by James Vlietstra
May 12, 2021
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Introducing V-Rating:
The Ultimate Offensive Metric In MLB
Background: Over the years, there’s been different emphasis put on the way that the sport of baseball is played. From the early days of slap hitting and bunting and stolen bases to the current model of walks, strike outs, and home runs. What has remained constant is the goal of getting on base and circling the diamond 360 feet in a counter clockwise direction as many times as possible.
I have sifted through the numbers to determine who the best offensive players have been in Major League history by using runs produced, total bases, walks, hit by pitches, net stolen bases, grounding into double plays, and sacrifices to determine the most productive players per at bat.
I call this new formula The V-Rating.
The V-Rating is a metric that judges all players throughout baseball history using the same criteria per plate appearance.
Let’s let the numbers do the talking.
A V-Rating higher than 1.000 is inner circle greatness.
Anything.850 or higher is truly elite.
.750 and higher is All-Star status.
Below .650 and that player needs another carrying skill, like Gold Glove defense.
TODAY I provide, in rank order from lowest to highest, the complete list of Baseball Hall-of-Fame Hitters.
Take a look and share your comments below!
Baseball Hall-of-Famers By V-Rating:
Here is every HOF player, except for pitchers.
It is clear that some players are in the Hall-of-Fame because of their skills with the glove.
Only 19 players have a career V-rating of .900 or better:
Bill Mazeroski .561
Luis Aparicio .596
Rabbit Maranville .596
Nellie Fox .600
Ray Schalk .604
Ozzie Smith .617
Red Schoendienst .623
Brooks Robinson .624
Lloyd Waner .636
Phil Rizzuto .637
Rick Ferrell .640
Richie Ashburn .661
Bobby Wallace .661
Johnny Evers .661
Joe Tinker .662
Billy Herman .668
George Kell .670
Pee Wee Reese .681
Gary Carter .690
Ted Simmons .690
Alan Trammell .692
Lou Boudreau .693
Harry Hooper .700
Ivan Rodriguez .701
Robin Yount .705
Luke Appling .705
Rod Carew .708
Lou Brock .710
Travis Jackson .716
Wade Boggs .722
Harold Baines .722
Carlton Fisk. .725
Max Carey. .727
Dave Bancroft .730
Roberto Clemente .731
Ron Santo .731
Derek Jeter .732
Craig Biggio .732
Roger Bresnahan .733
Deacon White .733
Freddie Lindstrom .739
Ryne Sandberg .739
Sam Rice .745
Joe Sewell .746
Jimmy Collins .746
Carl Yastrzemski .747
Zack Wheat .748
Eddie Murray .752
Paul Molitor .752
High Pockets Kelly .753
George Wright .753
Johnny Bench .753
Andre Dawson .753
Barry Larkin .754
Ernie Banks .755
Roberto Alomar .757
Ed Roush .759
Bobby Doerr .759
Dave Winfield .760
Joe Gordon .762
Kirby Puckett .765
Billy Williams .765
John Ward .765
Enos Slaughter .767
Orlando Cepeda 767
Al Kaline .768
Frank Frisch .768
Jim Rice .769
Monte Irvin .769
Pie Traynor .772
Al Spalding .772
George Brett .776
Willie Keeler .779
Gabby Hartnett .781
Arky Vaughn .782
Yogi Berra .783
Tim Raines .785
Paul Waner .786
Home Run Baker .787
Reggie Jackson .787
Joe Morgan .787
Roy Campanella .790
George Sisler .794
Bid McPhee .794
Sam Crawford .795
Earle Combs .797
Jim O’Rourke .798
Harmon Killebrew .800
Joe Medwick .802
Willie McCovey .803
Hughie Jennings .804
Heinie Manush .806
Bill Dickey .807
Fred Clarke .808
George Davis .814
Mike Piazza .816
Joe Cronin .817
Eddie Matthews .817
Eddie Collins .818
Tony Lazzeri .818
Larry Doby .818
Willie Stargell .820
Elmer Flick .820
Jackie Robinson .821
Rickey Henderson .822
Jesse Burkett .823
Edgar Martinez .826
Frank Chance .828
Tommy McCarthy .829
Napoleon Lajoie .829
Bill Terry .833
Vladimir Guerrero .837
Ken Griffey Jr. .844
Mickey Cochrane .846
Duke Snider .847
Chipper Jones .847
Charlie Gehringer .849
Chick Hafey .851
Frank Robinson .852
Mike Schmidt .852
Goose Goslin .855
Henry Aaron .858
Ralph Kiner .863
Chuck Klein .867
Tris Speaker .868
Stan Musial .869
Honus Wagner .869
Cap Anson .871
Willie Mays .877
Jim Thome .878
Harry Heilmann .879
Frank Thomas .880
Jeff Bagwell .884
Mel Ott .884
Earl Averill .886
Al Simmons .888
Johnny Mize .890
Roger Connor .891
King Kelly .891
Joe Kelley .891
Jake Beckley .892
Ross Youngs .900
Mickey Mantle .904
Larry Walker .910
Hack Wilson .917
Hugh Duffy .929
Ty Cobb .933
Jim Bottomley .934
Kiki Cuyler .937
Roger Hornsby .942
Joe DiMaggio .946
Ed Delahanty .964
Billy Hamilton .966
Dan Brouthers .968
Hank Greenberg .983
Jimmy Foxx .989
Ted Williams 1.010
Sam Thompson 1.039
Lou Gehrig 1.046
Babe Ruth 1.101
It should not come as a surprise that the two most prolific offensive players teamed up together to anchor four of the top six teams in Major League history. (That information will come in a future post.)
However, there are lots of names that I didn’t expect to land where they did. Some better, some worse.
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NEXT WEEK – I will provide a list of great players who are currently NOT in the Hall-of-Fame all ranked by the great V-Rating formula!
I welcome your comments and a great discussion!
