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

[ElCabron]

Did you just really call me Bub? Anyway, I wouldn't put Bumgarner in the top 5 last year or this year. He's a good pitcher, but not close to Kershaw. And there are several others that are also currently better than him. But he becomes someone else when it matters the most, and that's what we're talking about.

-Ryan

[Runscott]

At least no one picked Kershaw for their 'one game only' team. That would certainly be lunacy, given his meltdown in critical post-season games.

I agree with Ryan that the only do-able way to quantify 'one game only' performance is through post-season stats, but if you had the time (the 'Stache being the only person here who has that kind of time) I suppose you could go through a list of candidates' careers, picking out critical games only;e.g-I wouldn't count game 4 of the World Series if your team is up 3-0, but I would count critical games at the end of the season when you are in a pennant race.

In the end, gut feel seems to be as good a method as any. Personally, I find the wide variety of 'gut feels' on our forum to be very interesting, especially among those of us who have followed baseball players during the same periods. It's also interesting to see all the names on people's lists that represent completely non-quantifiable players, given that they played during periods where we don't have enough stats to make such judgements. But even in those instances, 'gut feel' based on what they've read about such players, is as valid as any method for choosing.

[Lgarza99]

Originally Posted by ElCabron

Did you just really call me Bub? Anyway, I wouldn't put Bumgarner in the top 5 last year or this year. He's a good pitcher, but not close to Kershaw. And there are several others that are also currently better than him. But he becomes someone else when it matters the most, and that's what we're talking about.

-Ryan

That's what we are talking about. Like Kershaw being the top starter in this day and age. But, he wouldn't sniff the ball park in a life and death game for me!

[Orioles1954]

Compare Brooks Robinson's postseason stats to Mike Schmidt and the player who I would want manning the hot corner becomes very, very evident.

[packs]

LF - Rickey Henderson
SS - Honus Wagner
RF - Babe Ruth
1B - Lou Gehrig
CF - Ken Griffey Jr.
DH - Ted Williams
2B - Rogers Hornsby
3B - George Brett
C - Yogi Berra

SP - Walter Johnson

[rats60]

Originally Posted by Orioles1954

Compare Brooks Robinson's postseason stats to Mike Schmidt and the player who I would want manning the hot corner becomes very, very evident.

Brett OPS 1.023 .337 .397 .627
Brooks OPS .785 .303 .323 .462
Schmidt OPS .690 .236 .304 .386

It's clear to me who I want manning the hot corner, George Brett.

[btcarfagno]

Originally Posted by rats60

Brett OPS 1.023 .337 .397 .627
Brooks OPS .785 .303 .323 .462
Schmidt OPS .690 .236 .304 .386

It's clear to me who I want manning the hot corner, George Brett.

Small sample sizes such as "post season batting" can be so misleading. You make it seem as if Brett was somehow Mr. Clutch throughout his career in the post season. What if 1981 playoffs George Brett shows up? 1984? Again, if we are just looking at one game as a sample size and are willing to look at 150 at bats in the playoffs versus an entire career, why not just go with performance in one game? Didn't Rennie Stennett go 8 for 8 one game? That would make him the choice over Hornsby etc.

Now... Brett is a fine choice at third no matter the criteria, especially in his prime. Just don't base it exclusively on what he did in 150 at bats over the course of 12 seasons.

Tom C

[Mountaineer1999]

Originally Posted by btcarfagno

Didn't Rennie Stennett go 8 for 8 one game?


Tom C

Stennett went 7 for 7

[bravesfan22]

Lf Ricky Henderson
2b honus Wagner
Cf willie mays
Rf hank aaron
DH babe ruth
1b:Lou Gehrig
3b:Chipper jones (homer pick)
SS: Derek jeter
Catcher: Yogi Berra
Pitcher: christy mathewson
Closer: mariano Rivera

Unless I missed it I was the only one so far to pick hank Aaron which surprises me looking at his postseason stats. All a matter of opinion but I expected to see his name more.

Chipper was a Braves fan pick for me. A lot of postseason experience.
Wanted to put tom glavine as my pitcher based solely off of game 6 in 95 and my favorite player of all time but can't deny what Mathewson did in multiple series.

[Runscott]

Originally Posted by Mountaineer1999

Stennett went 7 for 7

Steve Balboni was known to perform fairly well when there was no pressure. You should have him bat clean-up.

[freakhappy]

Originally Posted by ElCabron

Did you just really call me Bub? Anyway, I wouldn't put Bumgarner in the top 5 last year or this year. He's a good pitcher, but not close to Kershaw. And there are several others that are also currently better than him. But he becomes someone else when it matters the most, and that's what we're talking about.



-Ryan

I was having some fun glad you didn't take offense to it.

Anyway, it might sound ridiculous, but kershaw is better than bum and I'd still take him in one game. I think he will prove it to us in the near future. That being said...bum has been great in the playoffs and I get why anyone would want him.


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[Lgarza99]

I still couldn't go with Kershaw because the future is now. There is no future if Kershaw is taking the mound.

[btcarfagno]

I don't really get the idea of using the playoff stats as what I will base my life on. I mean....if small sample sizes are what I am going to base it on why not go with Mark Whiten on the day he hit four homers? Ed Delahanty the day he hit four? Len Barker the day of his perfect game?

I wouldn't base my life on the outcome of small sample sizes. My "team" has so much hitting and pitching that it will more than make up for any "lack of clutchness" or whatever those using playoff stats are trying to say.

Tom C

[freakhappy]

Originally Posted by btcarfagno

I don't really get the idea of using the playoff stats as what I will base my life on. I mean....if small sample sizes are what I am going to base it on why not go with Mark Whiten on the day he hit four homers? Ed Delahanty the day he hit four? Len Barker the day of his perfect game?



I wouldn't base my life on the outcome of small sample sizes. My "team" has so much hitting and pitching that it will more than make up for any "lack of clutchness" or whatever those using playoff stats are trying to say.



Tom C

This is why I choose kershaw...because overall he is a beast and has better overall numbers. But bum has been really good in the postseason, so apparently he is better than Walter Johnson and Christy Mathewson....uh, no


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[bnorth]

1B Tino Marteniz
2B Robinson Cano
SS Derek Jeter
3B Wade Boggs
C Yogi Berra
OF Mickey Mantle
OF Babe Ruth
OF Bernie Williams
DH Joe DiMaggio
SP Roger Clemens
Closer Mariano Rivera

I want them Roided to the gills.

[paulcarek]

CF Mays
LF Musial
DH Williams
RF Ruth
C Posey
1B Clark
SS Wagner
2B Molitor
3B Sandoval

P Mathewson

Gamers, all. (Yes, I'm a Giants fan.)