O/T Life or Death, One Game, My Starting 9

[Runscott]

Originally Posted by z28jd

Obviously people can have their own opinion in something like this, but I don't see anyone better.

I think if you remember the early playoff Bonds, you remember someone that tried too hard to win and got out of his game, or just didn't play well under pressure. I would not take the Pirates version in a critical game, even though he was perhaps the best player in the game then.

When he was at his best, he was a machine that most people who didn't see him daily, don't give him credit for. He had the tiniest strike zone in the business, stood on top of the plate due to that body armor they let him wear and he never swung at a bad pitch. That Bonds was so zoned in(plus the umpires basically let him call strikes) that he would be perfect on any team. Most people just think steroids, but if you watched him everyday(thank you MLB package for his last five years), you saw the perfect hitter. He was basically playing t-ball and even Mario Mendoza could have been a great player if every pitch he swung at was right down the middle.

You are correct - if you watched him every day. Playoffs are different, especially in a one-game scenario. The guys on my list are for the most part people who I saw play under pressure.