Title of "Best Hitter on Earth"

[Sanfran327]

I saw an NFL Network program that did this with running backs, and it inspired me to try it with hitters. Basically, it's a list of who you think held the crown of "best hitter in the game" going backwards. Once you see the first few, you'll get the gist.

Here goes nothin':

Miguel Cabrera

Albert Pujols

Manny Ramirez

Barry Bonds

Alex Rodriguez

Sammy Sosa

Larry Walker

Juan Gonzalez

(seems to be a trend there - LOL)

Tack on a few previous to Juan Gon. My memory gets a little hazy before then off the top of my head. Also, I'm sure most of you will disagree with some of my selections - go right ahead.

[waroriole]

With Pujols and Bonds, I don't think there was ever a time when ARod was the best.

[Can_of_corn]

With Pujols and Bonds, I don't think there was ever a time when ARod was the best.

I don't know if there was a time that Manny was the best.

Also needs more Frank Thomas.

[Flash- bd]

For some reason Todd Helton came to mind, and so I checked to see if his 2000 season he led the league in OPS, and he did (yes, Coors field-aided, of course).

And then I looked at the leader board for OPS in 2000. Absolutely nuts; 19 hitters OPS'd more than 1 and you have to go all the way down to 49 to find a hitter under .900 (one David Segui ). For being only a few years back, one almost forgets how out of control things were in the steroid era.

[Sanfran327]

With Pujols and Bonds, I don't think there was ever a time when ARod was the best.

I don't know if there was a time that Manny was the best.

Also needs more Frank Thomas.

Manny was other-worldly for a brief time. ARod, though a total douche, was also very good, even if only in throw-away situations.

Frank Thomas... definitely deserving. Perhaps slip him in between Juan Gon and Walker?

[Can_of_corn]

Manny was other-worldly for a brief time. ARod, though a total douche, was also very good, even if only in throw-away situations.

Frank Thomas... definitely deserving. Perhaps slip him in between Juan Gon and Walker?

Manny was great, not saying he wasn't. But was there a period in time when you had the choice between Bonds, Pujols and Manny that you would have picked Manny?

[waroriole]

Manny was other-worldly for a brief time. ARod, though a total douche, was also very good, even if only in throw-away situations.

Frank Thomas... definitely deserving. Perhaps slip him in between Juan Gon and Walker?

Manny's best seasons came when Bonds was putting up a .550 OBP, so no way he can outdo Bonds.

ARod might could get '05, which is the time between Bonds' reign and Pujols' reign.

From '90-'04, Bonds led the league in OPS+ 9 times. Maybe you could give someone else the crown in the mid 90's (when he didn't lead the league), but he definitely retook it by 2000. From 2006-2010, it was Pujols.

Actually, after looking at it again, you might could give the late 90's to ARod.

[waroriole]

I don't think there was a premier hitter in the mid to late 90's. It could be Bonds, ARod, Belle, Thomas, McGwire, Sosa or even Juan Gon.

[Sanfran327]

Manny was great, not saying he wasn't. But was there a period in time when you had the choice between Bonds, Pujols and Manny that you would have picked Manny?

Manny's best seasons came when Bonds was putting up a .550 OBP, so no way he can outdo Bonds.

ARod might could get '05, which is the time between Bonds' reign and Pujols' reign.

From '90-'04, Bonds led the league in OPS+ 9 times. Maybe you could give someone else the crown in the mid 90's (when he didn't lead the league), but he definitely retook it by 2000. From 2006-2010, it was Pujols.

Actually, after looking at it again, you might could give the late 90's to ARod.

That's when I was thinking about Manny. I gave the nod to ARod right before Bonds' era though.

[Migrant Redbird]

I don't think you'd be far off if you went with career OPS+. Ruth leads that list, followed by Williams, Bonds, Gehrig, Hornsby, Mantle, Shoeless Joe Jackson, Ty Cobb, and Albert Pujols. Votto comes in at 17th and Cabrera is way down at 29th.

Now if you want to only consider single seasons OPS+, Bonds and Ruth own that list. Of the 13 best seasons, Bonds has 4 (including the top 3) and Ruth has 5. Pujols' 2008 season is tied for 85th and Cabrera's best seasong is tied for 191st.

You could play around with "top 5" or "top 10" or "best 3 year peak" if you wanted, but that would be too much work for me.

Career Offensive WAR would factor in stolen bases, bringing A-Rod and Jeter to the top among active players.

[waroriole]

I don't think you'd be far off if you went with career OPS+. Ruth leads that list, followed by Williams, Bonds, Gehrig, Hornsby, Mantle, Shoeless Joe Jackson, Ty Cobb, and Albert Pujols. Votto comes in at 17th and Cabrera is way down at 29th.

I think he's talking about in any current moment.

The problem with looking at career OPS or OPS+ (and I know this is a thread jack in a way) is the quality of competition guys have faced. What would Ruth do against an influx of talent from the Negro Leagues and the Caribbean?

[Sanfran327]

I think he's talking about in any current moment.

The problem with looking at career OPS or OPS+ (and I know this is a thread jack in a way) is the quality of competition guys have faced. What would Ruth do against an influx of talent from the Negro Leagues and the Caribbean?

Yeah, not all-time best top 10 or something like that.

Getting all the way back to Ruth would be fun, and probably not all that time consuming.

[backwardsk]

I did a search for Cesar Izturis. This thread did not come up in the results.

[Moose Milligan]

I'm interested in the era right around 1990. Griffey was damn good, but not as great as he was going to be. Thomas hadn't hit the scene yet. Canseco was hurt in 89 and for some of 90. IIRC, Strawberry was well hooked on booger sugar by then.

Wade Boggs? Singles hitter. I think that's the year George Brett won the batting title but he didn't hit for a lot of power.

So who was the man back then? I know there's probably someone obvious but I can't think of who. Tony Gwynn?

[waroriole]

I'm interested in the era right around 1990. Griffey was damn good, but not as great as he was going to be. Thomas hadn't hit the scene yet. Canseco was hurt in 89 and for some of 90. IIRC, Strawberry was well hooked on booger sugar by then.

Wade Boggs? Singles hitter. I think that's the year George Brett won the batting title but he didn't hit for a lot of power.

So who was the man back then? I know there's probably someone obvious but I can't think of who. Tony Gwynn?

Bonds........