Joe Mauer and 30 of MLB's Top Players Compared to All-Time Greats

When examining a game as cognizant of its history as baseball is, it's virtually impossible to avoid comparing players and teams of different eras.

It just comes with the territory.

I'm no fool—depending on whom you ask—but taking 30 of today's stars and comparing them to the greats who came before them seemed like a daunting task at first.

I was wrong.

It was far beyond daunting.

Considering how the players and the game itself have evolved over time, how can we possibly compare players from different eras on a level playing field?

The only possible way, as far as I can tell, is to compare their production when both players were the same age; at the very least, it shows the sort of track that some of today's younger players seem to be on.

Additionally, I've consulted with the "Oracle of Baseball" over at Baseball-Reference.com to do a little "Seven Degrees of Kevin Bacon" on the players I've paired up, to see exactly how far removed today's players are from the greats of yesterday.

What did the Oracle teach us?

That Harold Baines and Minnie Minoso have played with nearly everyone.

Chipper Jones and Mike Schmidt

I gave some thought to George Brett and Brooks Robinson, but I kept coming back to Michael Jack Schmidt.

Maybe it's the fact that their respective teams do battle in the same division that led me to that decision, but when we look at the numbers side-by-side, beginning with their first full seasons, there's certainly no clear-cut winner.

Jones might have been the better all-around hitter; Schmidt was superior with the glove.

Statistical Comparison From Age 23 to 39

Jones (1995-2011): .304/.402/.532, 454 HR, 1561 RBI, 2379 G

Schmidt (1973-1989): .268/.380/.528, 547 HR, 1592 RBI, 2391 G

Making the Connection

Chipper Jones played with Julio Franco on the 2003 Atlanta Braves.

Franco played with Mike Schmidt on the 1982 Philadelphia Phillies.

Carlos Beltran and Andre Dawson

Carlos Beltran and Andre Dawson have quite a bit in common.

Both started their careers in center field before knee problems forced them to right field.

Dawson won the NL Rookie of the Year award in 1977 with the Montreal Expos; Beltran won the AL Rookie of the Year award in 1999 with the Kansas City Royals.

Like Beltran, Dawson was a Gold Glove winner, though Beltran's arm, while good, isn't a match for the cannon that Dawson possessed.

Statistical Comparison From Age 21 to 34

Beltran (1998-2011): .283/.361/.496, 302 HR, 1146 RBI, 293 SB, 1768 G

Dawson (1976-1989): .281/.326/.486, 319 HR, 1131 RBI, 284 SB, 1871 G

Making the Connection

Andre Dawson played with Rey Sanchez on the 1992 Chicago Cubs.

Sanchez played with Carlos Beltran on the 2000 Kansas City Royals.

Ryan Braun and Manny Ramirez

Primarily left fielders, both Ryan Braun and Manny Ramirez tested positive for performance enhancing drugs, though Braun's suspension was later overturned.

While Manny has always been considered a slugger, Braun, for the most part, was looked at as a really good player who played with a big-time slugger in Prince Fielder.

But Braun has been nearly as premier a slugger as Manny was thus far in his young career.

Statistical Comparison From Age 23 to 27

Braun (2006-2011): .312/.371/.563, 161 HR, 531 RBI, 729 G

Ramirez (1995-1999): .314/.407/.588, 179 HR, 617 RBI, 736 G

Making the Connection

Ryan Braun played with Claudio Vargas in 2010 with the Milwaukee Brewers.

Vargas played with Manny Ramirez on the 2009 Los Angeles Dodgers.

Miguel Cabrera and Frank Robinson

While Frank Robinson had MVP and Rookie of the Year awards on his resume by the time he celebrated his 27th birthday, his career and that of Miguel Cabrera are quite similar.

Both men broke into the league when they were 20 years old, and while Cabrera is a third baseman today, he, like Robinson, spent time in left field and at first base.

These are two of the biggest sluggers of their eras; Cabrera would do well to finish his career continuing to be mentioned alongside Robinson.

