All Time ATB Leaderboards

I finally got around to starting somethign I have been meaning to attempt for years - compiling the all time leader boards for ATB. I was a dumb young bloke when ATB started (as opposed to a dumb old bloke now) and didn't have the foresight to save every seasons final stat lines, but have managed to uncover all seasons since and including ATB VI. In total, not counting the current season, that 6 seasons of data.

More than enough for an all time leaderboard. They'll be unveiled in the next few days on the ATB Home Page, but I found some interesting tidbits of data I couldn't keep to myself.

For instance, which year of the the great Mickey Mantle's is best? 1956 was used four times (ATB 6, 9, 10, and 11) while 1957 was used twice (ATB 7 and 8). I don't have park data compiled, so take the following with a bit of caution, but the '57 year is by far the greater of the two:

1956 - .299 / .380 / .521
1957 - .354 / .474 / .538

What about Babe Ruth? He has a few outstanding years that owners can choose from and 5 of the past 6 times, 1920 was the year selected. Makes sense - he has batted a combined .292 / .446 / .649 in those years, but the one selection of 1921 was just as good - .292 / .449 / .653 with 43 HR, 25 2B, and 14 triples.

Barry Bonds is a third batter in this category, and owners have chosen three different years for him:

2001 - 1 time - .270 / .411 / .677, 1.089 OPS
2002 - 4 time - .307 / .467 / .580, 1.047 OPS
2004 - 1 time - .331 / .472 / .751, 1.223 OPS

This year, the Black Diamonds chose 2001 and Bonds is batting .239 / .366 / .588. 2004 is quite incredible, but has never been used again (since ATB VI!).

It stands to reason that Alex Rodriguez is the most disappointing batter in ATB history. In the last 6 seasons, owners have selected 5 different years for the infielder. None have been particularly fruitful

1996 - .700 OPS
2002 - .679 OPS
2007 - .657 OPS
2001 - .653 OPS
2000 - .594 OPS

However, this season he is a starting 3rd basemen in the all star game, batting .285 / .379 / .488 off of his 2007 season.

I could spend all day on this, but will leave after one more. Stan Musial is never a Top 10 pick, and only rarely cracks the Top 15, but you can't argue with The Man's production. In a world dominated by OBP, OPS, and RC/27, Musial quietly accumulates a staggering amount of counting stats:

1st in RBI - 715
2nd in Total Bases - 2004
2nd in Triples - 94
3rd in Extra Base Hits - 424
4th in RC - 676
5th in Runs - 594

(as you may have guessed, I have only started compiling the batter stats).