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Michigan’s Best Baseball Players

For a lot of people where we are from is a point of pride. When we meet someone who hales from the same place as us there is often a sense of comradery. Below is a list of the best players born in the state of Michigan.


  1. Bobby Grich – Muskegon, MI
  2. Bobby Grich
    WAR wRC+ G PA AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI SB CS BB SO AVG OBP SLG OPS
    71.4 129 2008 8220 6890 1033 1833 320 47 224 864 104 82 1087 1278 .266 .371 .424 .794

  3. Charlie Gehringer – Fowlerville, MI
  4. Charlie Gehringer
    WAR wRC+ G PA AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI SB CS BB SO AVG OBP SLG OPS
    80.7 124 2323 10237 8860 1774 2839 574 146 184 1427 181 89 1186 372 .320 .404 .480 .884

  5. Hal Newhouser – Detroit, MI
  6. Hal Newhouser
    WAR ERA- G GS W L ERA IP CG ShO SV R ER BB SO K% WHIP
    60.2 76 488 374 207 150 3.06 2993 212 33 26 1197 1016 1249 1796 14.2% 1.31

  7. Eddie Cicotte – Springwells, MI
  8. Eddie Cicotte
    WAR ERA- G GS W L ERA IP CG ShO SV R ER BB SO K% WHIP
    57.3 82 502 361 208 149 2.38 3223.1 249 35 25 1149 853 827 1374 9.9% 1.16

  9. John Smoltz – Detroit, MI
  10. John Smoltz
    WAR ERA- G GS W L ERA IP CG ShO SV R ER BB SO K% WHIP
    66.5 81 723 481 213 155 3.33 3473 53 16 154 1391 1284 1010 3084 21.6% 1.18

  11. Billy Pierce – Detroit, MI
  12. Billy Pierce
    WAR ERA- G GS W L ERA IP CG ShO SV R ER BB SO K% WHIP
    53.7 84 585 432 211 169 3.27 3306.2 193 38 32 1325 1201 1178 1999 14.4% 1.26

  13. Frank Tanana – Detroit, MI
  14. Frank Tanana
    WAR ERA- G GS W L ERA IP CG ShO SV R ER BB SO K% WHIP
    57.1 94 638 616 240 236 3.66 4188.1 143 34 1 1910 1704 1255 2773 15.7% 1.27

  15. Jack Fournier – Au Sable, MI
  16. Jack Fournier
    WAR wRC+ G PA AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI SB CS BB SO AVG OBP SLG OPS
    41.2 141 1530 6033 5208 822 1631 252 113 136 859 145 94 587 408 .313 .392 .483 .875

  17. Ted Simmons – Highland Park, MI
  18. Ted Simmons
    WAR wRC+ G PA AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI SB CS BB SO AVG OBP SLG OPS
    50.3 116 2456 9685 8680 1074 2472 483 47 248 1389 21 33 855 694 .285 .348 .437 .785

  19. Jim Kaat – Zeeland, MI
  20. Jim Kaat
    WAR ERA- G GS W L ERA IP CG ShO SV R ER BB SO K% WHIP
    45 93 898 625 283 237 3.45 4530.1 180 31 18 2038 1738 1083 2461 12.9% 1.26

  21. Bill Freehan – Detroit, MI
    • Age: 19, 21 – 34
    • Years: 1961, 1963 – 1976
    • Pos: C, 1B
    • Team(s): Detroit Tigers

    Bill Freehan
    WAR wRC+ G PA AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI SB CS BB SO AVG OBP SLG OPS
    44.9 113 1774 6899 6073 706 1591 241 35 200 758 24 21 626 753 .262 .340 .412 .752

  22. Kiki Cuyler – Harrisville, MI
  23. Kiki Cuyler
    WAR wRC+ G PA AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI SB CS BB SO AVG OBP SLG OPS
    46.8 126 1878 8098 7161 1305 2299 394 157 128 1065 328 27 676 752 .321 .386 .474 .860

  24. Kirk Gibson – Pontiac, MI
  25. Kirk Gibson
    WAR wRC+ G PA AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI SB CS BB SO AVG OBP SLG OPS
    38.5 123 1635 6656 5798 985 1553 260 54 255 870 284 78 718 1285 .268 .352 .463 .815

  26. Ed Reulbach – Detroit, MI
  27. Ed Reulbach
    WAR ERA- G GS W L ERA IP CG ShO SV R ER BB SO K% WHIP
    37.4 80 399 300 182 106 2.28 2632.1 201 40 13 887 668 892 1137 10.1% 1.14

  28. Bob Welch – Detroit, MI
  29. Bob Welch
    WAR ERA- G GS W L ERA IP CG ShO SV R ER BB SO K% WHIP
    43.4 94 506 462 211 146 3.47 3092.1 61 28 8 1310 1191 1034 1969 15.2% 1.27

  30. Pat Hentgen – Detroit, MI
  31. Pat Hentgen
    WAR ERA- G GS W L ERA IP CG ShO SV R ER BB SO K% WHIP
    33.1 93 344 306 131 112 4.32 2075.1 34 10 1 1076 996 775 1290 14.5% 1.39

  32. Milt Pappas – Detroit, MI
  33. Milt Pappas
    WAR ERA- G GS W L ERA IP CG ShO SV R ER BB SO K% WHIP
    46.2 92 520 465 209 164 3.40 3186 129 43 4 1331 1203 858 1728 13.1% 1.23

  34. Bob Rush – Battle Creek, MI
  35. Bob Rush
    WAR ERA- G GS W L ERA IP CG ShO SV R ER BB SO K% WHIP
    36.3 92 417 321 127 152 3.65 2410.2 118 16 8 1128 977 789 1244 12.2% 1.29

