8 days till greatest day of the Year question

[parabrave]

For baseball geeks. What is the greatest team of the 1970s? My hint Sparky, Charlie Hustle and Senior.

[BrunswickDawg]

Oakland A's will give you a run for that money. Reds won more regular season games, but the A's are the only 70s team to win 3 World Series.

[Mobile Bay]

I didn't realize you were so excited about our series against Kentucky.

[Commercecomet24]

Oakland A's will give you a run for that money. Reds won more regular season games, but the A's are the only 70s team to win 3 World Series.

I absolutely hated the A's but i believe you're right. They were dominant for the early and mid 70s. When I was a kid we lived in Phoenix and my dad used to take me to a lot of spring training games, saw those A's team a lot back then and saw Hank play for the Brewers against them.

[parabrave]

I absolutely hated the A's but i believe you're right. They were dominant for the early and mid 70s. When I was a kid we lived in Phoenix and my dad used to take me to a lot of spring training games, saw those A's team a lot back then and saw Hank play for the Brewers against them.

Hated the Yankees till Reggie Jackson went there. Hated them again when he left.

[parabrave]

I didn't realize you were so excited about our series against Kentucky.

Good one.

[Commercecomet24]

Hated the Yankees till Reggie Jackson went there. Hated them again when he left.

I got Reggie, Hanks and Sal Bando autograph all on the same day after a spring training game. Was a good day for a baseball loving kid like me!

[BrunswickDawg]

I absolutely hated the A's but i believe you're right. They were dominant for the early and mid 70s. When I was a kid we lived in Phoenix and my dad used to take me to a lot of spring training games, saw those A's team a lot back then and saw Hank play for the Brewers against them.

A's were my "other" team after the Braves in the 70s and early 80s - especially when they had Rickey Henderson. Liked the early 80s Royals too.

[msstatelp1]

For baseball geeks. What is the greatest team of the 1970s? My hint Sparky, Charlie Hustle and Senior.

'75 World Series against the Red Sox is the best ever IMHO

[DawgFan85]

The "Swinging" A's were the best of the 70's in my opinion although the Reds should have won more than just the two World Series. I was never a fan of the National League esp Pete Rose. I fell in love with the 75 Red Sox along with my neighbor and life long friend Alan Lord so been a part of Red Sox Nation for quite a while.

[parabrave]

I always wondered what the early 70's Pirates would've done if Roberto would've lived.

[BrunswickDawg]

I always wondered what the early 70's Pirates would've done if Roberto would've lived.

I don't know that they would have done much more. As great as Clemente was - he was already 37 when he died after the '72 season. I think his loss affected the '73 team mentally for sure - just like the loss of Munson was a gut punch to the Yanks later in the decade.

[Mjoelner34]

Man, so many memories in this thread. I don't remember much about the A's other than Rollie Fingers but Reds/Red Sox, Reggie (with the Yankees), Munson...... I was more of a George Brett/Al Hrabosky guy.

[parabrave]

Of course the Greatest moment of the 70s was when Mr. Kotter made Vinnie Barbarino Give Reggie back the 3rd ball.

[BrunswickDawg]

Man, so many memories in this thread. I don't remember much about the A's other than Rollie Fingers but Reds/Red Sox, Reggie (with the Yankees), Munson...... I was more of a George Brett/Al Hrabosky guy.

Ahhh - The Mad Hungarian! Loved the late 70s early 80s Braves, even though they were terrible. Give me Gary Matthews, Jeff Burroughs and Biff Pocaroba!

[Saltydog]

The answer is "The Big Red Machine".......That '75 WS against the Red Sox is one of the best ever.........There were five, 1 run games out of the seven.......

[Reunion Dog]

Clemente's last hit was his 3000th...

What a GREAT man and such a tragic loss...

[Todd4State]

1976 Reds were the best individual team in that decade.

The Kansas City Royals were underrated good though.

[BrunswickDawg]

The answer is "The Big Red Machine".......That '75 WS against the Red Sox is one of the best ever.........There were five, 1 run games out of the seven.......

Regardless of how great the '75 Series was (I think '91 was still better), relative to the talent on the team, the Reds underachieved. The Reds had HOF's Bench, Morgan, Perez, Seaver (albeit was added after their WS wins) plus Rose. So they had arguably the greatest catcher ever, 3 HOF infielders, the all-time leader in hits (banned from the HOF), a borderline HOF in Concepcion at SS, and then added the best pitcher of their generation in '77, and only won 2 WS. Their weak link was their pitching wasn't up to the standard that their offense was.

