Most Homeruns Playing for 5+ Franchises

Posted by Raphy on August 16, 2011

One thing that struck me while watching the the Jim Thome celebration is the sheer number of teams that he has been on. After spending the first 12 seasons of his career in Cleveland, Thome has also played for the Phillies, White Sox, Dodgers and Twins. As you would expect, Thome has the most home runs for anyone who played on at least 5 teams. Here are the leaders.

Rk	Player	HR		From	To	Age	G	PA	AB	R	H	2B	3B	RBI	BB	IBB	SO	HBP	SH	SF	GDP	SB	CS	BA	OBP	SLG	OPS	Pos	Tm
1	Jim Thome	600	5	1991	2011	20-40	2456	10020	8167	1553	2263	440	26	1662	1710	169	2453	68	1	74	158	19	20	.277	.403	.558	.961	3D5	CLE-PHI-CHW-LAD-MIN
2	Frank Robinson	586	5	1956	1976	20-40	2808	11743	10006	1829	2943	528	72	1812	1420	218	1532	198	17	102	270	204	77	.294	.389	.537	.926	97D38/5	CIN-BAL-LAD-CAL-CLE
3	Manny Ramirez	555	5	1993	2011	21-39	2302	9774	8244	1544	2574	547	20	1831	1329	216	1813	109	2	90	243	38	33	.312	.411	.585	.996	79D	CLE-BOS-LAD-CHW-TBR
4	Gary Sheffield	509	8	1988	2009	19-40	2576	10947	9217	1636	2689	467	27	1676	1475	130	1171	135	9	111	235	253	104	.292	.393	.514	.907	975D/63	MIL-SDP-FLA-LAD-ATL-NYY-DET-NYM
5	Eddie Murray	504	5	1977	1997	21-41	3026	12817	11336	1627	3255	560	35	1917	1333	222	1516	18	2	128	315	110	43	.287	.359	.476	.836	*3D/57	BAL-LAD-NYM-CLE-ANA
6	Fred McGriff	493	6	1986	2004	22-40	2460	10174	8757	1349	2490	441	24	1550	1305	171	1882	39	2	71	226	72	38	.284	.377	.509	.886	*3D	TOR-SDP-ATL-TBD-CHC-LAD
7	Dave Winfield	465	6	1973	1995	21-43	2973	12358	11003	1669	3110	540	88	1833	1216	172	1686	25	19	95	319	223	96	.283	.353	.475	.827	*97D8/35	SDP-NYY-CAL-TOR-MIN-CLE
8	Jose Canseco	462	7	1985	2001	20-36	1887	8129	7057	1186	1877	340	14	1407	906	63	1942	84	1	81	178	200	88	.266	.353	.515	.867	D97/81	OAK-TEX-BOS-TOR-TBD-NYY-CHW
9	Dave Kingman	442	7	1971	1986	22-37	1941	7429	6677	901	1575	240	25	1210	608	72	1816	53	16	75	139	85	49	.236	.302	.478	.780	37D59/1	SFG-NYM-SDP-NYY-CAL-CHC-OAK
10	Mike Piazza	427	5	1992	2007	23-38	1912	7745	6911	1048	2127	344	8	1335	759	146	1113	30	0	45	229	17	20	.308	.377	.545	.922	*2D/3	LAD-NYM-FLA-SDP-OAK
11	Andruw Jones	414	5	1996	2011	19-34	2077	8312	7298	1165	1870	372	36	1246	851	68	1655	89	6	68	189	152	59	.256	.338	.487	.826	*89/D73	ATL-LAD-TEX-CHW-NYY
12	Andres Galarraga	399	7	1985	2004	24-43	2257	8916	8096	1195	2333	444	32	1425	583	106	2003	178	1	58	179	128	81	.288	.347	.499	.846	*3/D5	MON-STL-COL-ATL-SFG-TEX-ANA
13	Joe Carter	396	6	1983	1998	23-38	2189	9154	8422	1170	2184	432	53	1445	527	86	1387	90	10	105	132	231	66	.259	.306	.464	.771	7983D/45	CHC-CLE-SDP-TOR-SFG-BAL
14	Jim Edmonds	393	6	1993	2010	23-40	2011	7980	6858	1251	1949	437	25	1199	998	91	1729	49	10	65	122	67	50	.284	.376	.527	.903	*8/739D	CAL-ANA-STL-SDP-CHC-MIL-CIN
15	Graig Nettles	390	6	1967	1988	22-43	2700	10226	8986	1193	2225	328	28	1314	1088	94	1209	50	12	90	197	32	36	.248	.329	.421	.750	*5/739D68	MIN-CLE-NYY-SDP-ATL-MON
16	Harold Baines	384	5	1980	2001	21-42	2830	11092	9908	1299	2866	488	49	1628	1062	187	1441	14	9	99	298	34	34	.289	.356	.465	.820	*D9/87	CHW-TEX-OAK-BAL-CLE
17	Orlando Cepeda	379	6	1958	1974	20-36	2124	8695	7927	1131	2351	417	27	1365	588	154	1169	102	4	74	218	142	80	.297	.350	.499	.849	*37D/95	SFG-STL-ATL-OAK-BOS-KCR
18	Jeff Kent	377	6	1992	2008	24-40	2298	9537	8498	1320	2461	560	47	1518	801	61	1522	125	10	103	224	94	60	.290	.356	.500	.855	*453/D6	NYM-TOR-CLE-SFG-HOU-LAD
19	Rocky Colavito	374	6	1955	1968	21-34	1841	7559	6503	971	1730	283	21	1159	951	58	880	29	16	60	182	19	27	.266	.359	.489	.848	*97/31	CLE-DET-KCA-CHW-LAD-NYY
20	Gary Gaetti	360	6	1981	2000	22-41	2507	9817	8951	1130	2280	443	39	1341	634	57	1602	96	32	104	236	96	65	.255	.308	.434	.741	*53/D67149	MIN-CAL-KCR-STL-CHC-BOS

