Best Players 1955-1980
BuckHunter68
Posts: 413 ✭✭✭
Figured this would be great place to get some opinions. Looking for guys you liked for some reason. We all know Pete Rose, Cepeda, Yaz...I'm looking for guys that people kinda missed that was a winning player. Watching a LOT of classic games from my childhood and I'm looking at many players differently. I never gave two thoughts about Tim Foli or Mike Squires. They were great players. Squires is one of the best defensive first baseman I ever saw and a nifty LH bat. Foli was tough as nails. Dude played the '79 season with a partially TORN hammy!
"You've gotta be a man to play this game...but you'd better have a lot of little boy in you, too"--Roy Campanella
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Choo Choo Coleman. He could not remember names as a member of the expansion team New York Mets…and would call them by their uniform numbers. And Marvelous Marv Thornberry. Also, Chico Ruiz who would say bench me or trade me!
I'll chime in with Bob Allison.
American League rookie of the year in 1959.
Might have been the best player in the American League in 1963;
Led the league in WAR, OPS, OPS+ and Runs.
Second in SLG and Extra base hits.
Third in HR, OBP and Walks.
Fourth in RBI
Fifth in Total bases
Finished 15th in MVP voting.
Had a better year in 1964 and finished 23rd! Mantle had a big year and Brooks Robinson won his only MVP, but Bob was definitely a top 5 player that year. He was second in OBP, third in OPS, OPS+ and Walks and fourth in SLG.
The next two years he had a broken hand and wrist from being hit by pitches.
Had a great arm and was a great baserunner although the Twins didn't steal many bases in those days.
Made one of the greatest catches in World Series history against the Dodgers in 1965.
Finished his career with a lifetime OPS+ of 127.
Sadly Bob suffered from Ataxia and passed away at the age of 60.
I would consider the following players (in no particular order) to be outstanding and not likely land in the HOF even though that could/should be debatable:
Most of my suggestions are on the earlier side of your time line
Ken Boyer
Smokey Burgess
Mickey Vernon
Rocky Colavito
Norm Cash
Rusty Stab
Frank Howard
Billy Pierce
Jackie Jensen
Reggie Smith
Curt Flood
Vada Pinson
Dick Groat
Camillo Pascual
Sam McDowell
I am stopping at 15 to give others an opportunity as there are many other players that remain that can be added.
Edited to add… For those that collect Baseball cards, I enjoy seeking cards of players listed among several others. I was pleased to find a 1953 Bowman Jensen card recently. That is the type of find that makes collecting fun- at least for me.
Experience the World through Numismatics...it's more than you can imagine.
I 2nd Vada Pinson
These guys played a little past 1980: Al Oliver and Rusty Staub
buying O-Pee-Chee (OPC) baseball cards
also collecting US & Canadian silver coins
Harold Baines was not good enough to carry Vada Pinsons jock strap.
It's the singer not the song - Peter Townshend (1972)
Not even a minute do I buy the whole buh buh buh I'm a man-child japery - Me (2025)
Bill Frehan comes to mind.
also Luis Tiant.
George Brett, Roger Clemens and Tommy Brady.
I'll throw Billy Pierce, Roy Sievers, and Bill Buckner into the mix.
This is exactly what I was going for! Thank you. Great mentions here! Camilo Pascual and Reggie Smith really stand out.
Reggie Smith looked like a superstar at times. His arm is one of the most deadly I ever saw. So freakishly accurate with tremendous carry. Seems Joel Horlen, Juan Pizarro and Gary Peters had something going for the White Sox for awhile.
No HOF caliber stuff, but those guy had a nice run. Jim Maloney was as tough as anyone for a spell as well. I'm curious what injuries may have shortened guys up? I wasn't born until '68. I missed the 60's guys at their best--although I've heard Bob Allison was a beast at his best.
"You've gotta be a man to play this game...but you'd better have a lot of little boy in you, too"--Roy Campanella
As an aside, this board--while well known to those who participate--is an amazing baseball resource that I send friends to. No substitute for fans who really watch these guys beyond the obvious stat lines. Thank you!
"You've gotta be a man to play this game...but you'd better have a lot of little boy in you, too"--Roy Campanella
I would add Dennis Leonard of the Royals. 20 game winner three times, completed 34% of his starts, respectable 3.70 era, and in addition has a high quality……. we’re talking Charlie Gehringer quality signature.
its a shame that arm injuries cut short his career.
Bob Purkey had a nice run from 1958-1962, averaging 17 wins a year.
Absolutely robbed of the Cy Young in 1962.
