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Post by klawrencio79 on Jun 19, 2024 1:02:03 GMT
We knew it was coming, but the Say Hey Kid has passed away earlier today at the age of 93. A true legend.
Sad news, but worthwhile exploring his stats and catching up on all of the good he did for the game, and the joy with which he played.
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Post by Winston Wolfe on Jun 19, 2024 1:08:17 GMT
Goddamnit…like you said, not entirely unexpected, but…damn.
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Post by Rufus-T on Jun 19, 2024 1:25:42 GMT
What a legend! So glad the Mets hang up #24 while he was still around.  |
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Post by divtal on Jun 19, 2024 1:32:04 GMT
Hearts are heavy, here in San Francisco, and the Bay Area. However, joyful memories/stories will be shared, soon.
"Say, HEY!"
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Post by tristramshandy on Jun 19, 2024 3:01:45 GMT
Walton, West, and Mays in short order.
Not many players left whose Hall of Fame careers were primarily in the 60s: Oscar Robertson, Koufax, Namath . . .
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Post by mtbg on Jun 19, 2024 9:08:16 GMT
My favorite player that I never saw play. 5 tool was termed after him and Mantle. Probably the best all around player of all time. RIP Mr. Mays.
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Post by TheGoodMan19 on Jun 19, 2024 14:33:30 GMT
Mays was universally recognized as the greatest living ballplayer. Who is the greatest living ballplayer now?
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Post by nostromo on Jun 19, 2024 14:38:45 GMT
Very sad, I've been lucky enough to go to Willie Mays plaza to see the statue and the Giants play. He'll be remembered for the rest of time.
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Post by klawrencio79 on Jun 19, 2024 15:01:31 GMT
Mays was universally recognized as the greatest living ballplayer. Who is the greatest living ballplayer now? What a great question. The tricky answer could be Barry Bonds. But assuming we want to leave him off the list, you're talking about guys like: Greg Maddux Randy Johnson Mike Schmidt Rickey Henderson Albert Pujols Griffey Jr. Someone like that. |
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Post by TheGoodMan19 on Jun 19, 2024 15:19:40 GMT
Mays was universally recognized as the greatest living ballplayer. Who is the greatest living ballplayer now? What a great question. The tricky answer could be Barry Bonds. But assuming we want to leave him off the list, you're talking about guys like: Greg Maddux Randy Johnson Mike Schmidt Rickey Henderson Albert Pujols Griffey Jr. Someone like that. Henderson was my thought. Yeah, he could be a dick. Yeah, he played too long and for too many teams. But very few players in history was a feared as Rickey. Junior was an awesome player but always shadowed by the "what if", the numbers if he stayed healthy. Schimdt was looked on a an all or nothing hitter. Pujols career is marred by the lost years in Anaheim. Piss on Bonds
And Sandy Koufax should be mentioned.