The A's had only 3 HOF's in Catfish Hunter, Rollie Fingers (who essentially invented the Closer roll), and Reggie Jackson - and they made the postseason just as many times and won 3 WS (including beating the Reds in '72).
But, as has always been the way of the A's - even back in Philly and KC - they couldn't afford to keep their team together and the Yankees used their players to win in '77 & '78.

[Saltydog]

Deleted.....

[Saltydog]

I would agree about the Red's pitching but if you look at the greatest individual teams the '75 and '76 Reds team are generally consensus top 10 of all time. Those A's team (albeit damn good) are usually not considered in that group amongst baseball historians. Don't get get me wrong, they weren't the '27 yanks and or even the '39 yanks but they were the best team of the 70's, IMO. My personal fave though is the 70's Orioles. That was a damn good team that I don't think gets the credit they deserve from a historical perspective.

[BrunswickDawg]

I would agree about the Red's pitching but if you look at the greatest individual teams the '75 and '76 Reds team are generally consensus top 10 of all time. Those A's team (albeit damn good) are usually not considered in that group amongst baseball historians. Don't get get me wrong, they weren't the '27 yanks and or even the '39 yanks but they were the best team of the 70's, IMO. My personal fave though is the 70's Orioles. That was a damn good team that I don't think gets the credit they deserve from a historical perspective.

It think it is real similar to the argument about the team of the 1990s - you have the Braves with 3 HOF pitchers (one the best of his generation), HOF Chipper, HOF Manager, multiple MVPs and CYs, borderline HOFs in McGriff and Andruw, 8 years in the postseason and most wins in the decade - but that single WS win leaves them behind the Yankees 3 and even the Blue Jays 2. To me, I measure the best team of a decade by post season successes. And even as much of a Braves homer as I am - the Yankees getting those 3 rings will always make me admit there is an argument for them being the "Team of the 90s" instead of the Braves.

[parabrave]

Day 6 Question Best overall player of the 70s??

Dam have fun with this one. Reggie Jackson.

[shoeless joe]

It think it is real similar to the argument about the team of the 1990s - you have the Braves with 3 HOF pitchers (one the best of his generation), HOF Chipper, HOF Manager, multiple MVPs and CYs, borderline HOFs in McGriff and Andruw, 8 years in the postseason and most wins in the decade - but that single WS win leaves them behind the Yankees 3 and even the Blue Jays 2. To me, I measure the best team of a decade by post season successes. And even as much of a Braves homer as I am - the Yankees getting those 3 rings will always make me admit there is an argument for them being the "Team of the 90s" instead of the Braves.

If wohlers doesn’t hang a slider then there is no debate...but as it stands I’d have to agree with you.

[BrunswickDawg]

Day 6 Question Best overall player of the 70s??

Dam have fun with this one. Reggie Jackson.

7 year old me would say Gary Matthews - because he was the first player I loved as a kid. But, kids don't always take to the best player (I can still do Sarge's batting stance).

The NL fan in my wants to say Pops - Willie Stargell. Yeah, Reggie was Mr. October with the Yankees. But, Pops hit more HR, struck out less, had higher BA, OBP, SLG and OPS. He was also a superior OF to Reggie at his peak. Stargell was also "old" - was 30 at the beginning of the decade, so the last half he was a fat first baseman and won an MVP at 39, which makes what he did in the 70s pretty damn good in my book.

That being said. Money on the line - I want Reggie at the plate.

On the mound - give me Jim Palmer.

[parabrave]

7 year old me would say Gary Matthews - because he was the first player I loved as a kid. But, kids don't always take to the best player (I can still do Sarge's batting stance).

The NL fan in my wants to say Pops - Willie Stargell. Yeah, Reggie was Mr. October with the Yankees. But, Pops hit more HR, struck out less, had higher BA, OBP, SLG and OPS. He was also a superior OF to Reggie at his peak. Stargell was also "old" - was 30 at the beginning of the decade, so the last half he was a fat first baseman and won an MVP at 39, which makes what he did in the 70s pretty damn good in my book.

That being said. Money on the line - I want Reggie at the plate.

On the mound - give me Jim Palmer.

On the mound oh tough one. But give me Tom Terrific. I hated the Orioles even though I think they had the best 3rd baseman ever.

[Joebob]

Ahhh - The Mad Hungarian! Loved the late 70s early 80s Braves, even though they were terrible. Give me Gary Matthews, Jeff Burroughs and Biff Pocaroba!

Man, the stories I could tell about Hrabosky's antics from just the one game I saw him pitch. He was the best.

[parabrave]

Now here is a pitcher who was great then got hurt. Mark "the Bird" Fydrich. He had that one great year. The kid from Miami, Dontrelle Willis, reminds me of him.