Who was the best center fielder of all time?

[oldjudge]

Ty Cobb, and I don't think it's close. Offensively, the only advantage Mays has is in HRs. Mays was probably a better fielder, but it would have been interesting to see Mays play with the glove Cobb had to use.

[Seiklis]

Mays

[sycks22]

Devon White?

[Zone91]

Why would Ken Griffey jr pass before Mantle he never won a world series and Mantle won 7 of them?

Post # 6

[Paul S]

Originally Posted by Zone91

Why would Ken Griffey jr pass before Mantle he never won a world series and Mantle won 7 of them?

Post # 6

Griffey Jr. didn't play in NY.

[71buc]

Due to absence of Mays in this poll I will go with Griffey. Perhaps I am biased being in the Northwest but Jr is the greatest all around talent I ever saw. I can tell this is the pre war forum. Ty Cobb over Griffey is like believing a Chalmers would beat a Ferrari in a race

[bender07]

Originally Posted by Zone91

Why would Ken Griffey jr pass before Mantle he never won a world series and Mantle won 7 of them?

Post # 6

If Junior plays for the NYY from '51 to '69 he's winning 7 titles too.

[Sean]

Originally Posted by Zone91

Why would Ken Griffey jr pass before Mantle he never won a world series and Mantle won 7 of them?

Post # 6

Adrian, maybe this could be your next poll:
Who was the best player to never play in a World Series?

1- Napoleon Lajoie
2- George Sisler
3- Ernie Banks
4- Rod Carew
5- Ken Griffey Jr.

Did I miss anyone?

[deadballfreaK]

Mays! Mays in the live ball era. Speaker in the deadball era. Cobb was not a great fielder. Dimaggio was the third best CF in his family as far as fielding. Vince and Dom were better. Mantle was third. The NY bias is so great.

[Rickyy]

Playing first in that weird Polo Grounds and then getting rewarded by next being tortured in that windblown Candlestick for years...Willie gets tops...if not at least in the top 3.

Ricky Y

[itjclarke]

Mays.. and not because I'm a Giants fan. He just influenced a game on every level (power, hit for average, glove, RF caliber throwing arm, speed on basepaths on balls in play, speed to steal bases, and intellectually).

Seems like Mays has a huge lead here, which surprises me some since it was nearly neck and neck in the Mantle vs. Mays thread a few weeks back.

[Cardboard Junkie]

Wasn't it Durocher who said of Mays, "If he could cook I'd marry him!".

[Peter_Spaeth]

Originally Posted by oldjudge

Ty Cobb, and I don't think it's close. Offensively, the only advantage Mays has is in HRs. Mays was probably a better fielder, but it would have been interesting to see Mays play with the glove Cobb had to use.

Better power hitter and better fielder, that's a pretty good start for a center fielder, no? I would give the advantage, by a slight margin, to Mays, although it's always somewhat artificial to compare players across eras. Had Grifffey's career continued at the same trajectory through his 30s, he certainly would be in the discussion, but of course it didn't.

[MMarvelli]

Willie Mays

"The only man who could have caught that ball, hit that ball"

[oldjudge]

Peter-Cobb played in the dead ball era when scoring was lower than during Mays' time, yet Cobb had more RBIs. During most of Cobbs career no one hit a lot of HRs. Otherwise, he compares very favorably to Mays in doubles and triples. As to fielding, Mays was probably better but how do you compare?

[Wymers Auction]

I think we can all agree that Mays should have been a choice. Fun topic.

[RCMcKenzie]

Here are the all-time OF assist leaders by career and season...

http://www.baseball-reference.com/le...f_career.shtml

http://www.baseball-reference.com/le...f_season.shtml
n172ryan169.jpgdiamondsrichardson049.jpg

Ryan is third all-time in assists, and although he is listed as a RF in the n172 series, he also played CF.

Richardson is known primarily as a 2B, but is credited with as many as 45 OF assists in 1881 with Buffalo.

[travrosty]

i say griffey jr.

[alanu]

Say Hey

[auggiedoggy]

Willie Mays!

End of discussion! No really! I have to go to bed now.

[Sean]

Mays.

[the 'stache]

Willie Mays. Great power, great fielder, and let's not overlook the speed that helped him to be a great fielder. Willie was so fast, he's the only hitter I could think of that would hit a ball up the middle and have it hit him in the butt as he was sliding into second.