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Post by Shane Falco on Jun 19, 2024 22:51:54 GMT
Mays was universally recognized as the greatest living ballplayer. Who is the greatest living ballplayer now? What a great question. The tricky answer could be Barry Bonds. But assuming we want to leave him off the list, you're talking about guys like: Greg Maddux Randy Johnson Mike Schmidt Rickey Henderson Albert Pujols Griffey Jr. Someone like that. As much as I loved Maddux and feared Randy Johnson I have a hard time giving that accolade to a pitcher. With that said, Albert Pujols is the greatest hitter I have ever seen once you take out guys like Bonds. Miguel Cabrera is up there as is Ichiro. Ichiro tends to get over looked because he didn't hit for power but he was excellent at everything else. I would have to give that accolade to Pujols. He was just unreal as a hitter that could do it all and wasn't a home run or strike out guy. Hated him, but always respected him. |
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Post by TheGoodMan19 on Jun 19, 2024 23:18:55 GMT
What a great question. The tricky answer could be Barry Bonds. But assuming we want to leave him off the list, you're talking about guys like: Greg Maddux Randy Johnson Mike Schmidt Rickey Henderson Albert Pujols Griffey Jr. Someone like that. As much as I loved Maddux and feared Randy Johnson I have a hard time giving that accolade to a pitcher. With that said, Albert Pujols is the greatest hitter I have ever seen once you take out guys like Bonds. Miguel Cabrera is up there as is Ichiro. Ichiro tends to get over looked because he didn't hit for power but he was excellent at everything else. I would have to give that accolade to Pujols. He was just unreal as a hitter that could do it all and wasn't a home run or strike out guy. Hated him, but always respected him. Ichiro is an interesting thought. Yeah, he didn't hit for power. Didn't have to with the Mariners, not when you had Junior, Edgar, A-Rod and Buhner hitting behind you. He was the best defensive RF I ever saw and maybe of all time. And he never took his first swing in MLB until age 27. Give him 3-4 prime years and he might had had 4000 hits. |
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Post by mtbg on Jun 20, 2024 12:14:50 GMT
What a great question. The tricky answer could be Barry Bonds. But assuming we want to leave him off the list, you're talking about guys like: Greg Maddux Randy Johnson Mike Schmidt Rickey Henderson Albert Pujols Griffey Jr. Someone like that. Henderson was my thought. Yeah, he could be a dick. Yeah, he played too long and for too many teams. But very few players in history was a feared as Rickey. Junior was an awesome player but always shadowed by the "what if", the numbers if he stayed healthy. Schimdt was looked on a an all or nothing hitter. Pujols career is marred by the lost years in Anaheim. Piss on Bonds
And Sandy Koufax should be mentioned.
Ricky is gonna say Ricky is the best. Today, I am the greatest! |
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Post by FrankSobotka1514 on Jun 20, 2024 13:59:01 GMT
Mays was universally recognized as the greatest living ballplayer. Who is the greatest living ballplayer now? What a great question. The tricky answer could be Barry Bonds. But assuming we want to leave him off the list, you're talking about guys like: Greg Maddux Randy Johnson Mike Schmidt Rickey Henderson Albert Pujols Griffey Jr. Someone like that. Bill James had this quote about Rickey Henderson that I never forgot - “If you could split Rickey Henderson in two you’d have two Hall of Famers.” As much as I love Schmidt I’d go with Rickey. If you have a separate category for pitchers I’d go with Johnson or Maddux with Carlton right behind. |
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Post by TheGoodMan19 on Jun 20, 2024 16:19:11 GMT
What a great question. The tricky answer could be Barry Bonds. But assuming we want to leave him off the list, you're talking about guys like: Greg Maddux Randy Johnson Mike Schmidt Rickey Henderson Albert Pujols Griffey Jr. Someone like that. Bill James had this quote about Rickey Henderson that I never forgot - “If you could split Rickey Henderson in two you’d have two Hall of Famers.” As much as I love Schmidt I’d go with Rickey. If you have a separate category for pitchers I’d go with Johnson or Maddux with Carlton right behind. Henderson dominated the game like few others ever did. Ruth, Bonds maybe a high peak player like Koufax. It was remarkable how far he got into a pitchers head before the game started. They would think "I can't walk him, he will be on 2nd in an instant. A sacrifice puts him on 3rd with one out. If the hitter doesn't sacrifice, Any clean hit and I'm down 1-0 before I start to sweat." If he got on by hit or walk, then you would see umpteen throws to 1st and the pitchers rhythm fly out the proverbial window. He led the AL in steals (66) at age 39. Yeah, he should have retired 2-3 year before he did. Those seasons in Boston and LA weren't pretty. I think he's one of the most underrated players in history.
