I have a system for estimating a player’s speed. The system is explained each year in the Baseball Handbook, pages 534-535 of the 2012 edition, so I’m not going to explain the details again. The entire system uses six elements, but for the present study I can only use five of them. The sixth element is defensive range, and the data base that I am using to generate the numbers here only covers offense.
It’s good enough. Each player’s speed is assessed on six different zero-to-ten scales, five different in the present case, and then the score for the year is the average of the six. In this case I added another wrinkle. I started everybody out at 5.0, and moved players away from 5.0 based on their Speed Scores and Plate Appearances. If a first-year player only has 50 plate appearances, his "Known Speed Score" stays near 5.0. If he has more plate appearances, we put more faith in the data. If he’s a full-time regular, his "Known Speed Score" after each season will be based 90% or 90%+ on his data for the most recent season, but if he’s a part-time player, then his Known Speed Score for the season will be based more on his multi-year data.
OK, who does the system say was the fastest player in the majors in, let us say, 1956?
If you think about it, you can see that to get that answer right requires a tremendous level of accuracy from the process. Suppose you take the three fastest players in baseball; you decide who they are, we’ll call them A, B, and C. Suppose the "true" speed scores for them are A--8.08, B--8.03, and C--8.01. Suppose that our system is very, very accurate in terms of the zero to ten swing, but that it has an average error of, let’s say, .300. Player A, who "should" be first, might be anywhere from 7.78 to 8.38, while the player who should be second could be anywhere from 7.73 to 8.33 (or worse), and the player who should be at 8.01 can be anywhere from 7.71 to 8.31 (or worse.) That being the case, when you ask "who is the fastest player in baseball in this year?" you’re going to get the wrong answer many times more often than you get the right answer. To get the right answer to that question, consistently, requires an extraordinary level of accuracy from the method.
In fact, though, our system delivers the right answer, or what can credibly be argued to be the right answer, a high percentage of the time. The system. …not trying to hype it. . ..but the Speed Scores method is remarkably accurate in most cases, unless you try to apply it based on a half-season’s data or something; then it will get a little screwy.
The system relies on caught stealing and on grounded into double plays, data that does not exist for many seasons before 1954, so let’s start our list in 1950. According to our system, the fastest player in baseball in 1950 was Richie Ashburn at 7.6; the slowest was Les Moss, at 2.1.
It’s a reasonable answer. Ashburn, who had incredible range numbers in center field, would rate even higher if we were using that element of the system. Moving forward from 1950:
|
YEAR
|
Which
|
First
|
Last
|
Speed
|
|
1950
|
Fastest
|
Richie
|
Ashburn
|
7.6
|
|
1950
|
Slowest
|
Les
|
Moss
|
2.1
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
1951
|
Fastest
|
Sam
|
Jethroe
|
7.8
|
|
1951
|
Slowest
|
Les
|
Moss
|
1.6
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
1952
|
Fastest
|
Sam
|
Jethroe
|
6.7
|
|
1952
|
Slowest
|
Les
|
Moss
|
1.5
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
1953
|
Fastest
|
Jim
|
Gilliam
|
7.0
|
|
1953
|
Slowest
|
Les
|
Moss
|
1.6
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
1954
|
Fastest
|
Bill
|
Bruton
|
7.5
|
|
1954
|
Slowest
|
Les
|
Moss
|
1.6
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
1955
|
Fastest
|
Bill
|
Bruton
|
7.8
|
|
1955
|
Slowest
|
Les
|
Moss
|
1.7
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
1956
|
Fastest
|
Bill
|
Bruton
|
6.9
|
|
1956
|
Slowest
|
Les
|
Moss
|
1.6
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
1957
|
Fastest
|
Bill
|
Bruton
|
7.1
|
|
1957
|
Slowest
|
Les
|
Moss
|
1.5
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
1958
|
Fastest
|
Luis
|
Aparicio
|
7.4
|
|
1958
|
Slowest
|
Gus
|
Triandos
|
1.3
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
1959
|
Fastest
|
Luis
|
Aparicio
|
7.4
|
|
1959
|
Slowest
|
Gus
|
Triandos
|
1.4
|
Those are all reasonable answers. Billy Bruton was certainly known through most of his career as the fastest player in baseball, and Triandos was certainly known as the slowest. Les Moss is before my time, but. …the system seems pretty confident in its judgment. Moss, a catcher, stole only one base in his thirteen-year major league career, and hit only one triple over the last ten years he was in the majors.
On the basis of known data, we actually make Triandos at the end of his career out as the slowest player of all time, edging out Ernie Lombardi for that position. The 1960s:
The fastest player is almost always smaller than the slowest player; I had a column in there for "weight", but I had to cut it to make room, and baseball weights are in general less reliable than the Freeh Report, anyway. Lou Brock is listed as the fastest player of 1963, 1964, 1966 and 1967, but Zoilo Versalles is shown as faster than Brock in 1965, even though Brock had a good year in 1965 and stole 63 bases. Some people will jump on this, arguing that if Brock was faster than Versalles in 1963, 1964, 1966 and 1967, he must have been faster than him in 1965. But when you think about it, this is anything but true. A million things can slow a player down a little bit—a foot injury, a toe injury, a hamstring, bad knees, a sore back, putting on ten pounds, severe fatigue, anything. I’ve heard people refer to speed as a "constant" in baseball. A player’s speed goes up and down over the course of the year depending on many different things. Versalles was slowed down quite a bit in some years by what was called "lack of effort."
