Top 3 Baseball Players Of The Modern Era

[Marxist]

....it's harder than you think. Bonds? Mays? DiMaggio? Schmidt? Aaron? The list goes on and on...

And no pitchers, that's a different box of chocolate.


Mine:

DiMaggio, Henderson, Ruth

Bonds is amazing and his regular season stats are awesome BUT baseball is a team sport and he has no hardware and an arm like a third grade girl. Sid Bream anyone?

 

[bearlee]

Williams, DiMaggio and Mantle if he'd stayed healthy.

 

[Dixon Carter Lee]

Does the "Modern Era" start with the Bronx Bombers? I'd call that the "Middle Era" now. Enough time has passed, and the game has changed enough.

To be considered: Pete Rose. It's often more important to get on base than anything else.

 

[bored1]

Tough to pick three........ Aaron, Mays, Williams....And I agree with DCL about Pete Rose

 

[JazzManJim]

I'd call the Modern Era anything after 1960 or so.

For that, I'd pick Wade Boggs (Great Hitter, good glove), Barry Bonds (Incredible Hitter, great fielder, healthy as a horse), and George Brett (Another incredible hitter, and a great glove, also a team leader).

Close honorable mentions go to Cal Ripken, Jr, Pete Rose, and Don Mattingly.

 

[CarolineOh]

....it's harder than you think. Bonds? Mays? DiMaggio? Schmidt? Aaron? The list goes on and on...

And no pitchers, that's a different box of chocolate.


Mine:

DiMaggio, Henderson, Ruth

Bonds is amazing and his regular season stats are awesome BUT baseball is a team sport and he has no hardware and an arm like a third grade girl. Sid Bream anyone?

I don't know, I saw Barry Bonds on TV the other day and it looked like he had pretty good hardware to me

 

[Zamdrist]

Modern Area

I believe anything post 1900 is considered 'Modern Era'.

My choices:

Ruth - Obvious choice, pitcher, hitter. Best there ever was.
Musial - Best all around outfiield and hitter the game saw.
Aaron - Got to give the King a nod. Often overlooked for his defensive skills.

 

[Hamletmaschine]

'Berto!!!--how quickly they forget.... The man could do everything.

Aaron. Ditto.

No one else comes close to those two, in my opinion. But if the "modern era" only goes back to 1960, then Mantle is out, since his best years were in the 50s. Ditto Mays. I'd probably go with Rose, much as I hated him and the Reds. He was a winner.

 

[rick_j21]

ever?

Just to let you know technically the 1901 was the beginning of the modern era of baseball because that is the year that the American League was formed. I am not sure but I think the national league is about 15 to 25 years older than the American league. Picking just one player as the greatest ever is very hard to do. Some people who have this debate regurally will suggest that the greatest player ever was Josh Gibson and he did not even play in the Major leagues, rather the Negro Leagues because he ended his career before Jackie Robinson made it through with the Brooklyn Dodgers. I would argue that Ted Williams, Willie Mays, and Stan Musial were 3 of the greatest ever. I think that the much loved and fan favorite, (yeah whatever) Rickey Henderson was one of the greatest ever and won't ever get the credit before it but anyone who is such an arrogant jerk ussually doesn't get the kind of credit they deserve and with good reason. I think leading the majors in all time stolen bases, walks, and runs, and having 3,000 hits makes you one hell of a candidate for the greatest ever.

 

[Zamdrist]

Re: ever?

Just to let you know technically the 1901 was the beginning of the modern era of baseball because that is the year that the American League was formed.

Technically, I said that in my post. Sorry, couldn't resist.

 

[rick_j21]

Re: Re: ever?

Technically, I said that in my post. Sorry, couldn't resist.

Ok I will give you credit for that 1. I have never once heard the modern era as being described as anything other than 1900 or 1901. While we are on the subject of baseball do you imagine any Japanese league players coming over to the majors and making a tremendous lifetime impact like the players mentioned above. I wonder if it will take to far into their careers to get discovered and brought over. Sure Ichiro is awesome but does he have enough years left to make it into that catagory?

 

[Marxist]

Re: Re: Top 3 Baseball Players Of The Modern Era

I don't know, I saw Barry Bonds on TV the other day and it looked like he had pretty good hardware to me

Bonds does like his jewelry, unfortunately none of his "ice" has to do with winning games in the autumn.

The generally accepted term for Modern Era is 1903-present. 1903 is when the leagues finally settled on a National and American League and a World Series.

Some think of the Modern Era as since WW2, considering that's when America really began concentrating on the sport and the distraction of the war was over.

Others take it a step further and say since 1960.


If we go by the first def. I'll stand on Henderson, Ruth, and DiMaggio.

By the second def. I'll take Henderson, Rose, and DiMaggio.

