Top 200 Players of All Time: The Best 5
Over the course of the next few days (weeks?) the FBHOF will rank the Top 200 fantasy players of all time, providing summary level commentary for each.
To date all our discussions have been within a particular position. For instance, we spent a lot of time showing why Albert Pujols is ranked higher than Jeff Bagwell, but we never quite answered the question as to who was better – Pujols or the highest ranked second basemen, Ryne Sandberg.
All positions, including closers and starting pitchers, are hereby ranked in one spot.
Each of our remaining 5 Fantasy Baseball Stars is one of the few unparalleled greats of the game. Their accomplishments are second to none and have changed the fortunes of fantasy owners more than any others in the history of the sport.
5 - Rickey Henderson, OF
Career Totals
86.6 - FBHOF Score
74.7 - Peak Score
188.5 - Career Score
Peak Average:
14.9 Pts, .295 AVG, 121 R, 19 HR, 59 RBI, 84 SB
Best Season: 1985
16.6 Pts, .314 AVG, 146 R, 24 HR, 72 RBI, 80 SB
Finishes
Top 1 Batter: 1
Top 5 Batter: 6
Top 10 Batter: 9
Top 25 Batter: 12
Henderson retired from fantasy baseball as the most prolific base stealer of all time with 1370 swipes. He finished eight seasons as a Top-5 outfielder; stole 100 bases three different times and set the all-time MLB single season mark with 130 in 1982. Henderson also hit for average, batting .290 or better in nine seasons and scored 100 or more runs an incredible thirteen times. What truly separated Henderson from other base stealers was his ability to hit for power – he had four 20+ HR seasons and twelve in double-digits.
4 – Alex Rodriguez, SS
Career Totals
86.9 – FBHOF Score
81.2 – Peak Score
161.4 – Career Score
Peak Average:
16.3 Pts, .324 AVG, 133 R, 46 HR, 134 RBI, 25 SB
Best Season: 2007
18.1 Pts, .314 AVG, 143 R, 54 HR, 156 RBI, 24 SB
Finishes
Top 1 Batter: 2
Top 5 Batter: 8
Top 10 Batter: 8
Top 25 Batter: 12
Rodriguez is arguably the best offensive player in the game for the past decade (and counting). “A-Rod” has finished in the Top-3 at his position for twelve consecutive years, a streak that remains alive today. Since his rookie year in 1996, he’s been ranked #1 at his position eight times. He’s reached 40 home runs eight times; scored 120+ runs eight times; reached 120 RBI eight times; and had over 15 stolen bases eight times. His overall Peak Score is the best of any batter during the Fantasy Era.
3 – Greg Maddux, SP
Career Totals
89.3 – FBHOF Score
77.7 – Peak Score
158.8 – Career Score
Peak Average:
15.5 Pts, 18 W, 0.96 WHIP, 2.03 ERA, 183 K
Best Season: 1994
18.8 Pts, 16 W, 0.90 WHIP, 1.56 ERA, 156 K
Finishes
Top 1 Pitcher: 4
Top 5 Pitcher: 10
Top 10 Pitcher: 10
Top 25 Pitcher: 13
1994 Ranks as the best fantasy pitching season All-Time. Maddux is a four time winner of the Pitcher of the Year award, a fantasy record. He has had nine seasons with a WHIP under 1.00 and ten seasons with an ERA of 3.00 or better. Between 1991 and 2001 failed to reach Top-10 status just once. Somehow, Maddux has won at least 13 games per season each year since 1988 – that’s a 20 year run if you struggle with math. Nine of these were of 18 Wins or more.
