Joe Jackson and Pete Rose Should Be HOFers Because...

[Tabe]

Originally Posted by Mark17

Cobb played in the deadball era, but early in his career he was a home run hitter. In the A.L., here's where he finished on the HR leader board:

1907 second
1909 first
1910 second
1911 second
1912 third

So Cobb finished in the top 3 in home runs 5 of his first 6 full years in the majors. Relative to his time, and his peers, he was an outstanding home run hitter.

Misleading - in 1909, for example, all of his home runs were inside-the-park.

[Mark17]

Originally Posted by Tabe

Misleading - in 1909, for example, all of his home runs were inside-the-park.

I thought your point was the relative value of singles vs. home runs. I didn't realize there was a difference in the result of a home run that goes over the fence and one that doesn't. Both clear the bases and count the same.

Cobb hit for power in the dead ball era; in his prime years, nobody was busting fences down. Nobody until the Babe.

[Tabe]

Originally Posted by Mark17

I thought your point was the relative value of singles vs. home runs. I didn't realize there was a difference in the result of a home run that goes over the fence and one that doesn't. Both clear the bases and count the same.

Cobb hit for power in the dead ball era; in his prime years, nobody was busting fences down. Nobody until the Babe.

Your point was that Cobb had home run power early in his career. I was pointing how misleading those numbers are.

[Ricky]

Today, due to saber metrics and advanced stats, we know that home runs are far more valuable than singles. During Cobb’s time, that wasn’t so clear.

[G1911]

Originally Posted by Ricky

Today, due to saber metrics and advanced stats, we know that home runs are far more valuable than singles. During Cobb’s time, that wasn’t so clear.

I think people understood that clearing the bases and scoring at minimum 1 run was better. I think people were intelligent enough to realize 4 bases is better than 1. Home runs were much harder to hit, but I do not see how we can reasonably doubt that people then knew 4 bases is better than 1.

[JollyElm]

Is this pissing contest going to end anytime soon? Asking for a friend.

[Tabe]

Originally Posted by Ricky

Today, due to saber metrics and advanced stats, we know that home runs are far more valuable than singles. During Cobb’s time, that wasn’t so clear.

Did runners stop at 1B instead of trying for 2B or 3B on balls hit a long way back then? No? Then they understood home runs were better.

[Mark17]

Originally Posted by Tabe

Your point was that Cobb had home run power early in his career. I was pointing how misleading those numbers are.

He had power to slam the ball deep enough into the gaps to be able to clear the bases and score himself. In his day, that was power. It's not like there were guys who were hitting 20 (or even 15) over the fence home runs in those days.

As I stated, relative to his time and peers, Cobb had power.