The ninth man.

[Steve D]

Al, I can make that connection in 9 players:

1. Doc Adams: 1846-1855
2. Dickey Pearce: 1855-1871
3. Cap Anson: 1871-1897
4. Bobby Wallace: 1894-1918
5. Jimmy Dykes: 1918-1939
6. Ted Williams: 1939-1960
7. Willie McCovey: 1959-1980
8. Rickey Henderson: 1979-2003
9. Miguel Cabrera: 2003 - present

So, Miguel Cabrera is the 9th and current man.


Steve

[Peter_Spaeth]

Originally Posted by Steve D

Al, I can make that connection in 9 players:

1. Doc Adams: 1846-1855
2. Dickey Pearce: 1855-1871
3. Cap Anson: 1871-1897
4. Bobby Wallace: 1894-1918
5. Jimmy Dykes: 1918-1939
6. Ted Williams: 1939-1960
7. Willie McCovey: 1959-1980
8. Rickey Henderson: 1979-2003
9. Miguel Cabrera: 2003 - present

So, Miguel Cabrera is the 9th and current man.


Steve

I think you could get to someone who started much more recently than Cabrera if you did 6. Early Wynn 1939-1963 and 7. Tommy John 1963-1989. Not sure who 8 would be but surely someone who lasted beyond 2003. Griffey maybe.

[Al C.risafulli]

I like to think that from Anson on, KO was talking about Hall of Famers - guys who were the "grand old man of the game," that sort of thing.

At least that's what I like to think - that the point he was making was that somewhere out there is a kid who will eventually be a legend.

Otherwise, if we're just trying to trace the origins of the game right to the present day, I'm pretty sure that when Julio Franco broke in, Bob Feller was still playing.

-Al

[wondo]

Originally Posted by Al C.risafulli

I like to think that from Anson on, KO was talking about Hall of Famers - guys who were the "grand old man of the game," that sort of thing.

At least that's what I like to think - that the point he was making was that somewhere out there is a kid who will eventually be a legend.

Otherwise, if we're just trying to trace the origins of the game right to the present day, I'm pretty sure that when Julio Franco broke in, Bob Feller was still playing.

-Al

Lets not forget Minoso or Kaat (I mean, if we go for lengevity). And of course somehow Paige should fit in.......................just sayin'.

I really like the article; KO's passion is always evident when he talks baseball.

[Peter_Spaeth]

Originally Posted by wondo

Lets not forget Minoso or Kaat (I mean, if we go for lengevity). And of course somehow Paige should fit in.......................just sayin'.

I really like the article; KO's passion is always evident when he talks baseball.

Jim Kaat pitched to both Ted Williams and Julio Franco, one of my favorite baseball trivia things.

[Steve D]

Originally Posted by Peter_Spaeth

I think you could get to someone who started much more recently than Cabrera if you did 6. Early Wynn 1939-1963 and 7. Tommy John 1963-1989. Not sure who 8 would be but surely someone who lasted beyond 2003. Griffey maybe.

Correct, if you change Ted Williams to Early Wynn, then you get to Tommy John, Omar Vizquel, and then Mike Trout.

Steve

[Timbegs]

If you want to see 200 hits and 100 Runs and .300, go look up Derek Jeter's stats if you need to but he's not all stats anyway. I am a Yankee fan and a PED hater. Never liked any - Canseco, Bonds, Clemens, Ortiz, Palmiero, ARod, Sheffield, Sosa, McGwire. What makes Jeter remarkable is he did have a flair for the dramatic and he was a big in big moments. The HR for 3,000. The flip. The jump throw. Wearing out the Mets. And the ladies. And the postseason. He was - like him or not - the face of baseball for most of America. The grand old man in his final year for sure.

Ortiz was on his way out of baseball prior to taking roids. I don't believe in him as a romantic hero. He was clutch, had great power and killed my Yankees - every time. Utmost respect for his bat. On the list of guys who helped save (and helped taint) the sport. And he didn't play first because he was not good. Average is an overstatement. And I think all these guys are the modern day Black Sox - we just don't really punish wrongdoing as well anymore.

[MVSNYC]

Awesome Al!

To me, it's not even a question...Jeter is the ninth man...I think you have to also factor in leadership, grit, rings.

PS- I know that KO has been on here before (N54), so it would be cool if he chimed in about his ninth man...and #10 while he's at it.

[Klrdds]

I love the article and I have told people for years that to collect anything baseball is to collect a portion of American History that is defined by a specific time frame / year. Baseball has always been a mirror of American history , both good and bad.
As I am Not an Ortiz fan either so how about for arguments sake the 9th man being the inimitable Bartolo Colon. Maybe a Hall of Famer , who knows, but his career started in Eddie Murray's last year of 1997 and in the American League too where Murray played part of his last season of 1997 with the Angels. I didn't check it but Colon could've pitched to Murray at some point in the season.
If you go for HoFers then it is Jeter but he debuted in 1995 and I was looking at last year and rookie year direct overlaps. That is why I said Colon.

[clydepepper]

Originally Posted by Klrdds

I love the article and I have told people for years that to collect anything baseball is to collect a portion of American History that is defined by a specific time frame / year. Baseball has always been a mirror of American history , both good and bad.
As I am Not an Ortiz fan either so how about for arguments sake the 9th man being the inimitable Bartolo Colon. Maybe a Hall of Famer , who knows, but his career started in Eddie Murray's last year of 1997 and in the American League too where Murray played part of his last season of 1997 with the Angels. I didn't check it but Colon could've pitched to Murray at some point in the season.
If you go for HoFers then it is Jeter but he debuted in 1995 and I was looking at last year and rookie year direct overlaps. That is why I said Colon.

I like Bartolo Colon, but he is definitely NOT a Hall-of-Famer.



.

[btcarfagno]

Originally Posted by Peter_Spaeth

I think you could get to someone who started much more recently than Cabrera if you did 6. Early Wynn 1939-1963 and 7. Tommy John 1963-1989. Not sure who 8 would be but surely someone who lasted beyond 2003. Griffey maybe.

Jamie Moyer? 1986-2012.