In this third edition of Baseball Ratings, author Charles Faber combines the second edition (“great fodder for arguments”—Booklist) with his book on 19th-century greats, Baseball Pioneers (“very impressive”—Reference and User Services Quarterly; “a notable and … worthwhile addition”—ARBA), updating the ratings and expanding the commentary in each. The result, Baseball Ratings: The All-Time Best Players at Each Position, 1876 to the Present, is that rarest of rankings books—a time-tested, comprehensive reference work that invites reading.
Batters, fielders and pitchers from all major leagues since 1876 are ranked by position and, for pitchers, according to role (e.g., starter, middle reliever, closer) according to career, peak, and per-season achievement. All big league players with at least five years of eligibility are rated, and appendices identify underrated and overrated players, rate multiposition players, and sort the great by handedness.

The late Charles F. Faber wrote numerous books on educational administration, school law, baseball and other topics. He was a retired university professor and lived in Lexington, Kentucky.

Charles F. Faber
Format: softcover (7 x 10)
Pages: 301
Bibliographic Info: 28 photos, tables, appendices, index
Copyright Date: 2008
pISBN: 978-0-7864-3414-5
eISBN: 978-1-4766-2064-0
Imprint: McFarland

Acknowledgments      v

Preface      1

1. HITTERS      5

Season Records      6

Career Ratings      6

Extended Careers      7

Points Per Season      9

Leading Hitters by       9

Leading Hitters by Career      17

2. FIELDERS      39

Season Ratings      40

Career Ratings      40

Leading Fielders by Year      41

Leading Fielders by Career      94

3. PLAYERS (HITTING AND FIELDING)      105

Player of the Year by Position      106

Player of the Year      155

Career Rankings of Players      161

4. STARTING PITCHERS      212

Leading Pitchers by Year      214

Leading Pitchers by Career      221

Career Rankings of Top 200 Starting Pitchers      227

Career Ratings of All Eligible Starting Pitchers (Listed Alphabetically)      234

5. CLOSERS      253

Leading Closers by Year      254

Career Rankings of Closers      258

6. MIDDLE RELIEVERS            264

Leading Middle Relievers by Year      265

Leading Middle Relievers by Career      268

Appendices      273

A. Most Underrated Players      273

B. Most Overrated Players      274

C. Right-Handers and Left-Handers      275

D. Multi-Position Players      276

Index      277

“recommended”—Booklist; “figures to start discussions everywhere”—The SABR Bulletin; “clear and concise”—Reference Quarterly.