Baseball's Greatest Living Player...who is it?

[jason.1969]

In 1969, Joe DiMaggio was voted Baseball's Greatest Living Player. In honor of Joe DiMaggio's 100th birthday (Nov 25, 2014), I lay out a case for Baseball's Greatest Living Player being Derek Jeter.

http://jasoncards.wordpress.com/2014...living-player/

Personally, despite my analysis, I would still vote for Hank Aaron. Nonetheless, my analysis was more in the spirit of who would actually win. Take a look if you're a Joe D. fan, a Jeter fan, or just a fan of really long, half-baked analyses of baseball stats. And then chime in. Who do you regard as baseball's greatest living player?

[71buc]

Derek Jeter is special but Hank Aaron is in a league by himself. If you discount the Bonds embarrassment, Aaron owns 2/3 of the career triple crown. Even if you subtract his homeruns he still has 3000 hits. If he had been a Yankee we wouldn't even consider this question.

[jason.1969]

Originally Posted by 71buc

Derek Jeter is special but Hank Aaron is in a league by himself. If you discount the Bonds embarrassment, Aaron owns 2/3 of the career triple crown. Even if you subtract his homeruns he still has 3000 hits. If he had been a Yankee we wouldn't even consider this question.

We are 100% on the same page on this. Sadly (?), an entire wall of my bedroom is dedicated to Hank Aaron baseball cards, bobbleheads, paintings, magazines, etc. My own top five votes would go to Aaron, Mays, Rose, Jackson, and Henderson. At the same time, just as Joe D. beat out Williams/Musial/Mays/Aaron in 1969, I suspect writers would choose Jeter over Aaron today.

[Peter_Spaeth]

Mays.
then Aaron.

Derek Jeter? Please. And I like Derek Jeter a lot.

On the pitching side one could make a case for Seaver.

[Exhibitman]

Aaron or Mays. Either answer works for me.

Greatest living pitcher I'd go with Koufax or Pedro or Big Unit.

Bonds Clemens etc.; sorry no cheaters allowed.

[sycks22]

Mays without a doubt. Can you be considered the best alive if you were never an MVP? (Jeter)

[1963Topps Set]

I was just about to say... What about pitchers? Sandy Koufax.. The real Mr. October!

Nolan Ryan... Who is going to catch his numbers?

How about Cal Ripkin? Remember the streak?

[RichardSimon]

Mays, no question.

[icollectDCsports]

Mays then Aaron and would have to think some more to rank the next 5 or 10. In the mix would be Frank Robinson, Mike Schmidt, George Brett, . . . .

[dabigyankeeman]

I gotta go with Willie Mays.

[Vintagevault13]

Hitters

1. Hank Aaron
2. Willie Mays
3. Frank Robinson
4. Reggie Jackson
5. Yogi Berra

Pitchers

1. Sandy Koufax
2. Greg Maddux
3. Tom Seaver
4. Randy Johnson
5. Nolan Ryan

[rjackson44]

reggie jackson

[obcbobd]

Aaron or Mays.

Koufax, Pedro maybe Johnson for pitcher.

Jeter top 25

Berra probably top 10

[ZenPop]

Easiest answer EVER...

WILLIE MAYS

[Sean1125]

Today I learned I share my birthday with Joe Dimaggio.

[clydepepper]

I would rank these as the greatest living players:

1.) Willie Mays
2.) Hank Aaron
3.) Johnny Bench
4.) Ken Griffey, Jr.
5.) Mike Schmidt
6.) Frank Robinson

Bonds would have been second if he hadn't cheated.

[ethicsprof]

hank aaron.
unequivocally.

all the best,
barry

[I Only Smoke 4 the Cards]

Tough to say but this is my humble guess

(1) Aaron
(2) Mays
(3) Griffey Jr.
(4) Maddux

[GoudeyGum]

Aaron

[robw1959]

I'll go with Hank Aaron.

[jason.1969]

Wow, I will say this about Yogi Berra...had he made my list of 25 candidates, which he didn't because his career batting stats aren't gaudy enough, his ten rings would have given him a higher overall score than anyone I ranked.

