The best 50 New York Yankees in history
Trying to rank the best Yankee
players in franchise history isn't easy. The top four are pretty obvious, but
placing the others is not. There are a number of variables to look at,
including length of service, career statistics, single season records,
individual awards, and contributions to championship teams.
Taking all those factors in account, below are the best fifty players to wear
the pinstripes:
50) Allie Reynolds, P: "SuperChief" had a 131-60 record, a .686
winning percentage, with a 3.30 ERA and 27 shutouts during his eight years with
the team, 1947-1954.
49) Frank Crosetti, SS: Crosetti played 1,516 games at shortstop in 17
years. A member of six World Championship teams in the 1930's and early 1940's,
he led American League shortstops with .968 fielding percentage in 1939. His
792 walks rank tenth all-time on the Yankees.
48) Clete Boyer, 3B: An excellent fielder who led the American League's
third basemen in range factor each season from 1961-66, Boyer appeared in 1,068
games during eight years with the Yankees.
47) Waite Hoyt, SP: A 157-98 record -
a .616 winning percentage - and 15 shutouts as a starter from 1921-1930 lands
Hoyt among the best Yankees of all time.
46) Bob Shawkey, P: A 168-131 record with a 3.12 ERA and 26 shutouts
from 1915-1927 places Shawkey among the best Yankee starting pitchers in their
history.
45) Herb Pennock, SP: From 1923-1933
Pennock posted a 162-90 record, a .643 winning percentage, along with 19
shutouts as a starting pitcher. He also had a 5-0 record with a 1.95 ERA in
five World Series games.
44) Reggie Jackson, OF: In 653 games in
his five years with the team Jackson batted .281 with 144 home runs and 461
RBI's, although his true value was in October when he batted .328 with 12
homers and 29 RBI's in 34 post season games, contributing to world
championships in 1977 and 1978.
43) Robinson Cano, 2B: During nine years
and 1,374 games in pinstripes Cano hit .309 with 204 homers and 822 RBI's. He was five time
All Star and a Gold Glove winner in 2010.
42) Red Rolfe, 3B: Playing his entire ten years, 1,175 games, in the
majors with the Yankees, Rolfe was a member of five world championship teams in
the 1930's and batted .289 with an on-base percentage of .360 during his
career. His fielding average of .956 was higher than the league average of
.943.
41) Mel Stottlemyre, P: In eleven years
Stottlemyre tossed 40 shutouts, good for second in team history. A five time
All Star, he compiled a 164-139 record with an outstanding 2.97 ERA while
pitching for some not so good teams.
40) Dave Righetti, P: The American League Rookie of the Year in 1981 and
two time All Star during eleven seasons, Righetti tossed a no-hitter in 1983
but was then converted into a closer. He ended up second in team history in
saves with 224.
39) Bobby Richardson, 2B: Winner of five Gold Gloves and named to seven
All Star teams, Richardson played in 1,412 games during his 12 seasons,
contributing to three world championships in the late '50's and early '60's.
38) Roger Maris, OF: A three time All Star and a Gold Glove winner in
1960, in 850 games during seven years with the Yanks Maris batted .265 with 203
home runs and 547 RBI's. He won two American League MVP awards and contributed
to two World Championships.
37) Joe Gordon, 2B: Gordon played 1,000 games at second base from
1938-1946, contributing to four World Championships. Named an All Star for six
consecutive years, Gordon won the MVP award in 1942. He averaged .271 and hit
153 home runs and drove in 617 runs during seven seasons with the Yanks.
36) Hank Bauer, OF: Appearing in 1,196
games in right field during his 12 years with the team, Bauer hit .277 with 158
home runs and 654 RBI's in his Yankee career. He was a three time All Star, and
contributed to seven World Series titles in the 1950's.
35) Bill Skowron, 1B: A five time All Star, Skowron appeared in 1,087
games during nine years with the Yankees, contributing to four championship
titles in the 1950's and 1960's. He batted .294 with 165 homers and 672 RBI's.
