The greatest Yankees ever Jeter's place, and Mo's
by Cbeck3 on Sep 6, 2011 6:36 PM EDT
Email
PrintSo here is my list of the greatest Yankees:
1) Ruth
2) Gehrig
3) DiMaggio
4) Jeter
5) Mantle
6) Rivera
7) Berra
8) Ford
After this the field becomes too crowded for a simple list. But the point I wish to make is here. I first watched the Yankees in ’56. So, I never saw Ruth or Gehrig alive. I only saw Joe D. in the old timers’ game. I rank them where they are because of where they rank atop the list of greatest players in history. I saw Mantle. I loved Mantle. Before my knees were bad I tried to move like Mickey. He was so graceful I didn’t realize he was limping on both legs. I wear number 7 on my only Yankee Shirt.
But Derek Jeter has earned a spot in front of The Mick on my list. Why? Derek at his best was nowhere near as great as Mantle at his best. He was never the most feared hitter in baseball. He never contended for, or won a Triple Crown. Derek Jeter’s great attributes, playing for great teams, were that he won. He could be really great and was never bad. He played (plays) a premium defensive with rock solid steadiness. He hits, and hustles, stays in shape and stays in the game. He hustles. The worst thing you can say about him is that he’s boring off the field.
It doesn’t get talked about much, but Mantle threw tantrums. He’d strike out and go into the dugout and start throwing things on the field, seriously. Bats and helmets and whatever he could move. That, and the personal flaws which kept him from living up to that awesome potential lead me to drop hime to 4th on the list.
Let me tell you this. I remember Gill McDougal, Tony Kubek, Gene Michael, Bucky Dent and many more Yankee Shortstops. When DJ finally leaves the field we are going to miss him.
I laugh when people wonder who will be the next Mariano, or the next core four. I watched 20 years of the next Mantle turn into Tom Tresh, Bobby Mercer, and Ron Bloomberg. There is never going to be another Derek Jeter, or Mariano. Enjoy the countdown to 600 and the all time saves record. Watch these guys while you can. Enjoy them, and hold on to some memories. Your children or grandchildren will ask you if you remember Jeter, and Mariano.
90 comments
|
6 recs |
Do you like this story?
Comments
Great post. It sounded like an article out of SI.
And about you question There will not be another Core 4. 4 Potential Hall of Famers (Pettitte should but proabily won’t be) all in the same Era on the same team, just incredable. Rec’d. Great read
Check out the funniest person on youtube Edbassmaster: http://www.youtube.com/user/edbassmaster
Yankees>Rest of MLB
They Finally called up Baby Jesus
How can you make that statement?
There will not be another Core 4. 4 Potential Hall of Famers (Pettitte should but proabily won’t be) all in the same Era on the same team, just incredable
For all we know the Yankees could have their next core four in their system right now. You never know.
Follow me on twitter @nyybrandonc
Writer/Editor for Pinstripe Alley, Blueshirt Banter
"No matter what I talk about, I always get back to baseball."
"Every day is a great day for hockey."
I doubt it.
Check out the funniest person on youtube Edbassmaster: http://www.youtube.com/user/edbassmaster
Yankees>Rest of MLB
They Finally called up Baby Jesus
by BrettGardnerLF on Sep 6, 2011 7:35 PM EDT up reply actions
Montero to 3rd.
"in order that you will write correctly of wat you really see if you dint go around with your eyes shut"
Cricket blog?
I don’t. Prove me wrong.
Follow me on twitter @nyybrandonc
Writer/Editor for Pinstripe Alley, Blueshirt Banter
"No matter what I talk about, I always get back to baseball."
"Every day is a great day for hockey."
Hopefully
we do have them now and they are named Montero, Nova, Banuelos, and Betances. Could you imagine having 3 pitchers, a la the ’90’s Braves teams, to stay together and win multiple championships? I’m getting aroused just thinking about it…
"Unpleasant Internet Dude"
formerly known as "Rude Internet Guy"
Okay, And your Nostrodomas. Stop acting like you know it all because you don't. I dont either but it is a shot in the dark saying we have a 2nd Core Four in Nova, Montero,Banuselos,and Betances.