[EvilKing00]

Originally Posted by jason.1969

Wow, I will say this about Yogi Berra...had he made my list of 25 candidates, which he didn't because his career batting stats aren't gaudy enough, his ten rings would have given him a higher overall score than anyone I ranked.

just comparing him to jeter -

berra - .285, 358 hr - 3 MVP

Jeter - .310. 260 hr - 0 MVP

[jason.1969]

I'm not sure I've ever seen anyone else put Dick Schofield on a list of steroid guys before. At the same time, those 13 HRs in 1986 look a bit suspect vs the rest of his career. ;-)

[Peter_Spaeth]

Originally Posted by jason.1969

I'm not sure I've ever seen anyone else put Dick Schofield on a list of steroid guys before. At the same time, those 13 HRs in 1986 look a bit suspect vs the rest of his career. ;-)

Huh? The reference was to Gary Sheffield.

[iwantitiwinit]

Considering all facets of the game and giving consideration for how much that player exceeded the ability of other players at the plate and at his position in the field:

1) Mays
2) Bench
3) Aaron

[jason.1969]

Yes, I was just making a joke based on the original spelling in the post, which I think was Schfield.

[iwantitiwinit]

Ted I don't know about Berra over Bench. From an rbi perspective they are very close though you porbably have to move Berras numbers up because during the years you cite he played in a season that was 8 games shorter than Bench did. In Bench's defense his '71 season was significantly harmed by his lung surgery during the off-season. Additionally, in my opinion Bench's defensive ability was greater than Berra's. While Berra's caught stealing pct. is higher than Bench's, Bench played in an era where the national league was obsessed with base stealing and played in many parks with astroturf which I think have to be considered faster overall tracks for the runner.

Either way a good pair to compare (though I think Bench has to be considered the better overall player).

Bench
yr rbi
1968 82
69 90
70 148
71 61
72 125
73 104
74 129
75 130
76 74
77 109
78 73
79 80

100.42 avg rbi/yr 12 yrs


Berra

1948 98
49 91
50 124
51 88
52 98
53 108
54 125
55 108
56 105
57 82
58 90

101.55 avg rbi/yr 11 yrs

[tedzan]

Originally Posted by iwantitiwinit

Ted I don't know about Berra over Bench. From an rbi perspective they are very close though you porbably have to move Berras numbers up because during the years you cite he played in a season that was 8 games shorter than Bench did. In Bench's defense his '71 season was significantly harmed by his lung surgery during the off-season. Additionally, in my opinion Bench's defensive ability was greater than Berra's. While Berra's caught stealing pct. is higher than Bench's, Bench played in an era where the national league was obsessed with base stealing and played in many parks with astroturf which I think have to be considered faster overall tracks for the runner.

Either way a good pair to compare (though I think Bench has to be considered the better overall player).

Bench
yr rbi
1968 82
69 90
70 148
71 61
72 125
73 104
74 129
75 130
76 74
77 109
78 73
79 80

100.42 avg rbi/yr 12 yrs


Berra

1948 98
49 91
50 124
51 88
52 98
53 108
54 125
55 108
56 105
57 82
58 90

101.55 avg rbi/yr 11 yrs

Berra's and Bench's numbers regarding Hits, Runs, RBI's and HR's compare very closely. Berra having the edge over Bench in career BA (.285 vs. .267, respectively).

However, I am old enough to have seen Yogi play from 1947 - 1965. I was an avid Yankees fan as a kid. Besides Yogi's outstanding play (Batting and as a Catcher),
there are certain intangibles in his style of playing the game that you had to see to really appreciate.

For example, I think Don Larsen would not have achieved his perfect World Series no-hitter, if Yogi wasn't his battery mate that day in October 1956.

I could continue with many other examples (such as Yogi's Grand Slam in the 1956 World Series), but I leave it here.


TED Z
.

[bigtrain]

Originally Posted by tedzan

Berra's and Bench's numbers regarding Hits, Runs, RBI's and HR's compare very closely. Berra having the edge over Bench in career BA (.285 vs. .267, respectively).

However, I am old enough to have seen Yogi play from 1947 - 1965. I was an avid Yankees fan as a kid. Besides Yogi's outstanding play (Batting and as a Catcher),
there are certain intangibles in his style of playing the game that you had to see to really appreciate.

For example, I think Don Larsen would not have achieved his perfect World Series no-hitter, if Yogi wasn't his battery mate that day in October 1956.

I could continue with many other examples (such as Yogi's Grand Slam in the 1956 World Series), but I leave it here.


TED Z
.

I have always put Yogi ahead of Bench in my mind. Part of that is the fact that I think that Yogi made Stengel a great manager. He has been a tremendous ambassador for the game as well. Johnny Bench, while a terrific player, is a phony and a jerk.

[Griffins]

Originally Posted by iwantitiwinit

In Bench's defense his '71 season was significantly harmed by his lung surgery during the off-season.