34) Bobby Murcer, OF: Playing in 1,256 games during 13 seasons with the
team, Murcer won a Gold Glove as a centerfielder in 1972, and was named to four
All Star teams. He batted .278 with 175 home runs and 687 RBI's in his Yankee
career.
33) Alex Rodriguez, 3B: Rodriguez has put up big numbers even during
what were considered down years for him. Winner of three MVP awards during ten
seasons and 1,444 games with the Yankees, he has a .287 batting average, 342
home runs, and 1,065
RBI’s.
32) Tino Martinez, 1B: Playing in 1,054 games in seven years, Martinez
drove in over 100 runs in five of those seasons. A key member of four World
Championship teams, he averaged .276, hit 192 home runs, and drove in 739 runs
in his Yankee career.
31) Dave Winfield, OF: Playing in 1,172
games during nine years in New York, Winfield was named to eight All Star games
and won five Gold Gloves. He batted .290 with 205 home runs and 818 RBI's in
his Yankee career.
30) Rich Gossage, P: In seven years
with the Yanks Gossage had a 42-28 record with 151 saves and a 2.14 ERA. A four
time All Star, he struck out 512 batters in 533 innings and held opponents to a
.207 batting average.
29) Sparky Lyle, P: Winner of the 1977 Cy Young award, Lyle saved 141
games and had a 2.41 ERA in his seven years with the team. A three time All
Star, he was an important contributor to the team's championship seasons in the
1970's.
28) Tommy Heinrich, OF: A five time All Star, contributing to four World
Series championships in the late 1930's and 1940's, Heinrich batted .282 with
183 homers and 795 RBI's in 1,284 games during his eleven year Yankee career.
27) Charlie Keller, OF: A five time All Star, Keller played in 1,066
games during eleven seasons with the Yankees, from 1939-1949. Batted .286 with
184 homers and 723 RBI's. His on-base percentage of .410 ranks fourth in team
history, and he is eighth with a .518 slugging percentage. Keller also drove in
18 runs in 19 World Series games, contributing to three titles.
26) Paul O'Neill, OF: Playing in 1,254 games during his nine years with
the Yankees, O'Neill batted .303 with 185 home runs and 858 runs batted in. A
four time All Star, he was a key member of four World Championship teams.
25) Lefty Gomez, P: A seven time All
Star, Gomez had a 189-101 record in 13 years with the Yankees, for a winning
percentage of .652. He is fourth among pitchers with 28 shutouts. Gomez shined
in the World Series, with a 6-0 record and 2.86 ERA., contributing to five
World Championships in the 1930's.
24) Elston Howard, C: A nine time All Star and winner of the 1963
American League MVP award, Howard played in 1,492 games in 13 years with the
Yanks. He batted .279, hitting 161 home runs and driving in 733 runs while
contributing to four World Championships in the 1950's and 1960's.
23) Bob Meusel, OF: Playing in a total of 1,294 games in ten years
Meusel contributed to three World Series titles in the 1920's. He ranks eighth
all time on the Yankees with a .311 batting average; is tenth with 338 doubles;
and twelfth with 1,005 RBI.
22) Andy Pettitte, P: Ranking first in
team history among pitchers with 2,020 strikeouts, Petitte's Yankee career
record of 219-115 gives him a winning percentage of .633. A three time All Star
in 15 seasons, he was a member of five world championship teams.
21) Ron Guidry, P: A four time All Star, winner of the 1978 Cy Young
Award, and recipient of five Gold Gloves, Guidry is third among Yankee pitchers
in strikeouts with 1,778 and sixth in shutouts with 26. In 14 seasons he
compiled a 170-91 career record for a winning percentage of .651 and was a key
member of two World Championship teams.
20) Willie Randolph, 2B: Appearing in 1,694 games during his 13 seasons
with the team, Randolph's batting average was .275 and his on-base percentage
was .374. He ranks fifth in team history with 1,005 walks and third in stolen
bases with 251. Contributing to the team's championship years in the late
1970's and early 1980's and a five time All Star, Randolph was also a steady
defender.
