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Top Hitters by Decade

Featured Replies

I was curious about who were the top hitters (based on OPS+) in each decade so I looked it up.

 

Below are the top 20% of the hitters in each of the past few decades.

 

For the minimum PAs I took the games played in a decade and multiplied by 1.55. I used the 1.55 and not the 3.1 so that a guy that had the minimum PAs in half the seasons of the decade would qualify.

 

2000-2008

(2259 Plate Appearances minimum)

====================================

Player **OPS+** PA

1 Barry Bonds 221 4072

2 Albert Pujols 170 5382

3 Manny Ramirez 160 5443

4 Jason Giambi 156 5028

5 Alex Rodriguez 155 6233

6 Chipper Jones 150 5291

7 Lance Berkman 149 5686

8 Vladi Guerrero 149 5687

9 Jim Thome 149 5247

10 Todd Helton 147 5764

11 Carlos Delgado 144 5826

12 Ryan Howard 143 2442

13 Travis Hafner 142 3000

14 Sammy Sosa 142 4088

15 David Ortiz 141 5026

16 Gary Sheffield 141 5087

17 Miguel Cabrera 140 3756

18 Jim Edmonds 140 4757

19 Brian Giles 139 5922

20 David Wright 139 3047

21 Admin Walker 139 2773

22 Edgar Martinez 138 2805

23 Frank Thomas 136 3983

24 Magglio Ordonez 135 5175

25 Mark Teixeira 134 3931

26 Bobby Abreu 133 6265

27 Jeff Bagwell 133 3631

28 J.D. Drew 132 4311

29 Jason Bay 131 3259

30 Matt Holliday 131 2968

31 Adam Dunn 130 4749

32 Moises Alou 129 4227

33 Jeff Kent 129 5377

34 Jorge Posada 129 4789

35 Ryan Klesko 129 3744

36 Derrek Lee 128 5433

37 Joe Mauer 128 2388

38 Chase Utley 128 3126

39 Rafael Palmeiro 128 3782

40 Troy Glaus 127 5027

41 Mike Piazza 127 3670

42 Cliff Floyd 125 4215

43 Nick Johnson 125 2542

44 Carlos Pena 125 3143

45 Scott Rolen 125 4836

46 Grady Sizemore 125 3109

47 Mike Sweeney 124 4000

48 Luis Gonzalez 123 5466

49 Hideki Matsui 123 3290

50 Justin Morneau 122 3011

51 Ken Griffey 121 4054

52 Richie Sexson 121 4885

53 Shawn Green 121 5196

54 Phil Nevin 121 3414

 

 

1990-1999

(2408 Plate Appearances minimum)

====================================

Player **OPS+** PA

1 Barry Bonds 179 6146

2 Mark McGwire 172 5054

3 Frank Thomas 169 6091

4 Jeff Bagwell 159 5800

5 Mike Piazza 156 4075

6 Edgar Martinez 154 5587

7 Ken Griffey 152 6182

8 Albert Belle 150 5817

9 Manny Ramirez 147 3563

10 Gary Sheffield 146 5054

11 Jim Thome 146 3782

12 Admin Walker 142 5201

13 Kevin Mitchell 142 2597

14 Rafael Palmeiro 139 6681

15 Mo Vaughn 138 5044

16 Juan Gonzalez 137 5215

17 Chipper Jones 137 3386

18 Tim Salmon 136 4139

19 Fred McGriff 135 6255

20 John Kruk 135 2877

21 Jose Canseco 134 4986

22 John Olerud 134 5699

23 Tony Gwynn 133 5453

24 David Justice 132 5030

25 Alex Rodriguez 132 2843

26 Bernie Williams 130 4925

27 Danny Tartabull 130 3396

28 Will Clark 129 5366

29 Rickey Henderson 129 5452

30 Harold Baines 128 4790

31 Jason Giambi 128 2748

32 Moises Alou 128 3686

33 Lou Whitaker 128 2801

34 Bobby Bonilla 127 5389

35 Carlos Delgado 127 2719

36 Paul O'Neill 127 5932

37 Lenny Dykstra 127 2982

38 Jay Buhner 126 4896

39 Chili Davis 126 5136

40 Ryan Klesko 126 2772

41 Ray Lankford 126 5268

42 Barry Larkin 126 5541

43 Shane Mack 126 2811

44 Kirby Puckett 126 3738

45 Craig Biggio 125 6795

46 Jeromy Burnitz 125 2568

47 Mickey Tettleton 125 4096

 

