One of my favorite web sites to explore is Baseball Reference This site is to baseball what IMDB is to movies. You can check any player's stats, as well as how they match up with players similar to their age and stats. One of the best features to this site is the Hall of Fame index. Based on statistics in tons of categories the monitor shows whether a player is Hall of Fame worthy. I heard on the Big Show that Keith Olbermann thought the Yankees lineup (during the regular season) was possibly the best lineup ever in history. Quite a statement, because it's possible that it's not even the best lineup in Yankees history, but all-time.
Although there are many great teams and many great lineups, here are my top 5 lineups of all-time.
5. 2006 New York Yankees (After the Bobby Abreau trade) - This lineup was stacked before with possibly 5 Hall of Famers (Jeter, A-Rod, Sheffield, Abreu (if he stays on course, & Bernie, a long stretch for Giambi given allegations) in the lineup everyday. Jeter & Cano finish second and third in batting average, A-Rod drives in a sub-par 121 runs.. this is a fantasy team in the Bigs, with no pitching.
4. 1927 New York Yankees - I hate, let me repeat, HATE, having two Yankees lineups in the best 5 of all-time. However, how can you deny a lineup of Ruth (60 HR 164 RBI .356 avg) & Gehrig (47, 175, .373) along with Bob Meusel (8, 103, .337). Great Murders Row lineup.
3. 1976 Cincinnati Reds - The Big Red Machine as they were called. Perhaps the most dangerous 6 hitters in one lineup. Pete Rose, Ken Griffey, Joe Morgan, Johnny Bench, Tony Perez, & George Foster. Rose batted .323 with a .404 OBP, Griffey .306, .364, Morgan .320, .444!!! followed by Bench who had an off year but was still dangerous, Perez 19HR 91 RBI, and Foster 29 HR, 121 RBI, .306 BA & .364 OBP as a #6 hitter. Unreal.
2. 1936 New York Yankees - I hated putting two Yankee lineups in this list, but 3, this is getting a little ridiculous. But the stats speak, this for many people is the all-time greatest lineup, but I can't put a Yankee team there, plus I don't think they are the greatest. This team scored 1065 runs led by four different players with more than 100 runs. 5 players (Bill Dickey, Lou Gehrig, Tony Lazzeri, Joe DiMaggio, & George Selkirk) had more than 100 RBIs. Gehrig led the team in avg. and OBP with .354 & an unprecidented .444 OBP. Plus you have DiMaggio, one of the purest hitters of all-time. Unbelievable team.
1. 1894 Baltimore Orioles - The who? The who? That's right! Listen to this lineup: (I don't know how the lineup went some I'll go from position: C- W. Robinson .353 BA, .421 OBP, 98 RBI, 4 triples (watch the triples for this team), 1B- D. Brouthers .347, .425, 128, 23, 2B- H. Reitz .303 (lowest avg. on team!), .372, 105, 31(31 triples, think about it!) 3B- J. McGraw .340, .451, 92, 14. SS- H. Jennings .335, .411, 109, 16. OF- S. Brodie .366, .399, 109, 11. OF- J. Kelley .393, .502 (SAY WHAT!!! .502) 111, 20. OF- W. Keeler - .371, .427, 94, 22. UNREAL!! 1171 runs scored, lowest RBI man had 92. Oh yeah, I forgot about stolen bases, McGraw had 78, two men in the 40's and 3 in the 30's. This team was nuts... best lineup ever in my opinion.
Tuesday, October 17, 2006
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I'll concede the 1894 Orioles. But, it's important to note that since they were the only team in Major League Baseball at the time that they mostly played against crippled prisoners of war from Lincoln's Civil Dispute.
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