The 0.9 score for Triandos in 1965 and 1966 is the lowest score of all time. The 1970s:
The fastest player is also, of course, generally younger than the slowest player. Mickey Rivers, ten years younger than Brock, replaced Brock as the fastest player in baseball in 1975, and by the late 1970s the speed revolution was on; we had base stealers everywhere. Willie Wilson in 1979 had a listed weight of 180 pounds; Fred Kendall, of 175—the first time that the fastest player had been larger than the slowest player. Throughout most of baseball history the slowest player has often been a catcher, but from 1968 to 1976 this isn’t true; there are a run of years in which the slowest player is an old slugger. And then there’s Willie Mays Aikens:
Willie Wilson in 1980 had the highest Speed Score on record, 9.5. Another generalization is that the slowest player almost always has more power than the fastest player. You can guesstimate speed, then, based on age, size, defensive position and power: if a player is young, small, a center fielder and has no power, he’s probably fast, whereas if he is old, large, a first baseman and a power hitter, he’s probably slow. We don’t have to do that, because we have much better information on speed, but we could approach it that way if we had to. Since 1990 we haven’t seen many of those 9.0 speed scores:
That’s Delino DeShields, not DeShield; I had to cut off the column to try to fit in the chart. Is Jay Buhner an error? Many of the "slow" guys were frankly fat. Buhner was a trim player with a great throwing arm, not really in the mold of Cecil Fielder and Willie Mays Aikens. . .I note also that his 1.6 score is above the standard for slowest players. The last twelve years:
To an extent, what baseball measures is not pure speed but the ability to use one’s speed in a baseball game, the ability to make your speed play. Peter Bourjos may be faster than Jose Reyes—some say he is—but he hasn’t shown quite the same ability to make use of his speed in a major league game.
Over time data sets get larger and more organized. In a few years we’ll be able to integrate into this kind of a report things like the ability to go first-to-third on a single, the ability to move up on a Wild Pitch, and the ability to score from first on a double. That kind of information exists now but on a very limited and sporadic basis. We can estimate speed in baseball very, very accurately without that stuff; we could do still better if we had use of more information. That will come in time; I couldn’t have done this, what I’ve done here, five or six years ago. One more set of charts: The ten fastest players in baseball, 1950-2011. There is no caught stealing data in the National League in 1950, so some of the early data might be a little off:
1950
|
|
1951
|
|
1952
|
Rank
|
First
|
Last
|
|
Rank
|
First
|
Last
|
|
Rank
|
First
|
Last
|
1
|
Richie
|
Ashburn
|
|
1
|
Sam
|
Jethroe
|
|
1
|
Sam
|
Jethroe
|
2
|
Bobby
|
Adams
|
|
2
|
Richie
|
Ashburn
|
|
2
|
Gil
|
Coan
|
3
|
Duke
|
Snider
|
|
3
|
Minnie
|
Minoso
|
|
3
|
Phil
|
Rizzuto
|
4
|
Sam
|
Jethroe
|
|
4
|
Lou
|
Klein
|
|
4
|
Jim
|
Rivera
|
5
|
Gus
|
Bell
|
|
5
|
Phil
|
Rizzuto
|
|
5
|
Pee Wee
|
Reese
|
6
|
Pee Wee
|
Reese
|
|
6
|
Erv
|
Dusak
|
|
6
|
Chuck
|
Diering
|
7
|
Eddie
|
Waitkus
|
|
7
|
Chuck
|
Diering
|
|
7
|
Erv
|
Dusak
|
8
|
Enos
|
Slaughter
|
|
8
|
Jackie
|
Robinson
|
|
8
|
Pete
|
Reiser
|
9
|
Lloyd
|
Merriman
|
|
9
|
Harry
|
Walker
|
|
9
|
Johnny
|
Hopp
|
10
|
Eddie
|
Stanky
|
|
10
|
Johnny
|
Hopp
|
|
10
|
Don
|
Lund
|
You’ve got to admit: Johnny Hopp is a great name for a fast player. Harry Walker, not so much.
1953
|
|
1954
|
|
1955
|
Rank
|
First
|
Last
|
|
Rank
|
First
|
Last
|
|
Rank
|
First
|
Last
|
1
|
Jim
|
Gilliam
|
|
1
|
Bill
|
Bruton
|
|
1
|
Bill
|
Bruton
|
2
|
Bill
|
Bruton
|
|
2
|
Sam
|
Jethroe
|
|
2
|
Mickey
|
Mantle
|
3
|
Gil
|
Coan
|
|
3
|
Mickey
|
Mantle
|
|
3
|
Willie
|
Mays
|
4
|
Richie
|
Ashburn
|
|
4
|
Gil
|
Coan
|
|
4
|
Jim
|
Gilliam
|
5
|
Pee Wee
|
Reese
|
|
5
|
Jim
|
Busby
|
|
5
|
Harry
|
Walker
|
6
|
Jim
|
Rivera
|
|
6
|
Jim
|
Rivera
|
|
6
|
Jim
|
Rivera
|
7
|
Jackie
|
Robinson
|
|
7
|
Wally
|
Moon
|
|
7
|
Gil
|
Coan
|
8
|
Mickey
|
Mantle
|
|
8
|
Dee
|
Fondy
|
|
8
|
Johnny
|
Temple
|
9
|
Dee
|
Fondy
|
|
9
|
Richie
|
Ashburn
|
|
9
|
Jim
|
Busby
|
10
|
Hank
|
Thompson
|
|
10
|
Johnny
|
Temple
|
|
10
|
Richie
|
Ashburn
|
Jim Busby—Buzz-Bee—is not a bad name for a burner. Jethroe has a Jet in it; Ashburn has a Burn. Don Blasingame’s nickname was "Blazer".
