My All Time Baseball Squad

[Ironmann11]

Yes it is pretty rediculous a simple baseball thread turns to shit. Why this type of behavior is even allowed. Fricking childish!

[tbone2u]

sc....if you tell us you have a favorite squad....wouldn't you need players for all positions?

[boardman]

Originally Posted by Prime Time

1. Derek Jeter SS
2. Rogers Hornsby 2B
3. Babe Ruth RF
4. Barry Bonds LF
5. Lou Gehrig 1B
6. Willie Mays CF
7. Mike Schmidt 3B
8. Edgar Martinez DH
9. Johnny Bench C

Walter Johnson P
Mariano Rivera CL

A notable list and one, at least, worthy of debate.

[boardman]

Originally Posted by Sistine Chapel

Was Pete really that good?

Career batting average over .300, 4256 hits, the list of batting achievements go on and on...oh, as a switch hitter no less. Throw in two gold gloves for good measure.
He won three world series 2 with the Big Red Machine and one with the Phillies. He was always considered a team leader.
He was a league MVP and a WS MVP.

But he wasn't always a second baseman.
He's the only player in ML history to start 500+ games at 5 different positions and retired with the highest fielding percentage in the modern era at both LF and RF.

The guy wasn't the most talented player in the game but no one, NO ONE, matched his intensity and competitiveness. He didn't earn the nickname Charlie Hustle for nothing.
Need more?

[Sistine Chapel]

You make a compelling case but what pitching rotations did he consistently face. That could help seal it for me.

And who would you take Pete Rose or Barry Bonds. I compare them because they're both known to have major controversies regarding the integrity of the game. Although I would submit that Barry was probably the greatest or second greatest player ever even before the performance enhancers. He had like what 7 golden gloves and 4 or 5 MVP's ? All that before he started juicing for Homer's.

[bbkid]

Originally Posted by Ironmann11

Yes it is pretty rediculous a simple baseball thread turns to shit. Why this type of behavior is even allowed. Fricking childish!

Yep

[boardman]

Originally Posted by Sistine Chapel

You make a compelling case but what pitching rotations did he consistently face. That could help seal it for me.

And who would you take Pete Rose or Barry Bonds. I compare them because they're both known to have major controversies regarding the integrity of the game. Although I would submit that Barry was probably the greatest or second greatest player ever even before the performance enhancers. He had like what 7 golden gloves and 4 or 5 MVP's ? All that before he started juicing for Homer's.

He faced the same rotations everyone else faced in his era and he won three NL batting titles doing it. But just for shits and giggles how about Don Sutton, Tom Seaver, Nolan Ryan, Steve Carlton and Phil Niekro to name just a few starting pitchers he regularly faced. He wasn't in a protected spot in the lineup as a batter like Bonds was, he was usually batting leadoff. He had to work the pitcher harder and he did. The guy was considered one of the best mistake hitters in the game.

Even with a record for plate appearances he doesn't even come close to the record for SO. Bonds is in the top 100. Rose was one of the toughest outs in the game because he didn't sit on what he wanted. He could slap a ball opposite field or pull it down the line if that's what he was given.

Comparing Bonds and Rose as hitters is apples and oranges but OK. Who had more RBIs, runs, singles, doubles, triples?

As far as playing outfield, who had a better career fielding percentage?
Bonds played 22 years, Rose 24 years. Bonds had more MVPs but did you know they both ended their careers with 12 top 10 finishes in MVP voting?

[tbone2u]

Who took helpers and who didn't. It seemed Rose pretty much gave 100% of himself. He was a scrapper....and did without help.

[boardman]

I don't think anyone had anything but respect for Rose's play. The Elitists inside MLB were scared to death of having another Blacksox scandal on their hands. Rose was the perfect guy to pin it on to make it an isolated incident. They had proof, not suspicion and innuendo, so picking a scapegoat nipped it in the bud.

They didn't just want him to admit he bet on baseball, I think they wanted him to admit he bet against his team and might have thrown games. Rose wouldn't do it and signed that agreement with Giamotti. There were worse things going on in MLB by '89 including doping and Rose knew it was coming down the pike. His mistake might have been thinking that it would soon overshadow his controversy but it never did. As a matter of fact, anytime anyone tried to make a big deal of the other scandals in the 80's and 90's, MLB would always deflect back to Rose and how they handled him with an iron fist.
Signing the agreement to stay away from MLB was a big "fuck you" by Rose. It might not have been his best move but I think it went back to his competitiveness and his ego. That's what made him great on the field. You can't just turn that off.

He finally admitted, in his book, to betting on baseball but denied ever betting against his team. I believe him. He just wasn't built that way. Too competitive on the field to do that.
IMHO, in the end, MLB turned out to be the bigger loser by not allowing him to work in baseball or be inducted. I think maybe Rose knew that too. There is a spot in the HOF for him. It will be sad if Charlie Hustle doesn't live to see it.

[tbone2u]

He was definitely fun to watch play

[R.M.]

#Peteinthehall

[Solemate62]

I nominate Joe DiMaggio and really am too tired to come up with 8 others at this time. Joe gets it for his skills and his style. He carried himself both on and off the field with unmatched class. Simon and Garfunkel know what I mean!

[tbone2u]

I met Joe once in Houston. From what I remember he was a hell of a nice guy

[AsapBeard]

I’m just concerned that mike trout isn’t already on most of these lists. When it’s said and done I’m thinking he will be the greatest to swing a bat and play the game, just my opinion of course

[boardman]

Originally Posted by AsapBeard

I’m just concerned that mike trout isn’t already on most of these lists. When it’s said and done I’m thinking he will be the greatest to swing a bat and play the game, just my opinion of course

Maybe, but his body of work isn't there yet.
If you look at of his batting stats, average, HR, Slg, OPS and project them out over a 20 year career based on what he's done so far he'll be in the same conversation with Albert Pujols.

Does Pujols deserve to be in the conversation? Maybe, but I'll always hate that fucker for breaking Brad Lidge..