Baseball's Greatest Living Player...who is it?

[darwinbulldog]

Originally Posted by Peter_Spaeth

One could argue the torch passed to Cobb, who lived until 1960 or so. And before Mays and Mantle retired, one could argue Williams or Musial over DiMaggio.

I think maybe I am interpreting the question differently (from everyone else?). I was thinking Babe Ruth was the best ever; therefore, at any point during his life, whether anyone realized it or not, he was the greatest living player. And on the other point I just happen to think Young was better than Cobb and Mays.

So here's how I see it:

1841-1852: Jim Creighton
1852-1857: Cap Anson
1857-1861: Tim Keefe
1861-1867: John Clarkson
1867-1887: Cy Young
1887-1895: Walter Johnson
1895-1948: Babe Ruth
1948-1955: Cy Young
1955-present: Willie Mays

[iwantitiwinit]

Darwin you are an evolutionary thinker!

[perezfan]

Lots of Batting stats being thrown around. But also taking fielding and base-running into account, I'd put Griffey Jr. right up there with Aaron and Mays.

Playing for small market teams hurt him, and this forum (myself included) favors vintage and tends to glorify the past a bit more.

[71buc]

Originally Posted by perezfan

Lots of Batting stats being thrown around. But also taking fielding and base-running into account, I'd put Griffey Jr. right up there with Aaron and Mays.

Playing for small market teams hurt him, and this forum (myself included) favors vintage and tends to glorify the past a bit more.

I saw Aaron late in his career. However, I have to admit that Junior was the most exciting if not the best I ever saw play in person. Although he was a bit of a prim donna I feel privileged to have witnessed his career from beginning to end. He was absolutely the most complete player of his generation.

[Peter_Spaeth]

Even pre steroids I would rate Bonds right up there with and possibly ahead of Griffey. Not quite the home run power but everything else, and he was a better overall hitter in part because of his phenomenal ability to draw walks.

[Peter_Spaeth]

Originally Posted by darwinbulldog

I think maybe I am interpreting the question differently (from everyone else?). I was thinking Babe Ruth was the best ever; therefore, at any point during his life, whether anyone realized it or not, he was the greatest living player. And on the other point I just happen to think Young was better than Cobb and Mays.

So here's how I see it:

1841-1852: Jim Creighton
1852-1857: Cap Anson
1857-1861: Tim Keefe
1861-1867: John Clarkson
1867-1887: Cy Young
1887-1895: Walter Johnson
1895-1948: Babe Ruth
1948-1955: Cy Young
1955-present: Willie Mays

Huh? These dates make no sense at all. You're using someone's birthdate to define when they became the greatest living player? I think almost everyone else would understand the question to be about who, based on past performance, was the greatest living player.

[Shoeless Moe]

Originally Posted by darwinbulldog

I think maybe I am interpreting the question differently (from everyone else?). I was thinking Babe Ruth was the best ever; therefore, at any point during his life, whether anyone realized it or not, he was the greatest living player. And on the other point I just happen to think Young was better than Cobb and Mays.

So here's how I see it:

1841-1852: Jim Creighton
1852-1857: Cap Anson
1857-1861: Tim Keefe
1861-1867: John Clarkson
1867-1887: Cy Young
1887-1895: Walter Johnson
1895-1948: Babe Ruth
1948-1955: Cy Young
1955-present: Willie Mays

What the hell are you smoking?

[glchen]

Originally Posted by darwinbulldog

I think maybe I am interpreting the question differently (from everyone else?). I was thinking Babe Ruth was the best ever; therefore, at any point during his life, whether anyone realized it or not, he was the greatest living player. And on the other point I just happen to think Young was better than Cobb and Mays.

So here's how I see it:

1841-1852: Jim Creighton
1852-1857: Cap Anson
1857-1861: Tim Keefe
1861-1867: John Clarkson
1867-1887: Cy Young
1887-1895: Walter Johnson
1895-1948: Babe Ruth
1948-1955: Cy Young
1955-present: Willie Mays

I think this list is interesting, but as others have said, you probably should start it when they first started playing professional baseball rather than when they were born. Even better start when they were known as the best player in the game, so for Ruth around 1919-1921 or so.

I think my list would be:

(1) Mays
(2) Rose
(3) Aaron

For pitchers, although Koufax was absolutely dominant for around 4 years or so, I think that sample size is too small to call him the greatest living pitcher. There are too many great pitchers like Pedro and Randy Johnson. You can even say that Clayton Kershaw has been absolutely dominant for 4 years now and he still has a lot left in the tank.