MLB Replayed: 1871-2035

[chucksabr]

Ok, I will take a shot at this:

I replayed all of major league history from 1871 through 2035, and I'm ready to take your requests. I don't know exactly how I will decide to report on people and teams, but let's see how it goes.

I will start out with a couple here:

Babe Ruth was a lifelong Pirate who had a cup of coffee in 1914, then came up for good after at the end of the 1918 season. He played through 1936 and ended up with 618 HR (11th all-time as of 2035) and a .339 BA (10th). His best year (WAR) was 1927 in which he hit .370 and hit 52 HR. He also hit 59 HR with 177 RBI in 1925. Unlike RL, Ruth pitched a grand total of 15-2/3 innings in 1914 and never pitched again.

Walter Johnson started out as a 26 game winner at age 19 in 1907 for the Boston Braves and pitched until 1930, with stints with the Dodgers and Pirates. He ended up 431 wins (1st all-time) and 298 losses (t-5th) record with a 2.78 ERA and 127 ERA+. His best season was 1911, 25-10 and a 2.08 ERA and 165 ERA+.

Barry Bonds retired the all-time home run king. He retired in 2010 with 836 HR, 2,358 RBI (1st all-time), 2,432 runs scored (1st) and 3,345 hits (9th). He slashed .303/.425/.592 lifetime with a 174 OPS+ (11th). He played for a boatload of teams: Orioles (1986-91); Braves (1992-97); Cubs (1998-2001); Marlins (2002); A's (2003-04); Reds (2005); Braves again (2006); Pirates (2007); Astros (2008); and ended up with the Cardinals (2009-10). His best season was 2003 when he had 48 HR, 128 RBI and slashed .389/.549/.766.

Clayton Kershaw played 2008-2029 first with the Mariners, then Rays, then Orioles before finishing up with the Giants. His lifetime record was 292-152 with a 2.79 ERA and 158 ERA+, striking out 4,165 against only 1,043 walks. His best season was, arguably, 2019 with the Rays when he was 19-8 with a 2.25 and 186 ERA+. He won three "Outstanding Pitcher" awards.

The Chicago Cubs made the playoffs 18 times between 1921 and 2035, including a string of nine appearances between 2017 and 2031, and never once won the National league pennant. Some things, you just can't change.

[chucksabr]

Hmmm ... looks like this guy ain't getting the Intentional Talk gig in the Replayed world:

[chucksabr]

Look who made the Hall of Fame!

[chucksabr]

And this guy made the Hall, too! Fantastic!

[Trebro]

How did the Pittsburgh Pirates do, and who were their most notable players, after Babe Ruth?

[harrumph]

Damn, Jose Quintana. That's an amazing K/BB ratio (and just generally amazing numbers).

Bonds is only 11th in OPS+? Who are the top three? (Or the whole top ten, if you don't mind.)

[chucksabr]

Originally Posted by panelpatter

How did the Pittsburgh Pirates do, and who were their most notable players, after Babe Ruth?

The Pirates made the playoffs 31 times since 1901, winning the pennant in 1906, 1945, 1965 and 2032, the last time they made the playoffs.

Here are their top fifteen hitters in total VORP for the team:



And their top fifteen pitchers in innings pitched:

[chucksabr]

Originally Posted by harrumph

Damn, Jose Quintana. That's an amazing K/BB ratio (and just generally amazing numbers).

Bonds is only 11th in OPS+? Who are the top three? (Or the whole top ten, if you don't mind.)

Here are the top twenty through 2034. Some of the players are current fictional players, which is why I included the age (so you can tell who those guys are versus, say, 19th Century guys no one's never heard of):

[Chisox59]

ok I'm curious about some guys who should have high ratings but for different reasons never had stellar careers irl.


Ken Phelps, Lyman Bostock, and Randy Milligan.

and then some guys who may have low ratings but did have stellar, or at least solid careers irl.

Bill Buckner, Ed Figueroa, Tony Perez, Joe Rudi, and Bill Lee.

[Kobeck]

Huge Braves fan from back when they were always terrible


How did Bob Horner, Dale Murphy & Phil Niekro do?




thanks for your time in advance

[chucksabr]

Originally Posted by Chisox59

ok I'm curious about some guys who should have high ratings but for different reasons never had stellar careers irl.