The Royals were SO good in the late 70s/80s but one guy (Brett) gets all the credit (maybe deservedly). Otis, Leonard, Splittorff, White, McRae, Quisenberry, ...
They just happened to have the bad timing to run into the 70s Yankees juggernaut in the playoffs every year.
Jim Bunning seldom gets mentioned.
From 1957-1967 never missed a start and averaged 17 wins per year with a 3.00 ERA.
How did he not win Cy Young in 1967? Winning % I would guess. BY FAR the best starting pitcher in the NL that year!
Bunning did make the HOF.
Adding a few more…
Elston Howard
Bobby Richardson
Willie Horton
Sal Bando
Gene Tenace
Bobby Grich
Experience the World through Numismatics...it's more than you can imagine.
Bill Madlock.
Jose Cruz
Cesar Cedeno
John Mayberry
All three had an ops+ of 120 or more.
Cedeno stole over 50 bases 6 years in a row. Mayberry was a power hitter who finished with more walks than strikeouts. Cruz was an excellent all around player.
Al Oliver…
I will also chime in the name of Bake McBride, who was a pretty darn good player in his day, just about a .300 career hitter, ok .299, but really, if you wanted to be that kid in school who was a fan of the COOLEST cat in sports, you would have said "My guy is Bake McBride!"
And the other kids would have been like "Whoa!"
Facts vs Fiction
How much did it sale for is one of the funniest and most ignorant things I've ever heard.
Jerry Koosman also had a good run.
As a Boston homer, Dewey Evans has an argument to be made for the HOF.
look at that young outfield Boston had starting in the mid 70's of Rice, Lynn and Evans. Only Rice made it to the HOF, but he may have been the weakest player of those 3!
George Brett, Roger Clemens and Tommy Brady.
A Tiger fan so glad to see so many mentioned from those late 60's early 70's teams. Also Darrell Evans for longevity as a good Fielder early and over 400 homers.
Yes! Darrell Evans yet another player who had a much better career than Baines.
I'll add Graig Nettles - close to 2x the WAR of Baines
It's the singer not the song - Peter Townshend (1972)
Not even a minute do I buy the whole buh buh buh I'm a man-child japery - Me (2025)
What may have hurt Darrell Evans was a .248 BA as he played in an era where that stat was regarded very highly. IMHO it still should be but is what it is...
It's the singer not the song - Peter Townshend (1972)
Not even a minute do I buy the whole buh buh buh I'm a man-child japery - Me (2025)
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Should have been AL MVP in 1981 in my opinion.
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I know Rice gets ripped a lot here. but he finished in the top 5 in MVP voting six times, winning once.
Lynn should have won in 1979 I think he was hurt a lot. Probably the best all around player of his time....when healthy.
Such an underrated hitter. He just happened to be on some terrible teams and played when there were generational hitters around the league.
Loved the guy.
That was the problem with Lynn. fantastic all around player/CFer. just could not stay healthy.
George Brett, Roger Clemens and Tommy Brady.
Three of my favorites. I was at a White Sox game when I was 9. Mayberry came up. I liked his name--I was 9. Anyway, my Dad says "Watch out for this guy. He's a powerful hitter." Mayberry blasts the next pitch into the upper deck. That moment had an impact.
"You've gotta be a man to play this game...but you'd better have a lot of little boy in you, too"--Roy Campanella
Wally Moon was a nice package. By all accounts a great baserunner (stole some bases, too), lefty stick with some pop, legitimate glove and walked more than he struck out. I think he even won a Gold Glove. His numbers are skewed defensively because Dodgers of his time stood around a lot while their pitchers struck guys out, Lol. He was handy in the OF and not a bad first baseman to boot.
My question is, when you think Wally Moon, aside from his unibrow, is he a Cardinal or a Dodger?
"You've gotta be a man to play this game...but you'd better have a lot of little boy in you, too"--Roy Campanella
Moon shots at the Colosseum before Dodger Stadium…
a lenghty list.
Steve Garvey
Ken Boyer
Bert Campaneris
Thurman Munson
Maury Wills
Bobby Bonds
Norm Cash
Boog Powell
Buddy Bell
George Foster
Curt Flood
Jimmy Wynn
Willie Horton
Bake McBride
Greg Luzinski
Darrell Evans
Hal McRae
Larry Hisle
Lee May
Roy White
Amos Otis
Matty Alou
Felipe Alou
Sal Bando
Joe Torre
Rusty Staub
Rico Carty
Vada Pinson
Al Oliver
Bill Freehan
Gene Tenace
Some really good pitchers...
