MLB Network - Prime 9 - Best CF'ers of all time

[P_Manning 18]

Top 9 Centerfielders of all time. Do you agree?

9. Kirby Puckett

8. Jim Edmonds

7. Duke Snider

6. Ken Griffey Jr

5. Joe DiMaggio

4. Tris Speaker

3. Mickey Mantle

2. Ty Cobb

1. Willie Mays

I thought Griffey would be a little higher.... but after seeing the top 5.... you really cant argue.

 

[daveyou]

edmonds?

no knock on edmonds but didn't see that one coming

dave

 

[George K]

Edmonds as a defensive centerfield could even be in the top five. He was no slouch as a hitter either.

 

[scotty21690]

Dimaggio > Mantle

Yes, I said it.

 

[beefycheddar]

Dimaggio > Mantle

Yes, I said it.

Griffey > Mantle..... I said it too. Injuries kept Jr from being #1

 

[pghbuccos]

I agree DiMaggio ahead of Mantle and I would put Cobb at number 1.

 

[scotty21690]

Agreed.

Mantle was very good, but he is overrated.

 

[spahnandsain]

Do you guys think Andruw Jones missed the top 9 by much? He was really something to watch for all those years in Atlanta.

 

[Ovation]

Top 9 Centerfielders of all time. Do you agree?

9. Kirby Puckett 124

8. Jim Edmonds 132

7. Duke Snider 140

6. Ken Griffey Jr 138

5. Joe DiMaggio 155

4. Tris Speaker 158

3. Mickey Mantle 172

2. Ty Cobb 167

1. Willie Mays 156

I thought Griffey would be a little higher.... but after seeing the top 5.... you really cant argue.

I added the adjusted OPS+ for everybody. The list looks good but I probably wouldn't put Edmonds ahead of Puckett since Puckett is a HOF player and Edmonds is not. Or at least he got elected to the HOF. Edmonds just looks out of place on the list and why did they stop at 9 most lists consist of 10?

 

[Weatherwarrior]

Do you guys think Andruw Jones missed the top 9 by much? He was really something to watch for all those years in Atlanta.

Andruw was as good a CF defensively as anyone on the list.

 

[i43770]

Top 9 Centerfielders of all time. Do you agree?

9. Kirby Puckett 124

8. Jim Edmonds 132

7. Duke Snider 140

6. Ken Griffey Jr 138

5. Joe DiMaggio 155

4. Tris Speaker 158

3. Mickey Mantle 172

2. Ty Cobb 167

1. Willie Mays 156

I thought Griffey would be a little higher.... but after seeing the top 5.... you really cant argue.

I added the adjusted OPS+ for everybody. The list looks good but I probably wouldn't put Edmonds ahead of Puckett since Puckett is a HOF player and Edmonds is not. Or at least he got elected to the HOF. Edmonds just looks out of place on the list and why did they stop at 9 most lists consist of 10?

I would assume it is a baseball thing, with there being 9 defensive players or 9 players in a line up.

 

[sheetskout]

Do you guys think Andruw Jones missed the top 9 by much? He was really something to watch for all those years in Atlanta.

I think as a defensive CF Jones may be the best of all time. He just gets to balls that others dont.

 

[mlbsalltimegreats]

edmonds?

no knock on edmonds but didn't see that one coming

dave

It is a little odd to see edmonds but he was a very good center fielder so I guess not that big of a suprise. Maybe its because most of the people on the list have passed or have not played baseball in a long time .

 

[Topnotchsy]

I'd put Andruw on that list before Edmonds.

Anyone who argues that Griffey could have been #1 if not for injuries should also consider how incredibly good Mantle would have been if not for his injuries.

 

[cowboysrule48]

Edmonds makes amazing catches, but I feel he is overrated as a fielder. It just seems to me he has to dive for a lot of balls that would be routine for other top centerfielders.

 

[andyduke86]

Do you guys think Andruw Jones missed the top 9 by much? He was really something to watch for all those years in Atlanta.

I think as a defensive CF Jones may be the best of all time. He just gets to balls that others dont.

Jones was definately better than Edmonds- offensively and defensively in his prime. Andruw hit 26 or more HRs each season for 10 consecutive years, and averaged 34.7 per year during that period.

 

[disengager]

I would put Dimaggio ahead of Griffey and Mantle. That park was very unforgiving to Dimaggio's power numbers....

 

[scotty21690]

I would put Dimaggio ahead of Griffey and Mantle. That park was very unforgiving to Dimaggio's power numbers....

Dimaggio was an incredible hitter. Imagine his numbers had injuries not plagued the end of his career??

 

[Pastretta]

Aaron "bleepin" Boone

edit: Sorry thought this was a thread dedicated to the Prime 9 segments.

 

[Therion]

Blaming injuries is almost as annoying as holding longevity against a player. If we never aged and people never died, got sick, or got hurt, imagine how awesome Babe Ruth's numbers would be by now.