19) Roy White, OF: A two time All Star, during his fifteen years with
the team White delivered a number of key hits and was an important contributor
to the Yankees' championship teams of 1976, 1977, and 1978. On the all-time
records' lists for the Yankees White ranks seventh in games played with 1,881,
eighth in walks with 934, fifth in stolen bases with 233, second in sacrifice
flies with 69, and fourth in the power-speed category with a number of 189.7,
behind only Jeter, Mantle, and Williams.
18) Jorge Posada, C: A five time All Star, Posada played in 1,829 games
while contributing to four Yankee World Championships. In a 16 year career he
batted .273 with 275 homers and 1,065 RBI's, and is seventh in Yankee history
with 379 doubles.
17) Graig Nettles, 3B: A five time All Star who drove in more than 90
runs for four consecutive seasons, Nettles played in 1,535 games with the
Yankees. He won two Gold Gloves for his defensive excellence, and also hit for
power, belting 250 home runs with 834 RBI's during his eleven year Yankee
career.
16) Phil Rizzuto, SS: The 1950 American League MVP was selected to five
All Star teams. Rizzuto played in 1,647 games in 13 seasons with the Yankees.
The shortstop on seven World Championship teams, he has a career batting
average of .273 with an on base percentage of .351 and 149 stolen bases.
15) Earle Combs, OF: Ranks third in
Yankee history with a .325 batting average, and his outstanding .397 career on
base percentage is eighth all time. Ranks second all time in team history with
154 triples as well as seventh in runs scored with 1,186. Combs led the
American League in hits with 231 in 1927, which is second in team history for a
single season. Batting .350 in 16 World Series games and a member of three
world championship teams, he played in 1,455 games during his 12 year career.
14) Tony Lazzeri, 2B: Lazzeri appeared in 1,659 games during his 12
seasons with the Yanks, averaging .293 with an on base percentage of .379. He
drove in more than 100 runs in seven seasons and his total of 1,154 RBI's place
him ninth on the Yankees all time list in that category. Lazzeri was a key
player on five World Championship teams from 1926-1937.
13) Red Ruffing, P: A six time All Star, Ruffing's career record with
the Yanks was 231-124 for a winning percentage of .651. He is second in team
history with 40 shutouts, second with 3,168 innings pitched. and fourth with
1,526 strikeouts. In ten World Series games he was 7-2 with a 2.63 ERA,
contributing to six World Championships in the 1930's.
12) Don Mattingly, 1B: A six time All Star, awarded nine Gold Gloves for
defensive excellence, and winner of the 1985 American League MVP award,
Mattingly played in 1,785 games in his 14 year career, all with the Yankees.
His .307 batting average ranks ninth on the Yankees all time list. He holds the
team record for sacrifice flies with 96, is fourth in doubles with 442, seventh
in hits with 2,153, eighth in total bases with 3,301, tenth in runs scored with
1,007, and tenth in RBI's with 1,099.
11) Thurman Munson, C: Winner of the 1970 Rookie of the Year Award, and
named the American League MVP in 1976, Munson led the Yankees to three pennants
and two World Championships. A seven time All Star selection as a catcher and
winner of three Gold Gloves, in his career Munson threw out 44% of baserunners
attempting to steal (better than Johnny Bench's 43% and Carlton Fisk's 34%). He
also hit .373 and drove in 12 runs in 16 World Series games. Munson had a .292
career batting average while playing in 1,423 games in eleven seasons, and was
recognized by pitchers for his ability to call a great game.
10) Bill Dickey, C: An eleven time All Star, Dickey's .313 batting
average places him seventh in Yankee history. His 1,209 RBI's rank eighth and
1,969 hits are good for ninth. In 17 years Dickey caught 1,708 games, the most
in team history, while contributing to seven world championships in the 1930's
and early 1940's.
9) Bernie Williams, OF: A five time All Star and winner of four Gold Gloves
while playing 1,857 games in center field, Williams contributed to four World
Championship titles. In Yankee history he ranks third in doubles with 449,
fifth in hits with 2,336, sixth in runs scored with 1,366, sixth in RBI's with
1,257, and seventh in home runs with 287.
