two of my nieces are WV grads, it ia a big deal
Baseball Great - Willie Mays
Unfortunately i never saw him in his prime.
I feel Mays might be the last great of the 50/60s
There has always been a discussion of greatest living baseball player.
Ted Williams
Then Mays, with a good debate for Aaron
Now it is so open, Bonds if you discount steriods?
Pujols/ Schmidt otherwise? Bench?
A very wide open discussion
I feel like the all-time hits leader deserves to be in that conversation, but Iām admittedly biased.
I only saw him later in his career as well.
I still have my favourite baseball card from his era: the 1962 Topps Managersā Dream card (Mays and Mantle).
RIP Willie.
If ignoring steroids itās clearly Bonds, if disqualifying him Iād probably go Ricky Henderson, who would like you to know that Rickey Henderson is still available to help your baseball team. Though all the ones you mention and a few others are also good choices.
As for Twigās suggestion, Iām not sure he cracks the top 5.
Iāll disagree, would never take him over Schmidt, Brett, Bench, Pujols
had Henderson in mind the other day as well, totally forgot him.
The most exciting ball player
Ohtani
He might take that over at some point, even before he retires, but probably needs a larger body of work. Two players that probably would be in consideration if not for injuries would be Griffey Jr. and Trout. And if we are including users A-rod, while below Bonds would definitely be in the discussion with the others mentioned.
Agree ignoring steroids is Bonds. Some others high on the list also have that same strike against them. Clemons would probably be next for me, and ARod would be up there. Iād probably have Randy Johnson as the next guy without any clear steroid taint to him.
Pitcher is interesting. Maddux, Pedro, Big unit, and Clemens all have good cases though as you note Clemens does have the Steriod cloud.
Pitcher is a different discussion
Koufax is still alive
Bonds w/o argument if ignoring roids
Griffey interesting too, but i put Pujols above him
Definitely a case to be made for him too!
No love for Nolan Ryan?
For best living? Not really. Slightly over 500 record, 112 career ERA+. Sure he was incredible when he was on and tough as anyone to hit as evidenced by the no-hitters and I believe what is still a career best 6.6 H/9 but in addition to the ones I listed an zombieP added I could probably come up with a half a dozen others I might put ahead of him. Maybe if he hadnāt lead the league in walks 8 times and issue a record 2,795 free passes to go with his strikeout record he might have been the best ever, let alone best living but alas control often eluded him.
Greatest on field noogie though
Oh hey, why donāt I go rush this old geezer was not Robin Venturaās finest decision.
yes, great skill set, over rated as a performer