Statistical Comparison From Age 20 to 27

Cabrera (2003-2011): .317/.395/.555, 277 HR, 984 RBI, 1351 G

Robinson (1956-1964): .304/.390/.556, 291 HR, 896 RBI, 1346 G

Making the Connection

Miguel Cabrera played with Wil Cordero on the 2004 Florida Marlins.

Cordero and Rick Cerone were teammates on the 1992 Montreal Expos.

Cerone and Frank Robinson played together in 1975 with the Cleveland Indians.

Robinson Cano and Tony Lazzeri

The best second baseman in the game, Robinson Cano is following in the footsteps of another legendary second baseman who spent the bulk of his career as a New York Yankee—Tony Lazzeri.

Both players began their major league careers at 22 and if Cano continues on the track he's currently taking, he'll find himself enshrined in the Hall of Fame as one of the great second baseman to ever play the game.

Statistical Comparison From Age 22 to 28

Cano (2005-2011): .308/.347/.496, 144 HR, 621 RBI, 1053 G

Lazzeri (1926-1932): .305/.383/.486, 96 HR, 721 RBI, 991 G

Making the Connection

Robinson Cano plays with Alex Rodriguez on the New York Yankees in 2012.

A-Rod played with Goose Gossage on the 1994 Seattle Mariners.

Goose and Minnie Minoso were teammates on the 1976 Chicago White Sox.

Minoso played with Phil Cavarretta on the 1954 Chicago White Sox.

Cavarretta and Tony Lazzeri were teammates on the 1938 Chicago Cubs.

Starlin Castro and Arky Vaughan

The beginning of Starlin Castro's career has gone very much the same way that Arky Vaughan's career started 80 years ago.

While Castro led the National League in hits, with 207 in his second full season, Vaughan never led the league in hits, nor did he ever crack the 200-hit plateau—though he did win the 1935 NL batting crown with a .385 mark.

Neither player was an overly adept fielder at a position that generally demands a smooth glove, making Vaughn a better choice for comparison than Bobby Doerr, who was my other initial selection.

Statistical Comparison From Age 20 to 21 (First Two Full Seasons)

Castro (2010-2011): .304/.343/.422, 13 HR, 107 RBI, 283 G

Vaughan (1932-1933): .316/.382/.448, 13 HR, 158 RBI, 281 G

Making the Connection

Starlin Castro and Alfonso Soriano have been teammates with the Chicago Cubs since 2010.

Soriano played with Jesse Orosco in 2003 with the New York Yankees.

Orosco and Ed Kranepool were teammates on the 1979 New York Mets.

Kranepool played with Gil Hodges on the 1962 Mets.

Hodges and Arky Vaughan were teammates on the 1947 Brooklyn Dodgers.

Prince Fielder and Eddie Murray

Eddie Murray and Prince Fielder did everything big.

Murray had a big, surly personality. Fielder is just, well, big.

Feared sluggers who both played first base, neither one was a superb fielder, though Murray has two Gold Gloves and an AL Rookie of the Year award to his credit.

Statistical Comparison From Age 21 to 27

Fielder (2005-2011): .282/.390/.540, 230 HR, 656 RBI, 998 G

Murray (1977-1983): .297/.365/.507, 198 HR, 697 RBI, 1044 G

Making the Connection

Prince Fielder and David Bell played together in 2006 with the Milwaukee Brewers.

Bell and Eddie Murray played together in 1995 with the Cleveland Indians.

Carlos Gonzalez and Fred Lynn

Fred Lynn might not qualify as an all-time great, but he's the best historical comparison that I can find for Carlos Gonzalez, so that's who we'll go with.

Both solid fielders, neither CarGo nor Lynn played in more than 145 games in any of their first four seasons in the majors, though Lynn picked up both the AL MVP and AL Rookie of the Year in 1975, while Gonzalez has yet to pick up any major awards. (He finished third in the 2010 NL MVP race.)

Statistical Comparison From Age 22 to 25 (First Four Seasons)

Gonzalez (2008-2011): .298/.350/.521, 77 HR, 264 RBI, 446 G

Lynn (1974-1977): .305/.370/.500, 51 HR, 256 RBI, 421 G

Making the Connection

Carlos Gonzalez and Chris Iannetta played with the Colorado Rockies in 2010.

