Greatest Living Players - Top 5

[Scott Garner]

Okay, so it isn't 5. Let's call it top 10 in no particular order...
Aaron, Koufax, Bonds, Clemens, Randy Johnson, Seaver, Ryan, Griffey, Carlton, Mariano Rivera

BTW, I know that people will criticize my picking Ryan (personal bias).
Ryan absolutely dominated opposing hitters (7 no-hitters, 12 1-hitters, 5,714 strikeouts). He also left the ML setting (or tying) 52 MLB records.
I know from personal experience being a die-hard Angels fan, growing up in So Cal, that Ryan was unfortunate to spend the majority of his career playing for two teams (Angels & Astros) that just did not score any runs.
You can't win if your team doesn't score for you. Just sayin'...

[Mark]

No doubt in my mind that Mays and Aaron are the top 2. After that I'd say Seaver, Schmidt, and Maddux--but a case can be made for Koufax, and a couple of others. Trout? not quite yet. I leave out the players whose names have been associated with PED's.

[Forever Young]

Mays
Aaron
Ryan
Koufax
Seaver/schmidt tie


Bonds should be there but I will hold him back as the number 1 until living past greats are gone(pre steroid era). He is the most dominant player i have ever seen at any sport other than Michael Jordan. But right up there.

[oldjudge]

Mays
Aaron
Bonds
Henderson
Seaver

[darwinbulldog]

It won't be a popular list, but:

1) Barry Bonds
2) Roger Clemens
3) Willie Mays
4) Hank Aaron
5) Tom Seaver
6) Alex Rodriguez
7) Randy Johnson
8) Mike Schmidt
9) Greg Maddux
10) Bob Gibson

If we exclude pitchers, I'd give those five spots to Rickey Henderson, Joe Morgan, Albert Pujols, Johnny Bench, and Mike Trout.

[Jim65]

No particular order
Mays, Aaron, Seaver, Pedro, Griffey Jr.

[drcy]

A lot of living greats, but I'll pick Mays and Aaron. They might be in the top 5 living and dead, with Mays coming after Ruth.

Someone recently posted a video of Aaron on the Dave Letterman Show, and Aaron was funny and charming. The sometimes prickly Letterman was clearly a fan

The video

[MVSNYC]

Almost impossible to pick just 5...

Willie Mays
Hank Aaron
Sandy Koufax
Nolan Ryan
Derek Jeter
Mariano Rivera
Pete Rose
Griffey Jr.
Pujols

Juicers in separate category...

Barry Bonds
Roger Clemens
Arod

[bbcard1]

I always think you need one "elder statesman" and we have two right now, Aaron and Mays. They were all-time greats, but so were Bench and Schmidt, who are in waiting with Ripken behind them. I am not sure a pitcher can ever ascend to that level. Ryan is the best candidate, though Gibson and Carlton have the resume and Maddux will take the crown at some point. Koufax currently holds that mantel among pitchers, but I don't think a pitcher is ever considered as the greatest living player.

[quinnsryche]

[QUOTE=Forever Young;1862321]Mays
Aaron
Ryan
Koufax
Seaver/schmidt tie


That's as good a list as I could come up with

[bigfanNY]

No Pitchers No Active players No order just those I think a top 5
Aaron
Bonds
Griffey Jr.
Mays
Arod

Pitchers
Seaver
Koufax
Clemens
Maddox
Rivera

[perezfan]

I posted mine, which did not include Pitchers.

But for those who did include Pitchers, I'm really surprised that Bob Gibson's name has not even been mentioned. Perhaps I just overlooked it, but he was one untouchable bad-ass on the mound.

[perezfan]

Oops... there's Gibby in post #9. Still deserves more love, IMHO.

[Yastrzemski Sports]

If we’re talking top 5 pitchers I’ve got Randy Johnson, Maddux, Ford, Seaver and Carlton. Clemens, Mariano and Pedro’s next. I may have Gibson in the top 10. But certainly not top 5 players.

Originally Posted by perezfan

I posted mine, which did not include Pitchers.

But for those who did include Pitchers, I'm really surprised that Bob Gibson's name has not even been mentioned. Perhaps I just overlooked it, but he was one untouchable bad-ass on the mound.

[Fuddjcal]

Originally Posted by Mark

No doubt in my mind that Mays and Aaron are the top 2. After that I'd say Seaver, Schmidt, and Maddux--but a case can be made for Koufax, and a couple of others. Trout? not quite yet. I leave out the players whose names have been associated with PED's.

a case could be made for Koufax

Dominated with a sore arm and was the best pitcher of his generation. He is top 3, though we were supposed to exclude pitchers.

