If you were starting a team today......

[commishbob]

Mays

[Pilot172000]

Mays- Best pure baseball player ever

[boysblue]

Trout

[TexasDan]

Aaron

[frankbmd]

Interesting question with several slam dunk answers

If the age was 58, I would take Satchel Paige.

If the age was 54. I would take Minnie Minoso.

And if the age was 15, it would have to be Joe Nuxhall.

For many of the ages in between I would take Willie Mays.

In film I would take Willie Mays Hayes of course.

[A2000]

Babe Ruth!

[bbcard1]

From that list, I would go Griffey or Mantle but would be happy with any on that list...also one not on that list...Bonds.

[AGuinness]

Originally Posted by tedzan

Hi Kevin

Absolutely.....Mickey Mantle....."Mister Clutch" in the Big games.

These other guys cannot compare with Mickey's 18 - HR's in World Series play (1952 - 1964).

Mickey being a major force for his team being in that many W.S. during those years.


TED Z

T206 Reference
.

Originally Posted by A2000

Babe Ruth!

It is an interesting question, and I would assume that it includes the caveat that what a player accomplished in his career is not necessarily included for the team we are starting today. Mantle certainly proved he could hit 18 HR in the World Series, although I would hazard a guess that every one player on the list has the talent to possibly hit 18 home runs if given 273 PA in WS play.
My gut reaction is to say Trout, because he's the only player who has proven he can do it at the elite level under the current conditions.
Ruth is a good alternative to the answers given, and I think there could be others who would be fun to drop into 2019 and see what they could do if starting their young careers now... Bonds, Bo, Josh Gibson, Cobb... I guess I'd really love to see what Bo would have done if he committed to baseball and had the modern training methods, etc!

[ValKehl]

Aaron.

[Bigdaddy]

Say Hey!

[Santo10Fan]

Hank Aaron, mainly because I never got to see him play (in person) even though he came through Wrigley every year