most overrated player and pitcher

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Posted By: jay behrens

There is one HUGE problem with taking the word of peers as to who the greatest ever is. All they have to reference is who they actually faced/saw. Ask a kid today who the greatest pitcher is and you probably get Randy Johnson, Clemens or Pedro and even some votes for Dontrell Willis. Does this also make them among the greatest ever? No!

the reason people think Koufax is overrated is because people like you, Jeff, seem to just dismiss the first 6 years of his career as if they never happened. When talking about greatness, you can't. They happened and nothing you do or say will mitigate the fact that Koufax sucked for the first 6 years of career.

Jim Rice was the most feared hitting the game in the late 70s and early 80s. More so than Schmidt, Brett and other hitter that are acknowledged as being great. Yet you never hear his name brought in conversations of greatest hitters. You know why? He didn't sustain his greatness for very long. But sustained it for a lot longer than Koufac did. So why isn't Rice mentioned among the greatest hitters ever. As kid growing up, no one wanted to face him the way peole don't want to face Bonds today.

So until someone can adequately explain how a pitcher can be sub .500 for more than half their career, still be considered great. I will always consider Koufax overrated.

True greatness is long term proposition.

Bob, great point about Oliva. I can't believe I forgot about him when he was my favorite player as a kid.

Jay

My place is full of valuable, worthless junk.