Right here’s a subjective rating of the highest 5 for Jan. 31, one of many strongest birthdays in baseball.
1) Ernie Banks (1931)How do you decide a No. 1? There’s a case to be made for any of the highest three, however right here’s the argument for Banks: His 14 All-Star Video games in 11 seasons practically matches the mixed whole of Nolan Ryan (eight) and Jackie Robinson (seven), and his seven-year peak bWAR of 52.1 tops these of the subsequent two gamers on this listing. So beloved on the North Aspect that he was referred to as Mr. Cub, Banks was the primary back-to-back NL MVP winner (1958-59) and his 5 40-homer seasons at shortstop are surpassed solely by Alex Rodriguez’s six.
2) Jackie Robinson (1919)Robinson is a lot greater than his stats, to the purpose that in 2008 the Corridor of Fame unveiled a brand new plaque to acknowledge the historical past he made: “Displayed super braveness and poise in 1947 when he built-in the fashionable Main Leagues within the face of intense adversity.” He broke the colour line in 1947, successful NL Rookie of the 12 months, and two years later was named NL MVP. His 10 seasons with the Dodgers included six World Collection, successful it in 1955. In 1997, 50 years after his debut, MLB retired his quantity throughout the sport and the BBWAA renamed the Rookie of the 12 months Award in his honor.
3) Nolan Ryan (1947)“The Categorical” leads all Jan. 31 gamers in bWAR (81.3) partially as a result of his 27 seasons within the Majors is essentially the most by any pitcher in AL/NL historical past. He led his league in strikeouts 11 occasions — and in walks eight occasions. He additionally allowed the fewest hits per 9 innings (amongst starters) 12 occasions, and he’s the profession chief in all three classes with 5,714 Ok’s, 2,795 BB and 6.6 H/9. Ryan was the primary participant to swimsuit up for MLB’s first 4 enlargement groups (the Mets, Angels, Astros and Senators/Rangers), and he’s the one participant to have his quantity retired by three groups for which he performed (Angels, Astros and Rangers).
4) George Burns (1893)The one different Jan. 31 participant with a bWAR over 30 (35.1), Burns hit .307/.354/.429 from 1914-29 enjoying for the Tigers, A’s, Indians, Crimson Sox and Yankees. He twice led the Majors in hits, together with his 1926 AL MVP season: 216 hits, a .358/.394/.494 line and 115 RBIs. Burns additionally hit 64 doubles that season, nonetheless tied for second all-time with Joe Medwick, three behind record-holder Earl Webb.
5) Josh Johnson (1984)Johnson’s 915 profession strikeouts are second amongst pitchers born on at the present time — however they’re simply 16 p.c of Ryan’s whole. A two-time All-Star who spent eight of his 9 seasons with the Marlins, Johnson remains to be close to the highest of Miami’s profession lists for pitcher bWAR (25.8), ERA (3.15) and WHIP (1.23).
Others of word:Tommy La Stella (1989)La Stella broke in with Atlanta in 2014 and was traded to the Cubs earlier than the ’15 season. A member of Chicago’s 2016 championship staff, La Stella didn’t seem in that World Collection. He was named an All-Star reserve in 2019 with the Angels, however broke his proper leg per week earlier than the sport. Traded to the A’s in 2020, La Stella crossed the Bay to play for the Giants in 2021. He then frolicked with the Mariners in 2023.
Buck Ewing (1903)To not be confused with the Corridor of Fame catcher from the nineteenth century, William Monroe Ewing was a backstop within the Negro Leagues with the Chicago American Giants, Columbus Buckeyes and Homestead Grays. Within the late Twenties, he was the titular draw of Buck Ewing’s Stars, a barnstorming staff of Black gamers primarily based in Schenectady, N.Y. And in 1930, it was Ewing’s harm — the legend goes — that prompted the Grays to name an 18-year-old Josh Gibson out of the stands to fill in behind the plate.
Hank Aguirre (1931)A left-hander who principally pitched in aid for Cleveland and Detroit within the ’50s and ’60s, Aguirre’s AL-leading 2.21 ERA in 1962 (his lone All-Star season) remains to be the second-best single-season mark for the Tigers within the Enlargement Period.