Best MLB Players of 1948, Ranked by NUT
1948 seasonStan Musial (STL) was the most productive hitter in MLB in 1948 by NUT at +9.2, and Harry Brecheen (STL) the most productive pitcher at +4.2.
5 of 221 qualified hitters and 1 of 163 qualified pitchers graded S for the season.
Boston Red Sox (96-59) had the highest team NUT at +17.6; the best record belonged to Cleveland Indians (97-58), #2 by team NUT.
Cleveland Indians beat Boston Braves 4–2 in the World Series, as the higher team-NUT club (+15.7 to +14.3).
Integration era. Jackie Robinson breaks the color line; the Dodgers and Giants move west.
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 | +9.2 | |
| 2 | Ted WilliamsBOS · LF | +8.1 | |
| 3 | Joe DiMaggioNYY · CF | +5.6 | |
| 4 | Lou BoudreauCLE · SS | +5.5 | |
| 5 | Johnny MizeNYG · 1B | +4.8 | |
| 6 | Tommy HenrichNYY · RF | +4.4 | |
| 7 | Ralph KinerPIT · LF | +4.3 | |
| 8 | Bob ElliottBSN · 3B | +4.1 | |
| 9 | Ken KeltnerCLE · 3B | +3.8 | |
| 10 | Sid GordonNYG · 3B | +3.7 |
| # | Player | NUT | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Harry BrecheenSTL · P | +4.2 | |
| 2 | Hal NewhouserDET · P | +2.4 | |
| 3 | Dutch LeonardPHI · P | +2.1 | |
| 4 | Johnny SainBSN · P | +2.0 | |
| 5 | Nels PotterBSN · P | +1.6 | |
| 6 | Lou BrissiePHA · P | +1.6 | |
| 7 | Ted WilksSTL · P | +1.5 | |
| 8 | Bob LemonCLE · P | +1.5 | |
| 9 | Schoolboy RowePHI · P | +1.4 | |
| 10 | Larry JansenNYG · P | +1.4 |
All 16 teams by NUT
| # | Team | W-L | Hit | Pitch | NUT | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | BOS | 96-59 | +17.7 | -0.1 | +17.6 | S |
| 2 | CLE | 97-58 | +14.4 | +1.3 | +15.7 | A |
| 3 | BSN | 91-62 | +8.8 | +5.5 | +14.3 | A |
| 4 | NYY | 94-60 | +14.8 | -0.7 | +14.1 | A |
| 5 | STL | 85-69 | +5.0 | +3.8 | +8.7 | B |
| 6 | DET | 78-76 | +3.8 | +2.0 | +5.8 | C |
| 7 | PHA | 84-70 | +5.1 | -3.4 | +1.7 | C |
| 8 | BRO | 84-70 | +4.3 | -3.0 | +1.3 | C |
| 9 | NYG | 78-76 | +6.3 | -5.1 | +1.2 | C |
| 10 | PIT | 83-71 | +3.8 | -4.9 | -1.1 | D |
| 11 | PHI | 66-88 | -2.6 | +0.4 | -2.1 | D |
| 12 | CHC | 64-90 | -3.6 | +0.7 | -2.9 | D |
| 13 | CIN | 64-89 | -4.0 | -2.1 | -6.1 | F |
| 14 | SLB | 59-94 | +2.0 | -8.1 | -6.1 | F |
| 15 | CWS | 51-101 | -4.2 | -5.8 | -10.0 | F |
| 16 | WSH | 56-97 | -10.3 | -6.7 | -16.9 | F |
Negro Leagues, 1948
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 | Willard BrownKCM · CF | +2.3 | |
| 2 | Artie WilsonBBB · SS | +1.4 | |
| 3 | Hank ThompsonKCM · RF | +1.4 | |
| 4 | Ed SteeleBBB · RF | +1.1 | |
| 5 | Piper DavisBBB · 2B | +0.8 |
| # | Player | NUT | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Jim LaMarqueKCM | +1.1 | |
| 2 | Ford SmithKCM | +0.6 | |
| 3 | Jimmie NewberryBBB | +0.5 | |
| 4 | Gene RichardsonKCM | +0.4 | |
| 5 | Hilton SmithKCM · P | +0.3 |
| # | Club | W-L | NUT | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Kansas City Monarchs | 49-28 | +5.8 | C |
| 2 | Birmingham Black Barons | 56-22 | +3.5 | C |
| 3 | Indianapolis Clowns | 27-45 | +0.2 | C |
| 4 | Cleveland Buckeyes | 42-43 | +0.1 | C |
| 5 | Chicago American Giants | 26-52 | +0.0 | C |
| 6 | Toledo Crawfords | — | +0.0 | C |
| 7 | Memphis Red Sox | 39-49 | -0.1 | D |
Negro National League (II)
| # | Player | NUT | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lester LockettBEG · LF | +2.1 | |
| 2 | Henry KimbroBEG · CF | +1.9 | |
| 3 | Luke EasterHOM · LF | +1.7 | |
| 4 | Bob HarveyNE · RF | +1.5 | |
| 5 | Minnie MinosoNYC · 3B | +1.3 |
| # | Player | NUT | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Bill ByrdBEG | +1.2 | |
| 2 | Max ManningNE | +0.8 | |
| 3 | Joe BlackBEG · P | +0.7 | |
| 4 | Jonas GainesBEG | +0.6 | |
| 5 | Pat ScantleburyNYC · P | +0.4 |
| # | Club | W-L | NUT | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Baltimore Elite Giants | 46-25 | +7.7 | B |
| 2 | New York Cubans | 17-27 | +3.2 | C |
| 3 | Newark Eagles | 29-27 | +2.8 | C |
| 4 | Homestead Grays | 39-21 | +2.2 | C |
| 5 | New York Black Yankees | 9-37 | -0.6 | D |
| 6 | Philadelphia Stars | 27-30 | -0.7 | 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 1948 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.