Hypothetical Question, could Ruth hit modern pitching

[BobbyStrawberry]

Pitchers throw much harder today and are aided by aided by advances in science that pitchers 100 years ago didn't have.

But, imagine how much better past great hitters would be if they were transported to the present and had access to everything that hitters today have, like strength and conditioning coaching, dieticians and improved health/lifestyle information, data on swing mechanics and other hitting analytics, opposition research, and of course, the new shift limitations.

[JimC]

In sports you have essentially three components that make a player good: talent, skill and intelligence (in all its forms). When you play sports as a kid it's easy to identify guys who have an abundance of talent. Hand eye coordination, balance, speed, strength. Later you see which of them hone their skills (and intelligence) with practice, observation, coaching, facing top competition, etc. And of course some guys with less natural talent succeed by becoming so skillful and savvy that they can outplay guys who are more naturally gifted.

I suspect most of the truly gifted athletes of the past would, over the course of their playing lives, adjust to their competition and improve their skills much the same way today's young players do. No one is born hitting 105 mph sliders or Zach Wheeler slurves. I bet a young Ty Cobb or Oscar Charleston would look at those pitches in awe - - for about three minutes. Then they would say "give me a week to figure this out."

[Snapolit1]

It always an interesting debate and of course there is no answer.

Oscar Charleston prob could not hit a home run off Zach Wheeler. Sure.

And highly doubtful that Pete Alonso could play two games, get on a bus, drive through the night, have the bus break down in the middle of the night, sleep on the floor of a hotel for 3 hours, and then play 3 more gamers at a high level the next day.

Would Abraham Lincoln be a good lawyer today? I have no freaking idea.

[Fred]

What about Roy Hobbs?

[doug.goodman]

Originally Posted by Snapolit1

... And highly doubtful that Pete Alonso could play two games, get on a bus, drive through the night, have the bus break down in the middle of the night, sleep on the floor of a hotel for 3 hours, and then play ... at a high level the next day...

Re-interpreting the question a bit :

If, after first being born on Feb 6, 1895, Babe had been reincarnated in his next life on Feb 6, 1995, could he hit modern pitching?

Absolutely, and with 7 month older Shoheo Ohtani as his competition, I see him staying with the Red Sox in his second trip to the majors, to completely reverse his own curse. The Pesky Pole being renamed Ruth's Rod, or Babe's Beam (thank you Thesaurus.com).

Doug "with modern medicine Koufax might still be pitching" Goodman

[jakebeckleyoldeagleeye]

Originally Posted by Snapolit1

It always an interesting debate and of course there is no answer.

Oscar Charleston prob could not hit a home run off Zach Wheeler. Sure.

And highly doubtful that Pete Alonso could play two games, get on a bus, drive through the night, have the bus break down in the middle of the night, sleep on the floor of a hotel for 3 hours, and then play 3 more gamers at a high level the next day.

Would Abraham Lincoln be a good lawyer today? I have no freaking idea.

Let's see today's boys go back in time with no roids or HGH, no world class supplements, play doubleheaders in St.Louis in July and August, no batting helmets or body armor with headhunting pitchers allowed, no air conditioning or penthouse hotel rooms for one, bounce around and suck down coal smoke for 24 hours on a train in an upper birth, stadiums with 440 plus in cf and 407 in the power alleys and on off days play exhibition games along the way before the next series. And you will play because the owner makes money off that. Oh and in the off season work in a coal or zinc mine.
Sorry I don't see Trout of lover boy Harper quite liking that.

[doug.goodman]

Originally Posted by jakebeckleyoldeagleeye

Sorry I don't see Trout of lover boy Harper quite liking that.

I agree that they wouldn't "like" it, but they could still play and would still be stars.

[jakebeckleyoldeagleeye]

Originally Posted by doug.goodman

I agree that they wouldn't "like" it, but they could still play and would still be stars.

Wonder if they would also like to go fight in a war for 4 years also?

[rhettyeakley]

Originally Posted by doug.goodman

I agree that they wouldn't "like" it, but they could still play and would still be stars.

I think todays hitters would be able to hit for sure. The game was different back then so the hitters that were terrible fielders may not have been kept around. There were quite a few hitters that were terrible fielders that were never given the time of day in the majors (Buzz Arlett, etc) as their hitting prowess didn’t overcome their shortcomings in the field (which was infinitely more difficult in the past with glove size, field conditions, field size,etc)

Today’s pitchers…I have no idea how they would fare in the past. They would initially (I imagine) be insanely overpowering but they would have essentially zero shelf-life as Tommy John surgery would not exist and I imagine they would end up sacrificing power for longevity.

[jakebeckleyoldeagleeye]

Originally Posted by doug.goodman

I agree that they wouldn't "like" it, but they could still play and would still be stars.

Wonder if they would like fighting in a war for 4 years or working on the farm when they were a teenager and bucking hay. If you have ever bucked hay you know what hell is. Sorry fella's no traveling all-star teams to join as you have to help make ends meet at home.