Iannetta played with Jose Mesa on the 2006 Rockies.

Mesa played with Fred Lynn on the 1987 Baltimore Orioles.

Curtis Granderson and Larry Doby

It's almost unfair to compare Larry Doby to anyone, considering that it was he, as a 23-year-old, who broke the color barrier in the American League in 1947, two months after Jackie Robinson accomplished the feat in the National League.

Upon closer examination, Curtis Granderson comes to the forefront. Granderson is a modern-day Larry Doby—a Larry Doby with speed.

Statistical Comparison From Age 23 to 30

Doby (1947-1954): .285/.394/.500, 176 HR, 656 RBI, 1015 G

Granderson (2004-2011): .267/.345/.493, 167 HR, 485 RBI, 966 G

Making the Connection

Curtis Granderson played with Jason Johnson on the Detroit Tigers in 2004.

Johnson and Harold Baines were teammates in 1999 with the Baltimore Orioles.

Baines played with Minnie Minoso on the 1980 Chicago White Sox.

Minoso and Larry Doby were teammates on the 1949 Cleveland Indians.

Roy Halladay and Carl Hubbell

Carl Hubbell didn't start his major league career until he was 25 years old, which is the same age at which Roy Halladay's career as a starting pitcher began in earnest, so it's at that point that we'll start our comparison.

While Hubbell made a career out of primarily using one pitch—his screwball—Halladay has a number of pitches in his arsenal.

Both pitchers very well could have even gaudier win totals had they played on better teams early in their careers.

Statistical Comparison From Age 25 to 34

Halladay (2002-2011): 170-75, 2.97 ERA, 1.11 WHIP, 2194.2 IP, 2067 H, 1699 K, 304 G (303 starts).

Hubbell (1928-1937): 192-102, 2.79 ERA, 1.13 WHIP, 2655,2 IP, 2506 H, 1258 K, 389 G (312 starts).

Making the Connection

Roy Halladay threw to Gregg Zaun on the 2005 Toronto Blue Jays.

Zaun played with Harold Baines on the 1995 Baltimore Orioles.

Baines and Minnie Minoso were teammates on the 1980 Chicago White Sox.

Minoso played with Connie Ryan on the 1953 White Sox.

Ryan played with Carl Hubbell in 1942 on the New York Giants.

Josh Hamilton and Mickey Mantle

The similarities between Josh Hamilton and Mickey Mantle are, well, kind of spooky.

Prototypical five-tool players, both men were considered among the best players of their eras. Sluggers, they didn't just hit home runs—they hit shots which traveled high, far and left you exclaiming, "Wow, he just crushed that ball!"

While their exploits on the field and their skill sets are similar, it's their off-field battles that really tie the two together—something that George Vecsey of The New York Times wrote about back in 2010.

Their daily battles against (or indulgences in) their vices of choice, while not complete detriments to their playing careers, certainly leaves a question that can never be answered: What if?

What if they never drank alcohol? What if they never tried crack?

How much better could they have been?

Statistical Comparison

There isn't a statistical comparison to be made. By the time Hamilton got his act together, he was already 26 years old. By the time Mantle was 26 years old, he had already won a pair of AL MVP awards, the AL Triple Crown, and played in more than 950 games.

Making the Connection

Josh Hamilton played with David Weathers on the 2009 Cincinnati Reds.

Weathers played with Dave Stieb on the Toronto Blue Jays in 1991.

Stieb and Tonly Solaita were teammates in Toronto in 1981.

Solaita played with Mickey Mantle on the 1968 New York Yankees.

Felix Hernandez and Don Drysdale

Both Don Drysdale and Felix Hernandez broke into the majors as 19-year-olds, and it was apparent early on that they both had "future ace" written all over them.

Each of the pair picked up a Cy Youngs by the time they turned 25, and while Hernandez has yet to win a strikeout title (Drysdale had three by his 25th birthday.), he has ranked among the league leaders on a yearly basis.

Statistical Comparison From Age 19 to 25

Drysdale (1956-1962): 104-73, 3.21 ERA, 1.20 WHIP, 1629.2 IP, 1465 H, 1236 K, 271 G (220 starts).

