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Committee Chairman

Committee Chairman

Kirk Buchner, "The Committee Chairman", is the owner and operator of the site.  Kirk can be contacted at [email protected] .

Yes, we know that this is taking a while!

As many of you know, we here at Notinhalloffame.com are slowly generating the 50 of each major North American sports team.  That being said, we have existing Top 50 lists out and we always consistently look to update them when we can and based on necessity. As such, we are very happy to present our fourth revision of our top 50 Texas Rangers of all-time.

As for all of our top 50 players in baseball we look at the following: 

1.  Advanced Statistics.

2.  Traditional statistics and how they finished in the American League. 

3. Playoff accomplishments.

4. Their overall impact on the team and other intangibles not reflected in a stat sheet.

This one went a complete overhaul, which was reflected in our top five as seen below.

The complete list can be found here, but as always, we announce our top five in this article.  They are:

1. Ivan Rodriguez                                            

2. Rafael Palmeiro

3. Juan Gonzalez

4. Adrian Beltre

5. Frank Howard

Our top five remains the same, but there two new additions, and one slight elevation.  

Elvis Andrus moved up one spot from #15 to #14.  

Pitchers, Lance Lynn and Mike Minor, debut at #43 and #49 respectively.

We welcome your input and commentsand as always, we thank you for your support.

Juan Soto made his debut for the Washington Nationals in May 2018 at just 19, quickly making an impact that reshaped major league history. Known for his exceptional plate discipline—often compared to Ted Williams—he skipped typical rookie development stages. With his distinctive 'Soto Shuffle’ and remarkable left-handed swing, he rapidly became the team’s offensive star during a pivotal moment.

Soto's debut 2018 campaign demonstrated exceptional rookie efficiency. In just 116 games, he dominated National League pitching by hitting 22 home runs and drawing 79 walks, finishing narrowly second for the NL Rookie of the Year Award. He built on that success in 2019, hitting 34 home runs and driving in 110 RBIs while sustaining an impressive .949 OPS, solidifying his role at the heart of Washington's batting lineup.

That sophomore showcase set the stage perfectly for a memorable October run that made stars. As Washington navigated a challenging postseason, Soto made the 2019 playoffs his own arena. During the World Series against the Houston Astros, which coincided with his 21st birthday, he tore apart top-tier pitching to hit .333, with three significant home runs and a 1.178 OPS. His crucial, high-pressure hits helped lead the team to a seventh game, securing Washington's first-ever world title and earning him the Babe Ruth Award as co-MVP of the postseason, shared with Stephen Strasburg.

Rather than suffering a championship hangover, Soto achieved his peak individual performance in the abbreviated 2020 season. At only 21, he posted an impressive .351 batting average, making him the youngest player in Senior Circuit history to win the National League batting title. He also topped the league with a.490 on-base percentage and a .695 slugging percentage, demonstrating an unbeatable offensive strategy. In 2021, he continued his excellence by drawing 145 walks—leading all of baseball.—while hitting .313 with 29 home runs, His outstanding season earned him an All-Star selection, a Silver Slugger award, and a close second-place finish in the NL MVP voting.

As the franchise shifted its focus to a major roster overhaul and the star player refused a record contract extension, the front office executed a transformative trade in August 2022, sending the young superstar to the San Diego Padres. Soto later starred on multi-million dollar stages across Southern California, the Bronx, and Queens, ultimately securing a historic $765 million contract with the New York Mets.

With Washington, Soto accrued 569 hits, 108 doubles, 119 home runs, and 358 RBIs. He also generated a magnificent .291/.406/.538 slash line—good for an elite 160 OPS+.

49. Lance Lynn

When Lance Lynn signed a three-year contract with the Texas Rangers in December 2018, it attracted little attention nationwide. The experienced right-hander had faced a challenging few seasons, transitioning from an All-Star in St. Louis to missing all of 2016 due to Tommy John surgery. After a modest 2018 season splitting time between Minnesota and New York, many analysts thought he was entering a quiet decline phase. However, Lynn's move to Arlington sparked a remarkable turnaround, leading to a late-career resurgence that became the crowning achievement of his career.

Lynn quickly became the Rangers’ most reliable workhorse, especially during a standout 2019 season. He overwhelmed American League hitters with a relentless mix of four-seam and two-seam fastballs. Over 208.2 innings, he expertly controlled the strike zone, finishing with a 16–11 record and a career-high 246 strikeouts. His aggressive, high-pressure pitching kept a rebuilding Texas team competitive each game, earning widespread praise and a fifth-place finish in the AL Cy Young Award voting.

Lynn's performance during the 2020 season went beyond a typical one-year anomaly. Throughout a challenging, condensed schedule caused by the pandemic, he elevated his baseline to an even higher level of efficiency. Operating under chaotic conditions, he set a standard for pitching endurance by starting 13 games, achieving a strong 6–3 record with a 3.32 ERA, and leading Major League Baseball in innings pitched with 84.0. His consistent ability to go deep into games earned him a sixth-place finish in the 2020 Cy Young Award voting.

The 2019-2020 period marked Lynn's peak in his major league career. As the franchise shifted to a youth-focused rebuild and his trade value peaked, the front office traded him. In December 2020, Texas sent Lynn to the White Sox for Dane Dunning and prospect Avery Weems, enabling him to pursue postseason baseball before ending his career.

During his short stint in Texas, Lynn started 45 games, achieving a 22–14 record, a 3.57 ERA, and a 1.17 WHIP. He pitched 292.2 innings in high-pressure situations, recording 335 strikeouts and maintaining an impressive 133 ERA+.

We have said since we began our website a decade ago that the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame has no little love for the Heavy Metal genre.  The metal artists know it too, but generally, we don’t hear them utter those statements often, so when they do, we consider it news.

On his Twitter, Twisted Sister front man, Dee Snider said the following about the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame committee:

"The RnR Hall committee members are arrogant elitist assholes who look down on metal & other bands that sell millions because we're not their definition of cool. The fan vote is their 'throwing a bone' to the peasants. I want to say FU, but I want them to have to deal with us!"

Iron Maiden is nominated for the first time this year, but they have been eligible for fifteen years.  Judas Priest and Motorhead have been nominated before, but have failed to get in. 

The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame fan vote is open until April 30, but has no impact on who will get in.