Who is the greatest BB player you ever SAW?

Peter_Spaeth · #1 08-13-2010, 04:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by oldjudge

Peter-The idea for a three or four hitter is to drive in runs. Taking your point about walks I looked at a few power hitters to see their ratio of RBIs to ABs. These are the results:

Ruth-.263
Williams-.239
DiMaggio-.225
Pujols-,215
Bonds-.203
Mantle-.186

If not for his injuries he might have been an all time great, maybe the greatest ever, but injuries are part of the game. Because of his knees he was not a base stealiing threat and had to be replaced in the outfield for defensive purposes late in games. Additionally, he finished his career with a sub .300 average (even if he skipped his last year his average would have been barely over .300). Also, he batted in one of the best lineups of his time which provided many more RBI opportunities than available to a normal three or four batter.

By that measure Musial was .170 or thereabouts. I guess he was overrated too? And how great were the hitters ahead of him? Rizzuto? Coleman? McDougald? Richardson? Carey? Kubek? etc. A great overall team yes, but not exactly the Big Red Machine setting the table.

tbob · #2 08-13-2010, 07:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Peter_Spaeth

By that measure Musial was .170 or thereabouts. I guess he was overrated too? And how great were the hitters ahead of him? Rizzuto? Coleman? McDougald? Richardson? Carey? Kubek? etc. A great overall team yes, but not exactly the Big Red Machine setting the table.

Valid point. Other than a few years when Mantle has Maris batting behind him, he had no protection in the lineup like others have had. Also if you subtract out Ruth (didn't see), Bonds (steroids), DiMaggio and Williams (never saw in person), that leaves only Pujols ahead of him. I will still take Mickey.

howard38 · #3 08-13-2010, 11:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Peter_Spaeth

By that measure Musial was .170 or thereabouts. I guess he was overrated too? And how great were the hitters ahead of him? Rizzuto? Coleman? McDougald? Richardson? Carey? Kubek? etc. A great overall team yes, but not exactly the Big Red Machine setting the table.

I was going to respond w/a similar post. I would add Billy Martin, Ruben Amaro and Horace Clarke to the "illustrious" list of hitters that set the table for Mantle. It's a wonder that he had as many 100 RBI seasons as he did. Furthermore during the course of his career Mantle himself occasionally batted first or second which further cut into his RBI totals.

MacDice · #4 08-14-2010, 12:43 AM

Ken Griffey Jr and Albert Pujols

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