Baseball's Greatest Living Player...who is it?

[brewing]

Originally Posted by rats60

Mays and Koufax. I can't consider someone who was never the best player in the game to be the best living player (looking at you Aaron).

Playing in Milwaukee and Atlanta has that effect. OPS+ of 140+ for 19 straight years, WAR of 6+ for 16 of those seasons. He belongs in the discussion. My vote goes to Mays for his superior defense.

I can't consider some who was great for 4 yrs, good for another 2 to be in the discussion for greatest ever (looking at you Koufax).

[rats60]

Originally Posted by brewing

Playing in Milwaukee and Atlanta has that effect. OPS+ of 140+ for 19 straight years, WAR of 6+ for 16 of those seasons. He belongs in the discussion. My vote goes to Mays for his superior defense.

I can't consider some who was great for 4 yrs, good for another 2 to be in the discussion for greatest ever (looking at you Koufax).

To each his own. I'd rather have a great player for 6 years than one whose stats are over rated by steroids or playing in Fulton County Stadium.

[rdixon1208]

1) Mays
2) Maddux
3) Rickey
4) Aaron
5) Koufax
6) Nolan

[the 'stache]

1A. Hank Aaron
1B. Willie Mays

[Mountaineer1999]

WAR Position Players (Times leading the league) ... Based on WAR, I will go with Bonds and Mays.

Bonds (1986-2007) 11
Hornsby (1915-1937) 11
Ruth (1914-1935) 11
Wagner (1897-1917) 11
Mays (1951-1973) 10

[clydepepper]

Originally Posted by rats60

To each his own. I'd rather have a great player for 6 years than one whose stats are over rated by steroids or playing in Fulton County Stadium.

THREE PLAYERS or THREE LOCATIONS?

1.) 634-2226-421-671-91-5-190-481-.301-.389-.603-.992

2.) 1013-3742-660-1140-192-32-195-636-.305-.373-.529-.902

3.) 1651-6396-1094-1960-341-61-370-1180-.306-.369-.552-.921

I would have to say that this guy was pretty BAD anywhere he went!
.
ergo, the nickname...
.

[oldjudge]

Hank Aaron. Aaron was a marginally better hitter than Mays. Mays was better than Aaron as a fielder, although Aaron did win 3 GGs. Aaron was in the top three in MVP voting 7 times, Mays 6 times. Aaron in my opinion is a real gentleman; Mays a jerk.

[Peter_Spaeth]

Originally Posted by oldjudge

Hank Aaron. Aaron was a marginally better hitter than Mays. Mays was better than Aaron as a fielder, although Aaron did win 3 GGs. Aaron was in the top three in MVP voting 7 times, Mays 6 times. Aaron in my opinion is a real gentleman; Mays a jerk.

Saying Mays was better than Aaron as a fielder is like saying a Rolex is a better watch than a Casio. Mays was probably the greatest fielding outfielder, ever. I would call them even in hitting, with his all around game giving a slight edge to Mays overall.

[the 'stache]

Originally Posted by oldjudge

Hank Aaron. Aaron was a marginally better hitter than Mays. Mays was better than Aaron as a fielder, although Aaron did win 3 GGs. Aaron was in the top three in MVP voting 7 times, Mays 6 times. Aaron in my opinion is a real gentleman; Mays a jerk.

Aaron probably would have won a few more Gold Gloves, too, if it weren't for Roberto Clemente. Aaron won three in a row. Clemente, arguably the greatest defensive right fielder in history, then won the next 13.

[Kenny Cole]

Al Kaline was a pretty good defensive right fielder too. He was just flawless. Always in the right spot and seemed to always make the right play. A great defensive center fielder who has gotten no love at all was Richie Ashburn. Bill James went on and on about what a ballhawk he was. Terry Moore was supposed to be pretty special too, as was Dom DiMaggio. When they were both playing, some said Dom was a better outfielder than his brother.