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MLB Greatest Player in Team History

Name the best player in the history of each Major League franchise by Wins Above Replacement.
Source: baseball-reference.com.
Modern era only. Only includes WAR accrued playing with the team.
Too easy? Try naming the top 3.
Quiz by Quizmaster
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Last updated: October 2, 2023
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First submittedOctober 4, 2019
Times taken7,826
Average score60.0%
Rating3.80
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WAR
Team
Career
Pos
Player
165.1
Twins/Senators
1907–1927
P
Walter Johnson
154.6
Giants
1951–1952, 1954–1972
OF
Willie Mays
145.0
Tigers
1905–1926
OF
Ty Cobb
142.7
Yankees
1920–1934
OF
Babe Ruth
142.5
Braves
1954–1974
OF
Hank Aaron
128.6
Cardinals
1941–1944, 1946–1963
OF
Stan Musial
121.8
Red Sox
1939–1942, 1946–1960
OF
Ted Williams
120.3
Pirates
1900–1917
SS
Honus Wagner
106.8
Phillies
1972–1989
3B
Mike Schmidt
95.9
Orioles
1981–2001
SS
Cal Ripken
88.6
Royals
1973–1993
3B
George Brett
85.2
Angels
2011–
OF
Mike Trout
79.9
Dodgers
2008–
P
Clayton Kershaw
79.9
Astros
1991–2005
1B
Jeff Bagwell
79.6
Guardians/Indians
1902–1914
2B
Nap Lajoie
78.8
Mets
1967–1976
P
Tom Seaver
78.0
Reds
1963–1978, 1984–1986
various
Pete Rose
77.5
White Sox
1930–1943, 1945–1950
SS
Luke Appling
77.4
Brewers
1974–1993
SS / OF
Robin Yount
77.2
Athletics
1901–1914
P
Eddie Plank
72.1
Cubs
1960–1973
3B
Ron Santo
70.6
Mariners
1989–1999, 2009–2010
OF
Ken Griffey Jr.
69.2
Padres
1982–2001
OF
Tony Gwynn
61.8
Rockies
1997–2013
1B
Todd Helton
56.8
Blue Jays
1979–1992, 1998
P
Dave Stieb
55.8
Nationals/Expos
1974–1984, 1992
C
Gary Carter
51.2
Rays
2008–2017
3B
Evan Longoria
50.9
Diamondbacks
1999–2004, 2007–2008
P
Randy Johnson
50.0
Rangers
1991–2002, 2009
C
Iván Rodríguez
35.7
Marlins
2010–2017
OF
Giancarlo Stanton
Quizmaster
+1
Level ∞
Oct 6, 2019
Kershaw will probably pass Pee Wee Reese next season.
Quizmaster
+1
Level ∞
Oct 25, 2019
As it turns out, Clayton Kershaw has already passed Pee Wee Reese. I didn't account for Kershaw's WAR as a hitter. (He's apparent hits pretty well for a pitcher). I didn't reset the stats - so they might be a bit off for awhile.
cornflakesfu
+6
Level 86
Oct 6, 2019
This quiz led me to look up Eddie Plank, which was great, because I can now add "Gettysburg Eddie" to my list proving that they just don't make athlete nicknames like they used to.
markthoma
+1
Level 73
Oct 18, 2019
Amazing that the Big Train is number one of all time. I read a biography of him many years ago but that was before WAR came about so I never knew he was the all-time leader.
Quizmaster
+1
Level ∞
Oct 25, 2019
He's #2 in career WAR, behind Babe Ruth who also earned a lot of WAR in his early career with the Red Sox.
Quizmaster
+2
Level ∞
Oct 25, 2019
But Walter Johnson does hold the modern-era record for highest single-season WAR in 1913 when he won 36 games and recorded an ERA of 1.14 while also hitting .261.
PHG1960
+2
Level 69
Mar 25, 2020
I know this is based on WAR but Ron Santo wasn't nearly as good as Ernie Banks, Billy Williams and Fergie Jenkins. Santo is one of the most overrated underrated players of all time.
Quizmaster
+2
Level ∞
Jun 12, 2020
It surprised me too. Apparently Ron Santo was really good at doing something very boring but effective: walking. Santo led the league in on base percentage twice while hitting for great power and winning Gold Gloves as a third baseman. He also didn't have too many down years, unlike Banks. That said, he just barely beats Ernie Banks in WAR.
JudgeRudy
+2
Level 66
Jun 30, 2020
Banks was just not that great of a ballplayer in his 30s. Sure he hit 20-30 Homers with a healthy RBI total, but he played subpar defense at 1B, struggled to get on base better than a .300 clip, and his net OPS in his 30s wasn't even +110. He was comparable to A-Rod in his 20s (one of the best all around SS ever) and comparable to a Mitch Moreland who got to play every day in his 30s.
tshalla
+2
Level 75
Jun 26, 2020
I was going to say basically the same thing - about Banks especially.
idontkn1
+1
Level 90
Jun 26, 2020
Really shocked that Bench isn't the highest rated Red. Then I remembered WAR screws really good defensive catchers.
Quizmaster
+1
Level ∞
Jun 26, 2020
How so? Is it possible that good defense in catchers is overrated? I have heard, however, that WAR doesn't measure the contributions of a catcher to a pitcher's success. It's possible that a really good catcher could be the most important player on the team IF they made the pitcher better. (And that's a big if).
crazyei8hts
+1
Level 51
Jun 27, 2020
Rose is the hit king and played the majority of his seasons with the Reds, it makes a lot of sense to me
JudgeRudy
+1
Level 66
Jun 30, 2020
Rose had 3,000 more plate appearances as a Red than Bench, plus got most of his declining years with Phillies. I'm guessing Bench's offensive WAR:PA was better even though he played all of his declining years with Reds.
Softball40
+1
Level 45
Jun 29, 2020
I would take Roy Campaneller who won 3 MVPsover kershaw in a heartbeat
jmellor13
+1
Level 67
Apr 19, 2024
Kershaw has three Cy Youngs, which is the MVP for pitchers. He also has an actual league MVP award, which is very rare for a pitcher to get. It has happened twice in the last 30 years. Once for Kershaw and once for Verlander. (Ohtani has two, of course, but his awards were primarily based on his hitting, as evidenced by the fact that he didn't win a Cy Young in either year).
TigerEagle
+1
Level 60
Oct 9, 2020
regardless of particular set of stats, to say Kershaw is greater than Koufax is false
Quizmaster
+1
Level ∞
Oct 4, 2021
Similar peak. Kershaw has played longer. Koufax only had a few good years.
jamaltepec
+1
Level 66
Aug 8, 2022
Santo better than Banks? hmmmm
Quizmaster
+1
Level ∞
Oct 6, 2022
Read the conversation above.
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