Posted By:
warshawlawJay: How is winning 5 batting championships and having 200 hits 7 times weak? The most similar careers per baseball-reference are:
1. Rod Carew (881) *
2. Tony Gwynn (851)
3. Paul Waner (828) *
4. Sam Rice (807) *
5. Zack Wheat (802) *
6. Frankie Frisch (798) *
7. Roberto Alomar (778)
8. Tim Raines (768)
9. Jimmy Ryan (765)
10. Charlie Gehringer (757) *
Not exactly weak company to keep. Let's not also forget that Boggs languished in the minors for at least a couple of seasons beyond his time. Had he come up earlier, he would not have had to hang on for an extra few seasons to get to 3000 hits and we'd be looking at a guy around .335 instead of .328 (which is nothing to sneeze at either).
Winfield's on base % and average (.283, .353) are considerably lower than Boggs's (.328, .415). Even slugging % (Boggs .443; Winfield .475) isn't that far apart. Take away the 3000 hits from longevity (took him nearly 2000 more at bats and several more years than Boggs to get there) and he isn't a HOFer. Well, he did top 30 homers twice...
Brian: Banks's career is about half playing first base. As a shortstop he was adequate.
Greg: I agree that Rizzuto has enjoyed a "halo effect" from being a Yankee; so did Pee Wee Reese from being a Dodger. I think Marty Marion is underrated but really was a cut below the other two. Vaughn was a terrific player; read Bill James's analysis of his career.
WE at the Warshaw Group will take Boggs over Winfield any day. Don't hate us because we're pompous 