If you consider yourself a reasonable and knowledgeable student of the game, you’re eligible to help me select a Hall of Fame from scratch. I have a series of questions, the answers to which grow increasingly complicated, that create a HoF that makes sense–that is, it safeguards against crazy picks, and guarantees that everyone will find its occupants deserving. (I’ll explain how later.) For now we can begin with one simple question: “Who do you think were the greatest two or three players ever to play MLB?”
This is a majority vote process, so if you want to nominate a very odd personal choice, understand that it won’t go anywhere. What you’re doing is nominating those players whom you think a majority of your fellow voters will also nominate.
I’ll start by nominating Babe Ruth, Willie Mays, and Barry Bonds. (I’ll also note that I’m a big Willie Mays fan, and I detest Barry Bonds. But my feelings don’t enter into my choices. Those three are the ones I think a majority of other voters will choose.) I expect this process will work, given enough reasonable and knowledgeable voters, so give me the benefit of your reason and your knowledge.
Mays was the most complete baseball player to ever play the game. He was massively underrated, which is ridiculous to even think about. (At least, he’s currently underrated - he was highly regarded during his time.)
Bonds was the single most feared hitter that pitchers have ever faced. His intentional walk numbers exceed the numbers that entire franchises have put together.
Aaron was the most consistently dominant player we’ve seen. For 20+ years he was a superhuman hitting machine.
Just to be clear, you’re nominating the Robinsons as the two greatest ballplayers in MLB history, greater than Mays, Ruth, Cobb, Young, Aaron, Mantle, Williams, Bonds etc., and you think a majority of voters in this thread will agree with you? Just checking to make sure you understand what I’m asking for.
And to give away a bit more of what we’re shooting for here: each succeeding question will identify a group of players larger than the group before. But this process will depend on the answers already given in the smaller, preceding group, so we can’t move on until each question is definitively answered.
Meaning that this process will take several weeks if successful. I can promise that you’ll find it challenging. You may want to dust off your reference books (or websites) in advance.
Slightly unreliable, as Pos admits that his rating system was fudged in order to make clever remarks about some players. But sure, knock yourself out. I’m planning on making extensive use of Bill James’ revised Historical Abstract myself.
Oh certainly - many of the specific rankings are related to their uniform number, or a hitting streak, etc. But for the most part, it’s a very good start, and I suspect I’ll be ill-equipped for the granularity past #25 or so.
I actually haven’t read James’ abstract. I should use this opportunity to get a copy - but man, I hate giving that guy any money.
Walter Johnson. Bob Gibson. Clemens. Randy Johnson. Koufax. Etc. Cy Young will be in any baseball HOF, but he likely barely cracks the top 10 pitchers.
Did you mean to limit this strictly to MLB? If not, I’d probably say Ruth, Mays, Charleston; but if you mean to limit it to MLB than Ted Williams instead of Oscar Charleston.