# You are the greatest hitter in MLB history… **URL:** \ **Category:** The Game Room\ **Created:** [June 9, 2008, 4:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-are-the-greatest-hitter-in-mlb-history/452299 "2008-06-09T04:47:09Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Kent\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kent_clark/32/105_2.png) [@Kent\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kent_Clark)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2008, 8:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-are-the-greatest-hitter-in-mlb-history/452299/21 "2008-06-09T20:25:06Z")
[QUOTE=What Exit?] Except these guys are humans and love the sports and especially back then were not sure how they would be earning a living after retirement. Mickey was paid a lot of money for the time to hobble out there and keep trying. Like Ruth with the Braves, long before, but at least he had the additional excuse of thinking he could break into managing. You must love Joe DiMaggio. He retired and left a $100,000 contract offer on the table as to not play at a diminished level. Jim [/QUOTE] The OP didn’t say anything about loving what you’re doing. It didn’t say anything about being able to give your team a shot at the championship. It simply said you could retire now and have one record, or keep playing and try to reach another, at the risk of losing the one you already have. Given the original question, I’ll stay with my original answer. If someone wants to modify the question, I’ll consider modifying my answer. ---
**Author:** ![Frank](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Frank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frank)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2008, 9:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-are-the-greatest-hitter-in-mlb-history/452299/22 "2008-06-09T21:48:32Z")
[QUOTE=Enginerd] **Jonathon Chance** pretty much said exactly what I would have. [/quote] And I’m convinced. Good explanations from both of you, and good reasoning. I forgot he was playing first. ---
**Author:** ![Darryl\_Lict](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/7cd45c/32.png) [@Darryl\_Lict](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darryl_Lict)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2008, 10:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-are-the-greatest-hitter-in-mlb-history/452299/23 "2008-06-09T22:14:01Z")
[QUOTE=John DiFool] I’m really surprised that Wade Boggs didn’t take this route, as his knuckler, which he used on a few occasions during blowouts near the end of his career, was apparently pretty good. But he retired and went into the Hall in 5 years instead. [/QUOTE] Wade Boggs is my new hero. [QUOTE= Wikipedia] Boggs was known for his superstitions as much as his hitting. He ate chicken before every game (Jim Rice once called Boggs “chicken man”), woke up at the same time every day, took exactly 150 ground balls in practice, took batting practice at 5:17 and ran sprints at 7:17. His route to and from his position in the field beat a path to the home dugout. He drew the Hebrew word “Chai”, meaning “life”, in the batter’s box before each at-bat, though he is not Jewish. His favorite count was 3 balls and 2 strikes[citation needed]. Boggs also claimed that his at-bats improved when longtime mistress Margo Adams attended games while not wearing underwear. \ It is rumored that Boggs once consumed over 50 beers on a cross country flight from Boston’s Logan Airport to LAX. [/QUOTE] ---
**Author:** ![Clothahump](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/51bf81/32.png) [@Clothahump](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Clothahump)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2008, 1:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-are-the-greatest-hitter-in-mlb-history/452299/24 "2008-06-10T01:09:54Z")
[QUOTE=pseudotriton ruber ruber] (And for you quibblers who say that “the greatest hitter in MLB history” ain’t no singles hitter, let’s assume you racked up 800-odd HRs along the way.) So, when do you hang ‘em up, before or after reaching 4257? [/QUOTE] Not so much. If I’m a manager and I’ve got one guy who’s hitting .350+ with singles and doubles, and a guy who’s hitting .260 - .280 with 40+ homers a year…give me the .350 guy. You can’t score without runners on base. Give me both of them in the 3 and 4 slots, though, and I’ll be making a serious pennant run if the rest of the team holds up. ---
**Author:** ![Hawkeyeop](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/958977/32.png) [@Hawkeyeop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hawkeyeop)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2008, 1:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-are-the-greatest-hitter-in-mlb-history/452299/25 "2008-06-10T01:40:43Z")
[QUOTE=Clothahump] Not so much. If I’m a manager and I’ve got one guy who’s hitting .350+ with singles and doubles, and a guy who’s hitting .260 - .280 with 40+ homers a year…give me the .350 guy. You can’t score without runners on base. [/QUOTE] Sure you can. That is the entire point of home-runs. ---
**Author:** ![Jonathan\_Chance](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jonathan_chance/32/701_2.png) [@Jonathan\_Chance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jonathan_Chance)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2008, 1:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-are-the-greatest-hitter-in-mlb-history/452299/26 "2008-06-10T01:54:33Z")
Nowhere near as much. A team with a solid .350 on base percentage and moderate home run power will outscore the living heck out of a team with an OBP of .310 and great power. Sure, the latter team will put up a bunch of one run innings and that’s great! But the other team will have the carousel offense going with crooked number runs popping up fairly often. ---