8) Mariano Rivera, P: The all time major league leader in saves with
652, Rivera was 82-60 with a 2.21 ERA during the regular season. A 13 time All
Star and member of five World Championship teams, he pitched 141 innings in 96
post season games, with an 8-1 record, 42 saves and 0.70 ERA.
7) Yogi Berra, C: Selected to the All Star team 15 times in his 18 years
with the Yankees, Berra contributed to 10 World Championships in the late
1940's, 1950's and early 1960's. He caught 1,699 games, and his 358 home runs
and 1,430 RBI's each rank fifth in team history. Berra also won three American
League MVP awards.
6) Derek Jeter, SS: A fourteen time All Star, winner of five Gold
Gloves, and a member of five World Championship teams, Jeter is the only Yankee
with at least 3,000 hits, totaling 3,465. He also holds Yankee records in games played
with 2,747 and stolen bases with 358. Jeter's 544 doubles rank second in team
history; 1,923 runs scored are third; 1,082 walks are fourth; 1,311 RBI’s are
sixth; and .310 career batting average places him eighth.
5) Whitey Ford, P: With a 236-106 record - a .690 winning percentage -
Ford is not only the Yankees all time leader in wins, but also innings pitched
with 3,170, games started with 438, and second in strikeouts with 1,956. An
eight time All Star and winner of the 1961 Cy Young award, he had a 2.75 ERA in
the regular season and 2.71 ERA in 22 World Series games, contributing to six
World Championships.
4) Mickey Mantle, OF: A 16 time All Star selection, the American League
Triple Crown winner in 1956, a three time league MVP, and winner of a Gold
Glove in 1962, Mantle played 2,401 games. He led American League centerfielders
in assists with 14 in 1952 and 20 in 1954, and his .995 fielding percentage led
all centerfielders in 1955 and 1959. Mantle hit .298 with 536 home runs and
1,509 RBI's in 18 years with the Yankees, contributing to seven World
Championships. The Hall of Famer holds a number of World Series batting records
including the most home runs with 18, RBI's with 40, runs scored with 42, and
walks with 43.
3) Joe DiMaggio, OF: Despite missing three seasons while serving in the
military during World War II, DiMaggio still ranks in the Yankees' top ten in
most batting categories. He is third with a .325 batting average, third in
RBI's with 1,537, third in triples with 131, third in slugging percentage at
.579, fourth in home runs with 361, fifth in runs scored with 1,390, and
seventh in on base percentage at .398. Playing in 1,736 games, DiMaggio's .997
fielding percentage in 1947 led all American League centerfielders, and he also
led in assists with 21 in 1937, 20 in 1938, and 15 in 1946. An All Star in each
of his 13 seasons with the team, DiMaggio won three league MVP awards and contributed
to nine Yankee World Championships.
2) Lou Gehrig, 1B: Named the American League MVP in 1927 and 1936, and
winner of the Triple Crown in 1934, Gehrig played in 2,164 games during 17
years with the Yankees, leading the team to six World Championship titles in
the 1920's and 1930's. In 34 World Series games he hit .361 with 10 homers and
35 RBI's. He is first in Yankee history with 534 doubles, first in triples with
163, first in RBI's with 1,995, and second in hits with 2,721. His .340 batting
average, .447 on-base percentage, .632 slugging percentage, and 1,888 runs
scored are second in team history.
1) Babe Ruth, OF: Playing in 2,084 games during 15 years with the
Yankees (he played right field, left field, and pitcher) Ruth is first in
Yankee history in a number of hitting categories, including: batting average,
.349; on base percentage, .484; slugging percentage, .711; runs scored, 1,959;
total bases, 5,131; home runs, 659; and walks, 1,852. He is second in RBI's
with 1,971. In 36 World Series games with the team Ruth batted .348, hit 15
home runs, and had 30 RBI's. What else can you say about someone who may be the
game's greatest player ever?
