Here’s a subjective ranking of the top five for January 17:
Porter had a heck of a career, but as time passes it seems like he is lost in the shuffle among all-time greatest catchers. Porter ranks 23rd all-time among catchers with 40.8 WAR, according to Baseball Reference. For comparison’s sake, Buster Posey (44.9) and Yadier Molina (42.1) rank just ahead of him, but are probably ticketed for the Hall of Fame. Porter won World Series and NLCS MVP Awards with the Cardinals in 1982, helping St. Louis beat the Brewers in seven games. He finished third for AL Rookie of the Year with Milwaukee in 1973. He made the 1974 AL All-Star team with the Brewers and the AL All-Star team for three consecutive seasons (1978-80) with the Royals. He even finished in the top 10 for AL MVP in 1979 and 1980.
Davis was a hallmark of consistency and production in a 19-year career that spanned almost the entirety of two decades (1981-99). He won World Series with the Twins (1991) and Yankees (1998-99). He made NL All-Star teams with the Giants (1984, 1986) and an AL All-Star team with the Angels (1994). Davis never posted lower than a .755 OPS in the final 16 years of his career. He never posted lower than a 108 OPS+, and that was his final season as a 39-year-old in 1999. Davis seemed to roll out of bed every season and be good for 25 home runs and 95 RBIs, slashing a career .274/.360.451.
If you use WAR as your sole measuring stick, then there are a handful of better players born on January 17 than Zimmer. But Zimmer was much more than a player, although he had a nice 12-year career. He won World Series with the Dodgers in 1955 and 1959. He is credited with two All-Star appearances, although they both came in 1961. (Baseball played two All-Star Games from 1959-62). But while some folks remember Zimmer’s playing career, most today remember him from his managerial and coaching careers. He managed the Padres, Red Sox, Rangers and Cubs over parts of 13 seasons. He was Joe Torre’s longtime right-hand man with the Yankees. Oh, he was one of baseball’s all-time greatest characters and baseball mind’s, too.
Bauer won the 2020 NL Cy Young with the Reds, going 5.4 with a 1.73 ERA in 11 starts in the pandemic-shortened 60-game season. He finished 10th for NL MVP that season, too. Bauer also made the AL All-Star team with the Indians in 2018, when he went 12-6 with a 2.21 ERA in 28 appearances (27 starts). He finished sixth for AL Cy Young and got a few MVP votes, too.
Leiber made three NL All-Star teams during his 10-year career (1933-42): 1938 with the Giants and 1940-41 with the Cubs. He played in the 1936-37 World Series, losing twice to the Yankees. According to his obituary, Leiber, who died in 1993, had his career cut short after he twice got hit in the head with pitches, including once by Bob Feller.
The other players born on January 17 to make an All-Star team are Kyle Tucker and Joe Jimenez. Tucker made it to the Midsummer Classic with the Astros in 2022, and was born in 1997. Jimenez, who was born in 1995, made the AL All-Star team with the 2018 Tigers. … Eri Yoshida gets a mention here. Born in 1992, she was a right-handed, side-armed knuckleballer who pitched in independent ball with Chico and Maui from 2010-12.