Who Were the Best Hitters in Baseball During the 1950s According to WAR (Wins Above Replacement)?
Advanced stats show exactly who was dominating baseball’s best decade
The 1950s was a golden age in baseball, as the sport was at the height of its popularity with an impressive collection of talented players that many recall fondly to this day. Not surprisingly, there is frequent debate as to who was the best from this era. There is no true right or wrong answer; nor is there any shortage of candidates. WAR (Wins Above Replacement) is one statistic that measures effectiveness against a replacement-level substitute. By that metric, here are the five best hitters from the decade.
5th, Third Baseman Eddie Mathews, 53.2 WAR: Only two players (Duke Snider and Gil Hodges) hit more than the 299 home runs that the third sacker blasted in the decade for the Milwaukee Braves. However, one must take into account that the other two players were active throughout the 1950s, whereas Mathews came up as a 20-year-old rookie in 1952. His other numbers during this time included a .281 batting average and 777 RBIs. Surprisingly, the big slugger stayed out of extra outs, as he grounded into just 54 double plays in the decade, which only places him 91st.
