The All-Time Best Lineup of Players who Never Played in the 20th or 21st Century

[Omar 382]

I don't think the 1800's get enough coverage, so here is a list of the best players from that century. For this list, I will not be including players whose career started in the 1800's but extended into the 1900's, so no Honus Wagner, Nap Lajoie, Sam Crawford, etc. Furthermore, we are only looking solely contributions while playing in the National League (remember the American League wasn't founded yet) so stats accumulated in the NA will not be taken into account (the stats listed are solely in the NL, from 1876-1899). I will give 5 starting pitchers like it would be today, but remember, in the 1870's it was common for a pitcher to throw >85% of his team's innings. IP were more spread out towards the end of the century, but obviously nothing like today. I will include 7 "relief pitchers" who obviously weren't relief pitchers (they were really just the 6th-13th best SP by my judgement). I will include a backup catcher, two backup outfielders, a backup corner infielder, and a backup 2B/SS. Last note: as with all my other "greatest lineups," the position the player played the most games in is the position he will be credited to. The three outfield positions are looked at as three different positions, not one. Anyway, without further ado:

C- King Kelly .308/.368/.438 131 wRC+
1B- Roger Connor .317/.397/.486 143 wRC+
2B- Hardy Richardson .299/.344/.435 123 wRC+ (very tough choice over Bid McPhee. Basically the peak years gave the advantage IMO)
3B- Denny Lyons .310/.407/.443 134 wRC+
SS- Jack Glasscock .290/.337/.374 110 wRC+
LF- Tip O'Neill .326/.392/.458 134 wRC+
CF- Pete Browning .341/.403/.467 147 wRC+
RF- Mike Tiernan .311/.392/.463 132 wRC+
SP- Tim Keefe 2.62/2.90/5047.2 (ERA/FIP/IP)
SP- Charley Radbourn 2.67/3.13/4535.1
SP- John Clarkson 2.81/3.36/4563.1
SP- Jim Whitney 2.97/2.73/3496.1
SP- Charlie Buffinton 2.96/3.09/3404
RP- Tony Mullane 3.05/3.46/4531.1
RP- Silver King 3.18/3.35/3190.2
RP- Mickey Welch 2.71/3.27/4802
RP- Jim McCormick 2.43/2.88/4275.2
RP- Bill Hutchison 3.59/3.79/3078 (only in because of 2 great years. Two seasons with WARs of 10.2/10.7)
RP- Toad Ramsey 3.29/2.86/2100.2
RP- Bobby Mathews 3.00/2.59/2734.1
Backup C- Buck Ewing .303/.351/.456 123 wRC+
Backup 1B/3B- Harry Stovey .289/.361/.461 132 wRC+
Backup 2B/SS- Bid McPhee .271/.355/.372 108 wRC+
Backup OF- Mike Griffin .296/.388/.407 122 wRC+
Backup OF- George Gore .301/.386/.411 131 wRC+

 

[Omar 382]

this is what happens when you snort too much dexmethylphenidate and run out of homework

 

[MilkSpiller22]

Tommy Bond should be a SP over some of your guys... I have him as SP 3 or 4

 

[Omar 382]

Tommy Bond should be a SP over some of your guys... I have him as SP 3 or 4

He was close on my list, but a lack of dominating peak years kept him off. And his 1.56 ERA in 352 IP 1875 was not included in my analysis because it occurred in the NA

 

[MilkSpiller22]

He was close on my list, but a lack of dominating peak years kept him off. And his 1.56 ERA in 352 IP 1875 was not included in my analysis because it occurred in the NA

do we know the difference in talent of the different professional leagues back then??

 

[Omar 382]

do we know the difference in talent of the different professional leagues back then??

I don't think there was a lack of talent (hence Tommy Bond) but the parity of talent was certainly not in line with the NL or AL. 4 of the 5 championships were won by Boston, and the flimsiness of the league, including its rules and central authority (or lack thereof) is enough to make me not want to include them in my list.

 

[MilkSpiller22]

I don't think there was a lack of talent (hence Tommy Bond) but the parity of talent was certainly not in line with the NL or AL. 4 of the 5 championships were won by Boston, and the flimsiness of the league, including its rules and central authority (or lack thereof) is enough to make me not want to include them in my list.

Fair enough, I really don't know much about baseball back then..

 

[obxyankeefan]

Cap Anson .331/.396/.448 84.4 WAR at 1b

I was surprised how low you had Silver King, but that might be that I use to look at single seasons instead of career for APBA.

 

[DragonfromTO]

Cap Anson .331/.396/.448 84.4 WAR at 1b

I was surprised how low you had Silver King, but that might be that I use to look at single seasons instead of career for APBA.

Anson had pretty much the same WAR as Connor but it took him about 2,500 more PAs to do it. Tough shit, Cap.

 

[Omar 382]

Anson had pretty much the same WAR as Connor but it took him about 2,500 more PAs to do it. Tough shit, Cap.

And Anson was just an unlikeable prick, FWIW

 

[Omar 382]

Cap Anson .331/.396/.448 84.4 WAR at 1b

I was surprised how low you had Silver King, but that might be that I use to look at single seasons instead of career for APBA.

Higher FIP than most of the other guys, and outside of '87-'91 he was very, very average. Still a great player (hence appearing on my list) but I think I placed him right.