Highest OPS+ for 2B or SS 35 or older
Posted by Andy on December 2, 2007
My recent post on 35-year-olds showed that the top OPS+ seasons didn't include any 2B or SS, so I thought I'd list the top seasons since 1901 for each position, ranked by OPS+, for players over 35. (Note that my recent post was for exactly age 35, whereas this is for 35+.)
First, shortstops, minimum 500 PA:
Cnt Player **OPS+** PA Year Age Tm Lg G AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI BB IBB SO HBP SH SF GDP SB CS BA OBP SLG OPS Positions +----+-----------------+--------+---+----+---+---+--+---+---+---+---+--+--+--+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+--+-----+-----+-----+-----+---------+ 1 Honus Wagner 176 591 1909 35 PIT NL 137 495 92 168 39 10 5 100 66 0 0 3 27 0 0 35 0 .339 .420 .489 .909 *6/7 2 Honus Wagner 156 558 1911 37 PIT NL 130 473 87 158 23 16 9 89 67 0 34 6 12 0 0 20 0 .334 .423 .507 .930 *63/8 3 Honus Wagner 144 634 1912 38 PIT NL 145 558 91 181 35 20 7 102 59 0 38 6 11 0 0 26 0 .324 .395 .496 .891 *6 4 Luke Appling 142 677 1943 36 CHW AL 155 585 63 192 33 2 3 80 90 0 29 1 1 0 13 27 8 .328 .419 .407 .826 *6 5 Eddie Joost 133 667 1951 35 PHA AL 140 553 107 160 28 5 19 78 106 0 70 6 2 0 6 10 8 .289 .409 .461 .870 *6 6 Honus Wagner 133 640 1910 36 PIT NL 150 556 90 178 34 8 4 81 59 0 47 5 20 0 0 24 0 .320 .390 .432 .822 *63/4 7 Honus Wagner 126 625 1915 41 PIT NL 156 566 68 155 32 17 6 78 39 0 64 4 16 0 0 22 15 .274 .325 .422 .747 *643 8 Luke Appling 125 572 1947 40 CHW AL 139 503 67 154 29 0 8 49 64 0 28 1 4 0 15 8 6 .306 .386 .412 .798 *6/5 9 Luke Appling 124 619 1949 42 CHW AL 142 492 82 148 21 5 5 58 121 0 24 0 6 0 23 7 12 .301 .439 .394 .833 *6 10 Pee Wee Reese 121 661 1954 35 BRO NL 141 554 98 171 35 8 10 69 90 0 62 3 8 6 20 8 5 .309 .404 .455 .859 *6 11 Dave Bancroft 120 541 1926 35 BSN NL 127 453 70 141 18 6 1 44 64 0 29 2 22 0 0 3 0 .311 .399 .384 .783 *6/5 12 George Davis 119 541 1906 35 CHW AL 133 484 63 134 26 6 0 80 41 0 0 4 12 0 0 27 0 .277 .338 .355 .693 *6/4 13 Eddie Joost 118 669 1952 36 PHA AL 146 540 94 132 26 3 20 75 122 0 94 5 2 0 6 5 8 .244 .388 .415 .803 *6 14 Luke Appling 117 659 1946 39 CHW AL 149 582 59 180 27 5 1 55 71 0 41 0 6 0 15 6 4 .309 .384 .378 .762 *6 15 Luis Aparicio 114 616 1970 36 CHW AL 146 552 86 173 29 3 5 43 53 1 34 1 5 5 11 8 3 .313 .372 .404 .776 *6 16 Ozzie Smith 112 641 1991 36 STL NL 150 550 96 157 30 3 3 50 83 2 36 1 6 1 8 35 9 .285 .380 .367 .747 *6 17 Bobby Wallace 108 568 1910 36 SLB AL 138 508 47 131 19 7 0 37 49 0 0 1 10 0 0 12 0 .258 .324 .323 .647 *65 18 Ozzie Smith 105 590 1992 37 STL NL 132 518 73 153 20 2 0 31 59 4 34 0 12 1 11 43 9 .295 .367 .342 .709 *6 19 Omar Vizquel 104 663 2002 35 CLE AL 151 582 85 160 31 5 14 72 56 3 64 8 7 10 7 18 10 .275 .341 .418 .759 *6 20 Pee Wee Reese 104 652 1955 36 BRO NL 145 553 99 156 29 4 10 61 78 1 60 3 13 5 22 8 7 .282 .371 .403 .774 *6 21 Barry Larkin 103 687 1999 35 CIN NL 161 583 108 171 30 4 12 75 93 5 57 2 5 4 12 30 8 .293 .390 .420 .810 *6 22 Cal Ripken 102 707 1996 35 BAL AL 163 640 94 178 40 1 26 102 59 3 78 4 0 4 28 1 2 .278 .341 .466 .807 *6/5 23 Phil Rizzuto 102 506 1953 35 NYY AL 134 413 54 112 21 3 2 54 71 0 39 4 18 0 6 4 3 .271 .383 .351 .734 *6 24 Bill Dahlen 102 565 1906 36 NYG NL 143 471 63 113 18 3 1 49 76 0 0 10 8 0 0 16 0 .240 .357 .297 .654 *6 25 Art Fletcher 101 594 1920 35 TOT NL 143 550 57 156 32 9 4 62 16 0 43 9 19 0 0 7 8 .284 .315 .396 .711 *6
These are not just the top 25, but are the only ones with an OPS+ of 100 or better. From time to time, I find I have creeping thoughts that Honus Wagner is overrated, and then I see lists like this and remember that he's probably actually, somehow, underrated. He's got 5 of the top 7 seasons. He played 9 seasons from age 35 on, and for the 4 that didn't make the list, 2 had insufficient PAs (but OPS+ high enough to put him in the top half of this list) and 2 had OPS+ in the 90's.
Anyway, although it seems that the current game has become dominated by older players and more offense, this group shows that the classic era is still way ahead. The only players on here after 1970 are The Wizard, Omar Vizquel, Larry Barkin (yeah, an intentional typo,) and Cal Ripken.
Now the same deal for 2B:
Cnt Player **OPS+** PA Year Age Tm Lg G AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI BB IBB SO HBP SH SF GDP SB CS BA OBP SLG OPS Positions +----+-----------------+--------+---+----+---+---+--+---+---+---+---+--+--+--+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+--+-----+-----+-----+-----+---------+ 1 Nap Lajoie 199 677 1910 35 CLE AL 159 591 94 227 51 7 4 76 60 0 0 5 21 0 0 26 0 .384 .445 .514 .959 *43 2 Nap Lajoie 147 500 1912 37 CLE AL 117 448 66 165 34 4 0 90 28 0 0 7 17 0 0 18 0 .368 .414 .462 .876 *43 3 Eddie Collins 141 632 1923 36 CHW AL 145 505 89 182 22 5 5 67 84 0 8 4 39 0 0 48 29 .360 .455 .453 .908 *4 4 Lou Whitaker 136 544 1992 35 DET AL 130 453 77 126 26 0 19 71 81 5 46 1 5 4 9 6 4 .278 .386 .461 .847 *4D 5 Joe Morgan 136 554 1982 38 SFG NL 134 463 68 134 19 4 14 61 85 4 60 2 1 3 3 24 4 .289 .400 .438 .838 *4/5 6 Eddie Collins 135 533 1925 38 CHW AL 118 425 80 147 26 3 3 80 87 0 8 4 17 0 0 19 6 .346 .461 .442 .903 *4 7 Eddie Collins 134 676 1924 37 CHW AL 152 556 108 194 27 7 6 86 89 0 16 3 28 0 0 42 17 .349 .441 .455 .896 *4 8 Jeff Kent 133 637 2005 37 LAD NL 149 553 100 160 36 0 29 105 72 8 85 8 0 4 19 6 2 .289 .377 .512 .889 *43 9 Tom Daly 133 576 1901 35 BRO NL 133 520 88 164 38 10 3 90 42 0 0 4 10 0 0 31 0 .315 .371 .444 .815 *4 10 Nap Lajoie 132 525 1913 38 CLE AL 137 465 66 156 25 2 1 68 33 0 17 15 12 0 0 17 0 .335 .398 .404 .802 *4 11 Toby Harrah 127 521 1985 36 TEX AL 126 396 65 107 18 1 9 44 113 2 60 4 2 6 4 11 4 .270 .432 .389 .821 *4/6 12 Willie Randolph 126 512 1991 36 MIL AL 124 431 60 141 14 3 0 54 75 3 38 0 3 3 14 4 2 .327 .424 .374 .798 *4/D 13 Jeff Kent 122 606 2004 36 HOU NL 145 540 96 156 34 8 27 107 49 3 96 6 0 11 23 7 3 .289 .348 .531 .879 *4/D 14 Jeff Kent 121 562 2007 39 LAD NL 136 494 78 149 36 1 20 79 57 4 61 5 0 6 17 1 3 .302 .375 .500 .875 *4 15 Charlie Gehringer 121 688 1938 35 DET AL 152 568 133 174 32 5 20 107 113 0 21 4 3 0 0 14 1 .306 .425 .486 .911 *4 16 Tony Fernandez 120 551 1998 36 TOR AL 138 486 71 156 36 2 9 72 45 5 53 11 3 6 11 13 8 .321 .387 .459 .846 *45/D 17 Jeff Kent 119 552 2003 35 HOU NL 130 505 77 150 39 1 22 93 39 2 85 5 0 3 13 6 2 .297 .351 .509 .860 *4 18 Charlie Gehringer 119 629 1940 37 DET AL 139 515 108 161 33 3 10 81 101 0 17 3 10 0 9 10 0 .313 .428 .447 .875 *4 19 Randy Velarde 118 711 1999 36 TOT AL 156 631 105 200 25 7 16 76 70 2 98 6 4 0 19 24 8 .317 .390 .455 .845 *4 20 Davey Lopes 116 561 1983 38 OAK AL 147 494 64 137 13 4 17 67 51 7 61 2 4 10 9 22 4 .277 .341 .423 .764 *4D/958 21 Joe Morgan 116 504 1983 39 PHI NL 123 404 72 93 20 1 16 59 89 1 54 4 1 6 13 18 2 .230 .370 .403 .773 *4 22 Joe Morgan 115 562 1980 36 HOU NL 141 461 66 112 17 5 11 49 93 6 47 0 3 5 4 24 6 .243 .367 .373 .740 *4 23 Miller Huggins 114 635 1914 36 STL NL 148 509 85 134 17 4 1 24 105 0 63 7 14 0 0 32 0 .263 .396 .318 .714 *4 24 Eddie Mayo 113 561 1945 35 DET AL 134 501 71 143 24 3 10 54 47 0 29 0 13 0 7 7 7 .285 .347 .405 .752 *4 25 Craig Biggio 110 717 2001 35 HOU NL 155 617 118 180 35 3 20 70 66 4 100 28 0 6 11 7 4 .292 .382 .455 .837 *4/D +----+-----------------+--------+---+----+---+---+--+---+---+---+---+--+--+--+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+--+-----+-----+-----+-----+---------+ Cnt Player **OPS+** PA Year Age Tm Lg G AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI BB IBB SO HBP SH SF GDP SB CS BA OBP SLG OPS Positions +----+-----------------+--------+---+----+---+---+--+---+---+---+---+--+--+--+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+--+-----+-----+-----+-----+---------+ 26 Frank White 110 620 1986 35 KCR AL 151 566 76 154 37 3 22 84 43 5 88 2 2 7 10 4 4 .272 .322 .465 .787 *4/65 27 Eddie Collins 110 701 1922 35 CHW AL 154 598 92 194 