Check out the funniest person on youtube Edbassmaster: http://www.youtube.com/user/edbassmaster
Yankees>Rest of MLB
They Finally called up Baby Jesus
by BrettGardnerLF on Sep 7, 2011 6:51 PM EDT up reply actions
But it's not a shot in the dark to say there will never be another?
You were the one acting like a know-it-all, and as usual, with no facts to back up your nonsense.
by waw on Sep 7, 2011 7:18 PM EDT up reply actions
Cool story.
"in order that you will write correctly of wat you really see if you dint go around with your eyes shut"
Cricket blog?
I don’t believe I am nostrodomas, or whatever you want to say. You actually just proved my point, so thank you very much sir.
Follow me on twitter @nyybrandonc
Writer/Editor for Pinstripe Alley, Blueshirt Banter
"No matter what I talk about, I always get back to baseball."
"Every day is a great day for hockey."
lol
I never think that there's something I can't do, whether it's beating my opponent one on one or practicing another hour because something about my game is just not right. - Magic
Okay, this is driving me crazy...
It’s Nostradamus
Darn it.
"Unpleasant Internet Dude"
formerly known as "Rude Internet Guy"
Once you go down that path
this guy will keep you busy policing his grammar/spelling/logic/etc.
by waw on Sep 9, 2011 2:02 PM EDT up reply actions
I know, but
when Barndon made the same mistake, I lost it.
"Unpleasant Internet Dude"
formerly known as "Rude Internet Guy"
Obviously you can't prove or disprove a comment like that
but the odds significantly point to it not happening.
“Dude don’t put all your life savings on 25, it most likely won’t land there”….“Ya but it might.” rolls eyes
by Now Batting on Sep 10, 2011 10:39 AM EDT via mobile up reply actions
Proof
I’ve sorted the Hall of Fame website by team: http://baseballhall.org/hall-famers/members/searchable-data?order=field_hof_primary_team_value&sort=asc
Then just start looking for 3 players on the same team inducted within 5-10 years of each other. The Giants have some, but there are couple early Giants teams who stuffed the ballot box for their teammates. The Dodgers inducted in the ’60s look good, as do the Cubs taken in the ’40s, St Louis has a couple good runs, as do the Indians and Yankees.
But think about the statistical improbability of it.
Name the best pre-1994 Yankee team.
1927? Gehrig and Lazzeri came up Yankees, but Ruth, Hoyt and Pennock all came from other places.
1936 adds DiMaggio, Gomez and Dickey to Gehrig and Lazzeri, but it’s clearly an older/younger situation (and don’t forget Red Ruffing, who lost 20 games for Boston twice before coming to the Bombers)
1949 was amid the heyday of the Yankee farm system (for a long time the Yanks had 2 AAA teams [I believe they, while most teams had only 1), and there were a number of homegrown All Stars, but only Hall of Famers are Dimaggio, Rizzuto and Berra. That model continued throughout the ‘50s, and by the ’60s there’s no one coming out of the farmsystem.
"Have faith in the Yankees my son. Think of the great DiMaggio."
Pinstripe Alley | The Hometown Fan | @jscape2000
Well my point is it is very, very, very, very unlikely, but it’s not impossible. You just can’t predict baseball!
Follow me on twitter @nyybrandonc
Writer/Editor for Pinstripe Alley, Blueshirt Banter
"No matter what I talk about, I always get back to baseball."
"Every day is a great day for hockey."
You should add a poll
Check out the funniest person on youtube Edbassmaster: http://www.youtube.com/user/edbassmaster
Yankees>Rest of MLB
They Finally called up Baby Jesus
Paragraphs are your friend.