Hernandez (2005-2011): 85-67, 3.24 ERA, 1.22 WHIP, 1388.1 IP, 1275 H, 1264 K, 205 G (All starts).

Making the Connection

Felix Hernandez played with Cliff Lee on the 2010 Seattle Mariners.

Lee and Ellis Burks were teammates in 2003 with the Cleveland Indians.

Burks played with Bill Buckner on the 1987 Boston Red Sox.

Buckner and Don Drysdale were teammates on the 1969 Los Angeles Dodgers.

Matt Holliday and Hack Wilson

Like Matt Holliday, Hack Wilson was a talented outfielder who was the centerpiece of a blockbuster trade.

Both players consistently get support in MVP races, though neither has an award to call his own.

While I generally don't consider Holliday to be a Hall of Fame-caliber player, his numbers, when compared to those of Wilson over the first eight full seasons of their careers, have made me begin to look at Holliday in a different light.

Statistical Comparison From Age 24 to 31

Holliday (2004-2011): .315/.388/.541, 202 HR, 770 RBI, 1136 G

Wilson (1924-1931): .316/.403/.571, 206 HR, 856 RBI, 1019 G

Making the Connection

Matt Holliday played with Julio Lugo on the 2009 St. Louis Cardinals.

Lugo played with Fred McGriff on the 2004 Tampa Bay Devil Rays.

McGriff and Phil Niekro were teammates on the 1987 Toronto Blue Jays.

Niekro played with Warren Spahn on the 1964 Milwaukee Braves.

Spahn and Tony Cuccinello were teammates on the 1942 Boston Braves.

Cuccinello played with Hack Wilson on the 1932 Brooklyn Dodgers.

Derek Jeter and Pete Rose

Pete Rose didn't get the nickname "Charlie Hustle" by taking plays off, and I challenge you to find someone who can say that Derek Jeter has taken a play off since he debuted with the New York Yankees back in 1995.

While Rose moved around the field, Jeter has remained a fixture at shortstop for nearly two decades.

By the time they had celebrated their 37th birthdays, both had been parts of iconic, championship-winning teams, and both had more than 3,000 hits for their careers.

Statistical Comparison through season they turned 37

Jeter (1995-2011): .313/.383/.449, 240 HR, 1196 RBI, 3088 H, 339 SB, 2426 G

Rose (1963-1978): .310/.379/.432, 150 HR, 954 RBI, 3164 H, 135 SB, 2505 G

Making the Connection

Derek Jeter played with Paul O'Neill on the 1996 New York Yankees.

O'Neill played with Pete Rose on the 1985 Cincinnati Reds.

Adam Jones and Dave Winfield

I wouldn't have even thought to make this comparison before undertaking this, but the similarities between Adam Jones and Dave Winfield are striking.

Both are impressive physical specimens: Jones stands 6'3" and weighs 225 pounds, while Winfield stands 6'6" and weighed 220 pounds.

Both were incredible athletes: Jones excelled in basketball and football before discovering baseball at the age of 12, while Winfield was drafted by teams in the ABA, NBA and NFL.

They showed excellent throwing arms, resulting in double-digit assist totals for the seasons in which they celebrated their 24th and 25th birthdays.

Statistical Comparison From Age 22 to 25 (First Four Full MLB Seasons)

Jones (2008-2011): .278/.322/.442, 72 HR, 279 RBI, 551 G

Winfield (1974-1977): .272/.343/.436, 73 HR, 312 RBI, 582 G

Making the Connection

Adam Jones played with Eddie Guardado on the 2006 Seattle Mariners.

Guardado played with Dave Winfield on the 1994 Minnesota Twins.

Matt Kemp and Alex Rodriguez

Like him or not, Alex Rodriguez is an all-time great.

But we aren't talking about today's Alex Rodriguez—we're talking about the 23-year-old Alex Rodriguez, shortstop for the Seattle Mariners.

Each player had a remarkable combination of power and speed, and while they played different positions, their athleticism made them outstanding fielders.

