At their prime, who would you take in a home run derby?

Question

You can choose from:
1. Hank Aaron
2. Josh Gibson
3. Babe Ruth
4. Ryan Howard
5. David Ortiz

Answer 1

Mickey Mantle was the original home run derby champion in the late '50's!! He had more power than anyone on your list. Look it up, it's a fact! And as for Josh Gibson. Extremely overrates. Check the baseball encyclopedia and dictionary. During his entire career Gibson only hit 146 career home runs. He was drunk most of the time or on drugs and was a liability on defense. Sad but true. After his death (at 32 I believe) the legend grew and grew and grew until there was no more fact to it. I realize all Josh Gibson fans will thumbs down my answer but it still doesn't change the truth.

Answer 2

Hank Aaron and Babe Ruth. They are legendary figures, and I would rather have them in their primes than the newcomers Ryan Howard and David Ortiz. Big Papi and Howard might have big HR seasons, but they will never leave as big a legacy behind as Hank Aaron and Babe Ruth did. (The only owners of a 700+ HR recrd. Bonds doesn't count because of the steroids issue.)

Answer 3

Of those listed, I would take Josh Gibson. Don't know about 800 home runs, but those who knew him all remarked favorably about his ability. Ruth would hit lots of spectacular shots. Aaron was actually more a hitter for average but would hold his own. It's too soon to rate Ryan Howard, though I like him. Big Papi is not in the running, sorry.

However, the man who would win such a derby is not listed, and that is Ted Willams. No one had the kind of patience Williams had in waiting on a pitch. Like Aaron, Williams accumulated his home runs in the course of doing what he did best, namely hitting.

Another name that belongs here is Willie Mays, who knew a few things about hitting for both average and power. Mickey Mantle too, though he would not win the derby. (And The Mick owned up to everything he did wrong. He paid for it by losing his wife and eventually his life, and he understood and admitted it.)

And give me a seat behind the right-field fence so I can gather in all those juicy homers by Ruth, Williams and Mantle! (Though I would not turn my nose up at any of the others, less the steroid fiends.)

Answer 4

Ryan Howard and David Ortiz are great homerun hitters but they aren't in the class of the other three. Hank Aaron is the all-time homerun king, but he had almost 4000 more at-bats to get ahead by 41. So I'd put Aaron third in the list. I think my choice would be Josh Gibson. His plaques in the Hall of Fame says he hit "almost 800 home runs". He played 17 years. It's reported he hit 69 homers one year. The most amazing part is he was a catcher.

Answer 5

My first choice is Barry Bonds!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Next would be Josh Gibson!
Then Hank Aaron!
Most of Babe Ruth's home runs were in ball parks with short right fields. Like the Polo Grounds, only 256 feet down the line. Ebbets Field 297 feet down the line. Braves Field 298 feet down the line. Yankee Stadium 296 feet down The line. Baker Bowl 272 feet down the line. Forbes Field 300 feet down the line. Robison field 290 feet down the line.
If Ruth was so great, he should have had a hell of a lot more home runs!!!
If Bonds was hitting in short fields like that, he would have over 1200 home runs!!!!

Answer 6

In his prime?

Not Howard, and not Ortiz. among the other 3, it's really kind of a push. I'll go with Josh Gibson just to be different.

since you tried to trick everyone with Josh Gibson, why not Sadaharu Oh, the Japanese slugger who hit 868 homers for a career?

Regardless of how many homers he did hit, whether it was 800 in 17 years or 146 in 500 games, he still wound up with one dinger per 15.6 at bats. That compares very well with th other guys.

Answer 7

That is a tough choice between The Babe and Hank Aaron but i think i would take Hank Aaron! All these players are good home run hitters so it is not a easy choice!

Answer 8

I would say Hank Aaron for number one and Babe Ruth as number two in the event that Aaron couldn't participate

Answer 9

I love my Yankees but if I'm watching a home run derby contest I would love to see Josh Gibson just once.

If you thought Big Poppi parking them in the bay was nice you ain't seen nothing yet.

For the record. Mr.Clutch is correct Jessica. You have a lot to learn about baseball history.

Answer 10

Hank Aaron,Babe Ruth,Pujols

Answer 11

In a home run derby I would go with George Herman (Babe) Ruth.
No one has legitimately broke his single season record of 60 home runs in 152 games. Roger Maris had 161 games and Big Mac was on roids just like Barry Bonds.
The man was a machine at the plate with his oak tree for a bat.
Talking about power the man broke (shattered) a cricket bat on his first swing with one, a feat that had not been done until he did it.
I take nothing away from the rest on your list but you left out many of the greats from their times.