Residing on the BEast coast.
by DCyanks21 on Sep 6, 2011 7:20 PM EDT reply actions 1 recs
+1
Should you choose to test my resolve in this matter, you will be facing a finality beyond your comprehension, and you will not be counting days, or months, or years, but milleniums in a place with no doors.
sorry
I didn’t preview. the graphs were in the eord doc, but didn’t paste. Editted
"I’m never really surprised, but I am thrilled sometimes." Joe G. 2010
Much better
Its like night and day, good write up. I may be in the minority but I put Mo ahead of Jeter. Sure Jeter is an all time Yankee great who has accomplished great things but Mo is the best of all time at his job in the history of the game.
Its all a matter of opinion but I also rank Mantle in front of both. I cant see punishing a guy that was upset at failing, it’s part of what made O’Neill so popular in these parts. The thing about dropping Mantle down because of his off the field stuff holds little water when Ruth can still be ranked 1. Ruth was far from an angel off the field either. If it was a model citizens list, Gehrig should be number 1 by a country mile.
Should you choose to test my resolve in this matter, you will be facing a finality beyond your comprehension, and you will not be counting days, or months, or years, but milleniums in a place with no doors.
Ruth .342/.474/.690
Gehrig .340/.447/.632, and Gehrig didn’t play through a decline.
Even with credit for good behavior, #1 and #2 ain’t close.
"Have faith in the Yankees my son. Think of the great DiMaggio."
Pinstripe Alley | The Hometown Fan | @jscape2000
Yes, much better.
Too bad we can’t edit comments like this, but I guess that would lead to all sorts of confusion.
Like you
I have only one Yankees jersey and it has a number 7 on it. I cannot find fault with putting Jeter ahead of Mantle. I might swap Berra and Mo on the list, but the difference in import between the two is minimal. I remember even when he was a youngster, the opinion of the Scooter regarding Jeter. When asked to compare Yankee players of the ‘90s with the teams he played on, Scooter said that Jeter could have played on those great teams of the 40’s and ’50’s. Usually an old guy will say something on the order of Ah these youngsters couldn’t play back in the day. The fact that Scooter, who had seen more than a few players come down the pike, considered Jeter a guy who could have played for the Yanks back in the day.
"I don't want one of those guys who'll drive in two but let in three every game." Casey Stengel
by tnredneckyankeesfan on Sep 6, 2011 7:30 PM EDT reply actions
On the field, there is no way Jeter passes Mantle. If you are combining that with off the field, then I can see that. Jeter has always been the consummate professional; an epitome of what it is to be a Yankee. Mantle’s alcohol and womanizing problems are pretty well documented, however.
The Savior has come, and he is glorious. #63
Jeter is not on Mantle's level.
Jeter hitting 30 HRs in a year would be a miracle from God himself. Mantle does that in his sleep while getting on base roughly the same. Jeter has the worst defense for any SS like ever. Mantle was bad but not epiclly bad. Mantle is the best outfielder in Yankees history.
World Series attitude, champagne bottle life, nothing every changes so tonight is like tomorrow night.
This makes no sense
Mantle was bad but not epiclly bad. Mantle is the best outfielder in Yankees history.
Which is it?
Obviously when that post is saying stuff like Jeter is the worst
it’s speaking about defense. Common sense.
rec if u agree
Objects in this signature are closer than they appear.
post with your real account, then I'll believe you
Last night, a comedian died in New York. Somebody knows why. Somebody knows
I have it
1) Ruth
2) Gehrig
3) Mantle
4) Dimaggio
5) Jeter
6) Berra
7) Ford
8) Rivera
Love Mo, but Ford and Berra both had their careers shortened by wars and could have been even more valuable.
Love Jeter, but he's not as good as any of the four guys above him
Jeter is a first ballot HOF, but those four are all “inner circle” HOFers.
Ruth was the greatest player of all time. Gehrig was the best 1B of all time and the 2nd best player of his era (to Ruth). Mantle was the best player of his era, and the 2nd or 3rd greatest CF. Dimaggio was probably the 2nd best player of his era.