Bench's lung surgery was 1st week of December '72.

On the original question, Mays.

[Bigdaddy]

1. Willie Mays
2. Hank Aaron
3. Pete Rose
4. Mike Schmidt
5. Randy Johnson
6. Ken Griffey, Jr
7. Johnny Bench
8. Tom Seaver, Steve Carlton - tie
9. Cal Ripken
10. Rickey Henderson

I'd put Bonds no lower than #3 if not for the steroids. And Clemens would make the top 10 also. The bad part is that Bonds could probably have cracked the top 10 without the 'roids.

[icollectDCsports]

Originally Posted by Bigdaddy

1. Willie Mays
2. Hank Aaron
3. Pete Rose
4. Mike Schmidt
5. Randy Johnson
6. Ken Griffey, Jr
7. Johnny Bench
8. Tom Seaver, Steve Carlton - tie
9. Cal Ripken
10. Rickey Henderson

I'd put Bonds no lower than #3 if not for the steroids. And Clemens would make the top 10 also. The bad part is that Bonds could probably have cracked the top 10 without the 'roids.

I'd put Frank Robinson at #3.

[bcbgcbrcb]

My vote goes to the Say Hey Kid with Hammerin Hank a close second

[Touch'EmAll]

Great vs.best?

Greatest I kinda have to go with Berra, perhaps Ryan. Griffey Jr. also comes to mind.

How about greatest living athlete = Bo Jackson, hands down.

[I Only Smoke 4 the Cards]

Originally Posted by 100backstroke

Great vs.best?

Greatest I kinda have to go with Berra, perhaps Ryan. Griffey Jr. also comes to mind.

How about greatest living athlete = Bo Jackson, hands down.

I remember watching Bo okay when I was a child. He was held with the same regard as Superman. I can't help but wonder what might have been.

Deon would also be on the list for greatest athlete.

[tedzan]

One powerful dude.

Summer of 1987, on the spur of the moment we decided to go to a night game at Yankee Stadium (KC was the visiting team).

The only tickets available at the Ticket booth were for upper deck RF seats. So, that is were we sat.

In the 7th inning, Bo Jax came to bat. We were approx. 400 feet from homeplate, and we heard a crack of the bat that was unreal.
Then we realized that the ball was coming straight at us.

None of us dared to try and catch it. But, were hoping to get it when it hit the vacant sets near us. Well the ball did hit the nearby seats
with such intensity that it rebounded back into the outfield.

And, need I remind you that Bo was a righthanded batter.


TED Z
.

[Peter_Spaeth]

Bo Jackson, Josh Gibson, and Babe Ruth -- identified by Buck O'Neill as being the only three hitters he had seen who produced a particular sound of bat on ball.

[drmondobueno]

Originally Posted by I Only Smoke 4 the Cards

Deon would also be on the list for greatest athlete.

Deon couldn't tackle.

[LincolnVT]

Pete Rose...

[Fred]

Why not stir the pot.... Barry "Frigging" Bonds.

[darwinbulldog]

If you just look at their career stats, with even the most rudimentary sabermetric analysis Barry comes out a bit ahead of his godfather, but if you make a very modest adjustment for either the steroids or the Korean War (and not for the amphetamines) then Mays comes out ahead.

[Sean]

Originally Posted by Fred

Why not stir the pot.... Barry "Frigging" Bonds.

Makes more sense than Pete Rose.

[jason.1969]

Many rightfully have Berra somewhere on their lists. Trying to understand how he could get only 65% of the HOF vote in his first year of eligibility. Was there some large faction of writers who still regarded him as active since he was managing?

[7nohitter]

Mays
Aaron
Doerr

[bbcard1]

Would probably edge Aaron over Mays. Jim Brown as all time best living.

[Bocabirdman]

Two Words.....

Sidd Finch

[Howe’s Hunter]

He set the standard by which all hitters are compared.

[DaveW]

How about Mike Trout? OK, maybe someday. For now it's got to be Mays or Aaron.

[ksabet]

I am with the Bonds crowd. Doesn't matter to me. He was light years better than the other 80% of players who also cheated during this era. We judge Ruth against his contemporaries why not Bonds as well considering they all cheated.

[GoldenAge50s]

Being an "old school" type guy who grew up idolizing Mickey Mantle & the players of the late '40's & '50's, I am beginning to think Mike Trout may turn out to be one of the greatest of all!

He reminds me of a young Mickey w/ all the tools, BUT, none of the frailties that beset Mantle.

This kid may break ALL the records before he's done.