Was Barry greater than Walter?

[yanksfan09]

I think lists are usually always more biased towards more recent players. I always hear this or that athlete is a top ten player, such as Griffey, Bonds, Pujols, Manny Ramirez, A-Rod etc with hitters. Or how Pedro Martinez, Maddux, Clemens, Nolan Ryan, Randy Johnson, Mariano Rivera etc... are in the top 10 or so with pitchers. People always make statements like that on talk radio and sports TV shows. Half the time I just shake my head and laugh. Maybe a couple of these guys get that high on the list like a Pujols or something, but the history of the game is so long with so many greats, it's hard to start making cuts from the players of the past.

Statements like this are so easy to say, but they never back it up by giving a complete list and who they exclude. In NY, I hear a lot how Derek Jeter is a top 5,4,3 etc... all time Yankee. Maybe he makes it to 5 at best, but ceratinly can't get higher. I think 5 is a real stretch and you have to leave off the pitchers Whitey Ford and Mariano Rivera. Babe Ruth, Gehrig, DiMaggio, Mantle are immortal players who he can't surpass. Yogi Berra is maybe debatable but 10 rings and the MVP's and power from a small catcher is pretty tough to get past.

Rambling a bit. But, I feel a lot of people tend to forget or dismiss greatness of the past or just don't know their history.