Best MLB Players of 1944, Ranked by NUT
1944 seasonStan Musial (STL) was the most productive hitter in MLB in 1944 by NUT at +6.7, and Hal Newhouser (DET) the most productive pitcher at +3.2.
6 of 218 qualified hitters and 1 of 152 qualified pitchers graded S for the season.
St. Louis Cardinals (105-49) had both the best record and the highest team NUT at +19.3.
St. Louis Cardinals beat St. Louis Browns 4–2 in the World Series, as the higher team-NUT club (+19.3 to +3.8).
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 higher-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 | Stan MusialSTL · RF | +6.7 | |
| 2 | Bob JohnsonBOS · LF | +5.8 | |
| 3 | Dixie WalkerBRO · RF | +5.7 | |
| 4 | Bill NicholsonCHC · RF | +5.5 | |
| 5 | Augie GalanBRO · LF | +5.2 | |
| 6 | Mel OttNYG · RF | +4.6 | |
| 7 | Stan SpenceWSH · CF | +4.2 | |
| 8 | Johnny HoppSTL · CF | +4.2 | |
| 9 | Nick EttenNYY · 1B | +4.1 | |
| 10 | Jim RussellPIT · LF | +4.0 |
| # | Player | NUT | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Hal NewhouserDET · P | +3.2 | |
| 2 | Ken RaffensbergerPHI · P | +2.9 | |
| 3 | Dizzy TroutDET · P | +2.7 | |
| 4 | Tex HughsonBOS · P | +2.7 | |
| 5 | Jack KramerSLB · P | +2.5 | |
| 6 | Max LanierSTL · P | +2.3 | |
| 7 | Mort CooperSTL · P | +1.7 | |
| 8 | Stubby OvermireDET · P | +1.6 | |
| 9 | Steve GromekCLE · P | +1.5 | |
| 10 | Claude PasseauCHC · P | +1.5 |
All 16 teams by NUT
| # | Team | W-L | Hit | Pitch | NUT | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | STL | 105-49 | +14.2 | +5.0 | +19.3 | S |
| 2 | PIT | 90-63 | +8.7 | +0.2 | +9.0 | B |
| 3 | DET | 88-66 | +1.7 | +6.0 | +7.8 | B |
| 4 | CHC | 75-79 | +6.4 | +0.7 | +7.0 | B |
| 5 | CLE | 72-82 | +7.1 | -1.0 | +6.2 | C |
| 6 | NYY | 83-71 | +10.7 | -4.5 | +6.2 | C |
| 7 | BOS | 77-77 | +9.0 | -4.2 | +4.8 | C |
| 8 | SLB | 89-65 | +0.8 | +3.0 | +3.8 | C |
| 9 | WSH | 64-90 | -1.3 | +2.2 | +0.9 | C |
| 10 | PHI | 61-92 | -3.5 | +2.4 | -1.1 | D |
| 11 | BRO | 63-91 | +5.6 | -7.3 | -1.7 | D |
| 12 | PHA | 72-82 | -5.6 | +3.7 | -2.0 | D |
| 13 | CIN | 89-65 | -5.6 | +0.8 | -4.9 | F |
| 14 | CWS | 71-83 | -6.2 | +0.2 | -5.9 | F |
| 15 | BSN | 65-89 | -1.4 | -5.6 | -7.0 | F |
| 16 | NYG | 67-87 | +5.4 | -12.6 | -7.1 | F |
Negro Leagues, 1944
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 | Bonnie SerrellKCM · 2B | +1.6 | |
| 2 | Ed SteeleBBB · RF | +1.6 | |
| 3 | Artie WilsonBBB · SS | +1.3 | |
| 4 | Tommy SampsonBBB · 2B | +0.7 | |
| 5 | John BrittonBBB · 3B | +0.6 |
| # | Player | NUT | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Satchel PaigeKCM · P | +1.7 | |
| 2 | Booker McDanielKCM | +0.9 | |
| 3 | Roosevelt DavisCIC | +0.5 | |
| 4 | Porter MossMEM | +0.5 | |
| 5 | Gentry JessupCAG | +0.5 |
| # | Club | W-L | NUT | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Kansas City Monarchs | 26-45 | +3.1 | C |
| 2 | Birmingham Black Barons | 50-24 | +2.7 | C |
| 3 | Cincinnati-Indianapolis Clowns | 46-31 | +0.4 | C |
| 4 | Memphis Red Sox | 44-55 | +0.3 | C |
| 5 | Chicago American Giants | 31-43 | +0.1 | C |
| 6 | Atlanta Black Crackers | 0-2 | +0.0 | C |
| 7 | Toledo Crawfords | — | +0.0 | C |
| 8 | Cleveland Buckeyes | 42-41 | -0.2 | D |
Negro National League (II)
| # | Player | NUT | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Buck LeonardHOM · 1B | +2.0 | |
| 2 | Josh GibsonHOM · C | +1.7 | |
| 3 | Bill HoskinsBEG · LF | +1.3 | |
| 4 | Marvin WilliamsPHS · 2B | +1.3 | |
| 5 | Roy CampanellaBEG · C | +1.0 |
| # | Player | NUT | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Bill ByrdBEG | +0.9 | |
| 2 | Ray BrownHOM · P | +0.5 | |
| 3 | Henry MillerPHS | +0.4 | |
| 4 | Bill RicksPHS | +0.4 | |
| 5 | Luis TiantNYC | +0.3 |
| # | Club | W-L | NUT | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Philadelphia Stars | 26-18 | +6.3 | C |
| 2 | Homestead Grays | 25-17 | +5.3 | C |
| 3 | Baltimore Elite Giants | 26-23 | +3.3 | C |
| 4 | Newark Eagles | 23-23 | -0.4 | D |
| 5 | New York Black Yankees | 5-27 | -0.5 | D |
| 6 | New York Cubans | 20-17 | -1.1 | 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 1944 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.