 

1980-1989

(2425 Plate Appearances minimum)

====================================

Player **OPS+** PA

1 Mike Schmidt 153 5556

2 Wade Boggs 150 5371

3 George Brett 150 5381

4 Pedro Guerrero 148 4858

5 Darryl Strawberry 146 3928

6 Jack Clark 144 5021

7 Eric Davis 144 2465

8 Don Mattingly 144 4422

9 Eddie Murray 141 6437

10 Dwight Evans 137 6371

11 Rickey Henderson 137 6206

12 Danny Tartabull 137 2446

13 Alvin Davis 136 3772

14 Robin Yount 135 6357

15 Dave Winfield 135 5597

16 Jose Canseco 133 2436

17 Tim Raines 133 5621

18 Tony Gwynn 132 4527

19 Keith Hernandez 132 5756

20 Kent Hrbek 132 4767

21 Dale Murphy 132 6540

22 Kirk Gibson 129 4557

23 Andre Dawson 128 5897

24 Glenn Davis 127 3044

25 Jason Thompson 127 3294

26 Howard Johnson 126 3224

27 Bob Horner 126 3339

28 Brian Downing 125 5450

29 Leon Durham 125 4067

30 Bobby Grich 125 3451

31 Paul Molitor 124 5330

32 Fred Lynn 123 4665

33 Cal Ripken 123 5680

34 George Bell 122 4269

35 Phil Bradley 122 3754

36 Darrell Evans 122 5368

37 Wally Joyner 122 2644

38 Kirby Puckett 122 4093

39 Hal McRae 122 3361

40 Chet Lemon 121 5284

41 Cecil Cooper 121 4705

42 Reggie Jackson 121 4078

43 Dusty Baker 121 3286

44 Al Oliver 121 3248

45 Greg Luzinski 121 2635

46 Jim Rice 120 5602

47 Jose Cruz 120 4739

48 Mike Easler 120 3892

 

 

1970-1979

(2510 Plate Appearances minimum)

====================================

Player **OPS+** PA

1 Willie Stargell 156 5083

2 Reggie Jackson 148 5912

3 Dick Allen 148 3624

4 Hank Aaron 145 3413

5 Frank Robinson 145 2940

6 Dave Parker 143 3607

7 Rod Carew 142 5916

8 Fred Lynn 142 3035

9 Reggie Smith 142 5352

10 Jim Rice 141 3456

11 Joe Morgan 140 6320

12 Mike Schmidt 140 4506

13 George Foster 139 4063

14 Ken Singleton 139 5778

15 Gene Tenace 137 4652

16 Willie McCovey 136 4337

17 Boog Powell 135 3455

18 Billy Williams 135 4189

19 Greg Luzinski 134 4879

20 Dave Winfield 134 3869

21 Johnny Bench 132 6001

22 Bobby Bonds 132 6561

23 Bill Madlock 132 3464

24 Andre Thornton 132 2949

25 Bob Watson 132 5625

26 George Brett 130 3815

27 Mike Hargrove 130 3568

28 Sixto Lezcano 130 2672

29 Tony Perez 129 6155

30 Rico Carty 128 4095

31 Cesar Cedeno 128 5482

32 Carlton Fisk 128 3818

33 Pete Rose 128 7399

34 Richie Zisk 128 3983

35 Bobby Murcer 127 6324

36 Carl Yastrzemski 127 6251

37 Joe Torre 127 4024

38 Bernie Carbo 126 3297

39 Ron Cey 126 4492

40 Oscar Gamble 126 3735

41 Ted Simmons 126 5868

42 Harmon Killebrew 126 2862

43 Don Baylor 125 4723

44 Steve Garvey 125 5199

45 Bobby Grich 125 4769

 

 

1960-1969

(2491 Plate Appearances minimum)

