Typical knowledge maintains that Johnny Bench was the best catcher in baseball’s Trendy Period, a interval encompassing 62 full seasons since 1961.

However a statistical evaluation means that one in every of Bench’s fellow Corridor of Famers, Ivan Rodriguez, would possibly even have been the period’s high catcher. And what about Mike Piazza, Carlton Fisk, Gary Carter, and Ted Simmons? They’re all in Cooperstown, too. Don’t they deserve consideration?

Bench was a strong hitter, main the Nationwide League in dwelling runs two instances and runs batted in on three events. His excellence behind the plate for the Cincinnati Reds was documented by his assortment of 10 Gold Gloves.

However Rodriguez went Bench three higher with 13 Gold Gloves. And he was remarkably sturdy behind the plate, catching a complete of two,427 video games for six golf equipment, primarily the Texas Rangers. That was 201 video games greater than the runner-up, Fisk, and 685 greater than Bench.

So who was higher, Bench or Rodriguez? My 10-part system provides a nod to Rodriguez. Piazza is second, and Bench is third in a really shut race. The opposite Corridor of Famers — Fisk, Carter, and Simmons — maintain the following three slots.

Final Thursday’s story was the ultimate installment in my position-by-position evaluation of the most effective gamers in baseball in the present day. It took three months to journey the route from catchers to reduction pitchers, and I intend to retrace that path within the three months to come back, broadening my scores to incorporate all the Trendy Period.

At the moment’s rankings are confined to the 161 big-league gamers who made no less than 2,500 plate appearances between 1961 and 2022 and spent no less than 40 p.c of that point enjoying catcher. (The system took the entire stats for every participant into consideration, together with any appearances at different positions.)

My system rewards each high quality and longevity, using a mix of charge stats and counting stats. The ten elements are weighted evenly. Let’s focus on them briefly, since that is the primary story in a brand new collection:

• Wins above substitute. Whole WAR for the Trendy Period (1961-2022), as calculated by Baseball Reference.

• Wins-above-replacement charge. A ratio of WAR per 500 plate appearances.

• Defensive wins above substitute. A breakout of the defensive element of WAR, once more as decided by Baseball Reference.

• Batting common. A time-honored favourite. Hits divided by at-bats.

• Slugging share. A measure of energy. Whole bases (by means of hits) per at-bat.

• Bases per out. A ratio of all bases a batter reaches for each out that he makes. It’s figured in three steps: (1) Add up the bases gathered by means of hits, walks, hit batters, and stolen bases, in addition to all sacrifice hits and sacrifice flies. (2) Calculate outs by subtracting hits from at-bats, then including double performs, caught stealings, sacrifice hits, and sacrifice flies. (3) Divide bases by outs.

• Runs generated. The entire variety of runs scored and runs batted in, minus dwelling runs. (Homers rely in each the R and RBI columns, therefore the subtraction.)

• Scoring charge. A ratio of runs generated per 500 plate appearances.

• Video games performed. The entire for the Trendy Period, whatever the place performed.

• Hits. The entire for the period.

A participant’s efficiency in every of those 10 statistical classes is matched solely in opposition to the opposite gamers at his place. The highest-rated participant — Rodriguez on this case — is awarded 1,000 factors, the bottom is about at zero, and the others fall in between, primarily based on their relative performances.

Needless to say the rankings are confined to the interval from 1961 by means of 2022. If that cuts off the most efficient years of a participant’s profession, it’s unlucky, but unavoidable. (Akin to any star within the Nineteen Fifties who wasn’t fairly nearly as good within the Sixties.) The main target is solely on outcomes from the Trendy Period.

Statistical breakdowns for the period’s high 5 catchers could be discovered beneath, adopted by the names of the following 15.

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• Rating: 1,000 factors

• WAR: 68.7 complete, 3.3 per 500 PA, 29.6 defensive

• Averages: .296 BA, .464 SLG, .724 BPO

• Scoring: 2,375 R generated, 116 per 500 PA

• Totals: 2,543 G, 2,844 H

• Notes: Rodriguez’s best yr is acknowledged to be 1999, when he received a Gold Glove, hit 35 homers, drove dwelling 113 runs, and batted .332 for the Rangers. He was named the American League’s Most Precious Participant that season. He completed among the many high 10 vote-getters for MVP 4 different instances, and he carted dwelling a complete of 13 Gold Gloves.

• Rating: 920 factors

• WAR: 59.5 complete, 3.8 per 500 PA, 1.5 defensive

• Averages: .308 BA, .545 SLG, .910 BPO

• Scoring: 1,956 R generated, 126 per 500 PA

• Totals: 1,912 G, 2,127 H

• Notes: Piazza wasn’t famend for his defensive abilities; he by no means received a Gold Glove. However he was an excellent hitter, peaking with a .362 common for the Los Angeles Dodgers in 1997. He batted .308 over his 16-year profession. Piazza by no means received a Most Precious Participant Award both, although he got here awfully shut. He completed second within the MVP balloting in 1996 and 1997, third in 2000, and fourth in 1995.

• Rating: 911 factors

• WAR: 75.1 complete, 4.3 per 500 PA, 19.7 defensive

• Averages: .267 BA, .476 SLG, .793 BPO

• Scoring: 2,078 R generated, 120 per 500 PA

• Totals: 2,158 G, 2,048 H

• Notes: Bench was an necessary cog in Cincinnati’s Massive Pink Machine. He received Nationwide League MVP Awards in 1970 (45 homers and 148 RBIs) and 1972 (40 and 125). The NL Gold Glove for catchers was his private property for a decade. He received each single one between 1968 and 1977.

• Rating: 881 factors

• WAR: 68.4 complete, 3.5 per 500 PA, 17.0 defensive

• Averages: .269 BA, .457 SLG, .772 BPO

• Scoring: 2,230 R generated, 113 per 500 PA

• Totals: 2,499 G, 2,356 H

• Notes: Fisk grew to become well-known for his World Collection heroics with the Boston Pink Sox in 1975. Many followers are unaware that he really performed the majority of his profession with the Chicago White Sox (1,421 video games), not Boston (1,078 video games). Fisk debuted with type, successful the American League’s Rookie of the 12 months Award. He reached the highest 10 in three MVP races.

• Rating: 843 factors

• WAR: 70.1 complete, 3.9 per 500 PA, 26.1 defensive

• Averages: .262 BA, .439 SLG, .735 BPO

• Scoring: 1,926 R generated, 107 per 500 PA

• Totals: 2,296 G, 2,092 H

• Notes: Carter’s Corridor of Fame plaque depicts him in an Expos cap, since he spent 12 of his 19 seasons in Montreal. However he made his title in New York, serving because the sparkplug of the 1986 world-champion Mets. Carter received three Gold Gloves, completed second for the 1975 NL Rookie of the 12 months Award, and climbed as excessive as second (1980) and third (1986) locations in MVP voting.