baseball players?

Question

Who do you think is the greatest baseball player of all time? I happen to think it is willie mays


GO PHILLIES!!

Answer 1

hank aaron... he could knock the cover off the ball

Answer 2

There are two ways to approach this question:
1. Who was the greatest in terms of pure physical abilities and capacity to play the game?

This method heavily favors the modern player who is bigger, stronger and faster than players from earlier eras. Advances in nutrition and training as well as the possible influence of steroids have produced statistical monsters that would thrive in any era. By this view you would have to look at Barry Bonds, Alex Rodriguez and Albert Pujols in that order in terms of guys that are dominant hitting for average and power as well as being Gold Glove winners.

2. Who was the greatest in comparison to the players in his era?

One way to judge this is to look at the percentage of votes each player received in his first Hall of Fame ballot. Excluding pitchers, who are wonderful but don't influence the game everyday, the top seven would be Ty Cobb, George Brett, Hank Aaron, Johnny Bench, Babe Ruth, Honus Wagner and Willie Mays.

Brett, Bench and Wagner were all amazing in their eras, but cannot seriously be discussed as the greatest of all time, which leaves Cobb, Aaron, Ruth and Mays.

Mays was the most outstanding defensive player of the bunch, earning 12 gold gloves and the admiration of future centerfielders everywhere. He ranks behind Aaron and Ruth in terms of home runs and had a career batting average of .302 and an on-base percentage of .384. He led the league once in batting average and was a 20-time all-star.

Aaron was the best power hitter of the bunch, blasting 755 home runs. He won 3 Gold Gloves and 2 batting titles. He was a career .305 hitter with an on-base percentage of .374. Aaron was a 24-time all-star.

Cobb was the best hitter for average. He was a career .366 hitter with a .433 on-base percentage. Cobb played in the era before gold gloves, but still amassed a strong .961 career fielding percentage. He hit 117 home runs in an era where home runs were extremely uncommon.

Despite the achievements of the others, Ruth was the most dominant in his era. He was a career .342 hitter with a staggering .474 career on-base percentage. A career .968 fielder, Ruth was a competent, although never outstanding outfielder. When Babe Ruth broke the all-time home run record it stood at only 138. He raised the number to 714. As a pitcher he was 94-46 with a 2.28 ERA. Babe Ruth was the most outstanding player ever in relation to his competition.

Answer 3

Hank Aaron. Willie Mays #2. Also, Pete Rose. Babe Ruth too. And Ted Williams. Mickey Mantle(before he started drinking) Sandy Koufax (lefty) Nolan Ryan (righty)

Answer 4

I think there are three players above everyone:
Babe Ruth,
Willie Mays and Ty Cobb

Answer 5

Ted Williams, or Micky Mantle.

Modern player who could easily be the greatest ever, A-Rod.

For pitchers, I want Cy Young, and Roger Clemens.

Answer 6

Babe Ruth by FAR. He was an in-freaking-credible player, and he would've easily have been in the HOF as pitcher is he had stayed at that position. The real definition of an all-around player.

Answer 7

Babe Ruth because not only was he the greatest hitter of all time, but he was also a Great pitcher early in his career before playing the outfield.

Answer 8

Well i'm going to have to go with the most popular answers...
Babe Ruth
Hank Aaron
But in my opinion the BEST mlb player currently playing would be...
Joe Mauer (GREATEST ATHLETE OF ALL TIME!!!!)
GO TWINS!!!

Answer 9

I'd take Ruth with my first draft pick, but Mays is certainly a reasonable choice.

Answer 10

Babe ruth could play pitcher and the out feild he is so varied that he is amazing.