Will Clark - Please Help Me Out

[Skipper Steve]

I know the numbers will tell you that, from 1986 to 2000, Will Clark was one of the ten best hitters in the game.

Hell, I know the "numbers" (for example, OPS, OWP, RC/G, and Lee's RSAA & RCAP) will tell you that Will Clark is one of the TOP 15 hitting 1Bs of all-time!

Double hell - only 12 1B all-time have more XBH than Clark!!

Yet, for some reason, I cannot think of Will Clark as a "Top 15" 1B.

Is it just me? Why can't I get it?

[sweaver]

No, I agree, I had no idea Clark would rate that high. I always figured him as about a notch above Mark Grace, good player but not an all-time great.

[Duque]

When all my picks for 1st Base got taken ahead in the draft - I did a little bit of research, and Clark's name came up often. I was surprised too - I always remembered The Thrill as a high average, good glove guy with decent power. Maybe it's longevity (though he probably had a couple good years left in him when he retired), or maybe the pool of good 1st baseman with lengthy careers isn't as deep as I thought.

Btw, Skip, if you could give out the guys right ahead of, and behind Clark, on your rankings, that'd put it in a little context.

[Skipper Steve]

Originally posted by Duque
Btw, Skip, if you could give out the guys right ahead of, and behind Clark, on your rankings, that'd put it in a little context.

Let me get back on this - - today's a bad day -- little time. I will follow up 'tho.

[Skipper Steve]

Originally posted by Skipper Steve
I know the numbers will tell you that, from 1986 to 2000, Will Clark was one of the ten best hitters in the game.

Since Duque asked about those ahead/behind Clark, on this one, I would offer:

Ahead:

Frank Thomas
Barry Bonds
Mark McGwire
Jeff Bagwell
Edgar Martinez
Ken Griffey Jr.
Gary Sheffield
Rickey Henderson
Larry Walker

Behind:

Tony Gwynn
Fred McGriff
Wade Boggs
Rafael Palmeiro
Paul Molitor

And there a few right along side Clark's level, not shown, that are too hard to say better/worse.

[Skipper Steve]

Originally posted by Duque
Skip, if you could give out the guys right ahead of, and behind Clark, on your rankings, that'd put it in a little context.

CAREER 1B 500+ PA

OPS Leaders
1 Lou Gehrig 1.080
2 Jimmie Foxx 1.044
3 Hank Greenberg 1.012
4 Mark McGwire .985
5 Jeff Bagwell .969
6 Johnny Mize .959
7 Dan Brouthers .944
8 Mo Vaughn .920
9 Bill Terry .899
10 Fred McGriff .897
11 Willie McCovey .893
12 Roger Connor .893
13 Hal Trosky .892
14 Rafael Palmeiro .889
15 John Olerud .886
16 Will Clark .880

OWP Leaders
1 Lou Gehrig .797
2 Dan Brouthers .771
3 Jimmie Foxx .746
4 Mark McGwire .744
5 Johnny Mize .743
6 Jeff Bagwell .735
7 Roger Connor .717
8 Hank Greenberg .715
9 Willie McCovey .707
10 Will Clark .679
11 Jack Fournier .679
12 Norm Cash .678
13 Cap Anson .677
14 Bill Terry .674
15 Rod Carew .672
16 Dolph Camilli .665

RCAP Leaders
1 Lou Gehrig 989
2 Dan Brouthers 733
3 Jimmie Foxx 665
4 Roger Connor 555
5 Johnny Mize 512
6 Mark McGwire 509
7 Jeff Bagwell 489
8 Cap Anson 440
9 Willie McCovey 422
10 Frank Thomas 410
11 Eddie Murray 317
12 Bill Terry 302
13 Norm Cash 298
14 Stan Musial 297
15 Will Clark 292
16 Frank Chance 282

RUNS CREATED/GAME Leaders
1 Dan Brouthers 11.99
2 Lou Gehrig 11.21
3 Jimmie Foxx 10.39
4 Roger Connor 10.25
5 Hank Greenberg 9.53
6 Cap Anson 9.50
7 Johnny Mize 8.98
8 Jeff Bagwell 8.70
9 Mark McGwire 8.65
10 Bill Terry 7.65
11 Mo Vaughn 7.64
12 Dolph Camilli 7.54
13 Hal Trosky 7.43
14 John Olerud 7.34
15 Will Clark 7.27
16 Willie McCovey 7.17

[Skipper Steve]

Here are the leaders of 1B when Clark played:

CAREER
1986-2000
1B

OPS OPS
1 Mark McGwire .994
2 Jeff Bagwell .970
3 Mo Vaughn .920
4 Fred McGriff .894
5 John Olerud .888
6 Rafael Palmeiro .884
7 Will Clark .880

OWP OWP
1 Mark McGwire .754
2 Jeff Bagwell .742
3 Will Clark .679
4 John Olerud .662
5 Fred McGriff .661
6 Mo Vaughn .653
7 Rafael Palmeiro .653

RCAP RCAP
1 Mark McGwire 516
2 Jeff Bagwell 454
3 Frank Thomas 410
4 Will Clark 292
5 Fred McGriff 258
6 John Olerud 164
7 Rafael Palmeiro 162

RUNS CREATED/GAME RC/G
1 Mark McGwire 8.85
2 Jeff Bagwell 8.75
3 Mo Vaughn 7.64
4 John Olerud 7.39
5 Will Clark 7.27
6 Fred McGriff 7.11
7 Rafael Palmeiro 6.98

[Duque]

I guess the Olerud comp. is pretty close - what's most surprising to me is that Olerud ranks higher than Palmeiro in a lot of those categories.

Another odd thing - on that list of ahead/behind players, almost everyone behind Clark is considered a future Hall of Famer except for McGriff, and he's very close. But Clark isn't.

Btw, thanks for digging that up.

[Skipper Steve]

I'm probably letting 1996-97 weigh too much on my opinion of him?

[pjl7]

Thanks for validating my pick to a degree. After the top 8-10 were gone, I looked at a pool of Mattingly, Clark, Palmiero and Norm Cash. They looked damn similar (at least through 1995).

[Skipper Steve]

Originally posted by pjl7
Thanks for validating my pick to a degree. After the top 8-10 were gone, I looked at a pool of Mattingly, Clark, Palmiero and Norm Cash. They looked damn similar (at least through 1995).

As the person who took Palmiero rounds ago, I'd debate his inclusion in this group.