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Originally Posted by
Matt3467
If we're talking just pure hitting then a lot more should be added to the list. Ty Cobb, Rose, and Ichiro immediately come to mind.
I agree with Cobb but if any contemporary player you want to consider as a great pure hitter, it would have to be Tony Gwynn long before Rose and Ichiro. If you are talking a great pure hitter. Rose has more to do with his career hit record but a career average of .303 vs Gwynn .338 which is 18th all time. A great record and a great hitter but not one of the greatest of all time. Ichiro was great lead off but not a ?pure hitter? and Ricky Henderson was a better lead off man, much higher OBP and OBS and of course the SB?s.
Hank Aaron has to be considered in a Top 5-6 of all time as well. Lifetime .305 average (better than Bonds .298) with the HR?s to boot. Griffey, Jr. without the injuries probably has the stats to put him high on a list of great pure hitters but it didn?t happen for him.
Personally Ted Williams is the best pure hitter and would hit still today. His swing plays no matter the era. Not to mention he would have had 600-650 HR?s added to his total without serving for 3 years during WWII during his prime. Hit 36 HR the year before he left and 38 HR the year returned after those 3 years. Incredible pure hitter.
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Originally Posted by
preachermatt83
Barry Bonds. Period
Barry had the strongest wrists and forearms I've ever seen in a batter's box. The quickness he could use with them to generate that bat speed was uncanny.
Last edited by OLJWales; 03-15-2021 at 05:30 PM.
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Originally Posted by
Matt3467
If we're talking just pure hitting then a lot more should be added to the list. Ty Cobb, Rose, and Ichiro immediately come to mind.
How many times did either of these great folks get more HR's , Hiits, etc than an entire effin' team? Cobb's History should be adorned more. He and Ruth were in the middle of the big change in the game that was going on. Cobb had his "speed principles" of the game and Ruth had his Candy Bars. One of Cobb's Final games is documented where he changed to an orthodox grip and ripped 3 HR's in a single day. "I coulda done all that too had I wanted to" was his comment on that.
Last edited by OLJWales; 03-15-2021 at 05:39 PM.
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And I will continue to bloviate my 58 year old horn by saying the only sports jersey gear I own is Yankee Pinstripes with only a #3 on the back. I'm too old to be having young men's names on the back of my clothing. And I'm a Met's Fan. I just got it to show Homage for the Greatest and Respect for The Game.
Last edited by OLJWales; 03-15-2021 at 06:02 PM.
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Originally Posted by
preachermatt83
Barry Bonds. Period
only with steroids. Pre-steroids- Bonds was just very good. it was a very noticeable difference. Put Babe Ruth on steroids and lets see what happens
Walk like the King or walk like you don't care who the King is
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Originally Posted by
Coach34
only with steroids. Pre-steroids- Bonds was just very good. it was a very noticeable difference. Put Babe Ruth on steroids and lets see what happens
I ain’t worried about steriods. I say let them all take them now. Baseball was more enjoyable then. Ruth would have taken them. When I look at Bonds career I can’t think of a single player top to bottom I’d rather have.
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Originally Posted by
Really Clark?
I agree with Cobb but if any contemporary player you want to consider as a great pure hitter, it would have to be Tony Gwynn long before Rose and Ichiro. If you are talking a great pure hitter. Rose has more to do with his career hit record but a career average of .303 vs Gwynn .338 which is 18th all time. A great record and a great hitter but not one of the greatest of all time. Ichiro was great lead off but not a ?pure hitter? and Ricky Henderson was a better lead off man, much higher OBP and OBS and of course the SB?s.
Hank Aaron has to be considered in a Top 5-6 of all time as well. Lifetime .305 average (better than Bonds .298) with the HR?s to boot. Griffey, Jr. without the injuries probably has the stats to put him high on a list of great pure hitters but it didn?t happen for him.
