say, about that.

Tom Seaver (1969-73)

Known for: having the only plaque in Cooperstown with a Met hat (shocker)

	W	L	CG	SHO	IP	H	SO	BB	WHIP	ERA	WAR
Totals	103	51	89	17	1402.1	1076	1280	367	1.029	2.35	39.0
162 game ave	20	10	17	4	267	205	244	70	1.029	2.35	7.9

Seaver was probably the most surprising name that stuck out at me during my research for this article.  Color me fooled for thinking that there was no way a Met was going to sneak onto this list (the Met’s comments are never going to stop).   “Tom Terrific” won two Cy Young’s in this stretch, and got robbed out of a third in 1971, arguably the best season of his career.  Last note - Tom Terrific?  Really?  This is probably the most pathetic attempt at a nickname I’ve ever seen.  C’mon Met’s fans, it’s like you opened up a dictionary, looked for the first word you could find that started with a T, and said, how about...Tommy Teaspoon?  No, no, keep looking.  Ok, how about Tom Terrific?  Brilliant! 

Joe Morgan (1972-76)

Known for: His flappy elbow batting stance, Always thinking he’s right (if you’ve ever saw him as the color man on broadcasts alongside Jon Miller, you know what I’m talking about)

	AB	R	H	HR	RBI	SB	BB	BA	OBP	SLG	OPS	WAR
Totals	2610	565	792	108	427	310	592	0.303	0.431	0.499	0.930	47.8
162 Game Ave	569	124	173	24	94	68	130	0.303	0.431	0.499	0.930	10.1

Morgan (and his awesome flappy elbow) won back-to-back MVPs in ’75 and ’76, and, in my opinion, was the straw that stirred the drink on a loaded Cincinnati Reds roster.  I would wager that in today’s game Morgan would be even more appreciated due to his ridiculously high OBP and amazing combination of power and speed.

Rickey Henderson (1980-84)

Known for: Referring to himself in the third person or simply as The Greatest

	AB	R	H	HR	RBI	SB	BB	BA	OBP	SLG	OPS	WAR
Totals	2565	537	754	50	245	460	486	0.294	0.408	0.418	0.826	34.8
162 Game Ave	593	125	175	12	57	107	113	0.294	0.408	0.418	0.826	7.8

Like with Aaron, this is the kind of structure that works against Rickey Henderson, but for a different reason.  He was undoubtedly the greatest leadoff hitter the game has ever seen.  He stole more bases, and scored more runs than any player in history.  He also had decent power to boot.  But, unfortunately, Rickey’s greatness was never concurrently displayed over the course of five seasons.  The stolen bases came early in his career, and the home runs came later, but there was never an extreme enough of a crossover.  Sorry Rickey, you didn’t make the top ten, but it still doesn’t affect my opinion of you as Swag-Master-General of Major League Baseball.

Roger Clemens (1986-90)

Known for: The most Cy Young Awards in history (7), an incessant need to throw objects at Mike Piazza’s head (totally understandable)

	W	L	CG	SHO	IP	H	SO	BB	WHIP	ERA	WAR
Totals	100	42	57	23	1281.1	1052	1224	359	1.101	2.71	41.7
162 game ave	20	9	12	5	257	211	245	72	1.101	2.71	8.8

Two Cy Young Awards, an MVP,  and a 20 strikeout game couldn’t get the Rocket into the top ten.  Not to mention 57 complete games and 23 shutouts, both figures that are unheard of in the modern era of pitching.  Essentially, the decision came down to Maddux or Clemens, and unfortunately for Clemens, a relatively mediocre 1989 season inflated his five-year ERA and WHIP to a level that simply could not compete with the nerdy professor’s.  Clemens is yet another example of a guy whose sustained brilliance works against him when spotlighting a particular five-year stretch of their career.