[71buc]

1. Mays
2. Aaron
3. Henderson
4. Griffey Jr.
5. Trout

[clydepepper]

IMO, some (ooops! make that a few) of you guys are WAY, WAY OFF!

I think Mays and Aaron are a cut above the rest.

...and I don't rank cheaters...but, that's just me and my bothersome standards.

[icollectDCsports]

Originally Posted by clydepepper

IMO, some (ooops! make that a few) of you guys are WAY, WAY OFF!

I think Mays and Aaron are a cut above the rest.

...and I don't rank cheaters...but, that's just me and my bothersome standards.

I would agree that Mays and Aaron the top 2, but Griffey Jr. would have to be #3 in my opinion (among non-pitchers). Hadn't looked at the stats for Pujols for a while because his career hasn't been as prominent while with the Angels, but they make a strong case for number 4. After that, some great candidates for #5: Schmidt, Murray, Brett, Bench, etc. Trout on a trajectory to get there, and I think he will, but we'll have to wait, enjoy watching him, and see if the continues his greatness.

[71buc]

When I included Trout on my list I thought it was crazy as well. Nonetheless the question was who is the greatest living player. I think the 8 seasons he has produced are impossible to deny. I'm not even an Angels fan but I believe we are already witnessing one of the top 5 players in the history of the game and at age 28 he is entering his prime. He is so damn good people forget he is only one year older than Machado and Harper.

Trout vs. All-Time Leaders Through Age-27 Seasons

HR TROUT 240 Barry Bonds 142
HITS TROUT 1,187 Pete Rose 899
BASES TROUT 2,219 Hank Aaron 2,305
RUNS TROUT 793 Rickey Henderson 732
WALKS TROUT 693 Barry Bonds 484

His first Eight seasons have produced a Rookie of the year, two MVP Awards, Finished second in MVP voting 4 times and ranked 4th once. He has earned
Six Silver Slugger Awards, Seven All Star Games, twice named as All Star Game MVP

[ooo-ribay]

Originally Posted by clydepepper

IMO, some (ooops! make that a few) of you guys are WAY, WAY OFF!

I think Mays and Aaron are a cut above the rest.

...and I don't rank cheaters...but, that's just me and my bothersome standards.

Almost every player has “cheated” in one form or another.

[71buc]

Originally Posted by ooo-ribay

Almost every player has “cheated” in one form or another.

Words of wisdom from a Giants fan Rob? I have heard similar sentiments from other Giant fans when discussing the merits of a certain ex Pirate.

[Mark17]

The most difficult and important position is catcher, and Bench was the best, ever. He has to be in the top 3.

[bigfanNY]

Whoa Bench is one of my favorite Baseball players but Yogi was better.

[doug.goodman]

With the various references to Mariano Rivera in this thread, I'm sorry to say that I have a really hard time with the fact that a season consists of 1,458 innings, and on average the Yankees sat him on the bench for 1,380 of those innings.

I suppose if you are arguably one of the greatest players in the history of the sport, spending less than 6% of your career actually playing means...

I don't know what it means, I just have a hard time dealing with it.

[doug.goodman]

In his defense he spent better than 9% of the post season playing.

[Case12]

Originally Posted by Scott Garner

Okay, so it isn't 5. Let's call it top 10 in no particular order...
Aaron, Koufax, Bonds, Clemens, Randy Johnson, Seaver, Ryan, Griffey, Carlton, Mariano Rivera

BTW, I know that people will criticize my picking Ryan (personal bias).
Ryan absolutely dominated opposing hitters (7 no-hitters, 12 1-hitters, 5,714 strikeouts). He also left the ML setting (or tying) 52 MLB records.
I know from personal experience being a die-hard Angels fan when I was growing up in So Cal that Ryan was unfortunate to spend the majority of his career playing for two teams (Angels & Astros) that just did not score any runs. You can't win if your team doesn't score for you. Just sayin'...

I am right there with you on Ryan. He was a pitching machine. No one will ever touch his record. I would also put Maddox on the list.

[sflayank]

mays
aaron
koufax
seaver
ford

[ooo-ribay]

Harold Baines!

[Chris-Counts]

Mays
Aaron
Morgan
Schmidt
Henderson

[Scott Garner]

My apologies for omitting Willie Mays.
Obviously he certainly should be on this list.

I must say that I'm shocked that nobody else has put Mariano Rivera on this list. I can't imagine a more reliable weapon to have on a team than a closer like Rivera.
Enter Sandman...
FWIW, I doubt that we will ever see another player as dominant as he was as a closer. The only 1st ballot HOF'er gaining 100% of the vote!

[Yastrzemski Sports]

Willie Mays
Hank Aaron
Barry Bonds
Albert Pujols
Randy Johnson