Miami Marlins Ichiro Suzuki Moving Up The Chart

Frank Robinson (2,943 hits, 33rd all-time):  Next we have the crafty old manager of the Expos.  In any event, that’s the only memory I have of the Hall of Fame outfielder.  Turns out he was a pretty good player too, with a 21-year career that saw him win two MVP awards in two different leagues.  If the italics didn’t give it away, that’s rare.  Never been done before or since rare.  He had FIVE players pass him on the all-time home run list, and still gets to tell folks he’s in the Top 10 for dingers (586).  He has the All-Star edge by two, which is the same number of World Champions he played on, for those of you short-sighted enough to count that in a player’s favor.  Ichiro wins on defense to the tune of nine Gold Gloves and at least a decade’s worth of the eye test, and does have the baserunning edge.  But Frank stole 200 himself, which isn’t too shabby, and has over 1800 runs and  RBIs.

Different types of player to be sure.  But with clean pedigrees for them both, Robinson wins it.  Narrowly.

Next: Sammy, Sammy, Sammy....