Andy Messersmith
Vida Blue
Jerry Koosman
Luis Tiant
Mickey Lolich
Mike Cellar
Dave McNally
Sparky Lyle
Wilbur Wood
Sam McDowell
Rick Reuschel
Ron Guidry
Larry Dierker
Lindy Mcdaniel
Larry Jackson
Claude Osteen
Milt Pappas
Jerry Reuss
John Matlack
Forever and always a Tony Oliva fan as well. You can't have this conversation without mentioning him, a great hitter and producer for a legacy of good Minnesota teams.
Reminds me of a lefty Al Kaline. Both great pure hitters and Kaline was hurt a lot too to prevent him from having MVP type season.
Kaline had 16 seasons with more than 500 Plate appearances 4 seasons with around 100 games played.
Lynn had 9 seasons with more than 500 Plate appearances and 6 seasons with around 115 games played.
I don't see what you mean.
How about Gaylord Perry's big bro, Jim. He had a really good career with a cy young.
he is also still kicking around at 90 years old!
George Brett, Roger Clemens and Tommy Brady.
Topps must have thought that Jim Perry was really good, because they gave their coveted #500 slot to him in their 1971 set. #500 is usually reserved for players such as Mantle, Aaron, and Ryan.
buying O-Pee-Chee (OPC) baseball cards
also collecting US & Canadian silver coins
He had a terrific run 1965-70 with my Twins. Looks like he split quite a bit of his career between starting and long relief.
Totally agree but now that he is in the HOF he's been much more recognized.
It's the singer not the song - Peter Townshend (1972)
Not even a minute do I buy the whole buh buh buh I'm a man-child japery - Me (2025)
Andy Messersmith might be one of the most underrated players from this period.
At age 30, he had played 9 years in the MLB. His career numbers were as follows.
123-88 2.69 ERA 27 Shutouts 1514 K's 1.117 WHIP (4xAS, 3x Top 5 CY) 2,043 IP
He then suffers multiple injuries, and his career ends early. So other really good pitchers who had a HoF trajectory only to be hit with injuries. Dean Chance, Gary Nolan, and Don Gullett. Gullett is particularly interesting. At age 26, he already had the following.
105-48 3.10 ERA and three straight WS rings. At age 27, his career was over due to injury.
You can add Herb Score to the "what if he didn't get hurt?" / HOF trajectory list...
Bobby Schantz sustained injuries that impacted his career. He clearly was one of the best fielding pitchers ever.
Afew months back I finally found a 1953 Schantz topps card. For whatever reason, it seems to be elusive. It is a high number card which adds to the difficulty.
Experience the World through Numismatics...it's more than you can imagine.
Harmon Killebrew said Herb Score was the hardest thrower he ever faced.
Dean Chance. His peak was not long, but he had one year that was remarkable---1964. He went 20-9, with a 1.61 or so ERA, and won the Cy Young. He didn't have a lot of run support; to underscore this, he won FIVE 1-0 games. Mickey Mantle famously said of Chance, whenever I see his name on the line-up card, I feel like throwing up.
Brian Powell (IndianJones)
that is high praise coming from a player like Killebrew. He would have faced a prime Nolan Ryan when he came over to the Angels too!
George Brett, Roger Clemens and Tommy Brady.
Harmon hit a home run off of Nolan Ryan on my birthday in 1974!
I'm not sure Killebrew meant Score was faster than Ryan, just that he threw all his pitches extremely hard.
I was at the game Angels- Red Sox game in 1974 when Ryan struck out 19- That was amazing and probably the greatest performance by a MLB pitcher I have ever seen... or will see.
Sort of a fun pregame moment as I was able to get autographs from Yaz and Dwight Evans- I still have the ball
Experience the World through Numismatics...it's more than you can imagine.
Kaline played through many nagging injuries throughout the career as well as being born with a deformed foot that he claimed gave him problems as well. He was leading the league in the triple crown when he suffered a broken collarbone in1962 and 1967 very similar got hurt and missed the last month after another great season. Missed out on MVP type seasons
Looks like he had a shot at MVP in 1962.Not so sure about 1967, Yaz had a really great year.
Nobody cared back then, but it looks like his "numbers" would look better if he had drawn more walks.
I really don't see him as missing much time and I'm sure a lot of guys played through nagging type injuries.
Killebrew, for example, had a bad knee that he injured playing high school football and aggravated in 1960. Really hurt his running as his career went on. Harmon also had a severe elbow injury in 1965 and a torn hamstring in 1968.
Of course we all know about Mantle's injuries!
Kaline was a tremendous player and is under rated in my opinion.