Baseball’s Top 10 Best Players of All Time

In the first installment of our Baseball Card Trivia series, we looked at the most frequent players who were selected first overall in major league baseball’s draft. In this article, we look at the top-rated picks in each category, as well as those who fell just short of being picked first overall. With that said, it should be noted that we have included players who were later selected in the first round of the draft. That way, we have an assortment of different players to compare. Here is the first installment of our Suns Vs Bucks breakdown.

Overall, there are some obvious contenders for this category. This includes players like Evan Longoria, Carlos Pena, Albert Pujols, and Prince Fielder. All of these players have been No. 1 overall pick at one point or another, and they each have a strong case to make the Hall-of-Fame.

As it turns out, one player who really didn’t stand out in the first couple of drafts was Evan Longoria. Despite his great glove hand, he never quite made the leap into the Hall. His two-year stretch of stellar play in the minors (albeit short stints) made him a nice value, but he never reached the heights of Hall-of-Fame eligibility. There are many reasons why that might have been the case. However, one thing we can say without dispute is that Longoria remains one of the best players in the game today.

The next player on the list is Pujols. He is one of the more notable players on this list, because of his excellence on the field. Pujols is second in the majors in career assists, behind only teammate Joe DiMaggio. How does he do it? Through incredible defensive skills and a fantastic physique, Pujols scores run with his glove, base hits, and all the other things that make up a quality position player.

Pujols isn’t the only great offensive player in the Cardinals. Carpenter is another player who ranks high among the rest of the Cards. Carpenter has reached the top of the National League in nearly every offensive category. He is a respected offensive player who ranks among the best in the game. What separates Carpenter from the other Rocky’s first basemen is his defense. With a strong arm, and accurate throwing routine, and a quick bat, Carpenter figures to be a great defensive player for the Colorado Rockies well into his Hall-of-Fame career.

Bonds is the consensus best player of the decade, perhaps of all time. He is one of the more beloved players in the game. Part of what makes his case as the best player of the decade is his longevity. The bulk of his career came during an era when baseball was struggling. Many fans credit Bonds’ longevity to the fact that he always played at age 35 or beyond.

The only true age limit for a player is 35. That rule was implemented so that players would not play past their prime. That is why many question whether or not Bonds can still play at age 35. With his age coming on quickly, there is no telling if he will ever be able to play to his maximum potential.

There are many great players throughout the history of the game who are never appreciated because they simply didn’t do enough to carry their teams. Bonds’ greatness and longevity are unprecedented, however. The comparisons are difficult to make when you compare him to other players who have come before. Few players in any sport have accomplished as much as Bonds has. While the Arizona Diamondbacks will likely be playing for the Texas Rangers in the first game of the season, we will have to wait and see if he lives up to the hype that he represents.