Jeter was at best the 4th best player of his era, behind A-Rod, Bonds, Pujols. I would put Chipper ahead of him as well.
by PortlandYankee on Sep 8, 2011 2:29 AM EDT up reply actions
Who do you rank ahead of Mantle?
"Have faith in the Yankees my son. Think of the great DiMaggio."
Pinstripe Alley | The Hometown Fan | @jscape2000
Say Hey
"Unpleasant Internet Dude"
formerly known as "Rude Internet Guy"
by david d on Sep 8, 2011 11:19 AM EDT up reply actions 1 recs
That’s what I thought the answer would be, but Mantle’s offense so outpaces Mays, that even if Mantle was only an average defensive CF, Mantle gets the nod.
But it’s a little like choosing whether to drive the Porsche or the Ferrari.
"Have faith in the Yankees my son. Think of the great DiMaggio."
Pinstripe Alley | The Hometown Fan | @jscape2000
I looked at this a little more
At 5000 PA, Mantle was the greatest hitter of the 1950s (wRC 172), but Mays was 2nd (158, and had a slightly higher wOBA at 407). If you bring it down to 4000 PA Ted Williams is actually first in both.
However, Mantle rated as only an average defender in center (13 TZ for the decade), while Mays was probably 2nd best in the game (90 in CF, with two full seasons lost to the war).
Though SB are integrated into wOBA, it’s worth noting that Mays was also probably the best baserunner of the decade, leading MLB with 204 SB against 63 CS.
by PortlandYankee on Sep 8, 2011 12:51 PM EDT up reply actions
I am skeptical of TZ before the ‘90s. I don’t know a lot about it, and my first impulse is to distrust.
Everything I’ve ever read or heard about Mantle suggests that he was a great baserunner who didn’t steal bases to protect his knees.
"Have faith in the Yankees my son. Think of the great DiMaggio."
Pinstripe Alley | The Hometown Fan | @jscape2000
Health is a trait.
Mantle’s injuries are legendary, but he played plenty, and when he played he was vastly superior.
"Have faith in the Yankees my son. Think of the great DiMaggio."
Pinstripe Alley | The Hometown Fan | @jscape2000
Not sure how that changes my point
It’s fine to call it a trait, if you want.
Trait—>Outcome
Strength—> Power
Hand-eye & speed → Contact→ Range & Base-running
Hand-eye & concentration —> Fielding
Speed & instincts
Health —> Durability —> Production in all of those areas (you can’t hit a homer from the bench).
It’s not clear to me that we can play the “what if?” game with Mantle, because it’s not clear that he was capable of being consistently healthy.
It’s possible that the performance we saw from Mantle on the bases or in his counting stats actually was his best, because if he pushed any harder he would have suffered serious injury, lost time & been unable to produce.
What happened to Roy Campanella, or maybe even Lou Gehrig, was hypothetically preventable. Shipping Willie Mays to Korea for 1.75 seasons in his prime certainly was preventable.
What happened to Mantle, or players like Eric Chavez or Nick Johnson, probably was not, and it becomes fair to incorporate that into their true talent level.
by PortlandYankee on Sep 11, 2011 12:50 PM EDT up reply actions
I think Mantle had poor healthcare
at least by today’s standard.
It is not clear whether he had good work habits.
"I’m never really surprised, but I am thrilled sometimes." Joe G. 2010
Jane Leavey's book makes a practically irrefutable argument that if Mantle were a modern player, he would have had knee reconstruction in 1951, sat out '52, and been ok thereafter.
Instead, his torn- up knee was undiagnosed throughout his career, and he played in unbelievable pain, leg wrapped like a tourniquet. In terms of raw physical talent as a hitter, the only possible comparison is Mantle to Ruth.
by designatedquitter on Sep 14, 2011 10:06 AM EDT up reply actions
At least in this context, Mays had the same HC access as Mantle (probably less frankly, as an African-American).
