Monthly Archives: June 2012

The best Catchers in New York Yankee history

Most teams favor having a player with top notch defensive skills behind the plate. The Yankees have had some steady defensive players who also helped their pitching staffs by calling a good game; fortunately for the team these five catchers were dominant offensive players as well.

5) Elston Howard: Howard caught 1,029 games in 13 years with the Yanks, batting .279, hitting 161 home runs and driving in 733 runs while contributing to four World Championships in the 1950’s and 1960’s.

4) Jorge Posada: A five time All Star, Posada caught 1,574 games while contributing to Yankee World Championships in 1998, ’99, and 2000. In a 16 year career he batted .273 with 275 homers and 1,065 RBI’s, and is seventh in Yankee history with 379 doubles.

3) Thurman Munson: Winner of the 1970 Rookie of the Year Award, and named the American League MVP in 1976, Munson led the Yankees to three pennants and two World Championships. A seven time All Star selection and winner of three Gold Gloves, in his career Munson threw out 44% of baserunners attempting to steal (better than Johnny Bench’s 43%). He also hit .373 and drove in 12 runs in 16 World Series games. The first Yankee captain since Lou Gehrig, Munson caught 1,278 games in eleven seasons. Had a .292 career batting average and was recognized by pitchers for his ability to call a great game.

2) Bill Dickey: An eleven time All Star, Dickey’s .313 batting average places him seventh in Yankee history. His 1,209 RBI’s rank eighth and 1,969 hits are good for ninth. In 17 years Dickey caught 1,708 games, the most in team history, while contributing to seven world championships in the 1930’s and early 1940’s.

1) Yogi Berra: Selected to the All Star team 15 times in his 18 years with the Yankees, Berra contributed to 10 World Championships in the late 1940’s, 1950’s and early1960’s. He caught 1,699 games, and his 358 home runs and 1,430 RBI’s each rank fifth in team history. Berra also won three American League MVP awards. He is the best catcher in Yankee history.

source for statistics: http://www.baseball-reference.com/

 

The best Center Fielders in New York Yankee history

Centerfielders in baseball are usually players who have the best combination of speed and a strong throwing arm among the three outfielders, since they have to cover the most ground and make throws from different areas in the field. The Yankees have had many great players at the position, so let’s take a look at the best in their history. As it turns out these five are also the top five in games played in centerfield.

5) Bobby Murcer: Playing in 754 games in center field during 13 seasons with the team, Murcer won a Gold Glove at the position in 1972, and was named to four All Star teams. Hit .278 with 175 home runs and 687 RBI’s in his Yankee career.

4) Earle Combs: Batting leadoff for great Yankee teams in the 1920’s and early 1930’s, Combs was one reason for Babe Ruth and Lou Gehrig’s massive RBI totals – he was on base often. Ranks third in Yankee history (behind only Ruth and Gehrig) with a .325 batting average, and his outstanding .397 career on base percentage is eighth all time. Is the team’s single season leader in triples with 23 in 1927, and ranks second all time in team history with 154 triples as well as seventh in runs scored with 1,186. In 1927 Combs led the American League in hits with 231, which is second in team history for a single season. Batting .350 in 16 World Series games and a member of three world championship teams, this Hall of Famer played in 1,157 games in center during his 12 year career.

3) Bernie Williams: A five time All Star and winner of four Gold Gloves while playing 1,857 games in center field, Williams contributed to four World Championship titles. In Yankee history he ranks third in doubles with 449, fifth in hits with 2,336, sixth in runs scored with 1,366, sixth in RBI’s with 1,257, and seventh in home runs with 287.

2) Mickey Mantle: A 16 time All Star selection, the American League Triple Crown winner in 1956, a three time league MVP, and winner of a Gold Glove in 1962, Mantle played 1,743 games in center field. He led American League centerfielders in assists with 14 in 1952 and 20 in 1954, and his .995 fielding percentage led all centerfielders in 1955 and 1959. Mantle hit .298 with 536 home runs and 1,509 RBI’s in 18 years with the Yankees, contributing to seven World Championships. The Hall of Famer holds a number of World Series batting records including the most home runs with 18, RBI’s with 40, runs scored with 42, and walks with 43.

1) Joe DiMaggio: Despite missing three seasons while serving in the military during World War II, DiMaggio still ranks in the Yankees’ top ten in most batting categories. He is third with a .325 batting average, third in RBI’s with 1,537, third in triples with 131, third in slugging percentage at .579, fourth in home runs with 361, fifth in runs scored with 1,390, and seventh in on base percentage at .398. Playing in 1,635 games in center field, DiMaggio’s .997 fielding percentage in 1947 led all American League centerfielders, and he also led in assists with 21 in 1937, 20 in 1938, and 15 in 1946. An All Star in each of his 13 seasons with the team, DiMaggio won three league MVP awards and contributed to nine Yankee World Championships. He is the greatest Yankee centerfielder of all time.

