Besides Babe Ruth, who is the best baseball player ever?

Question

we all know ruth is the best player by far, on a different platform, but who comes in second?

Answer 1

Honus Wagner--outstanding hitter, great fielder at SS (and other positions), great base runner, lead his teams to championships, and was considered a great team-mate as well.
I really can't agree that all five tools are needed to be the best; that only makes you the best all-around. Besides, isn't one of the tools of baseball pitching? Ruth was a far better pitcher than Mays, Cobb, Williams, etc.

Answer 2

Id like to see Ty Cobb or Barry Bonds be a Pitcher like Babe was. That being said, after the Babe, disgustingly enough, Bonds is the best player ever. Until hes found guilty, he should be regarded as one of the best and biggest ******* in the world.

Answer 3

first, i would have to argue against the statement: babe ruth is the best baseball player of all time

now, if the question was: who is the best hitter (power and contact), then i would give that title to the babe

but, in my opinion, to be regarded as the best ball player, you have to do more than just hit - you have to be a 5-tool player

for this reason, i would put willie mays ahead of babe ruth

sure, ruth brought on a new era in baseball and was an excellent pitcher, but willie mays could do everything:

660 HR
338 SB
.302 Batting Average
20 time All-Star (started 14 times)
12 time gold glove winner
9 time batting champion

I just want to mention that Mays faced tougher pitching, and if not for the unfavorable dimensions of 3Com Ballpark when the Giants moved to SF, Mays could have smashed Ruth's HR record years before Aaron

plus, mays did not allegedly use steroids either

Answer 4

Ty Cobb, he was a rotten SOB as a person but a great ball player. He got upset with all the publicity Ruth was getting for hitting home runs so he went and hit 3 in one game and told reporters "see that is easy". His lifetime stats are unreal, he hit over 400 three times and his lifetime average is amazing.

As someone else pointed out, when they opened the HOF he was the first one inducted.

Answer 5

I'd say Willie Mays was the best all around player.
Best defensively Ozzie Smith
Best pure hitter Ty Cobb
Best power hitter Ruth
Best pitcher Walter Johnson

Answer 6

I'd have to say that Ruth or Mays do not even reach the talent level of Ted Williams in terms of average. Performance wise, I'd say Willie Mays was the best.

Answer 7

I disagree with saying that Babe was the greatest ever. I think he was the greates homerun hitter of all time, but not the greatest player. I've always thought that Cobb was an awesome player and would've loved to have seen him play. I think the gretest player i've seen, though is George Brett. He had the glove, he could hit for power, he stole bases, and he was an all-around good guy.

Answer 8

Barry Bonds

Answer 9

The first player inducted into the hall and because of his lifetime .367 average, I say The Georgia Peach, Ty Cobb

Answer 10

Ty Cobb, because he was the first one inducted in the Hall of Fame, before Babe Ruth.