Monday Trivia: Getting on base
 

Name the top ten players all time in career on-base percentage who are not in the hall of fame. Minimum 3000 PAs.

Barry Bpnds. Alex Rodriguez. Mike Trout.

Bonds is right - he is #1 (.4443).

Trout (.4105) is actually #11 on the list. A-rod is quite a bit further down at .380.

Keith Hernandez

I know Eddie Yost was an on base machine. Is he one?

Good guesses but no. Hernandez had a career .384 and Yost a .394.

Wild guess, Riggs Stephenson.

Manny Ramirez and Aaron Judge

Manny Ramirez is correct! His career .4106 is #10.

Stephenson (.407) and Judge (.406) are #18 and #20.

Joe Jackson?

Correct! Jackson is #5 (.4277).

I don't know if he played long enough but I also know Ferris Fain was in the Ed Yost realm of on base masters.

O Doul.

Votto?

Pete Browning?

Ferris Fain is right! He had a ridiculous .424 over 9 seasons. He is #3.

O'Doul is also correct! He is #9 with .4133.

Votto just missed the top 10 - he is #14 with .409.

Browning's .403 is #23.

Or one of those guys from the 30’s like
Buddy Myer or
Doc Cramer or
Max Bishop

5 19th century guys nobody has ever heard of.

Max Bishop is right! He is #4 on the list with a .423.

Buddy Myer had a .389; Cramer a .340.

Of the four remaining players, only one played exclusively in the 19th century. Another one the four I am shocked no one has guessed yet.

OH, I just looked at the qualifications that's not too many plate appearances. But I checked to confirm so I won't say. But yeah it's easy.

I'll give hints on the remaining names:

#2 - has a card in the N300 Mayo set
#6 - the player Peter is referring to above
#7 - the best hitting 2nd baseman of the 1890s
#8 - led the NL in walks 7 times during the deadball era

Mayo must be Bill Joyce…..I hope.

Dahlen?

Juan Soto

Bill Joyce is correct! His .435 is #2 on the list.

Dahlen does not make it with a career .358.


Soto is right! He is #6 with a career .421 so far.

Only #7 and #8 remain...

8 is Roy Thomas

Always loved Eddie Stanky. A walk machine with a .410 OBP and a .268 batting average. Probably not high enough to make this list, but I bet he's top 10 in differential between average and OBP!

I am surprised Ed Stanky walked that much.

He'd be a superstar today!

Any idea why Stanky didn't make it to the majors until age 27? He only played 11 seasons because of his late start but still had a career WAR of 41.5.

Roy Thomas is correct! He is #8 (.4135)

Stanky just missed the top 10 - he is #13.

Only one name left - #7. The first hint is in post #21 above. Another hint: 19th century collectors like me LOVE this guy. He was BORN to play ball !!!

I know I'm wrong because this guy IS in the Hall, but not as a player...

John McGraw

He WAS an on base machine though.

He was indeed! He is #3 all time behind only Ruth and Ted Williams.

The remaining guy faced off against McGraw and the Orioles in the 1895 and 1896 postseason series known briefly as the "Temple Cup", winning one and losing one.

Is the remaining guy’s first name somewhat appropriate, given the Hallmark holiday we had on February 14th?

It sure is! :D

as the oldie song goes '....draw back your bow'


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