Only a few weeks ago, Joe Torre, who managed Kemp in Los Angeles and A-Rod in New York, reminded Dylan Hernandez of the Los Angeles Times that Torre had made this comparison years ago: "If you remember … I said [Matt Kemp] was a lot like Alex Rodriguez.

Dodgers manager Don Mattingly, one of Torre's coaches in New York, also saw the similarity in the way Kemp hits the ball: "A-Rod's like that too. He hits balls into right-center. You think it's a fly ball and it's like 20 rows up. Center field, the same way."

Statistical Comparison Over Their First Four Full Major League Seasons*

Kemp (2008-2011): .290/.351/.496, 111 HR, 392 RBI, 128 SB

A-Rod (1996-1999): 314/.371/.567, 143 HR, 442 RBI, 111 SB

*A-Rod was 20 years old in 1996 while Kemp was 23 years old in 2008.

Making the Connection

Matt Kemp played with Cory Wade on the 2009 Los Angeles Dodgers.

Wade plays with Alex Rodriguez on the 2012 New York Yankees.

Clayton Kershaw and Vida Blue

Looking for a pair of left-handed stating pitchers who began to assert their dominance over hitters early in their careers? You need look no further than Clayton Kershaw and Vida Blue.

While Blue would never match the numbers he posted in 1971, when he took home both the AL Cy Young and MVP awards as a 21-year-old, he would go on to win at least 20 games twice more in his career.

Kershaw had to wait until he was 23-years-old to take home his first NL Cy Young, but all indications are that it was the first of many which the Dodgers starter will put on his mantle. (Do people still have mantles anymore?)

Statistical Comparison From Age 20 to 23

Kershaw (2008-2011): 47-28, 2.88 ERA, 1.17 WHIP, 716.1 IP, 562 H, 745 K, 118 G (116 starts).

Blue (1970-1973): 52-27, 2.53 ERA, 1.06 WHIP, 765.1 IP, 560 H, 605 K, 107 G (105 starts).

Making the Connection

Clayton Kershaw played with Matt Guerrier on the 2011 Los Angeles Dodgers.

Guerrier and Terry Mulholland were teammates on the 2005 Minnesota Twins.

Mulholland and Blue played together on the 1986 San Francisco Giants.

Paul Konerko and Reggie Jackson

Awards and accolades don't mean much when you get down to the root of it all: talent.

Either you've got it, or you don't.

So while Reggie Jackson had a big personality, an MVP award and multiple All-Star berths to his credit by the time he turned 35, Paul Konerko has arrived at the same point with eerily similar stats.

But Konerko, a reserved, respectful leader of the Chicago White Sox, has no MVP award and only a handful of All-Star berths.

While everyone in the country knew who Reggie Jackson was, only baseball fans could tell you who Paul Konerko is.

Statistical Comparison From Age 21 to 35

Jackson (1967-1981): .271/.362/.510, 425 HR, 1285 RBI, 2018 G

Konerko (1997-2011): .282/.358/.500, 396 HR, 1261 RBI, 1998 G

Making the Connection

Paul Konerko and Jose Canseco were teammates with the Chicago White Sox in 2001.

Canseco played with Reggie Jackson in 1987 with the Oakland A's.

Cliff Lee and Don Newcombe

While Don Newcombe was a right-handed starter who missed two seasons of his prime, 1952 and 1953, to military service, his career parallels that of left-handed starter Cliff Lee.

How?

Both pitchers seemingly got better as they reached their 30th birthdays.

Statistical Comparison From Age 23 to 32

Lee (2002-2011): 119-62, 3.65 ERA, 1.22 WHIP, 1641.2 IP, 1616 H, 1323 K, 254 G (250 starts).

Newcombe (1949--1951, 1954-1958): 130-73, 3.54 ERA, 1.21 WHIP, 1796 IP, 1726 H, 966 K, 278 G (248 starts).

Making the Connection

Cliff Lee played with Raul Ibanez on the 2011 Philadelphia Phillies.

Ibanez and Dennis Martinez were teammates on the 1997 Seattle Mariners.

Martinez played with Mike Cuellar in 1976 with the Baltimore Orioles.

