It's amazing how certain myths regarding Babe Ruth are so often repeated. Well here is the real story......

At the end of the 1925 season, Babe Ruth was considering calling it quits. He played only 98 games in 1925. He had a mediocre season, and at age 30, weighed 254 lbs.
So that December, he sought out professional help by going to a Physical Fitness Gym. He started a rigorous fitness regimen at Artie McGovern's NYC gym (Artie was his
personal trainer). In 6 weeks, Ruth lost 44 lbs and his physical condition had improved to the point where he said "he felt like 20 again".

Ruth's performance 1926 proved that his physical conditioning really paid off. He played in 152 games....BA = .372....HR = 47....RBI = 145....SLA = .737

He continued this physical conditioning regimen for the remainder of his BB career. This transformation also brought about a renewed optimism; and, from 1927 - 1933
his career performance was equal to (or better than) his playing days when he was in his 20's.

Prior to Ruth's physical fitness program, his numbers were......

1918 - 1925

BA = .350

HR = 300

RBI = 905

After starting his physical fitness program, his numbers are......

1926 - 1933

BA = .341

HR = 377

RBI = 1161


TED Z
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MAYS. WILLIE MAYS.

...obviously.

Surprised by the lack of support for Frank Robinson. Does he lose out by not playing his career for a single team and not in a big market?

I love Frank Robinson. He would never get a top two vote from me since he seems to lag behind Aaron and Mays in pretty much every category. I suspect his 586 HRs have been greatly devalued as a result of the steroid era.

Yep. I'd put both Mays and Aaron above him but he's underrated, I suppose because his career was split between two teams and not in the big media markets.

Crazy to even think about the late 1950s with Mays, Aaron, Mantle, Clemente, and Robinson all roaming outfields more or less in their primes, guys like Musial, Snider, and Ted Williams still around, and the likes of Maris, Yaz, Brock, and Billy Williams just arriving or on the way.

As a kid in the late 70s, I looked at Parker, Foster, Rice, Winfield, Lynn, Jackson, etc. the same way. If you were trying to make a MLB all-star team with the three best outfielders, it was impossible to choose.

Don Mossi or Steve Balboni

Jeter would win if we were seeking the most overrated player of all time, with his 112 OPS+ indicating he was twelve percent better than an average player offensively. In checking several years ago, he was just one point ahead of Alan Trammel in this regard. In addition, as Keith Olberman pointed out in the face of much opposition, he was actually below average defensively for about the last ten years!

Greatest living player (PED cheaters excepted, of course), based on runs created vs league average during the era in which he played is Willie Mays, and that's just offensively. Defensively, IMHO, the best center fielder ever!

It's not just opinion anymore,

Larry

I like the info above...ironically, before seeing the list, I had the following as my top 6:

<1> Bonds
<2> Mays
<3> Aaron
<4> R. Henderson
<5> A. Rod
<6> Miguel Cabrera

Not sure why Miggy hasn't come up at all, but I think his early stats speak for themselves. And with respect to Rickey "Man of Steal" Henderson, how does someone with that much speed and base-stealing ability end up having the RECORD for most walks of all time (pre-Bonds)? That, to me, is one of the most mind-boggling stats ever. He's certainly the greatest lead-off hitter of all time (at least in my book).

To each his own. I'd rather have a great player for 6 years than one whose stats are over rated by steroids or playing in Fulton County Stadium.

My Take
 

1) Mays
2) Maddux
3) Rickey
4) Aaron
5) Koufax
6) Nolan

1A. Hank Aaron
1B. Willie Mays

THREE PLAYERS or THREE LOCATIONS?

1.) 634-2226-421-671-91-5-190-481-.301-.389-.603-.992

2.) 1013-3742-660-1140-192-32-195-636-.305-.373-.529-.902

3.) 1651-6396-1094-1960-341-61-370-1180-.306-.369-.552-.921

I would have to say that this guy was pretty BAD anywhere he went!
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ergo, the nickname...
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Hank Aaron. Aaron was a marginally better hitter than Mays. Mays was better than Aaron as a fielder, although Aaron did win 3 GGs. Aaron was in the top three in MVP voting 7 times, Mays 6 times. Aaron in my opinion is a real gentleman; Mays a jerk.

Saying Mays was better than Aaron as a fielder is like saying a Rolex is a better watch than a Casio. Mays was probably the greatest fielding outfielder, ever. I would call them even in hitting, with his all around game giving a slight edge to Mays overall.

WAR Position Players (Times leading the league) ... Based on WAR, I will go with Bonds and Mays.

Bonds (1986-2007) 11
Hornsby (1915-1937) 11
Ruth (1914-1935) 11
Wagner (1897-1917) 11
Mays (1951-1973) 10

Aaron probably would have won a few more Gold Gloves, too, if it weren't for Roberto Clemente. Aaron won three in a row. Clemente, arguably the greatest defensive right fielder in history, then won the next 13.

Al Kaline was a pretty good defensive right fielder too. He was just flawless. Always in the right spot and seemed to always make the right play. A great defensive center fielder who has gotten no love at all was Richie Ashburn. Bill James went on and on about what a ballhawk he was. Terry Moore was supposed to be pretty special too, as was Dom DiMaggio. When they were both playing, some said Dom was a better outfielder than his brother.