Best baseball movie rankings

Photo: 20th Century Fox

During this time of social distancing and without any live sports to watch on TV, it's important to find something to keep yourself busy. For those of us that love baseball, one good way to do that is watch as many baseball movies as you can. 

Since I've been home over the last month, my parents and I have watched a baseball movie almost every other night. We watched some classics that we'd seen plenty of times, some classics that I had never seen and some relatively under-the-radar movies. 

After going through film after film, I feel I am ready and qualified to rank the best baseball movies. Here you'll find my top 10 baseball movies followed by Trey Lyle's list. Do you think we got them right? Leave a comment and let us know.

1. The Sandlot

There's no beating this classic movie. The 1993 film about a group of kids that lose a Babe Ruth autographed ball is consistently great to watch. It's fun, lighthearted and nostalgic, which are all great qualities for a baseball movie. It has countless quotable moments throughout the movie, which is a great way to measure how good a film is. No matter which movie you stand this one up against, it will come out as the better film time after time. 

2. 42

The 2013 Jackie Robinson biopic quickly became not only one of my favorite baseball movies, but one of my favorite movies in general. The film does a fantastic job of portraying Robinson's journey to breaking baseball's color barrier and becoming one of the greatest players of all time. And, as I've written about before, it's fairly historically accurate. 

3. The Rookie

This is one that I feel flies under the radar a bit, but it is a fantastic movie. An emotional true story about Jim Morris, who made his Major League debut at the age of 35 after making a bet with the high school team that he coached. This one will tug at your heartstrings throughout the story, so be prepared before you watch it. 

4. Major League

I have to confess that this was one I hadn't seen until recently. I don't know how I went 22 years without seeing this classic baseball film, but I'm glad I decided to watch it. Featuring a rag-tag group of ballplayers trying to win so they can keep the Indians in Cleveland, this one has some future stars that provide great laughs throughout the movie. 

5. Field of Dreams

I've always loved Field of Dreams. Something about the magic and mystery in the movie just make it entertaining. During the last time I watched it, I realized it's a lot more cheesy than I previously remembered, but it's still a great nostalgic film. 

​6. Moneyball

One of the newer baseball movies has been considered one of the best since its release in 2011. Moneyball tells the story of Billy Beane and the 2002 Oakland A's, who built a team in an unconventional (at the time) way. 

7. Fever Pitch

This one has a little more romance than comedy, but it holds up against some other baseball films. My girlfriend might tell you that she can relate to Drew Barrymore in this movie, but in actuality I'm nowhere near the baseball fan that Jimmy Fallon portrays. 

8. 61*

This is another film that I hadn't seen until this past month, but I really enjoyed it. Billy Crystal directs the story of Roger Maris and Mickey Mantle chasing after Babe Ruth's single season home run record, which proved to be a controversial chase. 

9. A League of Their Own

How can you not have this one on your list? The true story of the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League, this film is consistently ranked among the top. It deserves a spot just for its most famous quote, "There's no crying in baseball."

10. Bull Durham

I contemplated leaving this one off my top 10 at first, but I had to include it. There's a little too much romance in it for me, but the mound visit scene alone is enough to get it on the list. 

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Trey's Top Movies

1. Major League 1 and 2 

My favorite baseball movies of all time are the Major League movies, both 1 and 2. All-Star cast and one of the funniest movies there is.
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2. The Sandlot 

A classic, a must-watch if you are a baseball fan, honestly if you are a kid. Summertime and baseball with friends, nothing better than that. If you don't watch this then you’re killing me, Smalls.

3. The Rookie 

Another classic movie of an high school baseball coach that leads his team to a championship and then ends up in the Major Leagues as the oldest rookie since Minnie Mendoza in 1970. This movie based on the true story of Jim Morris. 

4. Angels in the Outfield

Start flapping your wings. Honestly thought for a while when I was little that this movie is the reason the Angels are called the Angels. Another classic movie about two kids who can see Angels in the Outfield. 
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5. Field of Dreams

The fact that the MLB was planning on doing a game at the “field of dreams” in Iowa where this movie took place shows how good this movie is.   
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6. Rookie of the Year 

So a kid gets into a freak accident and gets a rubber arm that allows him to throw nothing but rockets and then lead the Cubs to the world series. Do I need to say more?
 
7. Eddie's Million Dollar Cook-Off 

A Classic Disney Channel movie, so it's time to go back to when you were a kid, and it's a Friday night. So you grab the popcorn and hop on to the couch and watch one of the best Disney Channel movies. Eddie's Million Dollar Cook-off is about this kid named Eddie, who is an outstanding baseball player, whose dad is the coach, has a passion for cooking, and the challenge of when those two worlds cross. 

8. Money Ball 

​An Oscar-nominated movie based on Billy Beane and how he had to use innovative ways to build a contender without a big budget for the A’s. 

9. Little Big League 

Again this falls in it's so crazy that you kind of have to watch it. This kid becomes the owner of the Minnesota Twins and then makes himself the manager of the team.  

10. Hardball

One of the saddest moments in movie history occurs in this movie, and all I got to say is G-Baby.