New York Yankees - How We Chose the 100 Best Players
The New York Yankees have won more World Series titles (27) than any other team in Major League Baseball history.
So it stands to reason that they have had some pretty good ballplayers over the years.
Now how do you reduce the list of good ballplayers to just the 100 best Yankees of all-time? That's what we set out to do.
Our only criteria was in selecting players by how they performed solely as Yankees.
Whatever they accomplished, or whatever shortcomings they may have had, with other teams was not considered.
Starting the list was easy.
Babe Ruth is one of only three Yankees with more than 2,500 hits.
He is the only Yankee to hit 600 home runs, is one of only two Yankees with 1,900 RBI, and he batted.
349 lifetime for New York.
Lou Gehrig had 2,721 hits, 493 home runs, is the all-time leader with 1,995 RBI, and he hit .
340 lifetime.
Mickey Mantle had 536 home runs and 1,509 RBI.
Joe DiMaggio had 1,537 RBI while batting .
325.
Rickey Henderson stole 326 bases.
Whitey Ford won 236 games, tossed 45 shutouts, and struck out 1,956 batters.
Red Ruffing won 231 games with 40 shutouts.
Ron Guidry posted 1,778 K's.
Our list is not limited to just Yankees of the past.
Six current Yankees players were selected.
Derek Jeter is the Yankees all-time hits leader.
In 2011, he'll become the first Yankee to record 3,000 hits and he'll also become the Yankees all-time stolen base leader.
Andy Pettitte has won 203 games and chalked up 1,823 strikeouts.
Had he not gone to Houston for three seasons, Pettitte would be the all-time leader in both categories.
And then there's Mariano Rivera.
His 559 saves are 335 more than second-place Dave Righetti and 408 more than Hall of Famer Rich "Goose" Gossage.
Mariano is also the Yankees all-time ERA leader at 2.
23.
As we progressed down the list, choices became harder to make.
Sometimes we had to decide between a pitcher or a position player.
And even though some players have been inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame, we had to determine if their performances as Yankees earned them a place on our list.
And then there are players we chose that even the most ardent of Yankees fans might not recognize.
Do you know much about Jack Quinn, Snuffy Stirnweiss, Red Rolfe, Roger Peckinpaugh, Birdie Cree, or Johnny Lindell? The final list boasts 40 pitchers, five catchers, nine first basemen, nine second basemen, five third basemen, five shortstops, and 27 outfielders.
We will review the list on a regular basis and make changes if we feel they are warranted.
It's hard to put together a perfect list that leaves everyone in agreement.
That's part of the beauty of being baseball fans, that we can agree to disagree.
When a team like the New York Yankees has had so many great players, the choices are pleasantly difficult.
So it stands to reason that they have had some pretty good ballplayers over the years.
Now how do you reduce the list of good ballplayers to just the 100 best Yankees of all-time? That's what we set out to do.
Our only criteria was in selecting players by how they performed solely as Yankees.
Whatever they accomplished, or whatever shortcomings they may have had, with other teams was not considered.
Starting the list was easy.
Babe Ruth is one of only three Yankees with more than 2,500 hits.
He is the only Yankee to hit 600 home runs, is one of only two Yankees with 1,900 RBI, and he batted.
349 lifetime for New York.
Lou Gehrig had 2,721 hits, 493 home runs, is the all-time leader with 1,995 RBI, and he hit .
340 lifetime.
Mickey Mantle had 536 home runs and 1,509 RBI.
Joe DiMaggio had 1,537 RBI while batting .
325.
Rickey Henderson stole 326 bases.
Whitey Ford won 236 games, tossed 45 shutouts, and struck out 1,956 batters.
Red Ruffing won 231 games with 40 shutouts.
Ron Guidry posted 1,778 K's.
Our list is not limited to just Yankees of the past.
Six current Yankees players were selected.
Derek Jeter is the Yankees all-time hits leader.
In 2011, he'll become the first Yankee to record 3,000 hits and he'll also become the Yankees all-time stolen base leader.
Andy Pettitte has won 203 games and chalked up 1,823 strikeouts.
Had he not gone to Houston for three seasons, Pettitte would be the all-time leader in both categories.
And then there's Mariano Rivera.
His 559 saves are 335 more than second-place Dave Righetti and 408 more than Hall of Famer Rich "Goose" Gossage.
Mariano is also the Yankees all-time ERA leader at 2.
23.
As we progressed down the list, choices became harder to make.
Sometimes we had to decide between a pitcher or a position player.
And even though some players have been inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame, we had to determine if their performances as Yankees earned them a place on our list.
And then there are players we chose that even the most ardent of Yankees fans might not recognize.
Do you know much about Jack Quinn, Snuffy Stirnweiss, Red Rolfe, Roger Peckinpaugh, Birdie Cree, or Johnny Lindell? The final list boasts 40 pitchers, five catchers, nine first basemen, nine second basemen, five third basemen, five shortstops, and 27 outfielders.
We will review the list on a regular basis and make changes if we feel they are warranted.
It's hard to put together a perfect list that leaves everyone in agreement.
That's part of the beauty of being baseball fans, that we can agree to disagree.
When a team like the New York Yankees has had so many great players, the choices are pleasantly difficult.
