The players of yesterday

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Posted By: Bryan Long

Just happened to be traveling today and heard on my XM a couple of DJ's talking about baseball players and can we compare the players of today with Honus Wagner, Babe Ruth, Walter Johnson, ETC. We have talked about this some in the past and, I think, that most people don't think that we can. The game has changed too much. I think I agree for the most part. The interesting point that was brought up was that - baseball is really the only sport that you can STILL compare players of yesterday to today.

For example, if you take players from basketball, football or any other sport the players are smaller (George Mikan vs. Shaq), or the game has simply changed way to much (football). But in baseball the game is largely the same. Cobb was 190lbs in his prime - could he play today? Sure. Walter Johnson was a big man. Could he pitch? Yep. Ruth was huge. Gehrig was no shrimp either. Would they be as good? Now that is the question. No one really can answer that one.

What is my point?? I think this is why baseball is such a great sport. You can compare apples to apples in baseball. Sure it may be a red apple and a green apple, but in every other sport you can't even come close to comparing players from 100 years ago to today.

It is Friday and I just thought I would throw all of this out there and see what happened.

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