Barry Bonds 1.0 (1990-94)

Known for: Resembling an actual Homo Sapien

	AB	R	H	HR	RBI	SB	BB	BA	OBP	SLG	OPS	WAR
Totals	2432	526	755	175	537	192	527	0.310	0.432	0.604	1.035	42.8
162 Game Ave	553	120	172	40	122	44	120	0.310	0.432	0.604	1.035	9.7

It’s sick to say that Bonds probably could have made it into the top ten for multiple five-year stretches of his career, but it’s true.  This was Bonds 1.0, renown for his remarkable plate discipline, unparalleled combination of power and speed, and the uncanny ability to win Gold Gloves entirely because of his hitting.  He won his first three MVPs while inhabiting this body, and never finished lower than fourth in the voting.  

Ken Griffey Jr. (1996-2000)

Known For: Ridiculous shit like this.  And this.  And this.

	AB	R	H	HR	RBI	SB	BB	BA	OBP	SLG	OPS	WAR
Totals	2912	593	844	249	685	81	415	0.290	0.382	0.604	0.986	35.8
162 Game Ave	618	126	179	53	146	18	88	0.290	0.382	0.604	0.986	7.3

If there has ever been a more beautiful player than Ken Griffey Jr, I can’t think of him.  Whenever I see footage of his swing, the music from The Natural begins to play in my head and my eyes get cloudy (*sniff* goddamn you, Robert Redford, you get me every time).  Griffey was the natural, placed on this Earth with the specific mission to amaze in the baseball diamond.  Playing in an era of wild-west-style steroid abuse (look at this ridiculous collection of human beings, Juan Gon could rip a phonebook in half with his forearms), Griffey was still a head above his competition.  Unfortunately, once he left the Mariners, the hamstrings began to give out and Junior’s pursuit to become baseball’s G.O.A.T. was derailed.

Randy Johnson (1998-2002)

Known for: Incredibly impressive animal cruelty.  Perfecting the mullet’s sweat-to-grease ratio (Good lord. It’s beautiful)

	W	L	CG	SHO	IP	H	SO	BB	WHIP	ERA	WAR
Totals	100	38	41	17	1274.1	990	1746	374	1.070	2.63	44.1
162 game ave	20	8	9	4	250	195	343	74	1.070	2.63	9.1

When I started making this list, the Big Unit’s ’98 to ’02 run seemed like a lock to be in the top ten.  This was the period when Randy finally put it all together, the accuracy, the masterful changing of speeds, the gangly intimidation, the mullet.   The dude ran off four consecutive Cy Young’s for god’s sake.  And it was in the midst of the NL’s steroid utopia no less.  His 12.3 K/9 is a figure that no one even sniffs nowadays.  However, in the final tally, the 6’11” giant in the desert simply couldn’t stand up to the little runt out in Boston, and he came up just short of the top ten (So many unintentional puns!!  I crack myself up).

Albert Pujols (2005-09)

Known for: Being the best hitter on the Cardinal’s World Series winning teams

	AB	R	H	HR	RBI	SB	BB	BA	OBP	SLG	OPS	WAR
Totals	2783	571	930	206	608	48	507	0.334	0.439	0.631	1.070	44.5
162 Game Ave	585	120	196	44	107	11	107	0.334	0.439	0.631	1.070	9.1

Up until last year, it was debatable whether Albert Pujols was even a human being.  A 13th Round draft pick, Pujols burst onto the scene as a bonified All Star and proceeded to go on an eleven year run (seemingly) without a slump.  However, ironically, his quiet, consistent domination seemed to lose him points in my mind when comparing him to guys like Mantle or Koufax (that is, guys who had much flashier styles of play).  Reasoning like this is exactly why no one should take my opinion seriously.

Miguel Cabrera (2009-2013)

Known for: Winning first Triple Crown since 1967

	AB	R	H	HR	RBI	SB	BB	BA	OBP	SLG	OPS	WAR
Totals	2731	505	916	178	572	18	395	0.335	0.420	0.601	1.021	32.3
162 Game Ave	607	113	204	40	127	4	88	0.335	0.420	0.601	1.021	7.1

Cabrera has taken the crown from Pujols as baseball’s best player.  Furthermore, he seems to be still getting better.  His status on this list has a chance to improve he continues his Triple Crown assault on the American League.