Best MLB Players of 1940, Ranked by NUT
1940 seasonHank Greenberg (DET) was the most productive hitter in MLB in 1940 by NUT at +7.7, and Bob Feller (CLE) the most productive pitcher at +4.0.
6 of 207 qualified hitters and 2 of 163 qualified pitchers graded S for the season.
Detroit Tigers (90-64) had the highest team NUT at +23.2; the best record belonged to Cincinnati Reds (100-53), #10 by team NUT.
Cincinnati Reds beat Detroit Tigers 4–3 in the World Series, as the lower team-NUT club (+1.3 to +23.2).
Live-ball era. Clean baseballs and the spitball ban; Ruth turns the home run into the game.
World Series by team NUT
Season team NUT, regular season. The lower-NUT club won. Every World Series by NUT
Awards vs NUT
NUT's MVP pick is the league's best player by season NUT, hitters and pitchers compared by grade; its Cy Young pick is the best pitcher. Voters also weigh defense, which NUT leaves out. Rookie of the Year shows where the winner ranked among all qualified players.
Best by league
League by the player's final club. By NUT, not award voting.
Top 10 hitters and pitchers
| # | Player | NUT | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Hank GreenbergDET · LF | +7.7 | |
| 2 | Ted WilliamsBOS · LF | +6.5 | |
| 3 | Johnny MizeSTL · 1B | +6.3 | |
| 4 | Joe DiMaggioNYY · CF | +5.9 | |
| 5 | Rudy YorkDET · 1B | +5.6 | |
| 6 | Jimmie FoxxBOS · 1B | +5.1 | |
| 7 | Dolph CamilliBRO · 1B | +3.8 | |
| 8 | Charlie KellerNYY · RF | +3.8 | |
| 9 | Barney McCoskyDET · CF | +3.7 | |
| 10 | Hal Trosky Sr.CLE · 1B | +3.7 |
| # | Player | NUT | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Bob FellerCLE · P | +4.0 | |
| 2 | Claude PasseauCHC · P | +3.2 | |
| 3 | Paul DerringerCIN · P | +2.4 | |
| 4 | Larry FrenchCHC · P | +1.6 | |
| 5 | Mace BrownPIT · P | +1.5 | |
| 6 | Vito TamulisBRO · P | +1.3 | |
| 7 | Jim TurnerCIN · P | +1.3 | |
| 8 | Dutch LeonardWSH · P | +1.2 | |
| 9 | Thornton LeeCWS · P | +1.2 | |
| 10 | Tiny BonhamNYY · P | +1.1 |
All 16 teams by NUT
| # | Team | W-L | Hit | Pitch | NUT | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | DET | 90-64 | +21.1 | +2.1 | +23.2 | S |
| 2 | BOS | 82-72 | +20.0 | -6.8 | +13.3 | A |
| 3 | PIT | 78-76 | +9.0 | +1.8 | +10.7 | B |
| 4 | STL | 84-69 | +8.7 | +1.8 | +10.6 | B |
| 5 | NYY | 88-66 | +12.3 | -3.5 | +8.8 | B |
| 6 | CHC | 75-79 | +1.8 | +5.7 | +7.4 | B |
| 7 | BRO | 88-65 | +1.8 | +5.0 | +6.8 | C |
| 8 | CLE | 89-65 | +2.5 | +3.9 | +6.4 | C |
| 9 | CWS | 82-72 | +2.5 | +0.2 | +2.7 | C |
| 10 | CIN | 100-53 | -4.0 | +5.3 | +1.3 | C |
| 11 | NYG | 72-80 | +0.2 | -0.4 | -0.2 | D |
| 12 | PHA | 54-100 | +4.8 | -7.9 | -3.0 | D |
| 13 | WSH | 64-90 | -1.8 | -1.5 | -3.3 | D |
| 14 | SLB | 67-87 | +4.6 | -10.4 | -5.8 | F |
| 15 | BSN | 65-87 | -6.1 | -3.4 | -9.5 | F |
| 16 | PHI | 50-103 | -10.9 | -0.5 | -11.4 | F |
Negro Leagues, 1940
MLB counts the Negro Leagues as major leagues. Each league is ranked on its own, against its own averages, so a +2.0 here means what +2.0 means in the AL or NL. Seasons ran 60 to 90 games, so values run lower.
Negro American League
| # | Player | NUT | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ed MayweatherSNS · 1B | +1.4 | |
| 2 | Jesse WilliamsKCM · SS | +1.2 | |
| 3 | Turkey StearnesKCM · CF | +0.9 | |
| 4 | Neil RobinsonMEM · CF | +0.9 | |
| 5 | Duke ClevelandCBR · RF | +0.7 |
| # | Player | NUT | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Hilton SmithKCM · P | +1.0 | |
| 2 | Jack MatchettKCM | +0.6 | |
| 3 | George WalkerKCM | +0.5 | |
| 4 | Andy SarvisCBR | +0.5 | |
| 5 | Johnny WrightTIC | +0.4 |
| # | Club | W-L | NUT | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Kansas City Monarchs | 38-13 | +4.9 | C |
| 2 | St. Louis-New Orleans Stars | 24-25 | +2.3 | C |
| 3 | Birmingham Black Barons | 16-29 | +1.1 | C |
| 4 | Cleveland Bears | 18-18 | +1.0 | C |
| 5 | Memphis Red Sox | 31-26 | +0.9 | C |
| 6 | Toledo-Indianapolis Crawfords | 9-21 | +0.1 | C |
| 7 | Atlanta Black Crackers | — | +0.0 | C |
| 8 | Toledo Crawfords | — | +0.0 | C |
| 9 | Chicago American Giants | 22-26 | -1.2 | D |
Negro National League (II)
| # | Player | NUT | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Buck LeonardHOM · 1B | +2.3 | |
| 2 | George ScalesBEG · 3B | +1.5 | |
| 3 | Bill HoskinsBEG · LF | +1.2 | |
| 4 | Lennie PearsonNE · CF | +1.2 | |
| 5 | Monte IrvinNE · CF | +1.2 |
| # | Player | NUT | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ray BrownHOM · P | +1.8 | |
| 2 | Henry McHenryPHS | +1.1 | |
| 3 | Edsall WalkerHOM | +0.7 | |
| 4 | Max ManningNE | +0.5 | |
| 5 | Jim MissouriPHS | +0.5 |
| # | Club | W-L | NUT | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Newark Eagles | 25-16 | +5.9 | C |
| 2 | Homestead Grays | 28-13 | +4.1 | C |
| 3 | Philadelphia Stars | 17-30 | +1.9 | C |
| 4 | Baltimore Elite Giants | 25-14 | +0.9 | C |
| 5 | New York Black Yankees | 9-19 | -0.3 | D |
| 6 | New York Cubans | 8-20 | -0.8 | D |
MLB's Negro Leagues records are incomplete, and a few games and clubs are missing. A dash means no record on file.
How the 1940 season is ranked
Season NUT is one number for production against that season's league average. 0.0 is league average; defense is left out. Players need 100 plate appearances or 25 innings to qualify. Team NUT is the sum of its qualified players. Negro Leagues seasons, which MLB counts as major league, are ranked in their own section, each league against its own averages.