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

[markakis8]

Agree to an extent. By Mantle didn't take care of himself at all. He was so abusive to his body and still put up the numbers. It's scary to think about what #'s Mantle would've put up with a durable career a la Ripken.

Dimaggio > Mantle

Yes, I said it.

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

 

[wolfmanalfredo]

I put Puckett ahead of Edmonds, but Edmonds is/was a great CF. Its an interesting argument with A.Jones, but if you want to argue that you can't leave out Torii Hunter

 

[markakis8]

Also agree to an extent. But you have the freak accidents like Puckett that really kept them from being in the discussion of the best all-time.

Speaking of injuries there are the unfortunate (i.e. Griffey - playing hard, breaking wrists) and the REALLY unfortunate (i.e. Puckett, Koufax).

Hypothetically speaking, where do you draw the line? It's hard to give Puckett and others who had freak accidents some leniency when others like Griffey and Mantle (even though he abused his body) played their hearts out between the lines like many others and suffered for it in the long run.

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.

 

[markakis8]

I don't see the A. Jones arguement to be honest, purely based on the fact that he has no dedication to the game.

Was he one of the most talented CF's in the history of the game at one point? No doubt. By how do you let yourself LOSE that much talent by the time you are 30? He went from being Top 10 in the game to the most overrated to absolute pathetic.

I'm rooting for him to have a comeback year. He still has a shot at the Hall of Fame in my opinion but I believe this is the year that determines his baseball fate.

I just feel like he started to care more about swining for the fences than being an all-around great player. (He has the power to hit 30 HR's a year naturally but he got greedy).

I put Puckett ahead of Edmonds, but Edmonds is/was a great CF. Its an interesting argument with A.Jones, but if you want to argue that you can't leave out Torii Hunter

 

[Zymco]

I dont think its fair to say injuries kept Griffey from being the best CF ever because you could probaly say the same thing about Mantle. Ofcourse Mantle's didint take care of himself as he should have, but not all of his injuries were because of that. Also I believe the things that happend to Griffey is really what made him great. He went to the wall fearless and I think that made him a top 9 centerfielder, but it also brought forth an injury-filled career.

 

[Anthony K.]

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.

+1

And to whoever said Mantle was overrated, please explain why.

I would like to hear it.

 

[MacK]

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.

That's only because he plays more shallow than any other centerfielder that I know of.

Jim Edmonds was an absolute beast though. Haha.

 

[wolfmanalfredo]

Also agree to an extent. But you have the freak accidents like Puckett that really kept them from being in the discussion of the best all-time.

Speaking of injuries there are the unfortunate (i.e. Griffey - playing hard, breaking wrists) and the REALLY unfortunate (i.e. Puckett, Koufax).

Hypothetically speaking, where do you draw the line? It's hard to give Puckett and others who had freak accidents some leniency when others like Griffey and Mantle (even though he abused his body) played their hearts out between the lines like many others and suffered for it in the long run.

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.

Honestly couldn't have put it better myself. +1 & thanked

 

[MacK]

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.

Defensively, possibly. However, offensively, there's really not much difference.

Edmonds hit 25 homers or more in 10 out of 11 seasons (1999 he only played 55 games). They're offensive stats are pretty similar in my opinion.

 

[Bigfan5]

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.

:lol: :lol:

 

[scotty21690]

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.

+1

And to whoever said Mantle was overrated, please explain why.

I would like to hear it.

Tis' me. But I was referring to the list and how Dimaggio should be above Mantle. Dimaggio was the more complete hitter, he could do it all and he never struck out, drove in more guys, and he has better 162 game averages for the most part.
**Overrated does not mean he was a bad hitter, just people thinking he is god...I think he was a great hitter, there are just a lot of other power hitters I would take over him.**

Sorry Ant

 

[Bigfan5]

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 got to balls that others didn't.

Had to make one correction for you.

 

[Anthony K.]

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.

+1

And to whoever said Mantle was overrated, please explain why.

I would like to hear it.

Tis' me. But I was referring to the list and how Dimaggio should be above Mantle. Dimaggio was the more complete hitter, he could do it all and he never struck out, drove in more guys, and he has better 162 game averages for the most part.
**Overrated does not mean he was a bad hitter, just people thinking he is god...I think he was a great hitter, there are just a lot of other power hitters I would take over him.**

Sorry Ant

No problem scotty.

The Mick is my favorite baseball player of all time (A Yankee...I know). I have read most of the books by/of him. My holy grail is his 52 Bowman. I just loved the way he played the game and the respect he had for the players around him when he was coming into pro ball.

I just wish he never got injured (and that he kicked the alcoholic habit a tad bit earlier). I think he could have gone down as the GREATESt player of all time had it not been for injuries. Even with the injuries, I still put him in the top 5 to 10 all time (albeit my own bias puts him higher than most).

 

[Russ S.]

No Brady Anderson, what a crock!

 

[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?

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

Don't know why I didn't think of that since it actually does make perfect sense.

Adjusted OPS+

Mickey Mantle 172
Ty Cobb 167
Tris Speaker 158
Willie Mays 156
Joe DiMaggio 155
Duke Snider 140
Ken Griffey Jr 138
Jim Edmonds 132
Kirby Puckett 124

OPS

Mickey Mantle .9773
Joe DiMaggio .9771
Ty Cobb .9450
Willie Mays .9414
Tris Speaker .9283
Duke Snider .9194
Ken Griffey Jr .9192
Jim Edmonds .9051
Kirby Puckett .8366

I'm pretty sure if everyone was playing without injuries, without missing time to war, without being drunk, or getting ill Mantle would have had the best offense career out of this bunch without a doubt. He was also a switch hitter so he didn't get killed at Yankee Stadium like Dimaggio did.

 

[thefasterblade]

Dimaggio > Mantle

Yes, I said it.

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

Injuries kept Mantle from being #1. Works both ways.

 

[braden]

No Brady Anderson, what a crock!

Don't worry, he's a lock to crack the Top 10 Steroid Aided Single Seasons by Sideburned Outfielder list which comes out next week.