Who is the best baseball player of all time?

Question

Not Babe Ruth

Answer 1

roberto clemete best in baseball also was a very caring person outside baseball sad he past away while still in his prime

Answer 2

I suppose it depend on two things.

1) Your question isn't clear.

Are you asking who is the best player of all time outside of Babe Ruth? (meaning you think he is #1 and you want #2) or are you saying who is #1 all time and you don't think it's Babe Ruth?

2) The trouble with such a subjective question is that you have given no boundaries.

Without any boundaries at all, it is Babe Ruth, he dominated his peers and re-engineered baseball. Not taking into consideration his pitching record.
For the 2nd best player, I would believe we would have to look at either Lou Gehrig or Ted Williams as hitters, or Walter Johnson as a pitcher.

For those of you who answer Barry Bonds, please consider that in comparison to his peers, he isn't all that great. If Bonds is the greatest all time, then you have to contend that people like Frank Thomas and Manny Ramirez are top 20 of all time and I think we all agree that isn't true.

Joe Dimaggio had the benefit of quitting before his career went down hill. Other than his 56 game hit streak, he achieved possibly his greatest season in his first 3 years, which means it went down hill from there. Although, his 361-369 HR-SO ratio is amazing.

A modern day player that impacted and changed the game could be Rickey Henderson. His combination of (some) power, lots of speed and walks really affected the entire lineup.

Although he sucks in the playoffs and is cursed never to win a World Series, at this point, I think he have to put Alex Rodriguez into the category of the all-time greats. Shame that he may not be considered the best shortstop (at least offensively) of all time because he was less selfish than Derek Jeter, who should have changed positions for the guy who was winning the gold gloves.

Answer 3

Yes, Babe Ruth, Gehrig, Dimaggio, Hank Aaron,
Willie Mays, Ted Williams

Answer 4

But it IS Babe Ruth. No player ever had that combination of great hitting skills and great pitching skills. No one. Outside of Ruth, the best is probably Ty Cobb. He could hit, hit for power (100+homers), and was the best runner of his time. Also had one heck of a mean streak.

Answer 5

Old timer that most of us never saw play: Ty Cobb. He was in better shape than Babe Ruth ever thought of being.

Old Timer that some of actually saw play: Roberto Clemente.

Present day player: Albert Pujols. All around great and I am a Tiger fan.

Answer 6

I'm assuming you mean other than Ruth who is clearly the greatest baseball player of all time.

It's a tough call, a very tough call. Ultimately I'd go with Willie Mays, the man who could do it all. I don't need to recite all of his accomplishments. His stats are readily available and speak volumes. I choose him because even though there are several other totally legitimate candidates for 2nd best ever, as a complete player no one was better than Mays. As good, maybe. But not better. :-)

Answer 7

Ruth was NOT it, He carried the entire sport on his back for about 16 years. Ruth WAS Baseball, for a long time... but that said, he is not the best PLAYER. Icon, yes, but player? ild Pick Ty Cobb, Willie Mays, Joe Dimaggio, Mickey Mantle, Or Lou Gherig, one of them.... Because they were all around great PLAYERS, They all played sterling defense as well as being insanely gifted hitters. Ruth was just the premiere slugger of all time, but not a complete player.

Answer 8

big josh gibson of the homestead grays. records for the ***** leagues were poorly kept, but his lifetime BA was anywhere from .350 to .390. he's hit well over 800 homeruns and maybe close to 900 or just over. he was a 6'1'' 250 pound catcher. that is just huge for a catcher. fielding stats were not kept, but it's said he was one of the best defensive catchers in the ***** leagues or anyone in the majors. he died four months before jackie robinson played his first game in the majors.

josh is often called the babe ruth of the ***** leagues. but i call babe ruth the josh gibson of the major leagues.

Answer 9

It's Babe Ruth, but, if you prefer, Ty Cobb is my choice for 2nd best.

Answer 10

Ruth for the fact that he pitched and hit..... However as a overall everyday player (Hitting, running and defense) I can't imagine anyone being better then Barry Bonds !!!

Answer 11

Pitcher- Roger Clemens

Field Player- Tie btw. Willie Mays and Ty Cobb