Ken Phelps, Lyman Bostock, and Randy Milligan.

and then some guys who may have low ratings but did have stellar, or at least solid careers irl.

Bill Buckner, Ed Figueroa, Tony Perez, Joe Rudi, and Bill Lee.

Ken Phelps was 1983 ROY, led the league twice in BB (1984, 1987), top ten in HR 4X (1983, 84, 87, 88)



Lyman Bostock had a nice career, only led league in anything once, HBP in 1982.



Randy Milligan played only six full seasons and parts of four others, not unlike real life. Led league in BB 2x (1990, 91) and OBP (in 1991.

[chucksabr]

Originally Posted by Chisox59

ok I'm curious about some guys who should have high ratings but for different reasons never had stellar careers irl.


Ken Phelps, Lyman Bostock, and Randy Milligan.

and then some guys who may have low ratings but did have stellar, or at least solid careers irl.

Bill Buckner, Ed Figueroa, Tony Perez, Joe Rudi, and Bill Lee.

Bill Buckner had a largely undistinguished career with one GG (1974).



Ed Figueroa was 1974 ROY and a 2x All-Star (1975, 76) who also once led the league in losses in 1977.



Tony Perez has a case for the Hall of Fame. Won Silver Slugger in 1967, 2x GG, 4x All-Star.



Joe Rudi was a 2x All-Star and won a GG in 1972. Also led the league BA in 1972 and in hits, 2B and XBH in 1973.



Bill "Spaceman" Lee had an undistinguished career.

[chucksabr]

Originally Posted by Kobeck

Huge Braves fan from back when they were always terrible


How did Bob Horner, Dale Murphy & Phil Niekro do?




thanks for your time in advance

Bob Horner was a 6x All-Star who won the Silver Slugger in 1979. Led the league in WAR in 1979, HR in 1981, and RBI and XBH each 2x (1979, 81).



Dale Murphy started out as a Yankee (!) who actually crapped out of baseball sooner in the Replayed world than the real world. He had, in succession, back spasms, finger blister, strained back and strained hip muscle which led directly to his retirement. He was a 6x All-Star and won a GG in 1985. He was top five in HR six times.



Phil Niekro had a nice career. He was a 3x All-Star who won the GG 2x, and led the league in ERA and shutouts in 1977 and in complete games 4x (1973, 76, 77, 78). He pitched a no-hitter against the Twins on 7/8/77.

[Trebro]

That's funny how even in a random setting, Law and Haddix ended up as Pirates.

Thanks for sharing.

[Orcin]

How about my favorite player, Stan Musial? I saw him in the OPS list above, but where (what teams) did he play?

[chucksabr]

Originally Posted by Orcin

How about my favorite player, Stan Musial? I saw him in the OPS list above, but where (what teams) did he play?

I'm sad to have to report that Musial never played with the Cards, but with the Senators and Reds instead. I am pleased to report, though, that your favorite player did have a slam-dunk first-ballot inner-circle Hall of Fame career. He was ROY in 1941, 6x Silver Slugger, 2x Gold Glove, and a 16x All-Star.

Musial led the league in hits twice (1946, 49); total bases five times (43, 46, 47, 49, 53); doubles three times (43, 46, 53): triples four times (42, 43, 45, 49); home runs in 1955; RBI twice (43, 56); runs scored twice (43, 47); extra base hits six times (43, 45, 46, 47, 49, 53); batting average four times (43, 49, 50, 54); and on base and slugging twice each (43, 49).

Plus, he managed to last in the big leagues all the way to 1967.

[chucksabr]

Here's another guy you might never have thought of as having the stuff of a Hall of Famer, but for a degenerative hip condition that forced him to retire. I remember how good this guy was, and then poof! He was gone.

Oh, what might have been ...

[chucksabr]

Look who practically crapped out of baseball by the time he was 25. Even OOTP doesn't like Bryce Harper!

[harrumph]

How'd Mark Fidrych turn out?

[David Watts]

Aurelio Rodriguez, Willie Horton, Gates Brown, Bill Freehan, Mickey Stanley, Verne Ruhle and Mickey Lolich.