I’m leaving out the switch-hitters because they are a separate category unto themselves. I’m also only including retired players, and players who made their debut after 1900.
Only Jimmie Foxx batted right-handed. Ruth, Gehrig and Cochrane batted left-handed.
1) Babe Ruth
2) Ted Williams
3) Barry Bonds
4) Ty Cobb
5) Lou Gehrig
6) Stan Musial
7) “Shoeless” Joe Jackson
8) Mel Ott
9) Tris Speaker
10) Ken Griffey, Jr.
Nine of these ten were outfielders. Gehrig played first base.
Arky Vaughan would be the best left-handed hitting shortstop to choose from; he was truly great.
Eddie Collins, Joe Morgan, Rod Carew and Charlie Gehringer would be the best second basemen.
Eddie Mathews, George Brett and Wade Boggs were the best left-handed hitting third basemen.
The best left-handed hitting catchers were Yogi Berra, Bill Dickey and Mickey Cochrane.
Willie McCovey, Johnny Mize and Jim Thome are the next best first basemen.
Paul Waner, Goose Goslin, Sam Crawford, Duke Snider, Tony Gwynn, and Reggie Jackson, were other great left-handed batting outfielders.
Not a bad group of 30 players, huh? Next time, we’ll compare them to the best right-handed batters in baseball history.
Bill's Top Ten Lists 