The Best Right Fielders in New York Yankee history

Right field may be a position where kids in sandlot games try to hide someone who isn’t a great player, but that isn’t true in professional baseball. There have been many great offensive and defensive players at the position, and the Yankees have had some good ones. Here are the top five in their history.

5) Dave Winfield: A Hall of Famer who spent nine of his twenty two years in the majors with the Yankees, Winfield played 719 games in right field. He was named to eight All Star games and won five Gold Gloves while in New York.

4) Hank Bauer: Appearing in 1,196 games in right field during his 12 years with the team, Bauer hit .277 with 158 home runs and 654 RBI’s in his Yankee career. He was a three time All Star, and contributed to seven World Series titles in the 1950’s.

3) Tommy Heinrich: A five time All Star, contributing to four World Series championships in the late 1930’s and 1940’s, Heinrich batted .282 with 183 homers and 795 RBI’s in his eleven year Yankee career. He led American League right fielders in 1942 and 1946 with fielding percentages of .987 and .992, and his 11 assists in 1947 also led the league.

2) Paul O’Neill: Playing in over 1,200 games in right field during his nine years with the Yankees, O’Neill batted .303 with 185 home runs and 858 runs batted in. A steady defensive player with a strong arm, he was a key player on the 1996, ’98, ’99, and 2000 World Series teams.

1) Babe Ruth: Playing 1,128 games in right field during 15 years with the Yankees (he also played left field, and pitcher) Ruth is first in Yankee history in a number of hitting categories, including: batting average, .349; on base percentage, .484; slugging percentage, .711; runs scored, 1,959; total bases, 5,131; home runs, 659; and walks, 1,852. He is second in RBI’s with 1,971. In 36 World Series games with the team Ruth batted .348, hit 15 home runs, and had 30 RBI’s. What else can you say about someone who may be the game’s greatest player ever?

source for statistics: http://www.baseball-reference.com/

 

The best shortstops in New York Yankee history

Shortstop may be the most important defensive position – after catcher – on a baseball field. Quickness, speed, the ability to cover a lot of ground, and a strong accurate arm are essential. Going into the hole to backhand the ball and then throw out the runner at first, and being able to turn the double play consistently, are also important. The Yankees have had some pretty good shortstops, and some have been impressive contributors on offense as well.

5) Roger Peckinpaugh: From 1913-1921 Peckinpaugh played in 1,219 games at shortstop for New York. He has a career batting average of .257 with 143 stolen bases with the team, and his .949 fielding percentage is higher than the league average of .940 for that time period.

4) Tony Kubek: Playing in 882 games at short during his nine years with the Yanks, Kubek averaged .266 while contributing to three World Series titles in the late 1950’s and early 1960’s. A three time All Star, his .966 fielding percentage and 5.09 range factor are higher than the league’s averages of .962 and 4.89.

 3) Frank Crosetti: A two time All Star, Crosetti played 1,516 games at the position in 17 years. A member of six World Championship teams in the 1930’s and early 1940’s, he led American League shortstops with .968 fielding percentage in 1939. His 792 walks rank tenth all-time on the Yankees, and his 1,006 runs scored place him eleventh in that category.

2) Phil Rizzuto: A member of baseball’s Hall of Fame, the 1950 American League MVP was selected to five All Star teams. Rizzuto played in 1,647 games in 13 seasons with the Yankees. The shortstop on seven World Championship teams, he has a career batting average of .273 with an on base percentage of .351 and 149 stolen bases.

1) Derek Jeter: A twelve time All Star, winner of five Gold Gloves, and a member of five World Championship teams, Jeter is the only Yankee with at least 3,000 hits. He is still adding to his other Yankee records in games played with 2,497 and stolen bases with 345. Jeter’s .313 career batting average places him fifth; his 504 doubles rank second; and his 1,809 runs scored are third. The Yankees’ best shortstop of all time is also one of the best players in franchise history.

source for statistics: http://www.baseball-reference.com/

The best first basemen in New York Yankee history

Some people have said, “Anybody can play first base.”  But that’s not really true, there’s more to the position than some fans think. A first baseman needs good hands, quick feet, agility, and the ability to make split second decisions on plays such as bunts and cutoffs. Let’s not forget the skill of scooping infielders’ bad throws out of the dirt. All of these can save a team runs, and sometimes can mean the difference between a win and a loss. The Yankees have had some great hitters at the position, and several have also been outstanding defensive players. Here are the top five in franchise history.

