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Who are the top MLB players of the 1980s? Here is our top 10 countdown:
10. Don Mattingly: though his prime was relatively brief (33.2 WAR in the 1980s), Mattingly was brilliant at his peak – six All-Star selections, three Silver Sluggers, five Gold Gloves, a batting title, and the 1985 AL MVP award.
9. Cal Ripken Jr.: the 1982 AL Rookie of the Year, Ripken followed up as 1983 AL MVP and proceeded to earn seven All-Star selections and five Silver Sluggers for the decade while compiling 50.2 total WAR.
8. Eddie Murray: as steady and consistent as they came, Murray led MLB in runs batted in during the 1980s and also earned six All-Star selections, a pair of Silver Sluggers, three Gold Gloves, and back-to-back AL MVP runner-up finishes for a total WAR of 45.9 WAR for the decade.
7. Dale Murphy: in addition to being a 7x All-Star, 4x Silver Slugger, and 5x Gold Glover during the 1980s, Murphy was second for the decade in both home runs and runs batted in and posted 47.1 WAR while winning back-to-back NL MVP awards in 1982 and 1983.
6. George Brett: the 1980 AL MVP and batting champion (.390), Brett posted 47.7 WAR for the decade and was a 9x All-Star, 3x Silver Slugger, and 1x Gold Glover in the 1980s.
5. Robin Yount: an underrated star who only had three career All-Star Game selections (all in the 1980s), Yount generated 55.3 WAR and paced baseball in hits and doubles for the decade while also winning three Silver Sluggers, a Gold Glove, and MVP awards as both a shortstop (1982) and center fielder (1989).
4. Wade Boggs: arguably the decade’s best pure hitter, Boggs had 200+ hits in seven straight years and won five batting titles, including four straight from 1985 to 1988, to earn five All-Star selections, five Silver Sluggers, and five batting titles, good for second-most WAR in the 1980s (60.2).
3. Gary Carter: far and away the best catcher of the decade, Carter was equally proficient with both his bat and his glove, as evidenced by nine All-Star selections, five Silver Sluggers, and three Gold Gloves in the 1980s (44.9 WAR).
2. Mike Schmidt: the prototype third basemen, Schmidt was a virtuoso with both the bat (5x home run king in the 1980s, 6x Silver Slugger) and the glove (6x Gold Glove) en route to eight All-Star selections, three MVP titles, and 56.6 total WAR during the decade.
1. Rickey Henderson: the greatest base-stealer in baseball history, Henderson paced the decade with 71.1 WAR; during the 1980s, he was an 8x All-Star, 2x Silver Slugger, and 1x Gold Glover who led the league in runs scored 4x and stolen bases 9x (800+ total stolen bases), including three seasons with 100+ stolen bases and a single-season record 130 swipes in 1982.
Agree/Disagree? As always, debate/discuss, and leave your thoughts and comments below.
Note: All statistics as of time of publication.
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Countdown 65: Top 10 NFL Players of the 1980s
