OT: Greatest Living Four

[Peter_Spaeth]

There was nobody better for a 4 or maybe 5 year stretch, but Koufax's career doesn't touch Seaver, or Gibson, or Carlton, or Clemens, or Maddux.

[GregMitch34]

Can't believe all the Nolan Ryan picks. Way, way down the list. Look at the e.r.a., for one thing...

[BlueDevil89]

I assume that they were looking for players from the 50's & 60's era, plus one Cincy player.

I would have went with Aaron, Mays, Koufax and Frank Robinson (Cincy player). I assume they went with Bench because they wanted a player who spent his whole career in Cincy.

Rose was left out because he is still not fully accepted back into baseball by MLB yet. The fact that they let him be part of pre-game was a major step forward.

If they were not insisting on a Reds player, Yogi Berra should have definitely been included. He could have even bumped Koufax, but I think they wanted a pitcher included.

[basesareempty]

Originally Posted by BlueDevil89

I assume that they were looking for players from the 50's & 60's era, plus one Cincy player.

I would have went with Aaron, Mays, Koufax and Frank Robinson (Cincy player). I assume they went with Bench because they wanted a player who spent his whole career in Cincy.

Rose was left out because he is still not fully accepted back into baseball by MLB yet. The fact that they let him be part of pre-game was a major step forward.

If they were not insisting on a Reds player, Yogi Berra should have definitely been included. He could have even bumped Koufax, but I think they wanted a pitcher included.

I agree!

[Donscards]

Aaron---Mays---Koufax---Rose

[egbeachley]

Originally Posted by Peter_Spaeth

There was nobody better for a 4 or maybe 5 year stretch, but Koufax's career doesn't touch Seaver, or Gibson, or Carlton, or Clemens, or Maddux.

Best four (or five) year stretch would be Pedro Martinez. Look it up, especially WAR. Also, Pedro had better career numbers in almost every category than Koufax.

Sandy Koufax is not even in the top 5 for pitchers.

[brewing]

Originally Posted by egbeachley

Best four (or five) year stretch would be Pedro Martinez. Look it up, especially WAR. Also, Pedro had better career numbers in almost every category than Koufax.



Sandy Koufax is not even in the top 5 for pitchers.

I agree. According to their stats, Pedro was more dominant.

It's really not close.

There was talk about a bump in Koufax numbers in 1962. Isn't that the year the Mets and Colt 45's joined the league.

Maybe it's human nature to romanticize about the past. I know we are all major league scouts and since we saw "fill in the name" we can attest to their greatness. Or maybe statistics are all we have to make a true objective opinion.

[Tabe]

Originally Posted by brewing

I agree. According to their stats, Pedro was more dominant.

It's really not close.

Pedro's four year run from 1997-2000 where his four ERA+ stats total up to 916 (and average of 229 per year) was just insane. Three seasons of 2.07 or lower in an era where 20+ guys had seasons 45 homers - incredible (by contrast, there were *2* in the NL from 1963-66).