Best player ever: Babe Ruth. He was great at both hitting and pitching. Willie Mays had better speed than Ruth did, but I think Ruth’s pitching ability gives him the edge.
If you wish to separate position players from pitchers, I’d say give the “best hitter” crown to Mays, and “best pitcher” to Christy Mathewson. If you wish to separate dead-ball-era pitchers from live-ball-era pitchers, I’d say the best “live-ball-era” pitcher was Warren Spahn.
Favorite player: George Brett. Hey, I’m a Royals fan. Aside from the Buddy Biancalana cult, there ain’t none of us who don’t consider Brett our favorite player.
Best I’ve seen play: In person? I’d say Brett. Including television, I’d say Johnny Bench or Mike Schmidt. They weren’t the hitters for average that Brett was, but I consider them the best at their positions all-time, so to have seen them in action has a little more significance to me.
Best pitcher I ever watched…in person, probably Dwight Gooden in his prime. On TV, Tom Seaver.
Pitcher: Cy Young. I mean, think about it:He pitched for 22 years and won 511 games which is still a record today.
He also holds the record for most losses in a career with 313.
He holds the major league record for complete games with 751.
He holds the major league record for innings pitched with 7356.
He is fourth on the all time list for shutouts with 76.
He won 20 or more games in sixteen seasons.
He won 30 or more games in five seasons.
He started 40 or more games eleven times in his career.
For the decade of the 1890’s he averaged 27 wins and a 3.05 ERA.
For the decade of the 1900’s he averaged 27 wins and a 2.12 ERA.
He pitched three no-hitters, including one perfect game.
He led the league in shutouts seven times.
He led the league in wins four times.
He had a career ERA of 2.63.
Has an award named after him that is given annually to the best pitchers in the American and National Leagues. Batter: Ty Cobb. Consider:
A lifetime average of .367, 4,191 hits, 12 batting titles (his first at age 20) and three .400 seasons (topped by .420 in 1911). Intimidating the opposition, the “Georgia Peach” stole 892 bases during a 24-year career, mostly with the Detroit Tigers. His record of 96 steals in 1915 withstood the assault of baserunners for almost 50 years. Best Player I Have Ever Seen: Pete Rose
When I played baseball (before my injury-I was hit by a car and broke both legs and ripped my kneecap into about 4 pieces-after the surgery I couldn’t compete like I could before), I modeled myself after Rose as far as how I played the game.
Favorite Player: Ryne Sandberg. No question. Been a Cub fan since 1984, when I was 11.
Willie Mays is the first that comes to mind. Mickey Mantle has a case. And of course, the standard answers, Ruth and Cobb.
Pitcher, Greg Maddux. Posistion player, Barry Bonds.
Favorite Player – easily, Roberto Clemente. He had it all. Fielding, hitting, speed, a cannon for an arm. I am in the processs of trying to get all of his baseball cards, I think I only have about 5 more that I need. God bless Ebay!
First of all, when I said the greatest player you have seen play, I don’t necessarily mean you’ve seen him play live at the stadium. Watching the guy play games on TV counts, that’s how I saw most of Ozzie’s games.
I know, I know, I’m breaking my own rule here, but back when Young pitched, there wasn’t a 5-man rotation. Hell, I don’t think there was even a 4-man rotation. IIRC, he was expected to pitch every other day. He also pitched a dead ball, so homeruns weren’t as common. He was also allowed to scuff the ball, throw spitballs, or whatever to make that ball move when he pitched it.
Imagine what Pedro Martinex could be today if he pitched a dead ball that he was allowed to rub Vaseline on and scuff up with a file.
Dead-ball era pitchers just can’t be compared to lively-ball era pitchers IMHO.
>>>4. Favorite Player – easily, Roberto Clemente. He had it all. Fielding, hitting, speed, a cannon for an arm. I am in the processs of trying to get all of his baseball cards, I think I only have about 5 more that I need. God bless Ebay!<<<
Mouthbreather…I have a spare '73 Topps Clemente if you’re interested.It’s not graded,but I’d say it’s a Psa 6 or 7.
Best I’ve Seen Play – Willie Mays. The first game I ever attended was at Candlestick Park. By that time the “San Francisco doesn’t appreciate Wille Mays talk was long gone”. He was the man. That year he won his second MVP.
Pitcher I would choose to start game 7 of the World Series – Sandy Kofax.
Favorite Player – Jose Canseco. It may sound crazy, but this guy had some big years. And was the team leader on the great Oakland A’s teams of the late 80’s and early 90’s. Yeah, it was “his team”. And considering Mark McGwire, Rickey Henderson, Dennis Eckersley, and Dave Parker played there at the time, it’s significant. Plus he was a Star. People who didn’t follow baseball knew who he was. Even if it was just seeing a picture of him coming out of Madonna’s apartment. Newark Bears now. He’ll be back. 500 homers or bust!
The best of alltime:
My first response was Ty Cobb. Then I thought maybe, Babe Ruth. However, Hank Aaron is real hard to pass over.
Then I asked myself, What player had the biggest effect on the way the game was played? Bob Gibson, 1968. But then Pedro Martinez is leading the league in ERA by an even greater margin than Gibson did (In '68 6 other pitchers had ERAs under 2.00).
Best player(s) I’ve seen
I am going to limit it to personally seen and go with a SS/2B combo. I was lucky enough to see Alan Trammell and Lou Whitaker. They were terrific together. Remember, Trammell was playing before Ripken and was considered “Big” for a SS at 6’.
My favorite player
Edgar Martinez. Yeah, I know. DH. Dumb Hitter. But, he was an above average 3B before a preseason exhibition game against the AAA Vancouver Cannons ripped up his knee. (I have never seen the field but it was supposedly in crap condition). Also, even though the Mariners have lost many great stars, Edgar has always been there.
Gee, this is a really tough one. There have been so many great players over the years, it’s hard to pick just one in each category.
The best I’ve seen play is either Doc Gooden or Piazza. Problem is, you’re comparing apples and oranges.
Best ever would probably be Mays or DiMaggio. They were great all-round ballplayers, able to field, hit, run, the whole ball of wax. Mere stats can’t tell the whole story of the these two played all aspects of the game so very well.
Favorite player, regardless of how good he was — Man, that’s probably the toughest one of all. How can you ignore Christy or Gibby or Yogi or Ernie or Gil or Dizzy or Pee Wee or Jackie? There’s a soft spot in my heart for so many of these wonderful personalities in this most wonderful of all games.
Damn you, Crunchy Frog! The last category ends in a no-decision.
Chipper Jones doesn’t get the credit he deserves. He hits from both sides of the plate, has power, consistency, a good ammount of speed, and the head for this game.
Consider 1999 when he batted over .320, hit 45 homers, stole 25 bases, hit 110 RBIs. What more can one man do in one season.
Since I’ve never seen Mays, Ruth, or Mantle play, I’ll nominate Chipper Jones for the best player I’ve seen. Besides, I think the Babe had a bit of a weight problem.
The last category ends in a no-decision.