====================================

Player **OPS+** PA

1 Mickey Mantle 171 4500

2 Frank Robinson 166 6209

3 Dick Allen 164 3690

4 Hank Aaron 162 6661

5 Willie Mays 159 6213

6 Willie McCovey 157 5000

7 Harmon Killebrew 154 6042

8 Roberto Clemente 143 6231

9 Norm Cash 142 5704

10 Frank Howard 142 5342

11 Al Kaline 141 5473

12 Tony Oliva 139 3896

13 Willie Stargell 138 3561

14 Jimmy Wynn 138 3646

15 Carl Yastrzemski 138 5978

16 Orlando Cepeda 137 5682

17 Jim Gentile 137 3438

18 Roger Maris 135 4287

19 Eddie Mathews 134 4962

20 Boog Powell 133 4355

21 Willie Horton 132 2876

22 Billy Williams 132 6296

23 Jim Ray Hart 131 3406

24 Ron Santo 131 6531

25 Joe Adcock 130 3030

26 Bob Allison 129 5158

27 Joe Torre 129 4777

28 Don Mincher 128 3388

29 Rocky Colavito 128 5384

30 Tony Conigliaro 126 2613

31 Rusty Staub 125 3979

32 Joe Morgan 124 2573

33 Pete Rose 123 4777

 

 

1950-1959

(2386 Plate Appearances minimum)

====================================

Player **OPS+** PA

1 Ted Williams 185 4053

2 Mickey Mantle 173 5409

3 Stan Musial 159 6272

4 Willie Mays 158 4629

5 Eddie Mathews 152 5139

6 Hank Aaron 151 3866

7 Duke Snider 148 6010

8 Ralph Kiner 143 3674

9 Ernie Banks 139 3954

10 Admin Doby 138 5119

11 Al Rosen 138 4309

12 Minnie Minoso 137 5866

13 Frank Robinson 137 2594

14 Jackie Robinson 135 3751

15 Sid Gordon 134 3021

16 Bill Skowron 133 2387

17 Bob Nieman 132 3610

18 Al Kaline 131 3777

19 Yogi Berra 130 5818

20 Ted Kluszewski 130 5016

21 Gil Hodges 129 6163

22 Vic Wertz 128 4473

23 Monte Irvin 127 2800

24 Gene Woodling 126 4711

25 Roy Campanella 124 3988

26 Jackie Jensen 123 5506

 

 

1940-1949

(2386 Plate Appearances minimum)

====================================

Player **OPS+** PA

1 Ted Williams 201 4671

2 Stan Musial 172 4747

3 Joe DiMaggio 162 4039

4 Johnny Mize 159 4057

5 Ralph Kiner 157 2582

6 Charlie Keller 154 3975

7 Mel Ott 147 3535

8 Jeff Heath 142 4445

9 Dolph Camilli 139 2526

10 Bob Johnson 137 3611

11 Tommy Henrich 136 4008

12 Enos Slaughter 136 4335

13 Augie Galan 135 3613

14 Roy Cullenbine 135 4494

15 Bill Nicholson 134 5721

16 Pete Reiser 132 2740

17 Dick Wakefield 131 2499

18 Phil Cavarretta 130 5013

19 Del Ennis 129 2479

20 Nick Etten 129 3576

21 Dixie Walker 128 5516

22 Elbie Fletcher 127 3909

23 Stan Hack 127 4501

24 Bob Elliott 126 6156

 

 

1930-1939

(2386 Plate Appearances minimum)

====================================

Player **OPS+** PA

1 Babe Ruth 194 3066

2 Lou Gehrig 181 6339

3 Jimmie Foxx 173 6552

4 Mel Ott 162 6388

5 Hank Greenberg 159 3917

6 Joe DiMaggio 153 2544

7 Joe Medwick 145 4706

8 Lefty O'Doul 145 2460

9 Arky Vaughan 142 5055

10 Babe Herman 142 3988

11 Bill Terry 142 4162

12 Chuck Klein 141 5689

13 Bob Johnson 139 4436

14 Wally Berger 138 5616

15 Mickey Cochrane 137 3599

16 Hal Trosky 135 3890

17 Earl Averill 134 6392

18 Dolph Camilli 134 3826

19 Chick Hafey 134 2845

20 Paul Waner 133 6544

21 Bill Dickey 132 5016

22 Charlie Gehringer 132 6492

23 George Selkirk 130 2562

24 Al Simmons 129 5680

25 Gabby Hartnett 128 4538

26 Ernie Lombardi 127 3634

27 Ripper Collins 127 4135

 

 

1920-1929

(2386 Plate Appearances minimum)