1956
|
|
1957
|
|
1958
|
Rank
|
First
|
Last
|
|
Rank
|
First
|
Last
|
|
Rank
|
First
|
Last
|
1
|
Bill
|
Bruton
|
|
1
|
Bill
|
Bruton
|
|
1
|
Luis
|
Aparicio
|
2
|
Jim
|
Rivera
|
|
2
|
Luis
|
Aparicio
|
|
2
|
Willie
|
Mays
|
3
|
Willie
|
Mays
|
|
3
|
Don
|
Blasingame
|
|
3
|
Richie
|
Ashburn
|
4
|
Jim
|
Gilliam
|
|
4
|
Willie
|
Mays
|
|
4
|
Jim
|
Rivera
|
5
|
Richie
|
Ashburn
|
|
5
|
Jim
|
Gilliam
|
|
5
|
Don
|
Blasingame
|
6
|
Mickey
|
Mantle
|
|
6
|
Jim
|
Rivera
|
|
6
|
Bill
|
Bruton
|
7
|
Gil
|
Coan
|
|
7
|
Mickey
|
Mantle
|
|
7
|
Bob
|
Skinner
|
8
|
Luis
|
Aparicio
|
|
8
|
Hank
|
Bauer
|
|
8
|
Jim
|
Gilliam
|
9
|
Minnie
|
Minoso
|
|
9
|
Chuck
|
Harmon
|
|
9
|
Jim
|
Landis
|
10
|
Don
|
Blasingame
|
|
10
|
Johnny
|
Temple
|
|
10
|
Dee
|
Fondy
|
It is fun watching players start out near the top of the list and then fade gradually as they age. Hank Aaron reports in one of his biographies that when he was young he had the reputation for being slow. Somebody pointed out to him that if he would just steal a few bases people would think he was much faster, so he did; he started stealing 20, 30 bases a year when the pitcher went to sleep on him, just so people would think he was fast. He makes the bottom of our list a couple of years:
1959
|
|
1960
|
|
1961
|
Rank
|
First
|
Last
|
|
Rank
|
First
|
Last
|
|
Rank
|
First
|
Last
|
1
|
Luis
|
Aparicio
|
|
1
|
Bill
|
Bruton
|
|
1
|
Maury
|
Wills
|
2
|
Vada
|
Pinson
|
|
2
|
Vada
|
Pinson
|
|
2
|
Jake
|
Wood
|
3
|
Willie
|
Mays
|
|
3
|
Luis
|
Aparicio
|
|
3
|
Luis
|
Aparicio
|
4
|
Jim
|
Rivera
|
|
4
|
Don
|
Blasingame
|
|
4
|
Dick
|
Howser
|
5
|
Tony
|
Taylor
|
|
5
|
Jim
|
Landis
|
|
5
|
Mickey
|
Mantle
|
6
|
Jim
|
Landis
|
|
6
|
Jim
|
Rivera
|
|
6
|
Bill
|
Bruton
|
7
|
Bill
|
White
|
|
7
|
Willie
|
Mays
|
|
7
|
Vada
|
Pinson
|
8
|
Bill
|
Bruton
|
|
8
|
Julian
|
Javier
|
|
8
|
Jim
|
Landis
|
9
|
Jim
|
Gilliam
|
|
9
|
Tony
|
Taylor
|
|
9
|
Marty
|
Keough
|
10
|
Don
|
Blasingame
|
|
10
|
Hank
|
Aaron
|
|
10
|
Hank
|
Aaron
|
Last appearance for Junior Gilliam, 1959; last for Blasingame, 1960. Mantle hangs on the list periodically until 1961; Mays—the same age as Mantle—is able to stay close to the list until 1964.
1962
|
|
1963
|
|
1964
|
Rank
|
First
|
Last
|
|
Rank
|
First
|
Last
|
|
Rank
|
First
|
Last
|
1
|
Maury
|
Wills
|
|
1
|
Lou
|
Brock
|
|
1
|
Lou
|
Brock
|
2
|
Jake
|
Wood
|
|
2
|
Maury
|
Wills
|
|
2
|
Willie
|
Davis
|
3
|
Willie
|
Davis
|
|
3
|
Luis
|
Aparicio
|
|
3
|
Maury
|
Wills
|
4
|
Dick
|
Howser
|
|
4
|
Jake
|
Wood
|
|
4
|
Luis
|
Aparicio
|
5
|
Vada
|
Pinson
|
|
5
|
Jose
|
Tartabull
|
|
5
|
Jake
|
Wood
|
6
|
Luis
|
Aparicio
|
|
6
|
Willie
|
Davis
|
|
6
|
Zoilo
|
Versalles
|
7
|
Julian
|
Javier
|
|
7
|
Vada
|
Pinson
|
|
7
|
Jose
|
Tartabull
|
8
|
Johnny
|
Callison
|
|
8
|
Tony
|
Taylor
|
|
8
|
Vada
|
Pinson
|
9
|
Lou
|
Brock
|
|
9
|
Julian
|
Javier
|
|
9
|
Bill
|
Bruton
|
10
|
Jose
|
Tartabull
|
|
10
|
Curt
|
Flood
|
|
10
|
Willie
|
Mays
|
Billy Bruton and Willie Mays make their last appearance on the list together in 1964.
