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

[jiw98]

I've had a similar discussion with the Pastor at the church I attend. The fact that he grew up not only watching the Yankees, he also grew up in the dugout and locker room. After going back and for about great players in the 50's and 60's he point blank said that Mantle was the best player he had ever seen. He pointed out that Mantle played most of his career injured, but talent wise he said that nobody was better that he saw. So after this discussion and going back and forth on several players I will have to agree with him.
I'll go with Mantle.

[Peter_Spaeth]

From Jane Leavy's biography of Mantle.
Q. Who was better, you or Mays?
A. Expletive Willie.

Great line about Willie from Leo Durocher, who immediately recognized his supreme talent -- "If he could cook, I'd marry him."

Another Durocher/Mays anecdote. Apparently when Willie got the call to the bigs from Minneapolis he was extremely nervous and Durocher phoned him. After Willie explained he was afraid he might not be able to hit big league pitching, Durocher asks him, what are you hitting now? Willie replies .488 LOL. Durocher says, well son, do you think you can hit two bleeping fifty for me?

[tedzan]

The decades old question.....who was a better Centerfielder ?

Willie, Mickey, or the Duke (Snider) ?

In my opinion, since in during my youth I saw all three of them play, they were all great.

Duke Snider was one of the most gracious ballplayers that I ever met. And, you have to check-out the story Pete Rozelle tells about the Duke (when
they were classmates at Compton High (California) in the 1940's.

Willie, unfortunately is not the nicest guy you want to meet, nowadays. And, this is a shame to his many fans who have idolized him for many years.

And, Mickey....GOD Bless his soul.


OK, here is the quiz.....what is remarkable about Mickey which sets him apart from Willie and the Duke in terms of achievement ? ?


TED Z

T206 Reference
.

[Bigdaddy]

Originally Posted by tedzan

OK, here is the quiz.....what is remarkable about Mickey which sets him apart from Willie and the Duke in terms of achievement ? ?


TED Z

T206 Reference
.

Ummm...he drank more beer than Willie and Duke put together??

[Mark17]

Originally Posted by tedzan

OK, here is the quiz.....what is remarkable about Mickey which sets him apart from Willie and the Duke in terms of achievement ? ?


TED Z

.

1. He was a switch-hitter. Besides Eddie Murray, the best switch-hitting power hitter in baseball history.
2. He was the best bunter, and could drop one down for an infield hit almost whenever he wanted.
3. As good as he was on the field, his best work was done after he retired, with his honesty about his bad habits, addictions, and poor choices. He really turned the negatives in his life into teachable moments for millions of people.
4. His quick thinking while at first base, avoiding being doubled-up in the ninth inning of Game 7 of the 1960 World Series was the single best instantaneous reaction to an unusual situation ever seen on a ball field.
5. His baseball card prices almost single-handedly lifted the value of all baseball cards, and gave birth to the idea that a players' "rookie" card should have inordinate value.

[tedzan]

Hi Mark17

Thanks for all your answers.

However, the answer I'm looking for is much "deeper" than the usual stats, BB card factors, etc.

I'll continue this subject tomorrow evening.


TED Z

T206 Reference
.

[NiceDocter]

Watching a rerun of The Rifleman the other day and The Duke was one of the bad guys! Even had a few lines..... but like all the others who come up against Lucas McCain he bit the dust by the end of the half hour.

[mantlefan]

Well, Mickey of course. He did it all.

[ullmandds]

Originally Posted by Mark17

1. He was a switch-hitter. Besides Eddie Murray, the best switch-hitting power hitter in baseball history.
2. He was the best bunter, and could drop one down for an infield hit almost whenever he wanted.
3. As good as he was on the field, his best work was done after he retired, with his honesty about his bad habits, addictions, and poor choices. He really turned the negatives in his life into teachable moments for millions of people.
4. His quick thinking while at first base, avoiding being doubled-up in the ninth inning of Game 7 of the 1960 World Series was the single best instantaneous reaction to an unusual situation ever seen on a ball field.
5. His baseball card prices almost single-handedly lifted the value of all baseball cards, and gave birth to the idea that a players' "rookie" card should have inordinate value.

There are all those world serieses!!