Colorado Rockies: Bob Costas ranks Matt Holliday in his Top 10 Left Fielders since 1969

As a part of MLB Network’s Top Ten Right Now, MLB Network broadcaster and Ford C. Frick Award recipient Bob Costas and host Brian Kenny have been discussing the top ten players at each position in the divisional era, or from 1969 to the present. On the left field list from Tuesday, the Colorado Rockies had a player on Costas list: Matt Holliday.

When you look at the numbers, Holliday’s inclusion on Costas’ list may be a bit surprising and Brian Kenny didn’t have him on his list. Let’s look at each of their lists.

Costas’ list

1. Barry Bonds
2. Rickey Henderson
3. Pete Rose
4. Manny Ramirez
5. Jim Rice
6. Albert Belle
7. Matt Holliday
8. Tim Raines
9. Carl Yastrzemski
10. Lou Brock

Kenny’s list

1. Yaztremski
2. Henderson
3. Rose
4. Bonds
5. Raines
6. Billy Williams
7. Ramirez
8. Rice
9. Ryan Braun
10. George Foster

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For Kenny, he said that Belle and Holliday would be 11 and 12 on his list if he had more spots. He also said that he considered “skinny Barry,” aka Bonds through the 1998 season. Costas said that he considered that as well but he thinks that through 1998 (1999 and after is when the steroid allegations started), he thinks that Bonds was, arguably, one of the ten best players ever.

For this list and others, part of the reason why Kenny’s and Costas’ list are slightly different is that they, admittedly, are comparing different things. Costas said that he is considering their career from 1969 and on while Kenny is considering their time before 1969 as well. That’s why Yastrzemski is ninth on Costas’ list but first on Kenny’s.

Also, some players played numerous positions, like Pete Rose, but it was indicated during the segment that MLBN considers him a left fielder, not a first-, second-, or third baseman and not a right fielder either.

As for Holliday, he is an interesting case to consider. By WAR7 on Baseball-Reference (which considers a player’s WAR in their best seven seasons), Holliday is 33rd all-time. Many of the players ahead of him played in the divisional era, including some players that may surprise you.

Left fielders who played in the divisional era by WAR7

1. Bonds
2. Henderson
3. Yastrzemski
4. Rose
5. Raines
6. Williams
7. Ramirez
8. Lance Berkman
9. Braun
10. Willie Stargell (another player that played multiple positions as he played a lot of 1B too)
11. Roy White
12. Foster
13. Rice
14. Jose Cruz
15. Belle
16. Holliday

It’s obviously an imperfect stat, especially since some players may have played for a longer period of time but even by total WAR, Holliday would be 18th in the divisional era. WAR does tend to be a bit harsh on Rockies players but 10 of those players ahead of Holliday are either in the Hall of Fame, have steroid allegations against them which have hurt their HOF chances, they are banned from baseball (Rose), or they are still active.

In the case of Albert Belle (who would be number 11), he’s not in the Hall of Fame almost exclusively because he wasn’t known for being the most cordial and nice with the media, who vote on Hall of Famers. Look at his stats. Short career but you can’t tell me that he’s not a Hall of Fame player.

You can check out the entire segment with Kenny and Costas here.

What do you think? Do you think that Holliday is just outside of the Top 10 Left Fielders in the divisional era or, like Bob Costas, do you think he is one of the Top 10 Left Fielders since 1969. Let us know what you think in the comment section below or on social media.