1965
|
|
1966
|
|
1967
|
Rank
|
First
|
Last
|
|
Rank
|
First
|
Last
|
|
Rank
|
First
|
Last
|
1
|
Zoilo
|
Versalles
|
|
1
|
Lou
|
Brock
|
|
1
|
Lou
|
Brock
|
2
|
Lou
|
Brock
|
|
2
|
Bert
|
Campaneris
|
2
|
Bert
|
Campaneris
|
3
|
Maury
|
Wills
|
|
3
|
Don
|
Buford
|
|
3
|
Joe
|
Morgan
|
4
|
Bert
|
Campaneris
|
|
4
|
Jose
|
Tartabull
|
|
4
|
Vada
|
Pinson
|
5
|
Luis
|
Aparicio
|
|
5
|
Luis
|
Aparicio
|
|
5
|
Maury
|
Wills
|
6
|
Joe
|
Morgan
|
|
6
|
Tommy
|
Harper
|
|
6
|
Don
|
Buford
|
7
|
Tommy
|
Harper
|
|
7
|
Willie
|
Davis
|
|
7
|
Tommy
|
Harper
|
8
|
Jose
|
Tartabull
|
|
8
|
Sonny
|
Jackson
|
|
8
|
Willie
|
Davis
|
9
|
Jimmy
|
Wynn
|
|
9
|
Matty
|
Alou
|
|
9
|
Jose
|
Tartabull
|
10
|
Willie
|
Davis
|
|
10
|
Tommie
|
Agee
|
|
10
|
Matty
|
Alou
|
Having seen them play, I can tell you that Jose Tartabull was probably faster than Bert Campaneris. Campy was very fast and a better all-around player than Tartabull; Tartabull was a little guy with no arm and no power, but he could really run. Luis Aparicio’s last appearance on the list was 1966, although he played the better part of a decade after that.
1968
|
|
1969
|
|
1970
|
Rank
|
First
|
Last
|
|
Rank
|
First
|
Last
|
|
Rank
|
First
|
Last
|
1
|
Lou
|
Brock
|
|
1
|
Lou
|
Brock
|
|
1
|
Bobby
|
Bonds
|
2
|
Bert
|
Campaneris
|
|
2
|
Bert
|
Campaneris
|
2
|
Willie
|
Davis
|
3
|
Willie
|
Davis
|
|
3
|
Cesar
|
Tovar
|
|
3
|
Cesar
|
Tovar
|
4
|
Joe
|
Morgan
|
|
4
|
Bobby
|
Bonds
|
|
4
|
Bert
|
Campaneris
|
5
|
Jose
|
Cardenal
|
|
5
|
Joe
|
Morgan
|
|
5
|
Amos
|
Otis
|
6
|
Cesar
|
Tovar
|
|
6
|
Willie
|
Davis
|
|
6
|
Joe
|
Morgan
|
7
|
Maury
|
Wills
|
|
7
|
Bobby
|
Tolan
|
|
7
|
Bobby
|
Tolan
|
8
|
Don
|
Buford
|
|
8
|
Maury
|
Wills
|
|
8
|
Lou
|
Brock
|
9
|
Vada
|
Pinson
|
|
9
|
Tommy
|
Harper
|
|
9
|
Don
|
Kessinger
|
10
|
Tommy
|
Harper
|
|
10
|
Horace
|
Clarke
|
|
10
|
Tommie
|
Agee
|
Willie Davis—said for years to be the fastest player in baseball—never gets to #1 on the list, although he is on the list thirteen times and ranks second twice.
1971
|
|
1972
|
|
1973
|
Rank
|
First
|
Last
|
|
Rank
|
First
|
Last
|
|
Rank
|
First
|
Last
|
1
|
Lou
|
Brock
|
|
1
|
Lou
|
Brock
|
|
1
|
Lou
|
Brock
|
2
|
Joe
|
Morgan
|
|
2
|
Joe
|
Morgan
|
|
2
|
Freddie
|
Patek
|
3
|
Freddie
|
Patek
|
|
3
|
Bobby
|
Bonds
|
|
3
|
Bert
|
Campaneris
|
4
|
Bert
|
Campaneris
|
|
4
|
Cesar
|
Cedeno
|
|
4
|
Tommy
|
Harper
|
5
|
Vic
|
Davalillo
|
|
5
|
Freddie
|
Patek
|
|
5
|
Garry
|
Maddox
|
6
|
Larry
|
Bowa
|
|
6
|
Bert
|
Campaneris
|
6
|
Bill
|
North
|
7
|
Tommy
|
Harper
|
|
7
|
Larry
|
Bowa
|
|
7
|
Bobby
|
Bonds
|
8
|
Ed
|
Stroud
|
|
8
|
Pat
|
Kelly
|
|
8
|
Willie
|
Davis
|
9
|
Roger
|
Metzger
|
|
9
|
Vic
|
Davalillo
|
|
9
|
Joe
|
Morgan
|
10
|
Amos
|
Otis
|
|
10
|
Dave
|
Nelson
|
|
10
|
Ralph
|
Garr
|
Ralph Garr—the last great practitioner of the Baltimore chop—was called "The Road Runner"; I think the Braves licensed the use of the nickname from Warner Brothers. Bert Campaneris hangs on the list until 1975:
1974
|
|
1975
|
|
1976
|
Rank
|
First
|
Last
|
|
Rank
|
First
|
Last
|
|
Rank
|
First
|
Last
|
1
|
Lou
|
Brock
|
|
1
|
Mickey
|
Rivers
|
|
1
|
Mickey
|
Rivers
|
2
|
Larry
|
Bowa
|
|
2
|
Davey
|
Lopes
|
|
2
|
Davey
|
Lopes
|
3
|
Bobby
|
Bonds
|
|
3
|
Lou
|
Brock
|
|
3
|
Joe
|
Morgan
|
4
|
Bert
|
Campaneris
|
|
4
|
Joe
|
Morgan
|
|
4
|
Al
|
Bumbry
|
5
|
Mickey
|
Rivers
|
|
5
|
Larry
|
Bowa
|
|
5
|
Ken Sr.
|
Griffey
|
6
|
Willie
|
Davis
|
|
6
|
Amos
|
Otis
|
|
6
|
Frank
|
Taveras
|
7
|
Ralph
|
Garr
|
|
7
|
Garry
|
Maddox
|
|
7
|
Willie
|
Davis
|
8
|
Tommy
|
Harper
|
|
8
|
Bake
|
McBride
|
|
8
|
Ron
|
LeFlore
|
9
|
Bill
|
North
|
|
9
|
Wilbur
|
Howard
|
|
9
|
Freddie
|
Patek
|
10
|
Cesar
|
Cedeno
|
|
10
|
Willie
|
Davis
|
|
10
|
Bill
|
North
|
Larry Bowa wasn’t that fast; he just really knew how to use what speed he had in the game.
