MLB Number 40s

The journey to find the most substantial Major League Baseball players that wore the number 40 on their uniforms starts by looking at who the Baseball Hall of Fame has in their hallowed halls. Enshrined number ones of professional baseball are:

• Bob Gibson
• Brooks Robinson
• Carlton Fisk
• Dennis Eckersley
• Bruce Sutter

Another telling clue to find the best is to see who has the MLB number 40 retired by their respective teams. This list of retired number 35s includes:

• Don Wilson    Astros    April 13, 1975
• Danny Murtaugh    Pirates    April 7, 1977

Split-Finger Sorcerer and World Series Champion ‣ Bruce Sutter

Bruce Sutter wasn't your typical closer. He didn't overpower hitters with blazing fastballs; he outwitted them with a deceptive trick shot: the split-finger fastball. This, alongside his fiery competitiveness and unkempt beard, became his calling card as he carved his name into baseball history.

Emerging from the Chicago Cubs in the late 1970s, Sutter established himself as one of the league's dominant relievers. His split-finger, plunging off the plate like a dying fly, befuddled batters and made him nearly unhittable. He racked up saves, earning four Rolaids Relief Man awards and becoming a six-time All-Star.

His legend grew with the St. Louis Cardinals in the early 1980s. He became the cornerstone of their bullpen, anchoring a championship-caliber team. His 1982 World Series performance was particularly iconic, with Sutter shutting down opponents and securing the title for the Cardinals. He even earned the Series MVP award, solidifying his status as a postseason performer.

Yet, Sutter's impact transcended mere stats. He was a showman, his wild beard and fiery throws captivating fans and intimidating opponents. He redefined the role of the closer, turning the ninth inning into a high-pressure showstopper. His success paved the way for future dominant relievers.

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Okay, now it is time to put our knowledge to work and pick the greatest players that wore number 40 in MLB history based on performance stats. We do not have all of the players from some of the Negro Leagues in place yet but when we do we will certainly update the list so please excuse us on this. The criteria is simple we pulled stats from Baseball-Reference and Stat-Head on some important numbers. Is the player in the Hall of Fame? What were the Wins After Replacement or the team victories gained or lost after they entered the lineup versus the player they replaced? Where do they rank in the following categories in history: Home Runs, Runs Produced, Strike Outs, ERA. We mash this information up and see how many of the criteria rankings they have and then multiply that number (0-6) times the number of years they wore the particular uniform number we are discussing and then add it to bonus points if in the Hall of Fame and for earning any Gold Glove Awards and/or Cy Young Awards. We call that calculated number our Ranked Formula and use it as a basis of Comparison to give you the Top Fifteen at the uniform number. 

1. Brooks Robinson
2. Bob Gibson
3. Dwight Evans
4. Bob Boone
5. Dwayne Murphy
6. Carlton Fisk
7. Dennis Eckersley
8. Bruce Sutter
9. Bartolo Colon
10. Rick Sutcliffe
11. John Denny
12. Mike McCormick
13. Jack McDowell
14. Frank Lary
15. Frank Tanana

The stats may not be placing this group in order of importance but what it does do is identify the top 25

Here are our stats and findings:

The picture in the banner above is from the Wikipedia Commons photo collection of the Public Domain of a cropped installment of A.D. Condo's "Osgar und Adolf", the two ethnic caricatures try to teach Mister Skygack, from Mars to play baseball. By Mr. Armundo Dreisbach Condo

Special thanks to Baseball-Reference.com, Stathead.com and the most wonderful book by Larry Lester and Wayne Stivers, The Negro Leagues Book, Volume 2.