Who is the greatest BB player you ever SAW?

[steve B]

I only saw Mays and Aaron at the end of their careers, Mays at the very end with the Mets, first year I paid much attention to sports.

Of the players I've actually seen in person, it's very tough to pick a best player.
Rice in 78 was incredible, I still haven't seen balls hit that hard even with the juicing. Lots of wall denting Fenway singles that might have been homers somewhere else too.
Pedro was amazing for a few years.

And a few guys that could have been incredible, or don't get much credit for various reasons.
Lynn in 75, a shame he was so fragile and played so hard. I knew the season was heading south whenever he hit the wall.
Evans for pretty much his whole career. Not a spectacular batter, but incredibly consistent, and had a great arm. Not Ichiro, but the best I've actually seen.
Varitek. Yeah, not flashy, but catchers are a big part of pitchers being successful, and he's got the record with 3 no hitters. And none of them came with great pitchers. He Nearly had a fourth with Schilling, who said the hit came on the only pitch he shook off.

And to go way out on a limb -
Dave Kingman. Below average fielder I think, couldn't hit for average, not much speed. But if the Sox had ever signed him the season HR record would likely be around 80-90. Think of all those huge popups he hit going to left in Fenway.....The year he played for 4 teams I saw him hit one that hit up in the lights of the second light tower.

Steve B