Updated Top 50 All-Time Rangers List

This week I will post an updated version of my Top 50 All-Time Rangers List, which I had done at the end of the 2009 season. Below you will find my new list, along with where those players were previously. Below the list is my reasoning for players that moved up on the list.

1. Ivan Rodriguez: 5754 AB, .305 AVG, 217 HR, 842 RBI, 1,747 career Rangers hits, 866 R, .489 SLG, 352 2B (franchise leader), 2806 TB, 28 3B, MVP (99), Silver Slugger (94-99), Gold Glove (92-01), All-Star (92-01)

2. Juan Gonzalez: 5435 AB, .293 AVG, 372 HR (franchise leader), 1,180 RBI (franchise leader), 878 R, .565 SLG% (franchise leader), 1595 H, 320 2B, 3073 TB (franchise leader), MVP (96, 98), Silver Slugger (92, 93, 96, 97, 98), All-Star (93, 98), HR King (92, 93), RBI Leader (98)

3. Michael Young: 5 straight 200-hit seasons (03-07), 1848 H (franchise leader), 811 RBI, 158 HR, 1508 G, 6157 AB (franchise leader), .300 AVG, 918 R, 347 2B, 2761 TB, 46 3B (franchise leader), All-Star MVP (06), Gold Glove (08), All-Star (04-09), Batting Title (05) [was 4]

4. Rafael Palmeiro: 5830 AB, .290 AVG, 321 HR, 1039 RBI, 1,573 G (franchise leader), 958 runs (franchise leader), 805 BB (franchise leader), .519 SLG, 1692 H, .378 OBP, 321 2B, 3026 TB, Silver Slugger (99), Gold Glove (99), All-Star (91, 99), 200-Hit (91), Hit Leader (90) [was 3]

5. Nolan Ryan: Rangers Hall of Fame, 51 W, 939 K, 3.43 ERA, .567 W%, All-Star (89), K-Leader (89, 90)

6. Charlie Hough: Rangers Hall of Fame, 130 W (franchise leader), 1452 K (franchise leader), 344 G, 98 CG (franchise leader), 11 shut-outs, 2308 IP (franchise leader), 3.68 ERA, All-Star (86)

7. Kenny Rogers: 528 G (franchise leader), 133 W, 1909 IP, 1201 K, .581 W%, Gold Glove (00, 02, 04, 05), All-Star (95, 04, 05)

8. Alex Rodriguez: 482 consecutive games, MVP (03), best Rangers career slugging percentage, 156 HR, .305 AVG, 1863 AB, Hank Aaron Award (01-03), Silver Slugger (01-03), Gold Glove (02, 03), All-Star (01-03), 200-Hit (01), HR King (01-03), RBI Leader (02)

9. Ruben Sierra: 4580 AB, .279 AVG, 180 HR, 742 RBI, 3 100-RBI seasons with the Rangers, 1 200-hit season with Rangers (91), 2 .300 batting average seasons with Rangers, 325 consecutive games played, 90 SB, 645 R, 1281 H, 44 3B, Silver Slugger (89), All-Star (89, 91, 92), RBI Leader (89)

10. Fergie Jenkins: Rangers Hall of Fame, 90 CG, 93 W, 17 shut-outs (franchise leader), 1410.1 IP, 895 K, 3.56 ERA, .564 W%, 25-Game Winner (74), T-Win Leader (74)

11. Gaylord Perry: 55 CG, 12 shutouts, 575 K, 3.26 ERA

12. Al Oliver: 163 games played in one season, .319 career Rangers batting average (highest), 337 RBI, 49 HR, Silver Slugger (80, 81), All-Star (80, 81), 200-Hit (80)

13. Rusty Greer: 3829 AB, .305 AVG, 119 HR, 614 RBI, 643 R, .387 OBP

14. John Wetteland: Rangers Hall of Fame, 150 saves (franchise leader), All-Star (98, 99)

15. Mike Hargrove: .399 career Rangers OBP (highest), .293 AVG, ROY (74), All-Star (75)

16. Jim Sundberg: Rangers Hall of Fame, 4685 AB, 482 R, 544 BB, 431 RBI, 54 HR, Gold Glove (76-81), All-Star (74, 78)

17. Toby Harrah: Rangers Hall of Fame, 122 HR, 143 SB, 4188 AB, 546 RBI, 582 R, 668 BB, All-Star (75, 76)

18. Julio Franco: AL Batting Title, 98 SB, .307 AVG, 55 HR, 331 RBI, All-Star MVP (90), Silver Slugger (89-91), All-Star (89-91), 200-Hit (91), Batting Title (91)

19. Buddy Bell: Rangers Hall of Fame, 3623 AB, .293 AVG, 87 HR, 499 RBI, 471 R, Silver Slugger (84), Gold Glove (79-84), All-Star (80-82, 84), 200-Hit (79)

20. Mark Teixeira: 153 HR, 499 RBI, 426 R, .533 SLG, Silver Slugger (04), Gold Glove (05, 06), All-Star (05)

21. Josh Hamilton: .315 AVG (2nd), 74 HR, 284 RBI, 25 SB, MVP (10), All-Star (08-10), Silver Slugger (08, 10), ALCS MVP (10), Batting Champion (10), RBI Leader (08) [was off list]

