The Big Red Machine

The 8 position players:

The Reds' "Great Eight" were the best ever, as judged by history, the numbers and the accolades.

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"Johnny Bench, Pete Rose, Joe Morgan, Tony Perez, Dave Concepcion, George Foster, Ken Griffey, Cesar Geronimo," recites former Reds manager Sparky Anderson. "I was 35 years old when I went into Cincinnati in 1970. When I came out nine years later, the guys had made me a star. Over those nine years, they averaged 96.4 wins. I tell people, 'Just think what I could have done if I had some players!' " In the seven seasons from 1970-76, the Reds won five division titles, four league pennants, and the consecutive World Series. They averaged 98 wins for a winning percentage of .607.
In the peak years of the dynasty, from 1972-1976, the Reds' winning percentage averaged .626 -- or 100 wins a season.
But the Great Eight were together as starters only on the consecutive World Champions of 1975-76. Those Reds' teams played a total of 351 games and won 224 of them, including postseason games. That's a .638 winning percentage.
The Great Eight played only 88 games together as a starting lineup in 1975-76. They went 69-19 -- a .784 winning percentage. (emphasis mine)
"We didn't think we could get beat," says Joe Morgan, "because we almost never did get beat." Just as quickly, it was over.
Tony Perez got traded.
But those 88 games were enough to stamp the "Great Eights' " signature on baseball forever.

3 Hall of Famers and another one were it not for his penchant for gambling and lying.  Only 88 games over two seasons.  That's stunning.