Provided by Baseball-Reference.com: View Play Index Tool Used
Generated 8/16/2011.

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18 Responses to “Most Homeruns Playing for 5+ Franchises”

Dukeofflatbush Says:
August 16th, 2011 at 1:13 pm
Of the 500 guys, I can almost attach (in my head) a team to each guy.
Thome: Clevland
Murray: Baltimore
Robinson: Baltimore
Ramirez: Redsox
But Shefield, I can't associate him to any one team. And I think that accurately describes him as a player also.
Tmckelv Says:
August 16th, 2011 at 1:24 pm
@1, I think of F Robby and Manny as 2-team guys.

Robinson spent more time with Cincy than with Balt, and Ramirez spent virtually the same amount of time with Cle as Boston.

Off the top of my head I think of SD and Fla for Sheffield, but not due to significant lengths of time.
Ed Says:
August 16th, 2011 at 1:31 pm
@1 Funny, I was thinking the same thing re: Sheffield. If he were to make the HOF some day, which team's cap would he wear?
DavidRF Says:
August 16th, 2011 at 1:46 pm
Bummer that Jimmers didn't hit just one HR for the Dodgers.
Brett Says:
August 16th, 2011 at 1:46 pm
@3 - Milwaukee Brewers 🙂
Genis26 Says:
August 16th, 2011 at 1:47 pm
Isn't it incredible how quickly Andruw Jones reached 5 teams after leaving Atlanta? It doesn't feel like that long ago when he was a 1 franchise guy.
Adam Says:
August 16th, 2011 at 2:05 pm
@5 Brett,

As a lifelong Wisconsin resident I love the joke.
Lawrence Azrin Says:
August 16th, 2011 at 2:40 pm
Interesting that none of these players started their careers before 1955*. I'm guessing that this relates to the rules on interleague trades, when before 1959 a team had to request waivers on a player and essentially "pass" the player through the entire league, to trade them to the other league. I've read that's why it was a big deal in 1947 when Hank Greenberg got traded to the Pirates.

Does anyone know why they changed that rule?

*The Search for Silly Useless Factoids*:
Who hit home runs for the _most different_ teams? I remember there was a post recently, when Matt Stairs retired, about who played for the most different teams, but I don't recall the actual leader.

Stairs played for 12 teams, but didn't hit a HR for the Expos/Nationals, so he hit HRs for "only" 11 teams. Any takers?

* Free agency also played a role in more players changing teams
Kahuna Tuna Says:
August 16th, 2011 at 3:28 pm
Who hit home runs for the most different teams?

Stairs is tied with Todd Zeile, who also homered for 11 different franchises: Cardinals 75, Mets 41, Dodgers 38, Rangers 30, Phillies 20, Rockies 18, Cubs 9, Marlins 6, Yankees 6, Expos 5, Orioles 5.
Lawrence Azrin Says:
August 16th, 2011 at 4:19 pm
@9/ Kahuna Tuna - thanks... interesting that for his long, productive career, Zeile never was an All-Star, and was very rarely on the seasonal leaderboards.