Comparing across eras does become harder.
by PortlandYankee on Sep 12, 2011 6:58 PM EDT up reply actions
Yup, I have Mays a little ahead of Mantle
But that’s clearly disputable.
Still: No worse than the 2nd best player of his era is pretty good.
by PortlandYankee on Sep 8, 2011 11:42 AM EDT up reply actions
Mays
missed a year and a half because of Army service, and posted good years at ages 35-40 while still playing CF every day. They came up the same year, and Mantle was hitting poorly at 1B (for him anyway) at 35 and 36.
Where have you gone, Steven Revetria? A bandwagon turns its lonely eyes to you.
"118 elements, and still no stanfurdium"- carp, paraphrased
by natteringnabob on Sep 11, 2011 8:49 PM EDT up reply actions
Mays, Aaron, Williams, Musuel
"I’m never really surprised, but I am thrilled sometimes." Joe G. 2010
Maybe switch Berra and Jeter
But they are so close, it could go either way.
by cookiedabookie on Sep 13, 2011 2:23 PM EDT up reply actions
Mays wasn't a Yankee and is therefor irrelevant to this topic.
Jeter and Rivera are miles ahead of any other Yankee at their respective positions. (When Jeter came up, Phil Rizzuto was asked to compare Jeter to himself. The Scooter said he couldn’t carry Jeter’s jock, or words to that effect). The Yankees have had other relievers who were crucial parts of championship teams- Joe Page invented the closer position in the ’50s. Lyle, Gossage, and Righetti were all great pitchers, but none spent his entire career as a Yankee.
Tommy Henrich, Bill Dickey, and quite a few others also rate consideration on this list.
by designatedquitter on Sep 8, 2011 1:30 PM EDT reply actions
I'm not sure what your point is
Jeter might be “miles ahead” of any other Yankee SS, but that doesn’t mean he’s ahead of Ruth, Gehrig, Mantle, or Dimaggio, all of whom are “miles ahead” of him in value.
You can look at this as a straight up comparison between the players, or by thinking about them in the context of their era, which is what I was doing. Looking at it either way tells you the same thing about Jeter’s place in the pantheon.
by PortlandYankee on Sep 8, 2011 1:43 PM EDT up reply actions
The point isn't that their being best at their position moves them up the list, but the list should be a bit representative.
Nobody’s ahead of Ruth, period. He revolutionized the game. We would have said the same about Gehrig is it weren’t for Ruth. DiMaggio was the best position player on the team during his career, and his career overlapped the 1949-1953 era when the Yankees were simply unbeatable. Same for Mantle. In this era, same for Jeter and Rivera. There is no dynasty without them.
Direct statistical comparisons don’t apply (except for WAR fanatics). Just as 3 round post- seasons have trashed all of the old post- season cumulative records, and there was no concept of a closer, so Ruth and Gehrig’s offensive stats, outproducing entire teams have no analog today.
That’s what I meant.
by designatedquitter on Sep 8, 2011 3:53 PM EDT up reply actions
So what is your position here?
That I was wrong in my ranking? If so, why?
by PortlandYankee on Sep 8, 2011 4:16 PM EDT up reply actions
I don't have any problem with anybody's lists- everyone reads the question their own way.
When I saw the title of the post, I thought it might be the best players by position, which Rivera and Jeter certainly are. At the risk of being stoned in a public square, I think DiMaggio, as great as he was, is too high on the list. I don’t know if the Yankees would have had fewer championships without him, because his career is overlapped by many other Yankee greats. I also think that other pitchers from the ’50s deserve a closer look, as does Ron Guidry.
by designatedquitter on Sep 9, 2011 10:08 AM EDT up reply actions
Where you decide to get stoned is your business
but I’d avoid public places, myself
by waw on Sep 9, 2011 2:03 PM EDT up reply actions
Horrible weather
It was the night with the 4 hour rain delay.
For me baseball needs to be fun, nnot torture.
