Top 20 MLB Hitters of the Live Ball Era
Who Will Be No. 1?
There is a very long history of great players around MLB through the many years of the sport. I have watched a ton of baseball over my life and enjoy it more than any sport out there. That’s why the list you are about to read is so interesting to a fan like myself. I have put together the top 20 players in the live ball era.
The live ball era goes from 1920 until today. I stress right away that this is a very subjective list of who I have as the top 20 players over the last 90 years. I’m sure there will be players that may be omitted to certain people, but feel free to comment on that. This list also includes just one player that began their career before 1920 but was dominant in the years ahead that.
There are a lot of players that have been very good over their careers, and while I wish I could include all of those athletes, it would make the list well over 100 players. I can tell you this much about the list before you begin looking at it. It is very wide ranging that goes all the way from back to the 1920s to players that are playing today. The game has changed over all these years, but these 20 players really stand the test of time to me. I’m sure there will be much conversation about who you would want to put on this list instead of some of those included, but that’s why sports talk is the best thing out there. Here is my list of the top 20 MLB players from the live ball era.
Andy Schmidt is a columnist/writer for RantSports. Follow him on Twitter @ASchmidtSports, like his Facebook page or add him to your network on Google.
20. Manny Ramirez
Ramirez could be looked at as one of the best right-handed hitters ever. There is much to say about a career that has seen 555 home runs and a .312 batting average. He may not be in the major leagues now, but you never know if he will return.
19. Alex Rodriguez
Rodriguez already has 647 home runs for his career. He could easily get to 700 or 750 if he can recover from injuries. He also boasts a .300 career batting average. There is no doubt he will finish with over 3,000 hits as well.
18. Ken Griffey, Jr.
Griffey was a star from his teen years before finishing with 630 home runs and a .284 batting average. If it wasn’t for injuries, Griffey would likely have over 700 home runs and be close to the career record.
17. Mickey Mantle
Mantle had some of the best power that has ever been seen. He had 536 home runs and 1,509 RBI. I will say he was the best switch-hitter ever and would have finished with a career average over .300 if not for two bad years to end his career.
16. Rickey Henderson
Henderson did it all. He could hit home runs leading off, steal bases at will and hit the ball all over. He had 3,055 career hits to go with his 1,406 stolen bases and a career average of .279. Henderson also had 297 home runs.
15. Frank Thomas
Thomas hit 521 home runs for his long career. He also finished with a batting average of .301 and could be looked at as the most feared designated hitter from the 1990s.
14. Lou Brock
Brock was the first big-time base stealer of the live ball era. Brock finished with 938 stolen bases to go with his .293 average and 3,023 hits. He wasn’t just there to steal; he got on base a lot because of his bat.
13. Albert Pujols
Pujols is the highest active player on this list because of the potential he still has. Pujols has 477 home runs during his career while batting .324. He will likely finish with more than 650 home runs by the time he is done.
12. Tony Gwynn
Gwynn hit an impressive .338 for his career including hitting over .300 for the last 19 years of his career. He wasn’t a big home run hitter, but he was one of the best gap-to-gap hitters ever.
11. Jimmie Foxx
Foxx was one of the most-feared sluggers around MLB for a long time and finished up with 534 home runs and 1,922 RBI. You can’t complain about a .325 career batting average either.
10. Carl Yastrzemski
Yastrzemski is a player who slips under the radar for some but had 1,844 RBI over 23 seasons. He also is in the top ten for career hits with 3,419.
9. Willie Mays
Mays was the heart and soul of the Giants franchise for 20+ years where he hit 646 of his 660 career home runs. Mays finished with a career .302 batting average.
8. Hank Aaron
Aaron held the record for most home runs with 755 until Barry Bonds broke it. Aaron finished with 2,297 RBI which is still a record. There are many including myself who still believe Aaron holds the HR record.
7. Lou Gehrig
Gehrig had the record for most consecutive games played at 2,130 for a long time and hit .340 for his career. The Iron Horse had 493 home runs and 1,995 RBI over his 17 years.
6. Frank Robinson
Robinson just missed the 3,000-hit club, falling short by 57 hits. He finished with 586 home runs for his career and was always one of the most-feared hitters in the game.
5. Barry Bonds
Bonds has the home run title with 762 at this point. There has been a lot of talk over the years about things that he may have taken, but no matter what, he still hit all those home runs. Bonds had an average of .298 with 1,996 RBI as well.
4. Stan Musial
Musial finished his career with a .331 batting average along with 475 home runs and 3,630 hits. He is the purest hitter ever in the National League. There aren’t very much other players I would want at the plate late in the game.
3. Pete Rose
Rose still holds the record for most hits ever with 4,256. Rose also finished with a .303 batting average. It is a shame he is not in the Hall of Fame already, but he can blame only himself for that.
2. Ted Williams
Williams missed several years due to military service and still finished with 2,664 hits and a career average of .344. Williams would have finished with 3,000 hits if not for the years he missed.
1. Babe Ruth
Ruth is arguably the greatest hitter of all-time. He finished his career with 714 home runs, a batting average of .342 and over 2,200 RBI. There is a reason why Yankee Stadium was called “The House that Ruth built”.
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