Personally Ted Williams is the best pure hitter and would hit still today. His swing plays no matter the era. Not to mention he would have had 600-650 HR?s added to his total without serving for 3 years during WWII during his prime. Hit 36 HR the year before he left and 38 HR the year returned after those 3 years. Incredible pure hitter.
Gwynn definitely was an outstanding talent! Ichiros stats are hurt by his latter years where he dropped off pretty quickly. Sadly we'll never know what could've been if he'd started his career off in MLB. A lot of people still talk about Will Clarks swing today.
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Originally Posted by
Coach34
only with steroids. Pre-steroids- Bonds was just very good. it was a very noticeable difference. Put Babe Ruth on steroids and lets see what happens
Bonds was virtually the same player pre-steroids than post minus the crazy HR power. Heck he was still hitting 30-40 HRs a year skinny as a twig.
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Originally Posted by
preachermatt83
I ain’t worried about steriods. I say let them all take them now. Baseball was more enjoyable then. Ruth would have taken them. When I look at Bonds career I can’t think of a single player top to bottom I’d rather have.
The 90's was the best decade ever imo for baseball. It was a blast to watch. On the other hand I don't think they should be legal in sports at all.
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I'm sure it's been measured before but what kind of numbers could Bonds have put up if he didn't play in the most pitcher friendly park in America. Had he been a Yankee rather than a Giant I'm sure he would've clipped 85 that season easy.
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Babe Ruth was the greatest player of all time. Period. He was so far ahead of his time. If he was playing today be would probably be a dual position closer/DH maybe closer/RF/1B. There was no DH until 1973 and teams didn't use their bullpens like they do today. It was basically wild rookies and washed up former starters. No he didn't miss time because of the Negro Leagues or because of war but he was only a hitter for 16 years compared to like 22 for Mays, Bonds, and Aaron. Ted Williams played 19. So even if they matched Ruth it took them longer to do it no matter when they arrived in MLB. Ruth also played when rules were different. Back in the 1920's if you hit the foul pole it was a foul ball. Now it's a home run. Ballparks were bigger. Pitchers could throw balls that were doctored up and dirty. Ruth outhomered entire TEAMS. If he played today with today's training and technology I kid you not- I think he would hit 1000 home runs. Bill Jenkinson wrote a book called The Year Babe Ruth hit 104 home runs and it details how many Ruth would have hit in the 1990's baseball conditions. Oh yeah- Ruth probably would have been a HOF pitcher had he stuck with that.
I disagree about Ichiro not being a pure hitter having watched him in person in Seattle. He would probably have the hits record had he not spent the first 8 years in his career in Japan. He was one of the best I have ever seen. Ichiro could have been a power hitter if he wanted to. He and Rod Carew or Cobb might be the best at bunting for a hit of all time. Gwynn for sure was a pure hitter. George Brett was kind of like Ichiro. He could have hit for more power if he wanted to. If Albert Pujols had decided to not go pull crazy the last 12 years of his career he would be in the discussion as well. Pete Rose was a pure hitter and wasn't the best of all time but played longer than everyone else. Really Rose was probably the best utility of all time to be technical.
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Originally Posted by
preachermatt83
I ain’t worried about steriods. I say let them all take them now. Baseball was more enjoyable then. Ruth would have taken them. When I look at Bonds career I can’t think of a single player top to bottom I’d rather have.
Wait? They stopped?**
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Originally Posted by
Matt3467
The 90's was the best decade ever imo for baseball. It was a blast to watch. On the other hand I don't think they should be legal in sports at all.
I agree about that. The difference to me is hitters had a better approach during that era. McGwire, Sosa, Bonds, and Griffey, Jr. could all use the whole field. Made them that much more dangerous.
I think the game now is better in some ways. More guys throwing 100+. Better technology. A little more speed here and there. More trash talking. But I would like to see even more aggressive baserunning and more tape measure home runs. You don't see that as much now as you did in the 90's.
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Originally Posted by
Todd4State
I agree about that. The difference to me is hitters had a better approach during that era. McGwire, Sosa, Bonds, and Griffey, Jr. could all use the whole field. Made them that much more dangerous.
