Greatest Living Player...

[G1911]

If Rickey is a 5 tool player, so is Bonds.

[jayshum]

Originally Posted by G1911

If Rickey is a 5 tool player, so is Bonds.

Agreed. I'm not sure Bonds had the arm to really be considered a 5-tool player, but he makes it for the other 4 tools (even before PEDs are factored in).

[packs]

Rickey won a Gold Glove, he won 3 silver sluggers for his position, hit 81 career home runs from the lead off spot, has an OBP over 400 and was still playing games in center at 43 years old.

Five tool doesn't necessarily mean you are a perennial gold glove winner or Vlad Guerrero. It means you're doing everything well.

[jayshum]

Originally Posted by packs

Rickey won a Gold Glove, he won 3 silver sluggers for his position, hit 81 career home runs from the lead off spot, has an OBP over 400 and was still playing games in center at 43 years old.

Five tool doesn't necessarily mean you are a perennial gold glove winner or Vlad Guerrero. It means you're doing everything well.

He played in 4 games and 27 innings in center for Boston in 2002 at the age of 43. I'm not sure that really supports your argument.

He played most of his games during his career in left field which is usually where you put someone who doesn't have the greatest arm so I think that is still the weakest tool of his and doesn't really make him a 5-tool player. I don't ever remember anyone talking about anyone being afraid to run on him because of his great throwing ability.

[packs]

Rickey played the outfield until he was 44 years old. Would a liability in the field have that kind of career in the era of the DH? I realize he played in the National League before the universal DH but he was still patrolling the field for Seattle and Boston.

He's second all time in put outs in Left Field and he's 19th all time in assists. Doesn't like a liability to me. Again, not Vlad but is that really the standard?

[jayshum]

Originally Posted by packs

Rickey played the outfield until he was 44 years old. Would a liability in the field have that kind of career in the era of the DH? I realize he played in the National League before the universal DH but he was still patrolling the field for Seattle and Boston.

He's second all time in put outs in Left Field and he's 19th all time in assists. Doesn't like a liability to me. Again, not Vlad but is that really the standard?

He played for a long time and played a lot of games in left field which would lead to a lot of putouts regardless of his fielding ability. I'm not saying he was a liability in the field just that I don't think he was ever considered an elite defender (1 gold glove) or had an above average throwing arm. The fact that he played 18 games in left field for the Dodgers at age 44 doesn't change that.