**Author:** ![Incensed](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/eb8c5e/32.png) [@Incensed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Incensed)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2008, 2:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-are-the-greatest-hitter-in-mlb-history/452299/27 "2008-06-10T02:54:07Z")
[QUOTE=pseudotriton ruber ruber] …You’ve got 4130 h in 11222 ab = .368, as of today. Your last three seasons’ average is .298… [/QUOTE] .298 for the last three years? Assuming 550 AB’s, that’s 164 hits a year, so I retire 3 years ago when I was 3638/9572-a lifetime average of .380-and laugh maniacally at the poor sons of bitches who have to follow _that_. ---
**Author:** ![gonzomax](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e8c25b/32.png) [@gonzomax](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gonzomax)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2008, 4:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-are-the-greatest-hitter-in-mlb-history/452299/28 "2008-06-10T16:14:02Z")
In 1941 Ted Williams went into the last day with a 400 batting average. He was told he could sit out and be a 400 hitter. He played a double header , had a big day and wound up at 406. Who couldn’t love that. / ---
**Author:** ![BobLibDem](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/boblibdem/32/3149_2.png) [@BobLibDem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobLibDem)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2008, 4:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-are-the-greatest-hitter-in-mlb-history/452299/29 "2008-06-10T16:22:56Z")
I’d play until someone beat me out of the job. I’d rather have someone say I stuck around and helped win a World Series and sacrificed the Cobb record doing so than having them say I gave up on the team just to hang onto a personal record. ---
**Author:** ![pseudotriton\_ruber\_ruber](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/a9a28c/32.png) [@pseudotriton\_ruber\_ruber](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pseudotriton_ruber_ruber)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2008, 4:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-are-the-greatest-hitter-in-mlb-history/452299/30 "2008-06-10T16:24:45Z")
[QUOTE=gonzomax] In 1941 Ted Williams went into the last day with a 400 batting average. He was told he could sit out and be a 400 hitter. He played a double header , had a big day and wound up at 406. Who couldn’t love that. / [/QUOTE] I suspect if Teddy Ballgame took an oh-fer, he’d be known for the last 67 summers as the biggest asshole who ever lived. ---
**Author:** ![Incensed](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/eb8c5e/32.png) [@Incensed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Incensed)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2008, 9:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-are-the-greatest-hitter-in-mlb-history/452299/31 "2008-06-10T21:38:16Z")
[QUOTE=pseudotriton ruber ruber] I suspect if Teddy Ballgame took an oh-fer, he’d be known for the last 67 summers as the biggest asshole who ever lived. [/QUOTE] Wha? TSW went into that double-header at .39955, a technical .400 in those days, so his playing should be viewed as lending integrity to the game and his accomplishment. He hit .406 in 1941; he didn’t hit thisfreakingclose to .400 and sit out the last two games and let the number crunchers give him that last .00005 of a point. You have to respect the man for earning it instead of taking the chickenshit way out. BTW-Sacrifice flies counted as outs in 1941 (whereas today they are considered a wash, much like a walk or HBP). Williams’ manager estimated that he had at least a dozen sac flies that year and if these AB’s were discounted his average would have been .419(!). ---
**Author:** ![pseudotriton\_ruber\_ruber](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/a9a28c/32.png) [@pseudotriton\_ruber\_ruber](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pseudotriton_ruber_ruber)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2008, 10:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-are-the-greatest-hitter-in-mlb-history/452299/32 "2008-06-10T22:35:38Z")
[QUOTE=Incensed] Wha? [/QUOTE] What part of my post confused you? Instead of praising his guts, his pride, his clutch ability, we’d all be exchanging jokes about what a total bone-head it was to play that game, if he’d taken a collar. “Stupid schmuck woulda had a .400 average, rounding up, but now he’s just another Brett or Gwynn or Carew close-but-no-cigar. Gawd, what a dweeb he was!! Dumb asshole prolly din’t even understand what he was risking. Haw, haw, haw” and on into the night… ---
**Author:** ![pseudotriton\_ruber\_ruber](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/a9a28c/32.png) [@pseudotriton\_ruber\_ruber](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pseudotriton_ruber_ruber)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2008, 10:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-are-the-greatest-hitter-in-mlb-history/452299/33 "2008-06-10T22:35:39Z")
[QUOTE=Incensed] Wha? [/QUOTE] What part of my post confused you? Instead of praising his guts, his pride, his clutch ability, we’d all be exchanging jokes about what a total bone-head it was to play that game, if he’d taken a collar. “Stupid schmuck woulda had a .400 average, rounding up, but now he’s just another Brett or Gwynn or Carew close-but-no-cigar. Gawd, what a dweeb he was!! Dumb asshole prolly din’t even understand what he was risking. Haw, haw, haw” and on into the night… ---
**Author:** ![Incensed](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/eb8c5e/32.png) [@Incensed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Incensed)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2008, 11:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-are-the-greatest-hitter-in-mlb-history/452299/34 "2008-06-10T23:01:14Z")
[QUOTE=pseudotriton ruber ruber] What part of my post confused you?.. [/QUOTE] Apparently the part where exhibiting some integrity makes one an object of derision. ---
