I thought Ted Williams missed more time than that but I could be wrong. He was a pilot in two wars. Very noble. Hank Greenberg was another one. Also a pilot.

And yeah, Mantle's knees were shot. Plus he, Whitey Ford and Billy Martin partied too much. Some of the stories about those three are pretty funny.

who was greater, Ted or the Yankee Clipper

or Stan the Man -- his 1948 season is probly the best individual-offense season ever -- came within a couple of HR of the league lead -- otherwise, tops in every offensive category that year -- 135 runs, 230 hits, a sick .376 BA, an equally sick .702 slugging %, tops in doubles, triples, all the other categories

...& yes leading along to Schmidt/Brett, Boggs/Gwynn & Harper/Machado today -- wonder where they'll end up this season

 

It warms the cockles of my heart to see that Spring Training has begun. This time of year is great for sports to take your mind off the lousy weather. NCAA Hoops Tournament then the baseball season starting!

2019 Odds to Win World Series:

New York Yankees — 6/1
Boston Red Sox — 7/1
Houston Astros — 7/1
Los Angeles Dodgers — 9/1
Philadelphia Phillies — 10/1
Chicago Cubs — 12/1
Milwaukee Brewers — 14/1
St Louis Cardinals — 14/1
Atlanta Braves — 16/1
Cleveland Indians — 16/1
New York Mets — 16/1
Washington Nationals — 16/1
Colorado Rockies — 25/1
Chicago White Sox — 33/1
Cincinnati Reds — 33/1
Los Angeles Angels — 33/1
Oakland Athletics — 33/1
Tampa Bay Rays — 33/1
Arizona Diamondbacks — 50/1
Minnesota Twins — 50/1
Seattle Mariners — 50/1
Pittsburgh Pirates — 66/1
San Diego Padres — 66/1
San Francisco Giants — 66/1
Toronto Blue Jays — 66/1
Texas Rangers — 100/1
Detroit Tigers — 150/1
Kansas City Royals — 150/1
Miami Marlins — 150/1
Baltimore Orioles — 250/1

good to see Yankees back where they belong. Every other team in NY stinks. Islanders are not a NY team!!!!

The site I bet through although close to the prior post, does have some differences. You can actually bet these now. They're for a $100 bet. Same idea, just presented differently.

Boston Red Sox +600
Houston Astros +600
New York Yankees +600
Los Angeles Dodgers +700
Chicago Cubs +1100
Milwaukee Brewers +1200
Philadelphia Phillies +1200
Atlanta Braves +1400
Cleveland Indians +1400
St. Louis Cardinals +1400
Washington Nationals +1600
Colorado Rockies +1800
New York Mets +2200
Oakland Athletics +2500
Tampa Bay Rays +3500
Arizona Diamondbacks +5000
Chicago White Sox +5000
Los Angeles Angels +5000
Minnesota Twins +6000
Seattle Mariners +6000
Cincinnati Reds +7000
Pittsburgh Pirates +7000
Toronto Blue Jays +9000
San Diego Padres +10000
San Francisco Giants +12500
Texas Rangers +20000
Detroit Tigers +25000
Kansas City Royals +25000
Miami Marlins +35000
Baltimore Orioles +60000

And keep in mine these are going to change dramatically as soon as Machado, Harper and a few others finally sign.
Still, if you have a crystal ball and think you know where some of those guys may or may not play, it might be fun to take a flyer on someone.

There's already a line of whether Harper starts the season in San Fran.

Yes, was going to reply thanks for the post about Hank Aaron's birthday -- and how one could spend all day in a discussion nee argument about who was greater, Hank, Frank, Willie Mays, Willie Mac......
RIP Frank Robinson -- great career, great man

Robinson was probably a tad underrated for the time. Given his contemporaries I kind of get it. And he didn't exactly endear himself to a lot of people in the baseball world.

I have had this discussion many times over the years with baseball diehards like myself about who was the best. From the guys you mentioned (and from that era) I definitely say Mays. I can't believe the Giants didn't rule the baseball world in the 60s. FOUR Hall of Famers on that team: Mays, McCovery, Cepeda, Marichal.

I find it fun to discuss who was "the best". So subjective. Even at a particular position. My all time favorite player is George Brett. When I was a kid my friend's favorite was Mike Schmidt. We would debate about that a lot. I guess picking one over the other would be a tossup.

Kind of like deciding Machado or Harper.

Yes, was going to reply thanks for the post about Hank Aaron's birthday -- and how one could spend all day in a discussion nee argument about who was greater, Hank, Frank, Willie Mays, Willie Mac......
RIP Frank Robinson -- great career, great man

Robinson was probably a tad underrated for the time. Given his contemporaries I kind of get it. And he didn't exactly endear himself to a lot of people in the baseball world.

