So who was better ( Kaline or Clemente) ?

[G1911]

Originally Posted by cgjackson222

I am not sure I am following. Kaline's lifetime OPS+ was 134.
But his OPS+ was 96 in 1973 and 107 as DH in 1974.

Other AL DHs' OPS+ in 1974:
New York: Ron Blomberg 147
Angels: Frank Robinson 146
Cleveland: Oscar Gamble 140
Kansas City: Hal McRae 139
Minnesota: Tony Oliva 109
Texas: Jim Spencer 108
Baltimore: Tommy Davis 105
Chicago: Pat Kelly 104
Milwaukee: Bobby Mitchell 103
Boston: Cecil Cooper 101
Oakland: Jesus Alou 83

So Kaline's OPS at DH of 107 was higher 5 other AL DHs and lower than 6.
The average OPS+ of the DHs was just under 117, significantly higher than Kaline's.

The point is that a player's value to his team has a lot to do with the position he plays. Clemente was still playing a productive Right Field at the end of his career, not platooning with 1st Base or DH.

Your original post cited his 1968 and on performance as average to below average. I was responding to that. From 1968-1972, he posted a 134 OPS+, finishing over 140 three times in those five years.

I agree, and have said a few times, he was just a league average bat his last two years while providing little value elsewhere. 1973, he’s declined and no longer a great or even a star. But that’s 1973-1974, not 1968-1974. I have, very specifically, never stated anywhere that Kaline was a stud in 1974. He was 39 and could have hung on another year or two maybe, but not as a real contributor.