1977
|
|
1978
|
|
1979
|
Rank
|
First
|
Last
|
|
Rank
|
First
|
Last
|
|
Rank
|
First
|
Last
|
1
|
Frank
|
Taveras
|
|
1
|
Omar
|
Moreno
|
|
1
|
Willie
|
Wilson
|
2
|
Freddie
|
Patek
|
|
2
|
Garry
|
Templeton
|
|
2
|
Omar
|
Moreno
|
3
|
Davey
|
Lopes
|
|
3
|
Cesar
|
Cedeno
|
|
3
|
Ron
|
LeFlore
|
4
|
Omar
|
Moreno
|
|
4
|
Frank
|
Taveras
|
|
4
|
Garry
|
Templeton
|
5
|
Cesar
|
Cedeno
|
|
5
|
Bake
|
McBride
|
|
5
|
Andre
|
Dawson
|
6
|
Joe
|
Morgan
|
|
6
|
Gene
|
Richards
|
|
6
|
Bake
|
McBride
|
7
|
Bake
|
McBride
|
|
7
|
Mickey
|
Rivers
|
|
7
|
Frank
|
Taveras
|
8
|
Enos
|
Cabell
|
|
8
|
George
|
Brett
|
|
8
|
Davey
|
Lopes
|
9
|
Garry
|
Maddox
|
|
9
|
Ron
|
LeFlore
|
|
9
|
Jerry
|
Royster
|
10
|
Phil
|
Garner
|
|
10
|
Jose
|
Cruz
|
|
10
|
Paul
|
Molitor
|
Joe Morgan is on the list from the mid-1960s until 1977. I think in 1979 Willie Wilson hit five inside-the-park home runs; I can’t imagine what his speed score will be when we advance far enough to integrate that information into our process. George Brett makes a brief appearance on the list as a young player (1978). There are several of those guys who do that—Nomar pops up for one year in the 1990s, and Derek Jeter. Robin Yount is on the list in 1980. Not true speed merchants, but just great players who could also run pretty well when they were young. Andre Dawson appears on the list only in 1979; Molitor is there in 1979 and 1982. Barry Larkin is on the list only in 1995. Johnny Callison was there one year in the 1960s.
1980
|
|
1981
|
|
1982
|
Rank
|
First
|
Last
|
|
Rank
|
First
|
Last
|
|
Rank
|
First
|
Last
|
1
|
Willie
|
Wilson
|
|
1
|
Omar
|
Moreno
|
|
1
|
Willie
|
Wilson
|
2
|
Ron
|
LeFlore
|
|
2
|
Willie
|
Wilson
|
|
2
|
Mookie
|
Wilson
|
3
|
Omar
|
Moreno
|
|
3
|
Ron
|
LeFlore
|
|
3
|
Omar
|
Moreno
|
4
|
Rodney
|
Scott
|
|
4
|
Rickey
|
Henderson
|
|
4
|
Ron
|
LeFlore
|
5
|
Ken Sr.
|
Griffey
|
|
5
|
Julio
|
Cruz
|
|
5
|
Tim
|
Raines
|
6
|
Miguel
|
Dilone
|
|
6
|
Dave
|
Collins
|
|
6
|
Rickey
|
Henderson
|
7
|
Robin
|
Yount
|
|
7
|
Rodney
|
Scott
|
|
7
|
Paul
|
Molitor
|
8
|
Dave
|
Collins
|
|
8
|
Miguel
|
Dilone
|
|
8
|
Julio
|
Cruz
|
9
|
Garry
|
Templeton
|
|
9
|
Garry
|
Templeton
|
|
9
|
Lonnie
|
Smith
|
10
|
Al
|
Bumbry
|
|
10
|
Gene
|
Richards
|
|
10
|
Andre
|
Dawson
|
Rickey Henderson, the greatest base stealer ever, is often on the list but never at the top of it, and I think that’s accurate; Rickey was fast, but it wasn’t his speed that made him what he was, but that he combined the speed with the ability to get on base twice a game. Some guys were faster than Rickey in pure speed.
1983
|
|
1984
|
|
1985
|
Rank
|
First
|
Last
|
|
Rank
|
First
|
Last
|
|
Rank
|
First
|
Last
|
1
|
Willie
|
Wilson
|
|
1
|
Juan
|
Samuel
|
|
1
|
Vince
|
Coleman
|
2
|
Rudy
|
Law
|
|
2
|
Mookie
|
Wilson
|
|
2
|
Willie
|
McGee
|
3
|
Tim
|
Raines
|
|
3
|
Alan
|
Wiggins
|
|
3
|
Tim
|
Raines
|
4
|
Omar
|
Moreno
|
|
4
|
Willie
|
Wilson
|
|
4
|
Juan
|
Samuel
|
5
|
Mookie
|
Wilson
|
|
5
|
Tim
|
Raines
|
|
5
|
Willie
|
Wilson
|
6
|
Rickey
|
Henderson
|
|
6
|
Dave
|
Collins
|
|
6
|
Rickey
|
Henderson
|
7
|
U.L.
|
Washington
|
|
7
|
Ryne
|
Sandberg
|
|
7
|
Gary
|
Redus
|
8
|
Brett
|
Butler
|
|
8
|
Brett
|
Butler
|
|
8
|
Mookie
|
Wilson
|
9
|
Claudell
|
Washington
|
|
9
|
Willie
|
McGee
|
|
9
|
Gary
|
Pettis
|
10
|
Julio
|
Cruz
|
|
10
|
Rickey
|
Henderson
|
|
10
|
Brett
|
Butler
|
Juan Samuel is in a class of players with Zoilo Versalles and Jake Wood. Not suggesting that Samuel didn’t hustle; he did. He just had a similar skill set to Versalles. So does Jimmy Rollins, who I guess would be the best player in the class. Samuel becomes the 14th player to hold the #1 spot for at least one year: Richie Ashburn, Sam Jethroe, Junior Gilliam, Billy Bruton, Luis Aparicio, Maury Wills, Lou Brock, Zoilo Versalles, Bobby Bonds, Mickey Rivers, Frank Taveras, Omar Moreno, Willie Wilson, Juan Samuel.