I have had this discussion many times over the years with baseball diehards like myself about who was the best. From the guys you mentioned (and from that era) I definitely say Mays. I can't believe the Giants didn't rule the baseball world in the 60s. FOUR Hall of Famers on that team: Mays, McCovery, Cepeda, Marichal.

I find it fun to discuss who was "the best". So subjective. Even at a particular position. My all time favorite player is George Brett. When I was a kid my friend's favorite was Mike Schmidt. We would debate about that a lot. I guess picking one over the other would be a tossup.

Kind of like deciding Machado or Harper.

As a huge 60's Giant's fan I have only two things to say as to why they didn't dominate

1 - Sandy Koufax
2 - Bob Gibson

3. Don Drysdale

3. Don Drysdale

Drysdale was a great pitcher; but Koufax and Gibson each dominated two WS during that decade. They were a league above (and yes the Giants didn't play them in the WS)

3. Don Drysdale

Drysdale was a great pitcher; but Koufax and Gibson each dominated two WS during that decade. They were a league above (and yes the Giants didn't play them in the WS)

Well yes, they weren't in the same league of course so they wouldn't have played in The WS. Gibson had two great WS in '67 & "68. (Also a good one in '64) I think. He won one in '67 and lost to Mickey Lolich and the Tigers in '68. Both great series. Wish I had been old enough to see him.

Still remember watching Gibson in the 1968 WS when he broke Koufax's single game K record. They flashed it on the scoreborad; Tim McCarver walked from behing the plate to point it out to Gibson. I thought Gibson was going to kill him for interrupting the game

Remember; we are talkingabout ago who pitched to a few more batters AFTER a Clement line drove fractured his leg

Well the Machado sweepstakes is over. I didn't think anyone would get a 10-year deal, money aside. If you think about it, teams aren't paying for $30mm worth of production a year over the term of the contract. They HAVE to know they aren't going to get that on the back end.

Think Pujols and Miguel Cabrera. Juan Gonzalez another one.

Still remember watching Gibson in the 1968 WS when he broke Koufax's single game K record. They flashed it on the scoreborad; Tim McCarver walked from behing the plate to point it out to Gibson. I thought Gibson was going to kill him for interrupting the game

Remember; we are talkingabout ago who pitched to a few more batters AFTER a Clement line drove fractured his leg

McCarver has some funny stories about him trying to go to the mound when Gibson was pitching. Gibby wanted no part of the catcher coming out to see him.

RIP Don Newcombe, age 92. 🙁

https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/don-newcombe-brooklyn-dodgers-pitching-sensation-dies-age-92-n973261

Still remember watching Gibson in the 1968 WS when he broke Koufax's single game K record. They flashed it on the scoreborad; Tim McCarver walked from behing the plate to point it out to Gibson. I thought Gibson was going to kill him for interrupting the game

Remember; we are talkingabout ago who pitched to a few more batters AFTER a Clement line drove fractured his leg

McCarver has some funny stories about him trying to go to the mound when Gibson was pitching. Gibby wanted no part of the catcher coming out to see him.

One time McCarver went out to the mound and Gibson told him to leave; that the only thing he knew about good pitching waas that he couldn't hit it.

My favorite Gibby quote is from Dusty Baker:

“(Hank Aaron told me) ‘Don’t dig in against Bob Gibson, he’ll knock you down. He’d knock down his own grandmother if she dared to challenge him. Don’t stare at him, don’t smile at him, don’t talk to him. He doesn’t like it. If you happen to hit a home run, don’t run too slow, don’t run too fast. If you happen to want to celebrate, get in the tunnel first. And if he hits you, don’t charge the mound, because he’s a Gold Glove boxer.’ I’m like, ‘Damn, what about my 17-game hitting streak?’ That was the night it ended.”
—Dusty Baker

Here's a listing from Bleacher Report of the Top 30 Most Feared Pitchers of all time.
https://bleacherreport.com/articles/986713-30-most-feared-pitchers-of-all-time#slide1
Of course Gibson is #1. Even scarier for Willie Mays was when Gibson once visited his home and Mays saw that Gibson was wearing glasses. Mays comment to Gibson, "You're gonna kill some one out there."

