With all the talk about how amazing guys like Shohei Ohtani and Aaron Judge were in 2024, I thought I would take a look back at efforts of yesteryear that have been stupendous fantasy offerings. I could go back to 1990, or maybe even 1980, to limit the answers to the actual era of fantasy baseball – which might be the right way (or maybe not). That seems slightly boring to me. Instead, I’m going way back, all the way to 1901, long before fantasy baseball was even a thing (neither was the personal computer, the internet or the television either). So yes, I’m cheating a bit. I’m also not going to worry about putting the numbers in context either. Whether we are looking at 2024 or 1968, I’m just going to look at the raw numbers that were produced.
Speaking of the numbers, I’m going to focus solely on the 5×5 game as well. You might find all-time player raters that list other names and players, but I’m going with my gut here vs. leaning on a spreadsheet (hope that’s ok with you).
With that, let’s put us together the All-Time Fantasy Baseball squad.
HITTERS
CATCHER: Ivan Rodriguez in 1999 (.332-35-113-116-25)
There have been a total of five seasons in baseball history where every one of those five numbers were produced by a player in a single season. Given that I-Rod is a catcher, well, you can see why he’s the one on this team, can’t cha? Moreover, he’s the only infielder ever to do it.
FIRST BASE: Lou Gehrig in 1931 (.341-46-185-163-17)
The Iron Horse, known for his consecutive games played streak, won the Triple Crown in 1934 (.363-49-166), but he was even better in ’31 and in 1927 (.373-47-173-149-10) and in 1930 (.379-41-173-143-12). He was an absolutely epic performer in an era where few were offensively. But that ’31 effort was spectacular as he led the league in homers, RBI, runs and hits (211). The cherry on top just for fun? From 1927-37, Gehrig’s average effort was .350-39-154-141, numbers that cause Gehrig to the be in the discussion as the best first baseman ever… if there was fantasy baseball that far back.
SECOND BASE: Rogers Hornby in 1922 (.401-42-152-141-17)
Arguably the greatest right-handed hitter of all-time, Hornsby won the Triple-Crown twice, in ’22 and in 1925 (.403-39-143). Folks, from 1921-25 – five years – his average effort was .402-29-120-123-9. Bananas bonkers. In 1922 Hornsby led the league in average, homers, RBI, runs, hits (25) doubles (46), OBP (.459), SLG (.722), OPS (1.181) and total bases (450) in one of the most epic seasons for any player at any position.
THIRD BASE: Alex Rodriguez in 2007 (.314-54-156-143-24)
There have been plenty of power seasons offered by third sackers, but those seasons were never accompanied by speed. ARod led the league in 2007 in runs scored, a career best, RBI, a career best, homers, SLG (.645), OPS (1.067) and total bases (367). He is one of 10 men to have a season of 155 RBI and 140 runs scored, but he is the only one to have also stolen 20 bases in the effort. There is no debate about who posted the best fantasy season ever by a third baseman.
SHORTSTOP: Alex Rodriguez in 1998 (.310-42-124-123-46)
Yes, he’s on the list twice, and that bothers me cause I don’t like him much at all. One of six players to go 40/40 in a season, he is the only shortstop to accomplish the Herculean task. ARod is also the only shortstop to ever go 40-120-120 in a season (something he did four times), and he did that while hitting .310 with 46 steals. A truly remarkable fantasy offering.
OUTFIELD: Ty Cobb in 1911 (.420-8-127-147-83)
Cobb hit a career best .420 as he was in the middle of a 4-year run during which time he hit .401 (1910-13). Cobb won the MVP in 1911 as he led the league, and get ready for a long list, in runs, RBI, average, steals, hits (248), doubles (47), triples (24), SLG (.620), OPS (1.086) and total bases (367). Cobb led the league in SLG/OPS/Total bases in a season in which he hit eight homers. Ponder how impressive that fact is. Cobb hit homers like Willi Castro but his OPS looked like Aaron Judge. The speed/average combo has never been matched.
OUTFIELD: Babe Ruth in 1921 (.378-59-168-177-17)
Ruth set the homer record during the famed 1927 campaign, but his 1921 season might have been the greatest single season of all-time. Ruth led the league in homers, RBI and runs scored – but oh the context of that performance should blow you away. In 1921 there were 16 teams in Major League Baseball. Ruth doubled the homer total of two of the teams – the Reds and Red Sox, and his total of 59 homers was better than eight teams and tied a ninth. Just think about that for a moment. Ruth’s effort is the only in history of a player driving in 165 and scoring 165 in the same season, and he also led the league in walks (145), OBP (.512), SLG (.846), OPS (1.359) and total bases (457 – an all-time record). To top it all off Ruth, the player we so frequently see mocked for being fat (he actually wasn’t), stole a career-high tying 17 bases.
OUTFIELD: Larry Walker in 1997 (.366-49-130-143-33)
Not only was Walker one of the best all-around players of all-time – his fielding and base running were elite – but his offensive game was at times, stupendous. On his way to MVP honors, Walker led the league in homers, OBP (.452), SLG (.720), OPS (1.172) and total bases (409). Overall, Walker obviously went 30/30, but that 5×5 line of his, across the board, has never been matched by anyone who has ever lived. Think about that for a while.
OUTFIELD: Ricky Henderson in 1985 (.314-24-72-146-80)
Henderson went 24/80, numbers that only he and Eric Davis ever reached in a season (Davis went .277-27-71-97-80 in 1986 for the Reds in a season of just 132 games). Henderson scored a career best 146 runs to lead the league, and he also led the league in steals (amazingly, he had five other seasons of at least 85 thefts). Henderson finished third in the AL MVP vote on the strength of his overall came which included a stupendous overall line. In the 21st century no player has stolen even 80 bases in a season (Jose Reyes swiped 78 in 2007).
OUTFIELD: Ronald Acuna in 2023 (.337-41-106-149-73)
I’ve seem player raters that suggest that this was the greatest season of all-time in fantasy baseball. He was second in baseball in average, 5th in homers, 9th in RBI, 1st in runs and steals. That steal total was the second best of the 21st century and only Jeff Bagwell in 2000 score more runs (152). But what pops are the numbers .337-40-73. Acuna is the only player to ever go 30/60… and he went 40/70. He also hit a stellar .337 during a season when the league batted .248. Spectacular.
UTILITY: Shohei Ohtani in 2024 (.310-54-130-134-59)
He only qualified at UT, but that’s perfect for our list. Ohtani became the first player to every go 50/50 and he was a homer and steal from going 55/60. Simply astounding. He also led the NL in homers and RBI and all of baseball in runs scored while only Elly De La Cruz stole more bases (67). Ohtani was mind-blowingly good in 2024, and in fact his second half would have been an all-star level season, and it covered a mere 65 games as he went 25/35 while batting .301. Yes, in 65 games he hit 25 homers with 36 steals… which is a 162 game pace of 62/90. Simply astounding.
