Quote:
Originally Posted by darwinbulldog
If you're comparing rookie cards, most of it is accounted for by Clemens's cards being from less overproduced sets. Pretty clear to me though that Clemens was the better pitcher anyway. Statistically (sabermetrically anyway) he's the best since Walter Johnson.
The way I've run the stats, I come up with the following rankings for these guys.
Among all MLB players
Clemens: 5
Seaver: 16
Johnson: 22
Maddux: 26
Martinez: 28
Ryan: 101
Among MLB pitchers
Clemens: 3
Seaver: 6
Johnson: 8
Maddux: 9
Martinez: 11
Ryan: 38
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I am a huge Maddux fan, but there isn't any denying, regardless of the PED shadow, that Clemens is in a league of his own. Statistics aside, Clemens also too pitched in the steroid era against athletes who, whether or not used PEDs, were far more physically developed than players from earlier eras whom he is measured against. When he gets inducted, and he will, high grade examples of his 84 Fleer Update and 85 Topps Tiffany should see a nice bump. I think as the dust settles from the PED scandal people will take a look at him and what he acomplished with a greater sense of appreciation.