1986
|
|
1987
|
|
1988
|
Rank
|
First
|
Last
|
|
Rank
|
First
|
Last
|
|
Rank
|
First
|
Last
|
1
|
Vince
|
Coleman
|
|
1
|
Vince
|
Coleman
|
|
1
|
Willie
|
Wilson
|
2
|
Juan
|
Samuel
|
|
2
|
Willie
|
Wilson
|
|
2
|
Vince
|
Coleman
|
3
|
Tim
|
Raines
|
|
3
|
Gary
|
Redus
|
|
3
|
Rickey
|
Henderson
|
4
|
Gary
|
Redus
|
|
4
|
Tim
|
Raines
|
|
4
|
Gary
|
Redus
|
5
|
Rickey
|
Henderson
|
|
5
|
Eric
|
Davis
|
|
5
|
Gary
|
Pettis
|
6
|
Mookie
|
Wilson
|
|
6
|
Barry
|
Bonds
|
|
6
|
Brett
|
Butler
|
7
|
Omar
|
Moreno
|
|
7
|
Mookie
|
Wilson
|
|
7
|
Andy
|
Van Slyke
|
8
|
Alan
|
Wiggins
|
|
8
|
Andy
|
Van Slyke
|
|
8
|
Tim
|
Raines
|
9
|
Gary
|
Pettis
|
|
9
|
Milt
|
Thompson
|
|
9
|
Luis
|
Polonia
|
10
|
Brett
|
Butler
|
|
10
|
Lenny
|
Dykstra
|
|
10
|
Oddibe
|
McDowell
|
When I was a kid I was a fan of Floyd Patterson, the boxer. At the time it was a big deal that Patterson lost the heavyweight championship of the world and then regained it. Patterson was—or projected himself as—sort of the opposite of Mike Tyson. He was just kind of a shy, sweet-natured kid who happened to be quicker and stronger than almost anybody else, and somebody put boxing gloves on him and he did pretty good, but he didn’t really have the temperament of a boxer. Later on there were a half-dozen agencies certifying different people as the heavyweight boxing champion, so there would be people who would lose a championship and then regain it or regain another one all the time. Took all the poetry out of it.
Anyway, several people have lost the #1 spot and then regained it; Brock lost it and re-claimed it at least twice. In 1963 Brock stole only 24 bases—not among the National League leaders—but still rated as the fastest player in baseball based on the other categories.
1989
|
|
1990
|
|
1991
|
Rank
|
First
|
Last
|
|
Rank
|
First
|
Last
|
|
Rank
|
First
|
Last
|
1
|
Vince
|
Coleman
|
|
1
|
Vince
|
Coleman
|
|
1
|
Vince
|
Coleman
|
2
|
Willie
|
Wilson
|
|
2
|
Willie
|
Wilson
|
|
2
|
Roberto
|
Alomar
|
3
|
Devon
|
White
|
|
3
|
Brett
|
Butler
|
|
3
|
Mike
|
Felder
|
4
|
Cecil
|
Espy
|
|
4
|
Cecil
|
Espy
|
|
4
|
Ray
|
Lankford
|
5
|
Gary
|
Redus
|
|
5
|
Otis
|
Nixon
|
|
5
|
Marquis
|
Grissom
|
6
|
Mike
|
Felder
|
|
6
|
Gary
|
Pettis
|
|
6
|
Devon
|
White
|
7
|
Dave
|
Martinez
|
|
7
|
Mike
|
Felder
|
|
7
|
Gary
|
Redus
|
8
|
Oddibe
|
McDowell
|
|
8
|
Gary
|
Redus
|
|
8
|
Otis
|
Nixon
|
9
|
Rickey
|
Henderson
|
|
9
|
Mitch
|
Webster
|
|
9
|
Gary
|
Pettis
|
10
|
Robby
|
Thompson
|
|
10
|
Shawon
|
Dunston
|
|
10
|
Willie
|
Wilson
|
I enjoy the Cecil Espy/Mike Felder types, and being reminded of the Oddibe McDowells and Bobby Tolans who come and go so quickly, and the token white players who sneak onto the list when nobody is looking, like Robby Thompson and Phil Garner. Willie Wilson’s last appearance—1991.
