Many people assume Rickey Henderson is the best base stealer of all time. That’s true, but only if you define “best” by total number of steals. While Henderson accumulated the highest number of thefts, his career 80.8 percent stolen base success rate is not the best in history. Several players were more efficient base stealers than the renowned “Man of Steal.”
Chase Utley
154 career steals, 87.5% success rate
Utley was known as a hard-nosed player with keen situational awareness, attributes which are demonstrated by a career 87.5 percent stolen base percentage. Utley was so effective at swiping bags that was a perfect 23-for-23 in stolen base attempts in 2009 and 14-for-14 in 2011. The second baseman only had one year with at least 20 steals, but he was never caught more than four times in any of his 16 big league seasons.
Carlos Beltrán
312 career steals, 86.4% success rate
Beltrán was a prototypical five-tool player at the height of his career, excelling in all facets of the game. He stole 312 bases and was only caught 49 times, giving him the highest recorded success rate of any player with at least 300 career steals.
Tim Raines
808 career steals, 84.7% success rate
Raines’ career coincided with that of Rickey Henderson, which meant that many of Raines’ feats were unfairly overlooked. Though Henderson’s power and high walk totals made him the more complete player, Raines was nearly his equal as a baserunner. “Rock” won four consecutive National League stolen base titles (1981-1984), twice leading the majors in steals. He scored at least 100 runs six different times, in part because he rarely made unnecessary outs on the bases.
Eric Davis
349 career steals, 84.1% success rate
Davis was on pace to become the first member of baseball’s exclusive “40-40 club” in 1987. His production was slowed, however, when he crashed into the wall at Wrigley Field and suffered a rib injury in early September. Despite missing 17 of his team’s final 27 games, Davis finished that season with 37 home runs and 50 stolen bases. He was caught stealing just six times that season, which came a year after he had swiped a whopping 80 bags in 91 attempts. Davis’ prowess on the basepaths, combined with his frequent home run robberies, led many to compare him to Willie Mays.
Willie Wilson
668 career steals, 83.3% success rate
Wilson was a lightning-fast leadoff hitter who finished his career with far more triples (147) than home runs (41). His electrifying speed made him a nuisance to pitchers and one of the most efficient base stealers in American League history.
Searle’s Final Say
Success rate is a key factor in determining which player is the best base stealer of all time. Rickey Henderson stole a record 1,406 bases, but that total is not enough to earn him the distinction. A player may rack up a high number of steals, but if he is also caught stealing frequently, his aggressive baserunning is detrimental to his team. Unnecessary outs on the bases kill rallies and hinder a team’s ability to put together a high-scoring inning. Thus, a player must be successful in at least 75 percent of his steal attempts to be considered an effective base stealer.
