All right guys, we all know baseball..Who's the best in your mind?

[clydepepper]

Originally Posted by bnorth

For players I saw play in person it would be Wade Boggs. The guy was a hitting machine. If you liked homeruns you needed to see him take batting practice it was amazing. I seriously think he could have easily won several of the all star homerun derby's if he was in them.

If the steroid guys are included maybe Ken Griffey Jr. I would say Barry Bonds hands down but I only went to a few National league games compared to several 100 American league games and never seen him play in person.

Congrats, Ben. I'm pretty sure you are the first person I ever heard link Ken Griffey, Jr. to steroids.

While they played during the period, I have never heard that about Thomas or Thome either. Let's be careful who gets thrown under the bus.

Bill- I have to admit, recalling that I did witness the 1971 World Series, Clemente would have to be the best I ever saw, too.

[bosoxfan]

Best I ever saw was Pedro Martinez. Best 6 consecutive years ever.

[EvilKing00]

bests I have seen was bonds / best player ever ruth

[packs]

On the pitching spectrum I go with:

Best of my life: Pedro Martinez and Randy Johnson.

Really tough to say who was better. Johnson gets the edge in my opinion. From 1997 to 2002 he average 20 wins, 340 K's, threw 19 shutouts and pitched 46 complete games.

[TUM301]

Best player I ever saw in person, Johnny Bench. Have a soft spot for catchers because it`s such a demanding position but he played it at least as well, if not better, as anyone I`ve seen. Added to that is he was one of the main offensive threats for one of the better teams for many years. in an all time fantasy team draft, I start with Bench.

[clydepepper]

For position players I've seen play, I'd go with Clemente, Griffey, Jr., and Bench.

For pitchers, Koufax (didn't see him much, but that was enough), Pedro, Seaver, and Maddux.

I would include Bonds and Clemens, but no one knows exactly when the juicing started...so I have to leave them off.

Best in his lifetime : Babe Ruth

[the 'stache]

Originally Posted by clydepepper

For position players I've seen play, I'd go with Clemente, Griffey, Jr., and Bench.

For pitchers, Koufax (didn't see him much, but that was enough), Pedro, Seaver, and Maddux.

I would include Bonds and Clemens, but no one knows exactly when the juicing started...so I have to leave them off.

Best in his lifetime : Babe Ruth

The sad thing about Bonds is that he never had to juice. He wouldn't have broken Hank Aaron's home run record, or McGwire's, but he'd have been a first ballot Hall of Famer, anyway. He ruined his legacy.

By the end of his age 30 season, which is before Bonds would have started taking PED more than likely, he had 999 runs, 1,436 hits, 306 doubles, 48 triples, 292 home runs, 864 RBI, 340 stolen bases and a .938 OPS. He'd won 3 MVPs, 5 Gold Gloves, and 5 Silver Slugger Awards. I mean, to be at 300 HR and 300 SB, at age 31...all he had to do was stay healthy, and he was clearly on his way.

The next three years, he hit .300 with 119 HR, 352 RBI, and 105 SB. He had a 1.051 OPS in those three years. He won 3 more Gold Gloves and 2 more Silver Sluggers. At that point, I don't know if he's using, but he's a Hall of Famer right then.

At the end of the 1998 season, 33 years old, his career numbers:

.290 AVG, 1,364 R, 1,917 H, 403 doubles, 411 HR, 1,216 RBI, 445 SB, .966 OPS. 3 MVP. 8 Gold Gloves. 7 Silver Sluggers.

1999 was the year, I think, that moved him to use. He still hit 34 home runs, but he only hit .262, and only played in 102 games. The next two years, of course, he hit 49 then 73 home runs. The rest was history.

It's too bad.