"I’m never really surprised, but I am thrilled sometimes." Joe G. 2010
Yogi= punished for being a Yankee, again
I think Yogi is being sold a little short here, notwithstanding the ludicrously strong company he keeps.
He hit .293/.360/.497 at age 36, before anyone thought to eat horse pills to stay young. And he caught. Many, many, many games, including something like 40 doubleheaders one year. He caught a 22 inning, 7-hour game game at the age of 37 and set many marks for his sterling defense. Until Bench came along, Yogi was the undisputed gold standard of catcher excellence in baseball.
I would place him above Mantle and Mariano, no disrespect to either, for being great offensively and defensively as well as for all the countless things he’s done for the team, and baseball for that matter, in his career. They named a famous cartoon character after him. He was doing insurance commericals at the age of 85 until Gilbert Gottfried became Gilbert Gottfired. He’s been happily married for 62 years, two of his sons became professional athletes (one infamously for the Yanks), and he’s “written” 7 books. He often visited Yogi Berra Stadium at Montclair State to spend time with young athletes. And between managing and coaching, formally and informally, it’s probably impossible to estimate how much he added to the Yankees by working with players through the years since he retired and for off-the-field mentoring of teammates like Mantle and Billy Martin.
He is the greatest ambassador baseball has ever had. A credit to his team and his country. In fact, I think I’d place him above Jeter, for now anyway. I hope Jeter goes on to a long career in other roles with the Yankees (but sadly for us and lucky for him I imagine his wealth will keep him from being too excited about the often-boring roles a coach often has to play).
Where have you gone, Steven Revetria? A bandwagon turns its lonely eyes to you.
"118 elements, and still no stanfurdium"- carp, paraphrased
Well Said
But…do you like Yogi Berra?
Follow me on twitter @nyybrandonc
Writer/Editor for Pinstripe Alley, Blueshirt Banter
"No matter what I talk about, I always get back to baseball."
"Every day is a great day for hockey."
haha he's aight
I actually never thought about it in detail before, but he’s too good to be that far down the list.
Where have you gone, Steven Revetria? A bandwagon turns its lonely eyes to you.
"118 elements, and still no stanfurdium"- carp, paraphrased
by natteringnabob on Sep 12, 2011 8:47 PM EDT up reply actions
Seriously, though
Very well said. Also Bill Dickey never gets enough credit, though I don’t know if he should make the list.
Follow me on twitter @nyybrandonc
Writer/Editor for Pinstripe Alley, Blueshirt Banter
"No matter what I talk about, I always get back to baseball."
"Every day is a great day for hockey."
All those
DiMaggio and before guys, what are you going to do? Tony Lazzeri was no slouch either.
Where have you gone, Steven Revetria? A bandwagon turns its lonely eyes to you.
"118 elements, and still no stanfurdium"- carp, paraphrased
by natteringnabob on Sep 12, 2011 8:49 PM EDT up reply actions
I think this is right
Dickey was better than he’s now given credit for. I wonder what Yogi says about Dickey. Wasn’t Dickey a mentor for Yogi?
Yogi is a great guy. He’s nice and colorful. It seems to me his reputation has grown a lot long after he retired. In the 50’s and 60’s I don’t remember any best ever talk about Yogi. On ratings in the early 60’s Dickey was considered the best catcher ever.
"I’m never really surprised, but I am thrilled sometimes." Joe G. 2010
I wasn't there, but...
They did think enough of Yogi in the 50’s to give him 3 MVP awards and for him to finish 2nd two other times. I think if anything, Yogi’s reputation and all the “Yogi-isms” have overshadowed how great a player he actually was.
by Let's Talk About Tex Baby on Sep 15, 2011 12:26 PM EDT up reply actions
his reputation then
was as a dumb dago [sic, I’m part Italian] jock who read comic books and bought stock in Yoo-Hoo because he liked chocolate soda. Then he made eleventy billion dollars on Yoo-Hoo and all sorts of other investments, and had some good years managing, and that changed (eventually).