Cuellar played with Newcombe on the 1959 Cincinnati Redlegs.

Tim Lincecum and Sandy Koufax

I'm certainly not the first to make the comparison between Sandy Koufax and Tim Lincecum, and—the freak's struggles in 2012 aside—their careers have been similar.

Aside from the fact that Koufax, a lefty, already had spent considerable time in the majors by the time he turned 23—the age at which Lincecum made his major league debut—both pitchers are strikeout artists who averaged nearly 10 strikeouts per nine innings over the years we'll look at.

Statistical Comparison From Age 23 to 27

Koufax (1959-1963): 73-44, 3.02 ERA, 1.14 WHIP, 1079.1 IP, 829 H, 1161 K, 182 G (150 starts).

Lincecum (2007-2011): 69-41, 2.98 ERA, 1.19 WHIP, 1028 IP, 842 H, 1127 K, 156 G (155 starts).

Making the Connection

Tim Lincecum played with Jose Guillen in 2010 on the San Francisco Giants.

Guillen and Jose Canseco were teammates on the Tampa Bay Devil Rays in 1999.

Canseco played with Don Sutton in 1985 with the Oakland A's.

Sutton and Koufax were teammates with the Los Angeles Dodgers in 1966.

Joe Mauer and Mickey Cochrane

What Joe Mauer has been able to accomplish offensively in a relatively short period of time is truly remarkable, and it places him among the greatest catchers who ever played the game.

I could have gone with Bill Dickey, Yogi Berra or even Mike Piazza as a basis for comparison, but instead I chose to go with Mickey Cochrane.

Looking at their first six full seasons in the majors—which included an MVP for each player—the similarities between Cochrane and Mauer are amazing.

Statistical Comparison From Age 22 to 27

Cochrane (1925-1930): .322/.402/.472, 53 HR, 419 RBI, 776 G

Mauer (2005-2010): .328/.409/.478, 75 HR, 455 RBI, 801 G

Making the Connection

Joe Mauer played with Sidney Ponson on the 2007 Minnesota Twins.

Ponson and Harold Baines were teammates on the 1999 Baltimore Orioles.

Baines and Minnie Minoso played together on the 1980 Chicago White Sox.

Minso played with Birdie Tebbetts on the 1951 Cleveland Indians.

Tebbetts played with Mickey Cochrane on the 1936 Detroit Tigers.

Andrew McCutchen and Barry Bonds

You could make the case that Barry Bonds' father, Bobby, is the better comparison, but due to his obscene strikeout totals—something Andrew McCutchen has largely been able to avoid—it makes more sense to compare a pair of young Pirates outfielders as they got their careers underway.

Bonds played in 113 games for the Pirates in 1986 as a 21-year-old, finishing third in the NL Rookie of the Year voting, so he had nearly one full season of experience under his belt by the time we start our comparison.

Statistical Comparison From Age 22 to 24

McCutchen (2009-2011): .276/.365/.458, 51 HR, 199 RBI, 78 SB, 420 G

Bonds (1987-1989): .264/.349/.469, 68 HR, 175 RBI, 81 SB, 453 G

Making the Connection

Andrew McCutchen and Kevin Correia play together on the 2012 Pittsburgh Pirates.

Correia and Barry Bonds played together in 2005 for the San Francisco Giants.

David Ortiz and Willie McCovey

Willie McCovey wins as far as fielding goes, though McCovey was far from a smooth fielder at first base.

Both men are considered to be among the premier sluggers of their eras, although one has to wonder where McCovey's numbers would have ended up had he been able to serve as a designated hitter later in his career.

Statistical Comparison From Age 21 to 35

McCovey (1959-1973): .279/.387/.545, 413 HR, 1165 RBI, 1842 G

Ortiz (1997-2011): .283/.378/.544, 378 HR, 1266 RBI, 1742 G

Making the Connection

David Ortiz and John Smoltz played together on the 2009 Boston Red Sox.

Smoltz played with Darrell Evans in 1989 with the Atlanta Braves.

Evans and Willie McCovey were teammates on the 1978 San Francisco Giants.