 

[bearlee]

To Zambrist
Best there ever was(or will be)-Isn't that Roy Hobbs?

 

[Zamdrist]

To bearlee

To Zambrist
Best there ever was(or will be)-Isn't that Roy Hobbs?

Huh? It was just an expression.

 

[Zamdrist]

Re: Re: Re: ever?

While we are on the subject of baseball do you imagine any Japanese league players coming over to the majors and making a tremendous lifetime impact like the players mentioned above. I wonder if it will take to far into their careers to get discovered and brought over. Sure Ichiro is awesome but does he have enough years left to make it into that catagory?

I think that will happen, maybe not with Ichiro but in time it will happen. I think it's a good thing for baseball too.

One of the things I've liked what Selig has done has been opening day in different countries. Sure, we don't need to sell baseball to Japan or the Dominican...but why not open in London?

Cheers.

 

[WriterDom]

Ty Cobb. Nine consective batting titles says it all. But probably not someone you want in your locker room. Or heading into second as you are taking the throw.

Rod Carew and Hank Aaron were about the best I saw in person. Willie Mays had it all.

 

[bearlee]

To Zamdrist No biggie-line from the Robert Redford movie 'The Natural'-great baseball flick

 

[Zamdrist]

To Zamdrist No biggie-line from the Robert Redford movie 'The Natural'-great baseball flick

There are no great baseball flicks. Sorry, just my opinion. None of them capture the pro-baseball atmosphere.

I take that back, 61 was pretty damn good.

 

[Marxist]

There are no great baseball flicks. Sorry, just my opinion. None of them capture the pro-baseball atmosphere.

I take that back, 61 was pretty damn good.

Even "Bull Durham" doesn't make the cut? You're way harsh.

 

[Azwed]

Ty Cobbs cause he was a damn good hitter and a mean son of a bitch. You need a few of those around. What was his batting average 400 something something

Babe Ruth for above mentioned attributes.

I can't pick the last one though.

Either Mays or Aaron.

 

[heterotic]

People still play baseball?

 

[Spinaroonie]

See- the modern era is different for me cos I'm under 20...

I'd Say... Juan Gonzales, Rafael Palmeiro (Who played more games in the 90's than Cal Ripken) and...Kenneth.

 

[miles]

Top three

Jeez thats torture. Unfair.


Most talented - statistically

DiMaggio
Ruth
Williams


Personal Favorites - regardless of stats

Roberto Clemente - more graceful than Joltin' Joe
Bob Gibson - baddest mofo who ever took the mound
Pete Rose - before he became the King of Denial
Sandy Koufax - Wouldn't pitch in the Series on Yom Kippur
Yogi Berra - Mr. Malaprop

All-Asshole Team

Rickey Henderson - the Complete Asshole
Barry Bonds - all hearsay - don't really follow him
Bob Gibson - see above
Ty Cobb - racist, drunken, bigoted piece of shit

Hall of Famers who I saw in person many times

Mike Schmidt
Phil Niekro (big deal)
Yogi Berra
The Mick
Pete Rose
Ted Williams
Steve Carlton
All I can think of right now


Autographs I'd never sell

1957 NY Yankees autographed ball my Dad got me - never counted the Hall of Famers on it. Name your price, but it isn't for sale.


I'll tell my grandchildren I saw...

Satchel Paige pitch in an exhibition game in Savannah for the Braves in 1969. He had retired several years before but the Braves signed him as a player/coach so he'd be eligible for pension (probably for publicity). I was watching him warm up on the first base side, and there weren't enough O's in "slow" to describe his motion. He had to be in his 60's then. They brought him in to pitch and I remember that he threw some strikes...it was probably a setup. They took him out after he gave up a liner that Orlando Cepeda lazily waved at.

I like baseball.

 

[Zamdrist]

Re: Top three

Autographs I'd never sell

I like baseball.

I wouldn't sell any of my autographs, no matter how insignificant the player

Agree with Bob Gibson, nasty as hot nails, damn good picther. He's the man I want on the mound, 7th game.

Once shook Warren Spahn's hand, his hand was HUGE, it just engulfed mine.

I love baseball!

 

[rick_j21]

Even "Bull Durham" doesn't make the cut? You're way harsh.

Even as a young male member of our species I have to agree with you on this one. I love when he hits the bull. I often find myself quoting from that movie and people don't know what the hell I am talking about. Another great baseball movie is 8 men out and if you have never seen it is well worth it. They used to show it regurally on hbo but who knows now. 61 was okay but I am not big into the Yankees. In fact I despise the Yankees for somehow seeming to knock my beloved team out of the playoffs 2 years in a row now. Baseball movies on the whole can be big downers, but supposedly this new one The Rookie is supposed to be good. Guess we should all go pay our $9 and find out, yeah sure.