1992
|
|
1993
|
|
1994
|
Rank
|
First
|
Last
|
|
Rank
|
First
|
Last
|
|
Rank
|
First
|
Last
|
1
|
Vince
|
Coleman
|
|
1
|
Vince
|
Coleman
|
|
1
|
Vince
|
Coleman
|
2
|
Tim
|
Raines
|
|
2
|
Devon
|
White
|
|
2
|
Kenny
|
Lofton
|
3
|
Marquis
|
Grissom
|
|
3
|
Kenny
|
Lofton
|
|
3
|
Devon
|
White
|
4
|
Brady
|
Anderson
|
|
4
|
Darren
|
Lewis
|
|
4
|
Darren
|
Lewis
|
5
|
Devon
|
White
|
|
5
|
Lance
|
Johnson
|
|
5
|
Lance
|
Johnson
|
6
|
Steve
|
Finley
|
|
6
|
Delino
|
DeShields
|
|
6
|
Brett
|
Butler
|
7
|
Gary
|
Redus
|
|
7
|
Steve
|
Finley
|
|
7
|
Alex
|
Cole
|
8
|
Roberto
|
Alomar
|
|
8
|
Deion
|
Sanders
|
|
8
|
David
|
Hulse
|
9
|
Gary
|
Pettis
|
|
9
|
Milt
|
Cuyler
|
|
9
|
Brady
|
Anderson
|
10
|
Kenny
|
Lofton
|
|
10
|
Mike
|
Felder
|
|
10
|
Deion
|
Sanders
|
Kenny Lofton finally de-throned Vince Coleman in 1995. There appears to be a lot of Kenny Lofton interest in my audience; I get questions about him every week.
1995
|
|
1996
|
|
1997
|
Rank
|
First
|
Last
|
|
Rank
|
First
|
Last
|
|
Rank
|
First
|
Last
|
1
|
Kenny
|
Lofton
|
|
1
|
Lance
|
Johnson
|
|
1
|
Delino
|
DeShields
|
2
|
Lance
|
Johnson
|
|
2
|
Vince
|
Coleman
|
|
2
|
Craig
|
Biggio
|
3
|
Vince
|
Coleman
|
|
3
|
Kenny
|
Lofton
|
|
3
|
Vince
|
Coleman
|
4
|
Brady
|
Anderson
|
|
4
|
Chuck
|
Knoblauch
|
|
4
|
Chuck
|
Knoblauch
|
5
|
Deion
|
Sanders
|
|
5
|
Tom
|
Goodwin
|
|
5
|
Deion
|
Sanders
|
6
|
Barry
|
Larkin
|
|
6
|
Brett
|
Butler
|
|
6
|
Tony
|
Womack
|
7
|
David
|
Hulse
|
|
7
|
Delino
|
DeShields
|
|
7
|
Brian L.
|
Hunter
|
8
|
Brett
|
Butler
|
|
8
|
Milt
|
Cuyler
|
|
8
|
Tom
|
Goodwin
|
9
|
Steve
|
Finley
|
|
9
|
David
|
Hulse
|
|
9
|
Lance
|
Johnson
|
10
|
Eric
|
Young
|
|
10
|
Alex
|
Cole
|
|
10
|
Nomar
|
Garciaparra
|
I remember seeing David Hulse play in the Texas League; I remember seeing Lance Johnson play for. …I think it was Louisville. Why would you care? Just rolling around in the memories. . ..
1998
|
|
1999
|
|
2000
|
Rank
|
First
|
Last
|
|
Rank
|
First
|
Last
|
|
Rank
|
First
|
Last
|
1
|
Tony
|
Womack
|
|
1
|
Tony
|
Womack
|
|
1
|
Tony
|
Womack
|
2
|
Delino
|
DeShields
|
|
2
|
Brian L.
|
Hunter
|
|
2
|
Tom
|
Goodwin
|
3
|
Ray
|
Durham
|
|
3
|
Mike
|
Cameron
|
|
3
|
Johnny
|
Damon
|
4
|
Jose
|
Offerman
|
|
4
|
Kenny
|
Lofton
|
|
4
|
Cristian
|
Guzman
|
5
|
Kenny
|
Lofton
|
|
5
|
Tom
|
Goodwin
|
|
5
|
Brian L.
|
Hunter
|
6
|
Milt
|
Cuyler
|
|
6
|
Roger
|
Cedeno
|
|
6
|
Roger
|
Cedeno
|
7
|
Johnny
|
Damon
|
|
7
|
Ray
|
Durham
|
|
7
|
Marvin
|
Benard
|
8
|
Tom
|
Goodwin
|
|
8
|
Johnny
|
Damon
|
|
8
|
Pokey
|
Reese
|
9
|
Lance
|
Johnson
|
|
9
|
Doug
|
Glanville
|
|
9
|
Al
|
Martin
|
10
|
Derek
|
Jeter
|
|
10
|
Neifi
|
Perez
|
|
10
|
Doug
|
Glanville
|
Johnny Damon first appears on the list in 1998, is there until 2005 (missing one or two years), and gets as high as second on the list. Outfielders have held the #1 spot on the list about 75% of the time since 1950, but we’ve had four years of second basemen, with DeShields and Womack:
2001
|
|
2002
|
|
2003
|
Rank
|
First
|
Last
|
|
Rank
|
First
|
Last
|
|
Rank
|
First
|
Last
|
1
|
Tom
|
Goodwin
|
|
1
|
Tom
|
Goodwin
|
|
1
|
Rafael
|
Furcal
|
2
|
Roger
|
Cedeno
|
|
2
|
Johnny
|
Damon
|
|
2
|
Carl
|
Crawford
|
3
|
Jimmy
|
Rollins
|
|
3
|
Kenny
|
Lofton
|
|
3
|
Carlos
|
Beltran
|
4
|
Tony
|
Womack
|
|
4
|
Juan
|
Pierre
|
|
4
|
Tom
|
Goodwin
|
5
|
Cristian
|
Guzman
|
|
5
|
Dave
|
Roberts
|
|
5
|
Kenny
|
Lofton
|
6
|
Carlos
|
Beltran
|
|
6
|
Chris
|
Singleton
|
|
6
|
Ichiro
|
Suzuki
|
7
|
Ichiro
|
Suzuki
|
|
7
|
Carlos
|
Beltran
|
|
7
|
Dave
|
Roberts
|
8
|
Deion
|
Sanders
|
|
8
|
Brian L.
|
Hunter
|
|
8
|
Johnny
|
Damon
|
9
|
Juan
|
Pierre
|
|
9
|
Jimmy
|
Rollins
|
|
9
|
Juan
|
Pierre
|
10
|
Roberto
|
Alomar
|
|
10
|
Luis
|
Castillo
|
|
10
|
Alex
|
Sanchez
|
Tom Goodwin was a Jose Tartabull/Rudy Law type; speed was really his only asset, so he was slow to get a chance to play, and didn’t last long. He was 32 and 33 years old the two years that he ranked as the fastest player in baseball. Another one of those guys is Willy Taveras. I always liked those guys, for some reason.