  36. Derek Lowe – Dearborn, MI
  37. Derek Lowe
    WAR ERA- G GS W L ERA IP CG ShO SV R ER BB SO K% WHIP
    33.1 93 681 377 176 157 4.03 2671.1 10 4 86 1333 1195 794 1722 15.2% 1.33

  38. John Mayberry – Detroit, MI
  39. John Mayberry
    WAR wRC+ G PA AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI SB CS BB SO AVG OBP SLG OPS
    24.9 123 1620 6447 5447 733 1379 211 19 255 879 20 15 881 810 .253 .360 .439 .799

  40. Merv Rettenmund – Flint, MI
  41. Merv Rettenmund
    WAR wRC+ G PA AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI SB CS BB SO AVG OBP SLG OPS
    20.0 128 1023 3074 2555 393 693 114 16 66 329 68 28 445 382 .271 .381 .406 .786

  42. Jim Northrup – Breckenridge, MI
  43. Jim Northrup
    WAR wRC+ G PA AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI SB CS BB SO AVG OBP SLG OPS
    22.2 116 1392 5215 4692 603 1254 218 42 153 610 39 38 449 635 .267 .333 .429 .763

  44. Tom Tresh – Detroit, MI
  45. Tom Tresh
    WAR wRC+ G PA AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI SB CS BB SO AVG OBP SLG OPS
    21.9 115 1192 4895 4251 595 1041 179 34 153 530 45 25 550 698 .245 .335 .411 .746

  46. Rick Wise – Jackson, MI
  47. Rick Wise
    WAR ERA- G GS W L ERA IP CG ShO SV R ER BB SO K% WHIP
    31.9 100 506 455 188 181 3.69 3127 138 30 0 1455 1281 804 1647 12.5% 1.29

  48. Charlie Maxwell – Lawton, MI
  49. Charlie Maxwell
    WAR wRC+ G PA AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI SB CS BB SO AVG OBP SLG OPS
    19.8 117 1133 3796 3245 478 856 110 26 148 532 18 7 484 545 .264 .360 .451 .811

  50. Bernie Carbo – Detroit, MI
  51. Bernie Carbo
    WAR wRC+ G PA AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI SB CS BB SO AVG OBP SLG OPS
    18.5 128 1010 3320 2733 372 722 140 9 96 358 26 18 538 611 .264 .387 .427 .814

  52. Jim Abbott – Flint, MI
  53. Jim Abbott
    WAR ERA- G GS W L ERA IP CG ShO SV R ER BB SO K% WHIP
    19.6 99 263 254 87 108 4.25 1674 31 6 0 880 791 620 888 12.3% 1.43

  54. Bob Buhl – Saginaw, MI
  55. Bob Buhl
    WAR ERA- G GS W L ERA IP CG ShO SV R ER BB SO K% WHIP
    27.9 97 457 369 166 132 3.55 2587 111 20 6 1162 1019 1105 1268 11.5% 1.37

  56. Scott Sanderson – Dearborn, MI
  57. Scott Sanderson
    WAR ERA- G GS W L ERA IP CG ShO SV R ER BB SO K% WHIP
    29.2 99 472 407 163 143 3.84 2561.2 43 14 5 1209 1093 625 1611 15.0% 1.26

  58. Chris Sabo – Detroit, MI
  59. Chris Sabo
    WAR wRC+ G PA AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI SB CS BB SO AVG OBP SLG OPS
    16.6 110 911 3714 3354 494 898 214 17 116 426 120 49 274 460 .268 .326 .445 .772

  60. Ron LeFlore – Detroit, MI
  61. Ron LeFlore
    WAR wRC+ G PA AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI SB CS BB SO AVG OBP SLG OPS
    18.1 104 1099 4872 4458 731 1283 172 57 59 353 455 142 363 888 .288 .342 .392 .734

  62. Vic Saier – Lansing, MI
  63. Vic Saier
    WAR wRC+ G PA AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI SB CS BB SO AVG OBP SLG OPS
    15.2 122 865 3431 2948 455 775 143 61 55 395 121 26 378 369 .263 .351 .409 .760

  64. Dave Rozema – Grand Rapids, MI
  65. Dave Rozema
    WAR ERA- G GS W L ERA IP CG ShO SV R ER BB SO K% WHIP
    15.7 86 248 132 60 53 3.47 1106 36 7 17 491 427 258 448 09.7% 1.25

  66. Jason Varitek – Rochester, MI
  67. Jason Varitek
    WAR wRC+ G PA AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI SB CS BB SO AVG OBP SLG OPS
    24.3 99 1546 5839 5099 664 1307 306 14 193 757 25 18 614 1216 .256 .341 .435 .776

  68. Stan Lopata – Delray, MI
  69. Stan Lopata
    WAR wRC+ G PA AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI SB CS BB SO AVG OBP SLG OPS
    15.5 114 853 3034 2601 375 661 116 25 116 397 18 11 393 497 .254 .351 .452 .803

  70. Mike Bordick – Marquette, MI
  71. Mike Bordick
    WAR wRC+ G PA AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI SB CS BB SO AVG OBP SLG OPS
    26.8 84 1720 6484 5770 676 1500 257 30 91 626 96 58 500 800 .260 .323 .362 .685

  72. Ray Herbert – Detroit, MI
  73. Ray Herbert
    WAR ERA- G GS W L ERA IP CG ShO SV R ER BB SO K% WHIP
    16.1 104 407 236 104 107 4.01 1881.1 68 13 15 927 839 571 864 10.8% 1.37

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