I think the game now is better in some ways.
Major League Baseball has become almost as unwatchable as college basketball.
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Originally Posted by
Coach34
only with steroids. Pre-steroids- Bonds was just very good. it was a very noticeable difference. Put Babe Ruth on steroids and lets see what happens
17 Barry Bonds.
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Originally Posted by
OLJWales
The Big Bambino , son of a saloon owner in Baltimore spent most years in schools for wayward boys in and out of trouble alll the time. His 29 2/3 scorless innings pitched in world series play stayed in tact until Whitey Ford broke that in 1962. Newspapers and a few video clips are all we have to go on regarding his gun out in right field.
What many have forgotten is how Ruth himself saved the game after the Blacksox Scandal. The game was teetering on the verge of collapse so the owners got together and decided to liven up the ball and "re-invent" the home run to bring extra excitement to the game. Tied or led the league in HR's 12 times, Led in RBI's 5 Times. 1921 is considered his best when one out of every 8 HR's hit that year in the American Leauge belonged to Ruth. 171 RBI's, 16 Triples , 44 doubles and topped it off with an .847 slugging average which no batter has EVAH come within .100 of doing. His lifetime slugging average is .690, .56 points bettern runner up Ted Williams. An 8 year run saw him lead the league in walks 7 of those years all the while having Lou Gehrig hitting behind him every single time proving again he was the most feared batter to ever step up to a plate. The man was simply a freak of nature, lightening reflexes, superb judgment and timing and excellent eye sight. No player ever came CLOSE to separating themselves from the field than The Babe. NOT. CLOSE. Edited to Add: Remember when watching those old clips too, that bat weighed 46 ounces.
Well that isn't true.
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Originally Posted by
Really Clark?
Hank Aaron has to be considered in a Top 5-6 of all time as well. Lifetime .305 average (better than Bonds .298) with the HR?s to boot.
Great accumulator but not the same top-end levels as these others. I'd put Aaron in the Stan Musial sphere, a level below Gehrig/Mantle range.
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Originally Posted by
Rex54
Major League Baseball has become almost as unwatchable as college basketball.
Not in person.
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Originally Posted by
Todd4State
Babe Ruth was the greatest player of all time. Period. He was so far ahead of his time. If he was playing today be would probably be a dual position closer/DH maybe closer/RF/1B. There was no DH until 1973 and teams didn't use their bullpens like they do today. It was basically wild rookies and washed up former starters. No he didn't miss time because of the Negro Leagues or because of war but he was only a hitter for 16 years compared to like 22 for Mays, Bonds, and Aaron. Ted Williams played 19. So even if they matched Ruth it took them longer to do it no matter when they arrived in MLB. Ruth also played when rules were different. Back in the 1920's if you hit the foul pole it was a foul ball. Now it's a home run. Ballparks were bigger. Pitchers could throw balls that were doctored up and dirty. Ruth outhomered entire TEAMS. If he played today with today's training and technology I kid you not- I think he would hit 1000 home runs. Bill Jenkinson wrote a book called The Year Babe Ruth hit 104 home runs and it details how many Ruth would have hit in the 1990's baseball conditions. Oh yeah- Ruth probably would have been a HOF pitcher had he stuck with that.
I disagree about Ichiro not being a pure hitter having watched him in person in Seattle. He would probably have the hits record had he not spent the first 8 years in his career in Japan. He was one of the best I have ever seen. Ichiro could have been a power hitter if he wanted to. He and Rod Carew or Cobb might be the best at bunting for a hit of all time. Gwynn for sure was a pure hitter. George Brett was kind of like Ichiro. He could have hit for more power if he wanted to. If Albert Pujols had decided to not go pull crazy the last 12 years of his career he would be in the discussion as well. Pete Rose was a pure hitter and wasn't the best of all time but played longer than everyone else. Really Rose was probably the best utility of all time to be technical.
I will attempt a rep, Damn Dude, thank you Todd
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