Albert Pujols and Jimmie Foxx

For me anyway, Jimmie Foxx is a perfect comparison for Albert Pujols, especially when you consider they both played first and third base.

After the 1941 season, Foxx was a shell of the player that he once was, due largely in part to the fact that he'd become an alcoholic who was self-medicating a painful sinus condition he developed years earlier as the result of being hit by a pitch.

Pujols doesn't seem to be following the path that Foxx did, but let's be honest: Pujols has been downright awful this year.

Like most people, I expect Pujols to snap out of his funk sooner rather than later, and the chances are that by the time his career is over, we'll be comparing Pujols to Lou Gehrig, the greatest first baseman ever to play the game.

But if, by some stretch of the imagination, this is the beginning of the end for Pujols, then the comparison to Foxx would be even more bizarrely accurate.

Statistical Comparison From Age 21 to 31 (First 11 full seasons)

Foxx (1929-1939): .337/.442/.639, 448 HR, 1521 RBI

Pujols (2001-2011): .328/.420/.617, 445 HR, 1329 RBI

Making the Connection

Albert Pujols played with Jim Edmonds on the 2003 St. Louis Cardinals.

Edmonds played with Tim Wallach on the 1996 California Angels.

Wallach played with Fred Norman in 1980 with the Montreal Expos.

Norman played with Granny Hammer on the 1962 Kansas City Athletics.

Hammer played with Jimmy Foxx on the 1945 Philadelphia Phillies.

Mariano Rivera and Nobody

Owner of multiple career and postseason records, including most career saves, there has never been, nor will there ever be a pitcher like Mariano Rivera to come along again.

This isn't a cop-out; I really tried to find a comparable pitcher from the past.

But there isn't one.

Rivera is simply the greatest relief pitcher who ever lived and arguably one of the 10 most dominating pitchers in baseball history.

CC Sabathia and Lefty Gomez

Sure, CC Sabathia outweighs Lefty Gomez by about 100 pounds, but the similarities in their career paths are too close to ignore.

While Gomez spent the majority of his career with the New York Yankees, Sabathia will be able to make that claim as well by the time his contract is over in 2017.

That being said, it's not just a pinstriped connection that makes Sabathia the modern-day Gomez: The stats tell us that he's Lefty Gomez with more of a penchant for striking batters out.

Statistical Comparison From Age 21 to 30

Gomez (1930-1939): 165-89, 3.24 ERA, 1.31 WHIP, 2234.2 IP, 2031 H, 1337 K, 322 G (278 starts).

Sabathia (2002-2011): 159-91, 3.44 ERA, 1.22 WHIP, 2184 IP, 2028 H, 1846 K, 322 G (All starts).

Making the Connection

CC Sabathia played with Bob Wickman on the 2001 Cleveland Indians.

Wickman played with Eric Plunk on the 1999 Milwaukee Brewers.

Plunk and Tommy John were teammates on the New York Yankees in 1989.

John played with Early Wynn on the Cleveland Indians in 1963.

Wynn and Lefty Gomez were teammates on the 1943 Washington Senators.

Ichiro Suzuki and Ty Cobb

While Ty Cobb's gaudy stats—especially his career batting average of .366—are virtually impossible for anyone to catch in the modern era, Ichiro has been the only player in recent memory who could really be compared to Cobb, at least from a statistical perspective.

Ichiro isn't the bigot, racist or dirty player that Cobb was, and he didn't start playing in the major leagues until he was 27.

That being the case, the numbers from their 27th to 37th birthdays are, well, not as far off as you might expect.

Statistical Comparison From Age 27 to 37

Cobb (1914-1924): .369/.443/.511, 48 HR, 890 RBI, 394 SB, 2064 H, 1463 G

Ichiro (2001-2011): .326/.370/.421, 95 HR, 605 RBI, 423 SB, 2428 H, 1749 G

Making the Connection

Ichiro and Arthur Rhodes were teammates with the Seattle Mariners in 2008.

Rhodes played with Dwight Evans in 1991 for the Baltimore Orioles.

Evans and Luis Aparicio were teammates with the Boston Red Sox in 1973.