2 – Barry Bonds, OF
Career Totals
90.0 – FBHOF Score
77.6 – Peak Score
232.0 – Career Score
Career Average:
15.5 Pts, .317 AVG, 112 R, 45 HR, 112 RBI, 32 SB
Best Season: 1993
17.0 Pts, .336 AVG, 129 R, 46 HR, 123 RBI, 29 SB
Finishes
Top 1 Batter: 2
Top 5 Batter: 8
Top 10 Batter: 13
Top 25 Batter: 14
Bonds’ 232 Career Points dwarfs that of any other player, at any other position. He has been better, for a longer period of time, than any fantasy player ever. His list of accomplishments are too long to detail, but we’ll try anyway. Hit 73 HR in 2001; had 13 seasons of 30+ homers and eight seasons of 40+; he batted at least .300 eleven times; had both 100 R and 100 RBI in same season eleven times; he’s had twelve seasons of at least 25 stolen bases. His career highs in each stat category are astronomically good: .370 AVG, 129 R, 73 HR, 137 RBI, 52 SB.
1 – Randy Johnson, SP
Career Totals
94.5 – FBHOF Score
86.0 – Peak Score
157.6 – Career Score
Peak Average:
17.2 Pts, 19 W, 1.00 WHIP, 2.47 ERA, 331 K
Best Season: 2002
18.1 Pts, 24 W, 1.03 WHIP, 2.32 ERA, 334 K
Finishes
Top 1 Pitcher: 2
Top 5 Pitcher: 10
Top 10 Pitcher: 11
Top 25 Pitcher: 11
The best player in fantasy history, Johnson holds both the mark forbest overall and peak scores. He’s the only player in history with six seasons of 16+ FBHOF points. The “Big Unit” struck out at least 300 batters an incredible six times and was ranked 1st or 2nd seven times. His three best seasons are almost interchangeable:
2002 – 18.1 Pts, 24 W, 1.03 WHIP, 2.32 ERA, 334 K
2001 – 17.9 Pts, 21 W, 1.01 WHIP, 2.49 ERA, 372 K
1999 – 17.8 Pts, 17 W, 1.02 WHIP, 2.48 ERA, 364 K
To put his career into perspective, his peak average score of 17.2 FBHOF points would rank 10th all time on the single season list. His peak average was better than that of any single season from Kevin Brown, Roger Clemens, Jake Peavy, Johan Santana, Curt Schilling, or John Smoltz.
20,400 words later, we’re through. Thanks for reading.
To date all our discussions have been within a particular position. For instance, we spent a lot of time showing why Albert Pujols is ranked higher than Jeff Bagwell, but we never quite answered the question as to who was better – Pujols or the highest ranked second basemen, Ryne Sandberg.
All positions, including closers and starting pitchers, are hereby ranked in one spot.
Each of our remaining 5 Fantasy Baseball Stars is one of the few unparalleled greats of the game. Their accomplishments are second to none and have changed the fortunes of fantasy owners more than any others in the history of the sport.
5 - Rickey Henderson, OF
Career Totals
86.6 - FBHOF Score
74.7 - Peak Score
188.5 - Career Score
Peak Average:
14.9 Pts, .295 AVG, 121 R, 19 HR, 59 RBI, 84 SB
Best Season: 1985
16.6 Pts, .314 AVG, 146 R, 24 HR, 72 RBI, 80 SB
Finishes
Top 1 Batter: 1
Top 5 Batter: 6
Top 10 Batter: 9
Top 25 Batter: 12
Henderson retired from fantasy baseball as the most prolific base stealer of all time with 1370 swipes. He finished eight seasons as a Top-5 outfielder; stole 100 bases three different times and set the all-time MLB single season mark with 130 in 1982. Henderson also hit for average, batting .290 or better in nine seasons and scored 100 or more runs an incredible thirteen times. What truly separated Henderson from other base stealers was his ability to hit for power – he had four 20+ HR seasons and twelve in double-digits.