Any explanation for the 1959 change in interleague trade rules?
jiffy Says:
August 16th, 2011 at 5:13 pm
This would be a good time to bring back that Fred McGriff HOF meme...
Andy Patton Says:
August 16th, 2011 at 5:57 pm
@11

Here's a blog about Mr. McGriff and the hall of fame, if you're interested:

http://www.andypatton.net/?p=119
Steve Says:
August 16th, 2011 at 6:15 pm
Did anyone else notice that the Top 6 players and 10 of this Top 20 all spent time with the Los Angeles Dodgers? Dodger Stadium has never been a hitters park. Also, that all 20 players spent time with teams in California. The night time marine layer that covers the West Coast has a definite effect on the ball. It makes it heavier as the night continues.
Johnny Twisto Says:
August 16th, 2011 at 10:01 pm
Interesting that none of these players started their careers before 1955*. I'm guessing that this relates to the rules on interleague trades

For the record, 17 players with at least 360 HR debuted before 1955, and 57 since.
Johnny Twisto Says:
August 16th, 2011 at 10:02 pm
Did anyone else notice that the Top 6 players and 10 of this Top 20 all spent time with the Los Angeles Dodgers? Dodger Stadium has never been a hitters park.

Yes, but historically I think it has suppressed BA, and not necessarily HR.
Dukeofflatbush Says:
August 16th, 2011 at 10:21 pm
@ K Tuna

Reggie Sanders hit 25 for 4 different teams.
20 for 6 different teams.
And 10 for 8 different teams, 8 teams in 9 years. Crazy!

Sheff also had 10 HRs for 8 different teams and 25 HRs for 6 different teams.

Jack Clark had 25 HR for 5 different teams.

McGriff had 30 HRs for 5 different teams.

Dave Kingman had at least 2 HRs for 4 different teams in one year (77)!!!

Joe Carter played 162 games had 20 HRs and 100 RBIs and 10 SBs 3 straight years for 3 different teams.

And Todd Zeile had at least 2 HRs for 11 different teams in a 10 year span.
Kahuna Tuna Says:
August 16th, 2011 at 10:38 pm
Now you're talkin' my language, Duke! One of those Reggie Sanders years was here in San Diego. (A very fine player.) All of the players you name played in S.D. at some point except Zeile.

Follow me now as I go through some players who hit very few homers for lots of teams. Otis Nixon smashed 11 home runs over 17 seasons for his nine teams. Paul Bako ripped 24 home runs for 11 different teams over 12 seasons. And, to cinch up the O—— ——o pattern, with seven home runs for eight different teams over eight seasons, please welcome Orlando Mercado.
DoubleDiamond Says:
August 17th, 2011 at 7:29 pm
Regarding where these players have played - I see that Thome is the only one who has ever played for the Phillies. My long-time favorite AL team (1966-2001), the Orioles, has had a few of them, including Robinson and Murray.

I was surprised to see Jim Edmonds (best, although slight, chance to get someone born on June 27 into the Hall of Fame) on this list. I only remember him playing for two teams - the Angels and the Cardinals.

Teams I think of for some of these players. I realize that some of them had some outstanding stints for other teams, but these are how I picture them. I've omitted some for whom I have too many different team memories or, conversely, not enough for one team.

Jim Thome - Indians and Phillies
Frank Robinson - Orioles and Reds
Manny Ramirez - Red Sox
Eddie Murray - Orioles
Fred McGriff - Braves
Dave Winfield - Padres and Yankees
Jose Canseco - A's
Mike Piazza - Dodgers
Andruw Jones - Braves
Andres Galarraga - Expos and Rockies
Joe Carter - Blue Jays (of course)
Jim Edmonds - Angels and Cardinals
Graig Nettles - Yankees
Harold Baines - White Sox (multiple times through the south side of Chicago)
Orlando Cepeda - Giants
Rocky Colavito - Tigers
Gary Gaetti - Twins

Another thing, besides interleague trading and free agency, that I think has allowed more of these players to be with more teams in their careers is the DH. Quite a few of the above players, including some heretofore National Leaguers, ended up DH-ing with one or more AL teams near the end. And teams tend to look for power hitting types to serve as their DH's.

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