Aparicio played with Cal McLish on the 1961 Chicago White Sox.

McLish played with Ray Hayworth on the 1944 Brooklyn Dodgers.

Hayworth and Ty Cobb were teammates on the Detroit Tigers in 1926.

Justin Verlander and Nolan Ryan

With two no-hitters under his belt (and nearly a third last Friday) to go along with leading the American League in strikeouts for two of the past three seasons, comparing Justin Verlander to Nolan Ryan seems like a no-brainer.

Ryan, baseball's all-time leader with seven no-hitters and 5,714 strikeouts, isn't likely to face any real competition for his strikeout title.

But if anyone in the game today has a chance to catch his no-hit mark, it's Verlander.

Statistical Comparison From Age 23 to 28

Ryan (1970-1975): 93-85, 3.01 ERA, 1.32 WHIP, 1424.1 IP, 988 H, 1527 K, 207 G (192 Starts)

Verlander (2006-2011): 107-55, 3.51 ERA, 1.30 WHIP, 1304 IP, 1146 H, 1208 K, 197 G (All Starts)

Making the Connection

Justin Verlander and Ivan Rodriguez were teammates on the 2005 Detroit Tigers.

Rodriguez caught Nolan Ryan in 1993 with the Texas Rangers.

Joey Votto and Jeff Bagwell

Some may not consider Jeff Bagwell an all-time great, but he at least merits inclusion in the discussion.

Both Bagwell and Joey Votto got their first tastes of the majors at 23 years old, and by the time they had celebrated their 27th birthdays, each one had a NL MVP to his name.

Perennial MVP candidates, the pair of first baseman have eerily similar numbers through their 27th birthdays.

Statistical Comparison From Age 21 to 35

Bagwell (1991-1995): .306/.395/.515, 113 HR, 469 RBI, 684 G

Votto (2007-2011): .313/.405/.550, 119 HR, 401 RBI, 617 G

Making the Connection

Joey Votto played with Kirk Saarloos on the 2007 Cincinnati Reds.

Saarloos and Jeff Bagwell played together in 2003 for the Houston Astros.

Jered Weaver and Jim Bunning

Without question the better pitcher of the Weaver brothers, Jered Weaver is putting together a career following the same general path that a Hall of Fame right-handed starter traveled just over 50 years earlier, with one exception.

Weaver started everyone of his first 177 games in the major leagues, while Jim Bunning made 42 relief appearances over his first 186 career games.

Aside from that difference, their numbers over their first six seasons in the big leagues are quite similar.

Statistical Comparison From Age 23 to 28

Bunning (1955-1960): 70-53, 3.38 ERA, 1.19 WHIP, 1093 IP, 953 H, 832 K, 186 G (144 starts).

Weaver (2006-2011): 82-47, 3.31 ERA, 1.17 WHIP, 1131,2 IP, 1010 H, 977 K, 177 G (All starts).

Making the Connection

Jered Weaver and Brian Fuentes were teammates on the 2010 Los Angeles Angels.

Fuentes played with Stan Javier on the 2001 Seattle Mariners.

Javier and Oscar Gamble were teammates with the New York Yankees in 1984.

Gamble played with Jim Bunning on the 1971 Philadelphia Phillies.

David Wright and Carl Yastrzemski

While they played different positions—David Wright third base, and Carl Yastrzemski primarily in left field—the similarities between Wright and Yaz through the seasons in which they turned 28 years old are striking.

Sure, Yastrzemski took home the AL MVP in 1967 with his triple-crown performance, and Wright has yet to win a major award, but the pair had nearly identical season averages over their first eight seasons.

Statistical Comparison From Age 21 to 28

Wright (2004-2011): .300/.380/.508, 183 HR, 725 RBI, 1106 G

Yaz (1961-1968): .298/.386/.483, 162 HR, 656 RBI, 1221 G

Making the Connection

David Wright and Darren Oliver were teammates with the New York Mets in 2006.

Oliver played with Bruce Hurst on the 1994 Texas Rangers.

Hurst played with Carl Yastrzemski on the Boston Red Sox in 1981.