5) Chris Chambliss: A Gold Glove winner in 1978 when he led all first basemen in the American League with a .997 fielding percentage, Chambliss compiled a .282 batting average during his seven years and 885 games with the team. He had 90 or more RBI’s for three consecutive seasons and hit perhaps the most legendary home run in Yankee history, a blast that came in the bottom of the ninth inning in the seventh game of the 1976 American League Championship Series, giving New York its first pennant in 12 years.

4) Tino Martinez: In 1,054 games in seven years with the Yankees, Martinez drove in over 100 runs in five seasons. A key member on the World Series championship teams in 1996, ’98, ’99, and 2000, he came up with a number of big hits in important games and was steady defensively.

3) Bill Skowron: A five time All Star, Skowron appeared in 1,087 games during nine years with the Yankees, contributing to championship titles in 1956, 1958, 1961, and 1962. In 35 World Series games he hit .283 with 7 home runs and 26 RBI’s.

2) Don Mattingly: A six time All Star, awarded nine Gold Gloves for defensive excellence, and winner of the 1985 American League MVP award, Mattingly played in 1,785 games in his 14 year career, all with the Yankees. His .307 batting average ranks ninth on the Yankees all time list. He holds the team record for sacrifice flies with 96, is fourth in doubles with 442, seventh in hits with 2,153, eighth in total bases with 3,301, tenth in runs scored with 1,007, and tenth in RBI’s with 1,099.

1) Lou Gehrig: Named the American League MVP in 1927 and 1936, and winner of the Triple Crown in 1934, Gehrig played in 2,164 games during 17 years with the Yankees, leading the team to six World Series titles in the 1920’s and 1930’s. In 34 World Series games he hit .361 with 10 homers and 35 RBI’s. He is first in Yankee history with 534 doubles, first in triples with 163, first in RBI’s with 1,995, and second in hits with 2,721. His .340 batting average, .447 on-base percentage, .632 slugging percentage, and 1,888 runs scored are second in team history, behind only Babe Ruth. Gehrig’s astounding numbers also place him among major league baseball’s all time leaders in many hitting categories. He is easily the best first baseman in Yankee history, and perhaps the best to ever play the game.

The best Left Fielders in New York Yankee history

The Yankees have had a number of good outfielders in franchise history, with many playing more than one spot. But who are the best left fielders? I took a look at who played the most games at the position, and put up good offensive as well as defensive numbers. Contribution to championship teams was also taken into consideration when ranking the players. Here are the top five Yankee Left Fielders of all time:

5) Lou Piniella: Playing in over 450 games in left field during his eleven seasons, Piniella was a decent fielder with a strong arm. He was a .295 hitter during his time with the Yankees and produced a number of key hits in crucial games while contributing to World Series titles in 1977 and 1978.

4) Hideki Matsui: Matsui manned left field in over 550 games for New York. He was steady defensively, and averaged .284 while driving in over 100 runs in four seasons during his seven years with the Yanks. Matsui was named the MVP of the 2009 World Series.

3) Bob Meusel: Playing 626 games in left field from 1920 to 1929 (he also played right field and third base for a total of 1,294 games in his Yankee career), Meusel contributed to three World Series titles. He ranks eighth all time on the Yankees with a .311 batting average; is tenth with 338 doubles; and twelfth 1,005 RBI.

2) Charlie Keller: Keller played in 870 games in left field during eleven seasons with the Yankees, from 1939-1949. His on-base percentage of .410 ranks fourth in team history, behind only Ruth, Gehrig, and Mantle. He is also eighth in slugging percentage with a .518 average, and his .982 fielding percentage in left is higher than the league average of .974 at the time. Keller also drove in 18 runs in 19 World Series games, contributing to three titles.

1) Roy White: Appearing in 1,521 games in left field during his fifteen years with the team, White delivered a number of key hits throughout his career and was an important contributor to the Yankees’ championship teams of 1976, 1977, and 1978. While he didn’t have a great arm his .987 fielding percentage was higher than the American League left fielders average of .978 at the time. On the all-time records’ lists for the Yankees White ranks seventh in games played with 1,881, eighth in walks with 934, fifth in stolen bases with 233, second in sacrifice flies with 69, and fourth in the power-speed category with a number of 189.7, behind only Jeter, Mantle, and Williams. White’s steady play makes him the best Left Fielder in Yankees history.

source for statistics: http://www.baseball-reference.com/