20 12 1 69 73 0 16 3 27 0 0 20 12 .324 .401 .403 .804 *4 28 Kid Elberfeld 110 507 1911 36 WSH AL 127 404 58 110 19 4 0 47 65 0 0 25 13 0 0 24 0 .272 .405 .339 .744 *45 29 Joe Morgan 107 538 1979 35 CIN NL 127 436 70 109 26 1 9 32 93 11 45 1 3 5 8 28 6 .250 .379 .376 .755 *4 30 Craig Biggio 104 651 2005 39 HOU NL 155 590 94 156 40 1 26 69 37 2 90 17 4 3 10 11 1 .264 .325 .468 .793 *4/D 31 Kid Gleason 102 661 1904 37 PHI NL 153 587 61 161 23 6 0 42 37 0 0 2 35 0 0 17 0 .274 .319 .334 .653 *4/5 32 Bobby Grich 100 571 1985 36 CAL AL 144 479 74 116 17 3 13 53 81 3 77 3 8 0 18 3 5 .242 .355 .372 .727 *435/D 33 Frank LaPorte 100 616 1915 35 NEW FL 148 550 55 139 28 10 2 56 48 0 33 1 17 0 0 14 0 .253 .314 .351 .665 *4 34 Nap Lajoie 100 520 1915 40 PHA AL 129 490 40 137 24 5 1 61 11 0 16 4 15 0 0 10 6 .280 .301 .355 .656 *46/35
This story is somewhat similar, although there are 9 more qualifying seasons, and more recent seasons. Tough to believe that anybody is ever going to break Nap Lajoie's mark of 199 OPS+
In fact, here are all seasons since 1901 by players at ANY position with 500 PAs and an OPS+ of at least 199:
Cnt Player **OPS+** PA Year Age Tm Lg G AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI BB IBB SO HBP SH SF GDP SB CS BA OBP SLG OPS Positions +----+-----------------+--------+---+----+---+---+--+---+---+---+---+--+--+--+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+--+-----+-----+-----+-----+---------+ 1 Barry Bonds 268 612 2002 37 SFG NL 143 403 117 149 31 2 46 110 198 68 47 9 0 2 4 9 2 .370 .582 .799 1.381 *7/D 2 Barry Bonds 263 617 2004 39 SFG NL 147 373 129 135 27 3 45 101 232 120 41 9 0 3 5 6 1 .362 .609 .812 1.421 *7/D 3 Barry Bonds 259 664 2001 36 SFG NL 153 476 129 156 32 2 73 137 177 35 93 9 0 2 5 13 3 .328 .515 .863 1.378 *7/D 4 Ted Williams 233 546 1957 38 BOS AL 132 420 96 163 28 1 38 87 119 33 43 5 0 2 11 0 1 .388 .526 .731 1.257 *7 5 Barry Bonds 231 550 2003 38 SFG NL 130 390 111 133 22 1 45 90 148 61 58 10 0 2 7 7 0 .341 .529 .749 1.278 *7/D 6 Babe Ruth 218 663 1931 36 NYY AL 145 534 149 199 31 3 46 163 128 0 51 1 0 0 0 5 4 .373 .495 .700 1.195 *97/3 7 Babe Ruth 211 676 1930 35 NYY AL 145 518 150 186 28 9 49 153 136 0 61 1 21 0 0 10 10 .359 .493 .732 1.225 *97/1 8 Ted Williams 201 526 1954 35 BOS AL 117 386 93 133 23 1 29 89 136 0 32 1 0 3 10 0 0 .345 .513 .635 1.148 *7 9 Babe Ruth 201 589 1932 37 NYY AL 133 457 120 156 13 5 41 137 130 0 62 2 0 0 0 2 2 .341 .489 .661 1.150 *97/3 10 Nap Lajoie 199 677 1910 35 CLE AL 159 591 94 227 51 7 4 76 60 0 0 5 21 0 0 26 0 .384 .445 .514 .959 *43
So it's Bonds, Teddy Ballgame, the Bambino, and that Nap Lajoie season. That's it, folks.