4 – Alex Rodriguez, SS
Career Totals
86.9 – FBHOF Score
81.2 – Peak Score
161.4 – Career Score
Peak Average:
16.3 Pts, .324 AVG, 133 R, 46 HR, 134 RBI, 25 SB
Best Season: 2007
18.1 Pts, .314 AVG, 143 R, 54 HR, 156 RBI, 24 SB
Finishes
Top 1 Batter: 2
Top 5 Batter: 8
Top 10 Batter: 8
Top 25 Batter: 12
Rodriguez is arguably the best offensive player in the game for the past decade (and counting). “A-Rod” has finished in the Top-3 at his position for twelve consecutive years, a streak that remains alive today. Since his rookie year in 1996, he’s been ranked #1 at his position eight times. He’s reached 40 home runs eight times; scored 120+ runs eight times; reached 120 RBI eight times; and had over 15 stolen bases eight times. His overall Peak Score is the best of any batter during the Fantasy Era.
3 – Greg Maddux, SP
Career Totals
89.3 – FBHOF Score
77.7 – Peak Score
158.8 – Career Score
Peak Average:
15.5 Pts, 18 W, 0.96 WHIP, 2.03 ERA, 183 K
Best Season: 1994
18.8 Pts, 16 W, 0.90 WHIP, 1.56 ERA, 156 K
Finishes
Top 1 Pitcher: 4
Top 5 Pitcher: 10
Top 10 Pitcher: 10
Top 25 Pitcher: 13
1994 Ranks as the best fantasy pitching season All-Time. Maddux is a four time winner of the Pitcher of the Year award, a fantasy record. He has had nine seasons with a WHIP under 1.00 and ten seasons with an ERA of 3.00 or better. Between 1991 and 2001 failed to reach Top-10 status just once. Somehow, Maddux has won at least 13 games per season each year since 1988 – that’s a 20 year run if you struggle with math. Nine of these were of 18 Wins or more.
2 – Barry Bonds, OF
Career Totals
90.0 – FBHOF Score
77.6 – Peak Score
232.0 – Career Score
Career Average:
15.5 Pts, .317 AVG, 112 R, 45 HR, 112 RBI, 32 SB
Best Season: 1993
17.0 Pts, .336 AVG, 129 R, 46 HR, 123 RBI, 29 SB
Finishes
Top 1 Batter: 2
Top 5 Batter: 8
Top 10 Batter: 13
Top 25 Batter: 14
Bonds’ 232 Career Points dwarfs that of any other player, at any other position. He has been better, for a longer period of time, than any fantasy player ever. His list of accomplishments are too long to detail, but we’ll try anyway. Hit 73 HR in 2001; had 13 seasons of 30+ homers and eight seasons of 40+; he batted at least .300 eleven times; had both 100 R and 100 RBI in same season eleven times; he’s had twelve seasons of at least 25 stolen bases. His career highs in each stat category are astronomically good: .370 AVG, 129 R, 73 HR, 137 RBI, 52 SB.
1 – Randy Johnson, SP
Career Totals
94.5 – FBHOF Score
86.0 – Peak Score
157.6 – Career Score
Peak Average:
17.2 Pts, 19 W, 1.00 WHIP, 2.47 ERA, 331 K
Best Season: 2002
18.1 Pts, 24 W, 1.03 WHIP, 2.32 ERA, 334 K
Finishes
Top 1 Pitcher: 2
Top 5 Pitcher: 10
Top 10 Pitcher: 11
Top 25 Pitcher: 11
The best player in fantasy history, Johnson holds both the mark forbest overall and peak scores. He’s the only player in history with six seasons of 16+ FBHOF points. The “Big Unit” struck out at least 300 batters an incredible six times and was ranked 1st or 2nd seven times. His three best seasons are almost interchangeable:
2002 – 18.1 Pts, 24 W, 1.03 WHIP, 2.32 ERA, 334 K
2001 – 17.9 Pts, 21 W, 1.01 WHIP, 2.49 ERA, 372 K
1999 – 17.8 Pts, 17 W, 1.02 WHIP, 2.48 ERA, 364 K
To put his career into perspective, his peak average score of 17.2 FBHOF points would rank 10th all time on the single season list. His peak average was better than that of any single season from Kevin Brown, Roger Clemens, Jake Peavy, Johan Santana, Curt Schilling, or John Smoltz.
20,400 words later, we’re through. Thanks for reading.
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