Quote:
Originally Posted by raulus
Quote:
Originally Posted by packs
I find it hard to take critics of Mantle seriously.
Of the players with WARs over 100, only three players have a WAR over 100 with fewer plate appearances than Mantle had. They are: Lou Gehrig, Rogers Hornsby, and Ted Williams.
That's it. He is in the elite of elite company. It is impossible to suggest he wasn't the all time great he was. It's also impossible to suggest that because Mantle was on the Yankees, he's given accolades he doesn't deserve.
The guy won three MVPs and the Triple Crown. He won 7 championships and played in 12 of them. There is no 50s Yankees dynasty without him, so to say that because he played on the Yankees XYZ, is really only saying because Mickey Mantle existed the Yankees were good.
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I don’t think anyone is actually criticizing Mantle as a player. At least I don’t think so.
I think the whole premise of the thread is whether the premium for his cards, particularly the 52 Topps, is warranted based solely on his play, while ignoring all other elements.
And clearly there is a serious premium that exists due to circumstances that are unconnected to his on-field performance.
So it’s really not intended to be a knock on the player. Or even an attempt to suggest that his cards should be worth less. But rather that the prices for his cards are based on other factors that go well beyond his performance on the field. |
That's it precisely. It's not a case that Mickey Mantle wasn't as good (or better) than many of the other legendary superstars of his era. It's just that his on-field performance doesn't justify the large premium at which his cards trade and that's the precise subject of this thread.
