Greatest Orioles of All Time
The 40 Greatest Orioles of All-Time - 2010
This 2010 ranking is a composite of the original 2006 list by Scott and my additions based on player performance since then.

40. Roberto Alomar
39. Harold Baines
38. Mike Boddicker
37. B.J. Surhoff
36. Nick Markakis
35. Tippy Martinez
34. Dick Hall
33. Rick Dempsey
32. Hoyt Wilhelm
31. Mike Flanagan
30. Steve Barber
29. Melvin Mora
28. Scott McGregor
27. Luis Aparacio
26. Brian Roberts
25. Don Buford
24. Chris Hoiles
23. Miguel Tejada
22. Jim Gentile
21. Davey Johnson
20. Mark Belanger
19. Stu Miller
18. Al Bumbry
17. Gus Triandos
16. Doug DeCinces
15. Paul Blair
14. Milt Pappas
13. Rafael Palmeiro
12. Bobby Grich
11. Mike Cuellar
10. Ken Singleton
9. Brady Anderson
8. Dave McNally
7. Mike Mussina
6. Boog Powell
5. Frank Robinson
4. Eddie Murray
3. Jim Palmer
2. Brooks Robinson
1. Cal Ripken
New amendments to the 40 Greatest Orioles list
When I originally put together the 40 Greatest Orioles last back in 2006, I knew things would change pretty much every year. Last December, Jeff Conine fell off, Brian Roberts came in, and with the end of his Orioles career, Miguel Tejada was easier to put into perspective, and he jumped up to No. 23.
Another season has gone by, and there are a couple more changes to be made.
- Cal Ripken, Jr.
- Brooks Robinson
- Jim Palmer
- Eddie Murray
- Frank Robinson
- Boog Powell
- Mike Mussina
- Dave McNally
- Brady Anderson
- Ken Singleton
- Mike Cuellar
- Bobby Grich
- Rafael Palmeiro
- Milt Pappas
- Paul Blair
- Doug DeCinces
- Gus Triandos
- Al Bumbry
- Stu Miller
- Mark Belanger
- Davey Johnson
- Jim Gentile
- Miguel Tejada
- Chris Hoiles
- Don Buford
- Luis Aparicio
- Scott McGregor
- Melvin Mora
- Steve Barber
- Mike Flanagan
- Hoyt Wilhelm
- Rick Dempsey
- Dick Hall
- Brian Roberts
- Tippy Martinez
- BJ Surhoff
- Mike Boddicker
- Harold Baines
- Roberto Alomar
- Gregg Olson
Melvin Mora
Mora moves up one spot to No. 28 on the strength of a surprisingly good season at age 36, but jumping Scotty McGregor won't be easy. Actually, really, Mora could have gotten a little higher if not for the fact that his 2008 season is so easy to pick apart; the man had a couple of remarkably hot months. It all adds up the same, but he was a total detriment to the team for the entire first half. He was awful.
Brian Roberts
Roberts came on at No. 39 last year, and with another strong season leapfrogs a bunch of dudes to climb up to No. 34. He had his second-best season in 2008, trailing only his phenomenal 2005, which he will not ever repeat. He's really a hell of a player. How much higher he can climb depends on how long he stays with the team. At 30, some are worried about his aging, but I'm really not. Speed guys age well, as do plate discipline guys. Roberts has both.
...and what about Nick Markakis?
Young Markakis is already knocking, hard, on the door of this list. He put together an excellent season at age 24, and has made a career (MLB and minors) of surpassing expectations. Maybe we're going a bit crazy about him; he's not Mickey Mantle or anything. But he is a damn fine ballplayer, and unless he gets hurt or goes into a wildly massive funk in 2009, he'll be on this list next year. Sorry, Otter! Actually, next year might be a decent time to extend it to 50, so that Olson and Conine can stick around, and maybe, I dunno, Mike "Blanche" Devereaux or someone gets to make an appearance. If Huff had another big year in '09 he could make the top 50.
Actually, since it's a total off-day, let's talk some more about Markakis. B-R.com lists these ten men as his most similar hitters through age 24:
Ben Grieve (953)
Ellis Valentine (953)
Enos Slaughter (953)
Vernon Wells (950)
Carlos Beltran (948)
Chet Lemon (945)
Steve Kemp (940)
Ellis Burks (939)
Bruce Campbell (939)
Kent Hrbek (934)
One-by-one:
Ben Grieve was the 1998 AL Rookie of the Year, made the All-Star team that year, and had a couple more good seasons before falling right apart. At age 25, he flat-out lost his power, with his slugging percentage dropping 100 points. That was his first season with Tampa Bay, part of the three-team deal that sent Johnny Damon to Oakland. Grieve's career never recovered, and he fell out of the majors after the 2005 season at age 29.
Ellis Valentine was a 6'4" right fielder with the Expos in the late 70s with decent power and bad on-base skills. He was having his best season at age 25, but he played in only 86 games. He was never a regular again.
Enos Slaughter is in the Hall of Fame, and was a really good player for about 15 years, then held on playing until he was 43.
Vernon Wells is currently one of the most overpaid players in the game. Maybe only Gary Matthews is more overpaid, pound-for-pound. Wells had a good 2008, but only played in 108 games, so really how good can it be? He was God awful in 2007. Wells' best season came at age 24 (so far).
