Who is the best Hitter of all Time Ty Cobb, Ted Williams, Pete Rose?

Question

Who is the best hitter of all time? I know that their are honorable mentions like Tony Gwynn but putting aside personal bias who really do you think was the best Hitter of All time and why?

Answer 1

There are only two people who I could feel confident in saying as the best hitter of all time, and they would have to be Ty Cobb or Honus Wagner. I favor Cobb because of statistics but feel inclined to put Wagner in because Cobb himself, famous egotist that he was, said Wagner was better than him. Here is the basis for my argument.

You have to realize how bad hitting was in the dead-ball era, which is why I put them on a plateau. These two players were head and shoulders above their peers. I'd really love to see what Ruth or Williams or Rose could have done in the dead ball era, because I can bet they wouldn't have been NEARLY as good of a hitter in that time.

Answer 2

The answer is Ty Cobb, Consider this 366 career hitter 11 batting titles 4199 career hits scored 2246 runs and stole 892 bases. Ted Williams only hit 344 for his career had 2654 hits and stole 24 bases last but not least Pete rose 303 career batting average 4256 hits and he stole 198 bases. Ty Cobb is most definitely the man I do however think rose should be in the hall. Regardless of what he did. He did put it all on the field.

Answer 3

Statically you have to say Ty Cobb. His numbers speak for them self. He's #1 all-time ba .366 and #2 all-time hits 4,189.
He also hit over .300 23 years in a row amd had 3 .400 batting seasons.

As for a student of hitting and being a profectionist at his trade Ted Williams was the best. He studied hitting like no other ball player has. And had it not been for the war that kept him away for 4 years his numbers would be all lot better baring any injury.

Answer 4

Depends on how we want to define "hitter". By pure batting average, yeah, it's Cobb, the stats tell us so. But batting average has the great failing that it equates singles with homers, and we know they really do provide different value.

Defining "greatest hitter" as "inflicted the most punishment upon the opposition", it's either Ruth or Williams, and by now Bonds is within the next three on any worthwhile list.

Answer 5

I like Ted Williams and Ty Cobb was a hitting machine, but what about Rogers Hornsby and George Sisler? Sisler's single season base hit record stood from 1920 until Ichiro broke it a few years ago. What about DiMaggio? 56 games in a row!

I guess I'd go with Williams because of his approach, his power, and the fact that his numbers come despite two stints with the USMC (HOO-RAH!)in the prime of his career. I think the time in the Corps is what does it for me. 521 career home runs, .344 lifetime average, hit .406 in 1941, and a jarhead! What's not to like?

Answer 6

Ted Williams. First of all, he was a student of hitting and studied not only his strenghts and weaknesses, but other hitters of his era. He could hit for power and for average (he won the Triple Crown in 1941) and played in 4 decades, batting over .300 in his last season (he hit a home run in his last at-bat). He lost 4 seasons from his career due to military service and still ranks in the top 10 in numerous hitting categories. Williams also played most of his Red Sox career on teams that were average at best, mediocre sometimes, but rarely very good. Going back to your original question by considering the "best hitter", I would have to rate Williams at the top.

Answer 7

Id say Ty Cobb because he may not hit 755 home runs but he had some of the highest bating average at 410 and 420 also he won 11 bating titles and highest carer bating average at 366 plus has a batting award named after him now if I could chose anyone it would be Hank Arron.

Answer 8

Bonds for power Ted williams or Tony Gwinn for contact

Answer 9

I'm going to say Ted Williams because he spent some of the middle of his career in military service. It is hard to tell what records he would have set.

Answer 10

I think Ty Cobb.