[Mick]

One other item about Babe Ruth.  He always gets roasted for striking out a lot, and for a time held the career strikeout record, and led the league in strikeouts five times.

But...he never had more than 93 in a season.  Last year, that wouldn't have put him in the top 10 in either league, in fact, he would almost have to double it to reach the Top 10.  And he led the league in OBP ten times.  He averaged 60 strikeouts per season.  Barry Bonds was similar, averaging 70 per season.  Bonds, Ruth and Ted Williams

Can’t compare eras. But nobody dominated the sport like Ruth. In ‘27 he had more HR’s than any TEAM in baseball. In ‘20 he hit more than any AL team. Only the Phillies hit more than Ruth that year.

Then there is this:  .342/.474/.690/1,164. That is his CAREER slash line.

Unfortunately he has been caricatured as some fat guy that hit home runs. What Goodman did was criminal. Ruth could run a bit when he was young. And of course he was a great pitcher.

Again can’t compare eras. But Ruth too often gets left out of the discussion.

[quote author=wallendar link=topic=18931.msg226983#msg226983 date=1522436410]
Random thoughts...

Mays was the best all around player in MLB history

Williams was the best hitter in MLB history

If I were starting a team from scratch, give me Mays.  He played every day, Koufax once every four days.  If I had to select a pitcher, I would choose the 1968 version of Bob Gibson

My first professional game 1957 was at Seals Stadium - I still have the Lefty O’Doul autograph (he managed the Seals that year) I got that day

[/quote]

[Mick]

One other item about Babe Ruth.  He always gets roasted for striking out a lot, and for a time held the career strikeout record, and led the league in strikeouts five times.

But...he never had more than 93 in a season.  Last year, that wouldn't have put him in the top 10 in either league, in fact, he would almost have to double it to reach the Top 10.  And he led the league in OBP ten times.  He averaged 60 strikeouts per season.  Barry Bonds was similar, averaging 70 per season.  Bonds, Ruth and Ted Williams

Can’t compare eras. But nobody dominated the sport like Ruth. In ‘27 he had more HR’s than any TEAM in baseball. In ‘20 he hit more than any AL team. Only the Phillies hit more than Ruth that year.

Then there is this:  .342/.474/.690/1,164. That is his CAREER slash line.

Unfortunately he has been caricatured as some fat guy that hit home runs. What Goodman did was criminal. Ruth could run a bit when he was young. And of course he was a great pitcher.

Again can’t compare eras. But Ruth too often gets left out of the discussion.

[quote author=wallendar link=topic=18931.msg226983#msg226983 date=1522436410]
Random thoughts...

Mays was the best all around player in MLB history

Williams was the best hitter in MLB history

If I were starting a team from scratch, give me Mays.  He played every day, Koufax once every four days.  If I had to select a pitcher, I would choose the 1968 version of Bob Gibson

My first professional game 1957 was at Seals Stadium - I still have the Lefty O’Doul autograph (he managed the Seals that year) I got that day

[/quote]