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Post by klawrencio79 on Jun 20, 2024 16:25:50 GMT
Bill James had this quote about Rickey Henderson that I never forgot - “If you could split Rickey Henderson in two you’d have two Hall of Famers.” As much as I love Schmidt I’d go with Rickey. If you have a separate category for pitchers I’d go with Johnson or Maddux with Carlton right behind. Henderson dominated the game like few others ever did. Ruth, Bonds maybe a high peak player like Koufax. It was remarkable how far he got into a pitchers head before the game started. They would think "I can't walk him, he will be on 2nd in an instant. A sacrifice puts him on 3rd with one out. If the hitter does sacrifice, Any clean hit and I'm down 1-0 before I start to sweat." If he got on by hit or walk, then you would see umpteen throws to 1st and the pitchers rhythm fly out the proverbial window. He led the AL in steals (66) at age 39. Yeah, he should have retired 2-3 year before he did. Those seasons in Boston and LA weren't pretty. I think he's one of the most underrated players in history.
I hadn't seen much of Rickey before that one season when he was on the Mets in '99, which was his last good year before dwindling. At 40 years old, what struck me most was just how good of a hitter he was. His plate discipline was A+ and he had a .423 OBP that year. I think you're onto something when you say he's underrated. Everyone points to the steals, which are obviously impressive, but a career OBP over .400, an .822 career OPS, 297 homers and 1,115 RBI? That's impressive for anyone, let alone a leadoff hitter who played on some shit teams. |
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Post by DrKrippen on Jun 20, 2024 17:26:13 GMT
My favorite baseball player of all time. RIP Willie.
Jerry West and Willie Mays at the same time. Damn.
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Post by TheGoodMan19 on Jun 20, 2024 19:27:30 GMT
Henderson dominated the game like few others ever did. Ruth, Bonds maybe a high peak player like Koufax. It was remarkable how far he got into a pitchers head before the game started. They would think "I can't walk him, he will be on 2nd in an instant. A sacrifice puts him on 3rd with one out. If the hitter does sacrifice, Any clean hit and I'm down 1-0 before I start to sweat." If he got on by hit or walk, then you would see umpteen throws to 1st and the pitchers rhythm fly out the proverbial window. He led the AL in steals (66) at age 39. Yeah, he should have retired 2-3 year before he did. Those seasons in Boston and LA weren't pretty. I think he's one of the most underrated players in history.
I hadn't seen much of Rickey before that one season when he was on the Mets in '99, which was his last good year before dwindling. At 40 years old, what struck me most was just how good of a hitter he was. His plate discipline was A+ and he had a .423 OBP that year. I think you're onto something when you say he's underrated. Everyone points to the steals, which are obviously impressive, but a career OBP over .400, an .822 career OPS, 297 homers and 1,115 RBI? That's impressive for anyone, let alone a leadoff hitter who played on some shit teams. 3055 hits, 2190 walks. A .339 WS average. He only hit .227 overall in 1993 but he wore Mitch Williams out. Huge two run HR in the 15-14 game. And his walk and huge lead off 2nd threw The Wild Thing off so much, he had to crease one to Joe Carter.
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Post by twothousandonemark on Jun 21, 2024 2:58:56 GMT
Mays was universally recognized as the greatest living ballplayer. Who is the greatest living ballplayer now? Albert Pujols for me. I think his career & resume stands the test of baseball lore - not least never juicing & making a mockery of those who did with his own HOF run. His post-season heroics give him the crown. Greg Maddux is there, Shohei is knocking on the door already. HM Rickey Henderson, Ichiro Suzuki. Cabrera, Jeter, Betts... guys like that deserve a whiff too. Trout has been too injured now & zero playoff wins. Griffey Jr. sunk when he went to the Reds. |
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Post by Shane Falco on Jun 21, 2024 20:38:57 GMT
Mays was universally recognized as the greatest living ballplayer. Who is the greatest living ballplayer now? Albert Pujols for me. I think his career & resume stands the test of baseball lore - not least never juicing & making a mockery of those who did with his own HOF run. His post-season heroics give him the crown. Greg Maddux is there, Shohei is knocking on the door already. HM Rickey Henderson, Ichiro Suzuki. Cabrera, Jeter, Betts... guys like that deserve a whiff too. Trout has been too injured now & zero playoff wins. Griffey Jr. sunk when he went to the Reds. Maybe if the category was most over rated living player ever. The guy was treated like a fucking God yet was never even close to being the best player in the league. |
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