2004
|
|
2005
|
|
2006
|
Rank
|
First
|
Last
|
|
Rank
|
First
|
Last
|
|
Rank
|
First
|
Last
|
1
|
Carl
|
Crawford
|
|
1
|
Jose
|
Reyes
|
|
1
|
Jose
|
Reyes
|
2
|
Dave
|
Roberts
|
|
2
|
Carl
|
Crawford
|
|
2
|
Carl
|
Crawford
|
3
|
Carlos
|
Beltran
|
|
3
|
Jimmy
|
Rollins
|
|
3
|
Dave
|
Roberts
|
4
|
Jimmy
|
Rollins
|
|
4
|
Chone
|
Figgins
|
|
4
|
Hanley
|
Ramirez
|
5
|
Scott
|
Podsednik
|
|
5
|
Juan
|
Pierre
|
|
5
|
Ichiro
|
Suzuki
|
6
|
Kenny
|
Lofton
|
|
6
|
Ichiro
|
Suzuki
|
|
6
|
Juan
|
Pierre
|
7
|
Tom
|
Goodwin
|
|
7
|
Rafael
|
Furcal
|
|
7
|
Grady
|
Sizemore
|
8
|
Chone
|
Figgins
|
|
8
|
Kenny
|
Lofton
|
|
8
|
Chone
|
Figgins
|
9
|
Rafael
|
Furcal
|
|
9
|
Dave
|
Roberts
|
|
9
|
Corey
|
Patterson
|
10
|
Juan
|
Pierre
|
|
10
|
Johnny
|
Damon
|
|
10
|
Jimmy
|
Rollins
|
In saying that Ralph Garr was the last great practitioner of the Baltimore Chop I didn’t mean any disrespect to Juan Pierre, who I am certain has more chop hits in his career than Garr did, since he has lasted better.
2007
|
|
2008
|
|
2009
|
Rank
|
First
|
Last
|
|
Rank
|
First
|
Last
|
|
Rank
|
First
|
Last
|
1
|
Jose
|
Reyes
|
|
1
|
Dave
|
Roberts
|
|
1
|
Michael
|
Bourn
|
2
|
Jimmy
|
Rollins
|
|
2
|
Jose
|
Reyes
|
|
2
|
Jose
|
Reyes
|
3
|
Dave
|
Roberts
|
|
3
|
Jimmy
|
Rollins
|
|
3
|
Carl
|
Crawford
|
4
|
Curtis
|
Granderson
|
|
4
|
Carl
|
Crawford
|
|
4
|
Shane
|
Victorino
|
5
|
Carl
|
Crawford
|
|
5
|
Willy
|
Taveras
|
|
5
|
Jacoby
|
Ellsbury
|
6
|
Kaz
|
Matsui
|
|
6
|
Rickie
|
Weeks
|
|
6
|
Carlos
|
Gomez
|
7
|
Juan
|
Pierre
|
|
7
|
Brian
|
Roberts
|
|
7
|
Willy
|
Taveras
|
8
|
Chone
|
Figgins
|
|
8
|
Curtis
|
Granderson
|
|
8
|
Juan
|
Pierre
|
9
|
Corey
|
Patterson
|
|
9
|
Shane
|
Victorino
|
|
9
|
Rickie
|
Weeks
|
10
|
Hanley
|
Ramirez
|
|
10
|
Ichiro
|
Suzuki
|
|
10
|
Jimmy
|
Rollins
|
Dave Roberts was really fast, and unlike most of those guys he had a sturdy frame so that he at least looked strong. I think Jarrod Dyson is probably the fastest player in the majors right now, and he’s like that; he’s built kind of like Jerry Rice. Dyson will pop to the top of the list in 2012 if he gets enough playing time. Dyson’s a guy who needs for managers to stop carrying 13 pitchers; it’s hard to carry a pinch runner/defensive outfielder if you’re carrying 13 pitchers. He doesn’t get great reads in the outfield, but he compensates really well with the legs. Not sure why Rajai Davis hasn’t been higher on the list. . ..
2010
|
|
2011
|
Rank
|
First
|
Last
|
|
Rank
|
First
|
Last
|
1
|
Carl
|
Crawford
|
|
1
|
Jose
|
Reyes
|
2
|
Michael
|
Bourn
|
|
2
|
Michael
|
Bourn
|
3
|
Brett
|
Gardner
|
|
3
|
Brett
|
Gardner
|
4
|
Jose
|
Reyes
|
|
4
|
Shane
|
Victorino
|
5
|
Shane
|
Victorino
|
|
5
|
Rajai
|
Davis
|
6
|
Jacoby
|
Ellsbury
|
|
6
|
Will
|
Venable
|
7
|
Austin
|
Jackson
|
|
7
|
Cameron
|
Maybin
|
8
|
Willy
|
Taveras
|
|
8
|
Carl
|
Crawford
|
9
|
Coco
|
Crisp
|
|
9
|
Carlos
|
Gomez
|
10
|
Emilio
|
Bonifacio
|
|
10
|
Emilio
|
Bonifacio
|
Thanks for reading. Bill