22. Larry Parrish: 149 HR, 522 RBI, .264 AVG, All-Star (87) [was 21]

23. Pete O’Brien: 3351 AB, .273 AVG, 114 HR, 487 RBI [was 22]

24. Will Clark: .308 AVG, 397 RBI, 77 HR, All-Star (94) [was 23]

25. Kevin Brown: 40 CG, 78 W, 1278.2 IP, 742 K, 3.81 ERA, .549 W%, 78-64, All-Star (92), 21-Game Winner (92), T-Win Leader (92) [was 24]

26. Bobby Witt:104-104, 1680.2 IP, 1405 K, 4.85 ERA [was 25]

27. Jeff Russell: 445 G, 134 saves, 3.73 ERA, 42-40, Rolaids Fireman of Year (89), All-Star (88, 89), Save-Leader (99) [was 26]

28. Francisco Cordero: 49 saves in a season, 356 G, 117 saves, 21-20, 3.45 ERA, 393 K, 297 IP, All-Star (04) [was 27]

29. Jose Guzman: 66 W, 24 CG, 1013.2 IP, 715 K, 66-62, 3.90 ERA [was 28]

30. Danny Darwin: 224 G, 55-52, 872 IP, 566 K, 3.72 ERA [was 29]

31. Rick Helling: 68-51, 1008 IP, 687 K, .571 W%, 4.86 ERA, 20-Game Winner (98), T-Win Leader (98) [was 30]

32. Matlack: 3.41 ERA, 43-45, 493 K, 915 IP [was 31]

33. Doc Medich: .538 W%, 50-43, 3.95 ERA, 790.1 IP, 322 K [was 32]

34. Hank Blalock: .272 AVG, 150 HR, 525 RBI, All-Star (03, 04) [was 33]

35. Comer: 3.80 ERA, .574 W%, 39-29, 205 K, 575.2 IP [was 34]

36. Bert Blyleven: 11 shut-outs, 2.74 ERA (lowest), 23-23, 326 K, 437 IP [was 35]

37. Ian Kinsler: .281 AVG, 92 HR, 318 RBI, 106 SB, 437 R, All-Star (08, 10) [was 46]

38. Bump Wills: 161 SB (franchise leader), .265 AVG, 30 HR, 264 RBI [was 36]

39. Mickey Rivers: .303 AVG, 22 HR, 168 RBI, 200-Hit (80) [was 37]

40. Aaron Sele: .649 W% (highest), 37-20, 4.50 ERA, 417.2 IP, 353 K, All-Star (98) [was 38]

41. CJ Wilson: 27-28, 3.90 ERA, 52 SV, 484.2 IP, 431 K [was off list]

42. Steve Foucault: 35 saves, 26-25, 3.22 ERA, 231 K, 382.2 IP [was 39]

43. Jeff Burroughs: .255 AVG, 108 HR, 412 RBI, MVP (74), All-Star (74), RBI Leader (74) [was 40]

44. Dean Palmer: 154 HR, .247 AVG, 451 RBI [was 41]

45. Gary Ward: .293 AVG, 41 HR, 200 RBI, All-Star (85) [was 42]

46. Jim Kern: 37 saves, 17-18, 2.59 ERA, 236.1 IP, 196 K, Rolaids Fireman of Year (79), All-Star (79), Save-Leader (79) [was 43]

47. Jeff Zimmerman: 32 saves, 17-12, 3.27 ERA, 228.2 IP, 213 K, All-Star (99) [was 44]

48. Tom Henke: 58 saves, 11-12, 3.55 ERA, 169 K, 172.1 IP [was 45]

49. Steve Buechele: .240 AVG, 94 HR, 338 RBI [was 47]

50. Nelson Cruz: .273 AVG, 77 HR, 236 RBI, 43 SB, All-Star (09) [was off list]

Bumped Off List:
Frank Catalanotto: .290 AVG, 37 HR, 184 RBI [was 48]
Roger Pavlik: .547 W%, 47-39, 4.58 ERA, 743 IP, 526 K [was 49]
Kevin Mench: .274 AVG, 80 HR, 265 RBI [was 50]

Reasons for Players Who Moved Up:

Michael Young (From 4 to 3): This season Michael broke the franchise’s hits record, triples record, and at-bats record. It was close, with Raffy’s power numbers being better than Michael’s, but I thought that being the hits leader moved Michael ahead of Palmeiro.

Josh Hamilton (From N/A to 21): 2010 added all of this to his resume: MVP, 3rd All-Star Game, 2nd Silver Slugger, ALCS MVP, and Batting Champion. Not only the hardware helped move him up on the list, but his batting average was raised to .315, the second highest in franchise history, and, obviously, his power numbers got better.

Ian Kinsler (From 46 to 37): Even though Ian didn’t have his best year, he had a solid batting average, and his power numbers did get a little better. Plus he made his second All-Star game, which always helps.

CJ Wilson (From N/A to 41): CJ was already close to being on the list before this season, but he is definitely in the top 50 after it, as he lowered his ERA and added 15 wins to that total. He has a sub-4.00 ERA in his career, and on top of a solid win total, he is 7th in franchise history in saves.

Nelson Cruz (From N/A to 50): Nellie had probably his best season in 2010, despite the fact that he was an All-Star in 2009. His numbers for his Rangers career aren’t overly impressive, but they are solid. .273 is a passable batting average, and his power numbers (77 HR, 236 RBI) are good enough, along with his 43 stolen bases, to move him just barely into my top 50 Rangers list.

Come back next week for what will hopefully be an interview.