greatest baseball player of all time

[ODH]

I would have to go with Mickey Mantle. He was one of the fastest players to play the game and was a hell of a hitter. I would go out on a limb and call him the best pure hitter ever.

Though it is hard to argue against Babe Ruth who was the home run king for years and also threw a no-hitter as a pitcher.

Ruth was one of the best pitchers of the time, but he never threw a no-hitter.

I know there is the game where he walked the first batter got in an argument with the umpire and tossed from the game and his replacement, Ernie Shore, came in and threw nine perfect innings.

[ODH]

One of my Dad's friends was so enamored of Mantle and the Yankees that he named his son (who was my age) Mickey.

I grew up a Cardinals fan and remain so today.

While I am on a roll with obscure baseball trivia, I will mention that Mickey Mantle was named after a the ball player Mickey Cochrane, becasue Mantle's father was a fan of his.

[FloggingSully]

What are you smoking? It is not the greatest player on roids, just the Greatest player.

Everyone's on roids, even the old guys would have been if they could. Sure Bonds is juicing, but so are all the pitchers, and all the other players who didn't put up numbers close to Bonds.

[M Richardson]

I don't know if he is the best, but Nolan Ryan is a legend. 7 no hitters, are you kidding me? Owning Robin Ventura at 46 years old? He threw his last pitch in the majors with a torn ligament, and hit 98 mph.

Randy Johnson just passed Roger Clemens to take the #2 slot in all-time strike outs. That leaves The Big Unit 1,000 strike outs behind Ryan!

[M Richardson]

IMO:
Pitcher: Greg Maddux or Walter Johnson
Position player: Roberto Clemente or Ty Cobb

This is a fun topic. It might be fun to go through each position and choose the "best".

Billy Evens (Hall of Fame Umpire) told a story of a rookie hitting against Johnson. After the second strike call, the rook started walking back to the dugout. Evens called him back, saying "You've got one more strike coming." The rookie answered, "You take it. I didn't see the first two."

J is for Johnson
The Big Train in his prime
Was so fast he could throw
Three strikes at a time.
? Ogden Nash

[matclone]

Everyone's on roids, even the old guys would have been if they could. Sure Bonds is juicing, but so are all the pitchers, and all the other players who didn't put up numbers close to Bonds.

I routinely refer to Who's Who in Baseball, and my dad used to like the Baseball Register. Anyway, I've noticed quite a few players who used to hit 30, 40, even 50 home runs per year who now are lucky if they hit 20. Off the top of my head: Luis Gonzalez, Shawn Green, Andre Beltre, Brian Giles, Todd Helton, Camineti (who admitted use). I'm sure there are numerous other examples.

[Tight-Waist]

Mantle with Mays or Clemente close

[RYou]

Mantle may well have been the best all round player. His ability in centerfield could only be matched by Sey Hey Willie Mays. Speaking of Mays he does have more homers than Mantle and, well, he played center just as well.

I'd have to throw a curve at everyone and put Willie up there as the best in the game given his HR production, hits, rbis stolen bases. Need I say more. Willie was over shadowed by Mantle playing for the Yanks. Had Willie been a Yank and Mantle a Cubby, ther'd be a whole loy more popularity for Mr. aMaysing.

[matclone]

Say, hey, many have said Mays was the best.