Carlos Beltran is another highly-paid center fielder, but outside of one rough year (his first with the Mets in 2005) he's earned his keep. He's a fantastic player.
Chet Lemon was a damn good hitter, part of the great '84 Tigers. He made three All-Star teams. He also got hit by a lot of pitches.
Steve Kemp was the No. 1 pick of the 1976 draft, and debuted in the majors in 1977. The USC Trojan made a fine accounting of himself immediately, and made the 1979 All-Star team. He was inconsistent, but when he played, he hit. He missed all of 1987, then came back in 1988 with his fifth team, the Rangers. He played 16 games and that was that. An unremarkable career, but not a bad player.
Ellis Burks had two-and-a-half really good seasons in Boston (1988-1990, ages 23-25), but got hurt a lot. He was out of Boston after '92, and played one year with the White Sox in 1993. He signed with the Rockies for 1994, and played only 42 games in the strike-shortened season, but Colorado and Coors Field revitalized his career. He killed the ball in those 42 games, and had a monster season in 1996. He was traded to the Giants in 1998, and had four more really good years in San Francisco and Cleveland. He finished it out in 2004, returning to Boston and playing 55 games.
Bruce Campbell was an old timey outfielder (1930-1942). He had an OK career.
Kent Hrbek was fat, a career Twin, and hit his ass off for 14 seasons. I always saw him as sort of the yin to Kirby Puckett's yang.
What's my point? Nothin'. Baseball's cool.
Two amendments to the 40 Greatest Orioles list
You'll recall that I put together a 40 Greatest Orioles of All-Time list last offseason. I don't want to re-do the whole thing this year, but I did want to make some changes, and figured I could do it in a quick and dirty format.
Off -- Jeff Conine (#40 last time)
40. Gregg Olson
39. Brian Roberts
Recent allegations aside, I don't care. I've got Palmeiro and Tejada on here. Roberts had another really good season this year, his second truly ace year, and he's been serviceable two other seasons. He's still in his prime and if he stays in Baltimore, would have made the list after 2008, most likely, and higher than this. He bumps off Conine, who gave us more years, but Roberts is a Baltimore Oriole. He's been a fan favorite since becoming a regular, and someone I think we all genuinely like. I'm not saying he's the best player ever, but it's my list, I can be biased.
- Roberto Alomar
- Harold Baines
- Mike Boddicker
- BJ Surhoff
- Tippy Martinez
- Dick Hall
- Rick Dempsey
- Hoyt Wilhelm
- Mike Flanagan
- Melvin Mora
- Steve Barber
- Scott McGregor
- Luis Aparicio
- Don Buford
- Chris Hoiles
23. Miguel Tejada
Tejada jumps from #39 as his time in Baltimore ends. I wanted to be cautious last year with Miggi, but now that it's over and can be put into perspective, he did a lot more in his four seasons with the Birds than most guys could have in ten. It's not his fault the teams sucked, and in time, I'll forget that he complained so much because -- again -- I would have, too, if I'd come here as a marquee free agent assured that the team was going to build a contender around me, then blatantly failed to do so. He was a hell of a player for us. Had he stayed, I think it's likely he'd have jumped into the top 15, though age and decline likely would've topped him out at a spot behind Palmeiro.
- Jim Gentile
- Davey Johnson
- Mark Belanger
- Stu Miller
- Al Bumbry
- Gus Triandos
- Doug DeCinces
- Paul Blair
- Milt Pappas
- Rafael Palmeiro
- Bobby Grich
- Mike Cuellar
- Ken Singleton
- Brady Anderson
- Dave McNally
- Mike Mussina
- Boog Powell
- Frank Robinson
- Eddie Murray
- Jim Palmer
- Brooks Robinson
- Cal Ripken, Jr.
I don't think it'll be too long until Nick Markakis rightfully makes this list. And if Bedard stays around, he's got a good shot, too.
The 40 Greatest Orioles of All-Time - 2006
Just for quick reference later if you ever want to look back, plus it won't hurt search engine results and things of that nature. I hope everyone enjoyed the feature - it was a lot of fun to compile and write up.

40. Jeff Conine
39. Miguel Tejada
38. Gregg Olson
37. Roberto Alomar
36. Harold Baines
35. Mike Boddicker
34. BJ Surhoff
33. Tippy Martinez
32. Dick Hall
31. Rick Dempsey
30. Hoyt Wilhelm
29. Mike Flanagan
28. Melvin Mora
27. Steve Barber
26. Scott McGregor
25. Luis Aparicio
24. Don Buford
23. Chris Hoiles
22. Jim Gentile
21. Davey Johnson
20. Mark Belanger
19. Stu Miller
18. Al Bumbry
17. Gus Triandos
16. Doug DeCinces
15. Paul Blair
14. Milt Pappas
13. Rafael Palmeiro
12. Bobby Grich
11. Mike Cuellar
10. Ken Singleton
9. Brady Anderson
8. Dave McNally
7. Mike Mussina
6. Boog Powell
5. Frank Robinson
4. Eddie Murray
3. Jim Palmer
2. Brooks Robinson
1. Cal Ripken, Jr.

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