**Author:** ![pseudotriton\_ruber\_ruber](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/a9a28c/32.png) [@pseudotriton\_ruber\_ruber](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pseudotriton_ruber_ruber)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2008, 11:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-are-the-greatest-hitter-in-mlb-history/452299/35 "2008-06-10T23:22:56Z")
[QUOTE=Incensed] Apparently the part where exhibiting some integrity makes one an object of derision. [/QUOTE] Hey, I’m a big Williams fan! But the derisive abuse fans heap on players, especially my favorites, is simply a fact of life. Are you seriously saying that if Williams had taken a collar, he WOULDN"T be ridiculed mercilessly? If so, I disagree. ---
**Author:** ![Frank](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Frank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frank)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2008, 11:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-are-the-greatest-hitter-in-mlb-history/452299/36 "2008-06-10T23:29:22Z")
[QUOTE=pseudotriton ruber ruber] Hey, I’m a big Williams fan! But the derisive abuse fans heap on players, especially my favorites, is simply a fact of life. Are you seriously saying that if Williams had taken a collar, he WOULDN"T be ridiculed mercilessly? If so, I disagree. [/QUOTE] I disagree. Perhaps you would have mocked him mercilessly. Ted was known as a big asshole anyway; it might have _helped_ his reputation had he gone ohfor. ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2008, 11:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-are-the-greatest-hitter-in-mlb-history/452299/37 "2008-06-10T23:37:57Z")
[QUOTE=pseudotriton ruber ruber] Hey, I’m a big Williams fan! But the derisive abuse fans heap on players, especially my favorites, is simply a fact of life. Are you seriously saying that if Williams had taken a collar, he WOULDN"T be ridiculed mercilessly? If so, I disagree. [/QUOTE] As I recall, the writers of the day were questioning his sanity when it was announced he would play that day. So I think he would have been famously derided if he had an 0 for 4 or any day that dropped him below .3995. Instead, much like his final game\*, he did something that added to his legend. Ted Williams was a Red Sox so he not one of my beloved players, but he is more of a true hero than most baseball stars. He was an ace in two wars and considered by no less than John Glenn one of the greatest fighter pilots in our history. On top of that he a world class fisherman and highly respected among that select group. Jim - He of course hit a homer in the final at bat of his career. ---
**Author:** ![pseudotriton\_ruber\_ruber](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/a9a28c/32.png) [@pseudotriton\_ruber\_ruber](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pseudotriton_ruber_ruber)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2008, 11:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-are-the-greatest-hitter-in-mlb-history/452299/38 "2008-06-10T23:44:56Z")
[QUOTE=Frank] I disagree. Perhaps you would have mocked him mercilessly. Ted was known as a big asshole anyway; it might have _helped_ his reputation had he gone ohfor. [/QUOTE] Me? No, I’d defend Ted if he tried to have carnal knowledge of a chicken out in left field during an All-Star game. But players on the verge of greatness who come up short in American sports dont usually get a warm and fuzzy reaction from fans. Take Babe Ruth getting thrown out trying to steal a base to end a World Series–do people say “Man, what boldness, what verve, what elan! He went for the gusto, gave it a great try, almost pulled off a fantastic play, he’s my hero…”? No, we go, “Bonehead play! Dumbass! WTF was he thinking?!” etc. That’s just how it be’s. I dont make the rules, I just report them. ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2008, 11:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-are-the-greatest-hitter-in-mlb-history/452299/39 "2008-06-10T23:52:35Z")
[QUOTE=What Exit?] Ted Williams was a Red Sox so he \*\*was \*\* not one of my beloved players, but he is more of a true hero than most baseball stars. He was an ace in two wars and considered by no less than John Glenn one of the greatest fighter pilots in our history. On top of that he a world class fisherman and \*\*was \*\* highly respected among that select group. [/QUOTE] I needed to try that again, I was two wases short. ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2008, 11:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-are-the-greatest-hitter-in-mlb-history/452299/40 "2008-06-10T23:53:34Z")
[QUOTE=pseudotriton ruber ruber] Me? No, I’d defend Ted if he tried to have carnal knowledge of a chicken out in left field during an All-Star game. But players on the verge of greatness who come up short in American sports dont usually get a warm and fuzzy reaction from fans. Take Babe Ruth getting thrown out trying to steal a base to end a World Series–do people say “Man, what boldness, what verve, what elan! He went for the gusto, gave it a great try, almost pulled off a fantastic play, he’s my hero…”? No, we go, “Bonehead play! Dumbass! WTF was he thinking?!” etc. [/QUOTE] The difference being that Ruth’s stupidity cost his TEAM. It was a loser play. Williams being gutsy cost his team nothing. There’s no way Williams would have been begrudged his decision had he fallen short of .400. Indeed, to this day he’d be admired for it. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-are-the-greatest-hitter-in-mlb-history/452299.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-are-the-greatest-hitter-in-mlb-history/452299.md?page=3)