Wednesday, July 12, 2006

A baseball list

So I heard Larry Derker, former manager of the Houston Astros, has a book of the best players he's ever seen. I decided to do the same to the best baseball players I have ever seen. I'm not basing it on stats or anything this is my view. I'd like to see what you think as well. I'm giving two position players and 5 starting pitchers and 5 relivers. Plus one or two honorable mentions each.

C Johnny Bench
C Carlton Fisk

Honorable mention to Mike Piazza. Piazza will pass them all once he retires IMO but to me both Fisk and Bench set the standard.

1b Rod Carew
1b Steve Garvey

Honorable mention to Pete Rose. I never saw Charlie Hustle in his prime it's still a crime both Rose, especially after finally coming clean with the gambling per Bud Selig's request, and Steve Garvey are not in the hall of fame.

2b Joe Morgan
2b Ryne Sandberg

HOnorable mention to Willie Randolph. I know I'm missing someone but these are the top three imo.

3b George Brett
3b Mike Schmidt

Honorable mention to Paul Mollitor. All three fierce hitters. All three amazing players.

SS Cal Ripken
SS Ozzie Smith

Honorable mention to Alex Rodriguez. With the top two what needs to be said. I think A-rod will eventually challenge Aaron or if he sets it Bonds homerun mark. He's that good. And I will remember him more as a shortstop then a 3b.

LF Rickey Henderson
LF Barry Bonds

Honorable Mention Kirk Gibson. Let's face facts on Bonds I'm not a fan of his BUT he would be in the hall of fame with or without steroids. Gibson in 1988 I still have goosebumbs when I see that homerun. Henderson was just amazing to watch.

CF Ken Griffey Jr.
CF Robin Yount

Honorable Mention to Kirby Puckett. All three great players. An honor to watch them.

RF Tony Gwynn
RF Reggie Jackson

Honorable Mention to Dave Winfield. I can't wait to see a class guy like Tony Gwynn get in the hall of fame.

Sp: Steve Carlton
Sp: Nolan Ryan
Sp: Jim Palmer
Sp: Randy Johnson
Sp: Roger Clemens

Honorable mention to Don Sutton and Greg Maddux. Take a look closely I doubt you will ever see a 300 game winner in baseball again.

Rp: Goose Gossage
Rp: Dennis Eckersley
Rp: Rollie Fingers
Rp: Lee Smith
Rp: Mariano Rivera

Honorable Mention to Trevor Hoffman. The reason Eric Gagne is not on this list is he only had three great years.

There you have it. I'd like your opinion.

10 comments:

Robert E Wilson said...

C Johnny Bench
C Carlton Fisk
HM Mike Piazza

I would put Ivan Rodriguez over Mike Piazza. He is a better all-round player. Piazza is, and has always been a lousy catcher.

1b Rod Carew
1b Steve Garvey
HM Pete Rose

Pete Rose was a 3'rd basemen 95% of his career, and a mediocre one at that. Steve Garvey was over-rated. Tony Perez, Todd Helton, Jeff Bagwell are better choices. Of course, in a few years, Albert Pujols will be above them all.

2b Joe Morgan
2b Ryne Sandberg
HM Willie Randolph

No arguments here.

3b George Brett
3b Mike Schmidt
HM Paul Molitor

I think Ron Cey and Bill Madlock deserves an honorable mention.

SS Cal Ripken
SS Ozzie Smith
HM Alex Rodriguez

Dave Concepcion over Cal Ripken.

LF Rickey Henderson
LF Barry Bonds
HM Kirk Gibson

While Gibson had a solid career. One moment doesn't transform it into a great one. George Foster and Willie Stargell belong on this list.

CF Ken Griffey Jr.
CF Robin Yount
HM Kirby Puckett

Robin Yount? He was a shortstop. Jim Edmonds, Bernie Williams and Andruw Jones are more deserving than Puckett.

RF Tony Gwynn
RF Reggie Jackson
HM Dave Winfield

Where's Dave Parker?

Sp Steve Carlton
Sp Nolan Ryan
Sp Jim Palmer
Sp Randy Johnson
Sp Roger Clemens
HM Don Sutton
HM Greg Maddux

Tom Seaver?
Orel Hershiser?

Rp Goose Gossage
Rp Dennis Eckersley
Rp Rollie Fingers
Rp Lee Smith
Rp Mariano Rivera
HM Trevor Hoffman

The greatest relief pitcher of all time was ... Bruce Sutter.

Erik said...

SHould I have put Steve Howe on the list?? :) Thanks for Sutter I knew I'd forget someone deserving. I decided only one honorable mention if I expanded the list who you mentioned would probably be on there. Garvey should be in the Hall of Fame in my opinion it's a crime that he isn't. Other people I thought of were Andre Dawson, Dale Murphy, Don Mattingly, Ken Griffey Sr. Never was a fan of Bernie Williams not saying that he isn't solid though. Edmonds I forgot about. That's the problem always deserving people left off.

Robert E Wilson said...

Yes, it's hard to remember. Some of the names I threw out there were just suggestions as add-ons and not replacements (Orel Hershiser for one).

Erik said...

Hershiser only had one dominant year. That's why I didn't include him. I was close with Fernando Valenzuela though.

Erik said...

I just remembered another name. The great Jim Rice.

Robert E Wilson said...

and teammate Fred Lynne

Erik said...

I never was too much a fan of Fred Lynn. When I saw Rose he was a 1st baseman (besides cheating has always been a part of baseball) I was very close to having Bill Madlock on the list. I always loved Ron Cey, he lived right near me I saw him all the time along with Garvey but the players I listed I felt were better. Concepcion I forgot about but I still wouldn't list him above those two. I never saw much of Stargell I know he was great but these are based on players I saw. Same with Foster. I felt the three I listed were better then Parker.

Robert E Wilson said...

You didn't see much of Stargell or Foster but you did see Bench, Jackson, Schmidt, and Rice? They played virtually the same time periods. Fred Lynne was better than Rice - same power, better average and better clutch performer.

Also, according to your own logic, how can you list Pete Rose at all? By the time he was playing 1'st base for the Phillies, he was well past his prime.

Erik said...

I'm going by what I remeber of the players. Nothing more nothing less. I know Stargell hit a ball out of Dodger Stadium and I know Foster was great I'm going though by what I have seen. This is just my view. I'm not going by stats or anything but what I've seen. What I think.

Erik said...

Robert just curious why you feel Steve Garvey is overrated. His stats are simular to TOny Perez.