The ranking of Joe Carter is complex, and it feels like there is always one player in every Top 50 where this occurs.
Hopefully, we can explain.
Before the 1991 Season, Carter was traded from San Diego for Fred McGriff and Tony Fernandez in a deal that brought over future Hall of Fame Second Baseman Roberto Alomar. Carter brought the Jays power, winning two Silver Sluggers for Toronto and 203 Home Runs over seven seasons with 736 RBIs. The MVP voters were fond of Carter, as his consistent top-ten finishes in Home Runs and RBIs earned him two top-five finishes for the most coveted individual award in Baseball (5th in 1991 and 3rd in 1992).
After helping to propel Toronto to their first World Series in 1992, Carter took them to another Fall Classic in 1993 and blasted the walk-off Series-winning tater in Game 6, which will forever be the biggest Home Run in franchise history.
Carter stayed with Toronto until 1997 when he signed with Baltimore as a Free Agent.
Here is what kept Carter out of the top ten. In no season did he ever walk 50 times, nor have an OBP over .330. Carter’s OPS for Toronto is under .800, which for a cleanup hitter is a little surprising. He was also a terrible defensive player and had a bWAR as a Blue Jay well under ten.
With all the negatives aside, Carter is the most iconic player in Jays history, and it will be a hell of a lot to supplant that.
The Blue Jays named Carter to their Level of Excellence, and he is also enshrined in the Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame.
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