====================================

Cnt Player **OPS+** PA

1 Babe Ruth 216 6223

2 Rogers Hornsby 188 6389

3 Lou Gehrig 175 3321

4 Harry Heilmann 156 6115

5 Tris Speaker 151 5034

6 Hack Wilson 148 3202

7 Paul Waner 147 2727

8 Jack Fournier 144 4340

9 Al Simmons 143 3578

10 Ty Cobb 143 4791

11 Jim Bottomley 142 4690

12 Ken Williams 141 5076

13 Goose Goslin 135 4932

14 Riggs Stephenson 135 3335

15 Tony Lazzeri 134 2423

16 Cy Williams 133 4883

17 Kiki Cuyler 132 3465

18 Zack Wheat 132 4320

19 Eddie Collins 130 4646

20 Joe Harris 129 2906

21 Heinie Manush 128 3709

22 Bill Terry 128 2949

23 Ross Youngs 128 4212

24 Earle Combs 126 3481

25 Ray Blades 126 2400

26 Bob Fothergill 125 2540

27 Edd Roush 125 4937

28 George Grantham 124 3786

  • Author

One that surpirsed me was Edgar Martinez at No. 6 in the 90s. It will be interesting to see if he makes it to the HoF.

 

Hank Aaron was in the top 10 in 3 decades. I think he may be the only one to do that.

Nothing really surprising for me, I get bored and use the B-R PI a lot. I do have to ask, why the strange, unrounded numbers for PA Requirements?

  • Author

Nothing really surprising for me, I get bored and use the B-R PI a lot. I do have to ask, why the strange, unrounded numbers for PA Requirements?

I bought B-R PI today. The 1981, 1994 and 1995 seasons were strike shortened and in 1961 the season went from 154 to 162 games. I adjusted the requirements for all of that. Also, in this decade we only have 9 seasons so far.

Nothing really surprising for me, I get bored and use the B-R PI a lot. I do have to ask, why the strange, unrounded numbers for PA Requirements?

I bought B-R PI today. The 1981, 1994 and 1995 seasons were strike shortened and in 1961 the season went from 154 to 162 games. I adjusted the requirements for all of that. Also, in this decade we only have 9 seasons so far.

OK, but why 2259, 2408, 2425, 2510, 2491 as opposed to like 2300, 2400, 2400, 2500, 2500?

 

How did you pick THOSE numbers?

Nothing really surprising for me, I get bored and use the B-R PI a lot. I do have to ask, why the strange, unrounded numbers for PA Requirements?

I bought B-R PI today. The 1981, 1994 and 1995 seasons were strike shortened and in 1961 the season went from 154 to 162 games. I adjusted the requirements for all of that. Also, in this decade we only have 9 seasons so far.

OK, but why 2259, 2408, 2425, 2510, 2491 as opposed to like 2300, 2400, 2400, 2500, 2500?

 

How did you pick THOSE numbers?

 

Aren't those just the total PA that player had in the decade...

  • Author

Nothing really surprising for me, I get bored and use the B-R PI a lot. I do have to ask, why the strange, unrounded numbers for PA Requirements?

I bought B-R PI today. The 1981, 1994 and 1995 seasons were strike shortened and in 1961 the season went from 154 to 162 games. I adjusted the requirements for all of that. Also, in this decade we only have 9 seasons so far.

OK, but why 2259, 2408, 2425, 2510, 2491 as opposed to like 2300, 2400, 2400, 2500, 2500?

 

How did you pick THOSE numbers?

 

I took the games played each decade and multiplied by 3.099 and divided by 2.

 

The 3.099 are the plate appearances per game needed to qualify for the batting title.

 

I divided by 2 so that guys who played in half the decade could be included.

 

I didn't round to the nearest hundred because I didn't see a need to round.

Nothing really surprising for me, I get bored and use the B-R PI a lot. I do have to ask, why the strange, unrounded numbers for PA Requirements?

I bought B-R PI today. The 1981, 1994 and 1995 seasons were strike shortened and in 1961 the season went from 154 to 162 games. I adjusted the requirements for all of that. Also, in this decade we only have 9 seasons so far.

OK, but why 2259, 2408, 2425, 2510, 2491 as opposed to like 2300, 2400, 2400, 2500, 2500?

 

How did you pick THOSE numbers?

 

I took the games played each decade and multiplied by 3.099 and divided by 2.

 

The 3.099 are the plate appearances per game needed to qualify for the batting title.

 

I divided by 2 so that guys who played in half the decade could be included.

 

I didn't round to the nearest hundred because I didn't see a need to round.

Ah, ok. Very nice.

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