[Edited on 2/26/2019 by dzobo]

Rare gem that I recently ran across. Complete TV broadcast of the dramatic seventh game of the tightly contested 1952 World Series between the Yankees and the Brooklyn Dodgers from Ebbets Field in Brooklyn. Call is by Mel Allen and Red Barber. All Star performers include Jackie Robinson, Roy Campanella, Duke Snider and PeeWee Reese for the Dodgers and Mickey Mantle, Yogi Berra, Johnny Mize and Phil Rizutto for the Yankees. Billy Martin is the Yankees second baseman and makes the critical defensive play of the series. Amazing once again to see an era where power hitters deliberately go to the opposite field to knock in a run (Mize) and for one to even lay down a bunt single (Campanella). A twenty year old Mickey Mantle hits his second World Series homer (the first occurring the previous day). Great stuff for a true lover of the game. Jackie Robinson has some nasty at bats and creates a bit of havoc on the bases in one of the very few times he can be seen performing throughout an entire game

If you don't have the time to watch here is the boxscore and play by play listing. Not much happens during the first three innings.

https://www.retrosheet.org/boxesetc/1952/B10070BRO1952.htm

Here's a listing from Bleacher Report of the Top 30 Most Feared Pitchers of all time.
https://bleacherreport.com/articles/986713-30-most-feared-pitchers-of-all-time#slide1
Of course Gibson is #1. Even scarier for Willie Mays was when Gibson once visited his home and Mays saw that Gibson was wearing glasses. Mays comment to Gibson, "You're gonna kill some one out there."

[Edited on 2/26/2019 by dzobo]

What I found interesting about this article was what the writer omitted. I thought this article meant that it was about being scared to step into the batter's box against the pitcher, not a pitcher you couldn't hit.

The first one that caught my eye was Marichal. How could he leave this out?

Funny thing to me about this is the fact that I think they became friends afterwords. And I liked how Koufax was right in the mix of this.

Nobody worried about Gaylord Perry.

Sabathia? Really? Who's scared of him?

Carl Mays wasn't an imposing player. He unfortunately just hit a guy in the head before they wore helmets.

Steve Carlton's nickname was "Lefty". What's scary about that?

Bob Feller. He left out his nickname "Rapid Robert".

Sandy Koufax. He seems to have missed the fact that Koufax was so wild he couldn't hit the broad side of a barn when he came up.

Sal Maglie. His nickname was "The Barber" because he threw so close to hitters.

I'll give him Bob Gibson.

Guess I am nitpicking but just my thoughts.

2- marichals attack on roseboro probably cost the giants a ws appearance that year

2- you miss the significance of Carlton. Nickname. There were a whole bunch of lefthanders but only on lefty. Kind of like calling Steven curry trey. Carlton May have had the best slider of all time. His martial arts workouts ( including doing workouts immersed in rice) were legendary and kept him injury free into his 40s were legendary

3- Nolan Ryan wasn’t human. No other explanation. By far not the greatest pitcher but a cyborg

2- you miss the significance of Carlton. Nickname. There were a whole bunch of lefthanders but only on lefty. Kind of like calling Steven curry trey. Carlton May have had the best slider of all time. His martial arts workouts ( including doing workouts immersed in rice) were legendary and kept him injury free into his 40s were legendary

My point. Nobody was afraid of getting hit by him. Mostly what he threw was a nasty curve ball. I thought the article was about having to step into the batter's box against someone you might be afraid of.

Even Ryan like you said. As hard as he threw, he still had good off speed pitches.

Maddux is another one. He didn't throw that hard but he had such great control. Boy was he great in the early and mid 90s.

Go Giants!

Harper to the Phils for 13 years and no opt out clauses. Wow! Glad I'm not a Philly fan. I just don't think he's worth it.

Large humans wearing eyeglasses while pitching always seemed scary and intimidating. Ryne Duren is properly noted, particularly as he was so wild. The other one that comes to mind is Dodger reliever Eric Gagne, particularly after learning that he was also 'roided up.

The over / unders are out. My two teams are Cubs 88.5 and the Tiggers 68.5.

I'm taking the over on both. Can the Tiggers be THAT bad???

Perhaps Miggy will come back strong and key an improved Tigers team
Sad news about Tom Seaver tho -- his dementia will keep him from participating in this summer's 50th anniversary of the Mets' "Ya Gotta Believe" World Series team -- watta hurler

The over / unders are out. My two teams are Cubs 88.5 and the Tiggers 68.5.

I'm taking the over on both. Can the Tiggers be THAT bad???

Let's hope so ................ 😛

The over / unders are out. My two teams are Cubs 88.5 and the Tiggers 68.5.

I'm taking the over on both. Can the Tiggers be THAT bad???

Let's hope so ................ 😛

You want the Cubs to win about 90 games?

Perhaps Miggy will come back strong and key an improved Tigers team
Sad news about Tom Seaver tho -- his dementia will keep him from participating in this summer's 50th anniversary of the Mets' "Ya Gotta Believe" World Series team -- watta hurler

Improved? The Tiggers? They are a mess. If you fielded a team of guys they have cut loose the last several years, you'd have a good team. Granderson, Verlander, Kyle Farnsworth, Porcello, Scherzer (well, that was on him), Fielder, Kinsler, J.D. Martinez! 😮 Heck, they even got rid of their GM, Dombrowski.

And yes indeed the news about Seaver is sad. I'm too young to know him on the Mets. I remember him on The Big Red Machine in Cincy.