Where have you gone, Steven Revetria? A bandwagon turns its lonely eyes to you.
"118 elements, and still no stanfurdium"- carp, paraphrased
by natteringnabob on Sep 15, 2011 9:00 PM EDT up reply actions
Well, I think...
you really are … uh, very annoying … and I can’t understand what you’re doing writing here. Anyway, anyone with any grasp of Yankee history would know how to spell Bobby Murcer and Gil McDougald, or at least look the names up to make sure. I like Jeter a lot, but really, he’s not in Mantle’s class (or Yogi’s) any way you want to stretch it. Even as a “leader” or with intangibles – I mean, every Yankee that played with Mantle worshiped him (despite, or because, of his bat throwing intensity (which he didn’t do ALL the time anyway) and said watching him play made them play harder. As they say, everyone’s entitled to his opinion, even ridiculous ones, so what else can I say? But you’re incredibly wrong in your rating.
Mattingly was quoted
as saying Jeter would go down as the greatest Yankee ever.
"I’m never really surprised, but I am thrilled sometimes." Joe G. 2010
To put Mantle any lower than 4th is insulting imo
I think you could argue him 3rd since DiMaggio’s extreme vanity caused him to retire a few years before he needed to. At any rate though, I don’t think there’s any disputing that Ruth, Gehrig, DiMag and Mantle are the Yankees’ Mt. Rushmore.
Modern players tend to get the benefit of the doubt on these things, but if you look at Jeter vs. Mantle, it’s really not close. Mantle led the league in OPS 6 times and in OPS+ 8 times. Jeter’s best season in terms of WAR was 8.0, which Mantle topped in 5 separate seasons. Jeter’s an all-time great. Nothing against him. But by putting him ahead of Mantle, you’re putting him in a league that he just isn’t in.
After the 4 on Mt. Yankmore, you can go in a few different directions, but it’s fair to say that Yogi, Ford, Jeter and Mo are 5 through 8. It’s hard to quantify the pitchers, Mo especially, because what he does is so unique. My ranking would probably be…
1. Ruth, 2. Gehrig, 3. Mantle, 4. DiMaggio, 5. Berra, 6. Mariano, 7. Jeter, 8. Ford, 9. Dickey, 10. Lazzeri
by Let's Talk About Tex Baby on Sep 15, 2011 12:06 PM EDT reply actions
Mantle was better offensively
No question about that. But defensively he declined from an ordinary centerfielder to a poor centerfielder and finally a poor first baseman.
Jeter’s value is in his all around game. Leadership, defense, clutch play. Obviously this kind of ranking has a intensly personal value judgement.
Look, I loved Mantle, the hero of my youth. I started watching him in ‘55 and was a big fan bby ’57. But having seen both careers and seen Jeter’s liffe in the spotlight and as a role model I think my ranking is right. IT’s only mine and you have every right to yours.
"I’m never really surprised, but I am thrilled sometimes." Joe G. 2010
Mantle was
considered a great base runner. In his prime health years 3.7 sec to first, a ton of runs scored. Mick didn’t steal much because there was little need to, with the Yankee lineup around him. Someone (any number of them, really) following him in the order with 20 – 30 homers and lots of runners on base in front of him. In the 50’s and 60’s a caught stealing just took the bat out of an All Star hands. Defensively his speed lateraly and strong throwing arm helped greatly. In the old configuation of Yankee stadium, the left fielder was actually as important as center.
Just looking at his stats I think you are underrating Mantle.
He had the two best post-WW2 seasons the Yankees have ever had.
I think Mantle
could have easily won at least 5 maybe 6 MVPs.
1) Ruth
2) Gehrig
3) Mantle
4) Dimaggio
5) Berra
6)Jeter
7) Ford
8) Mo
Comments For This Post Are Closed
Secondary Sidebar
User Tools
Related FanPosts on Pinstripe Alley
FanPosts
Community blog posts and discussion.
Recommended FanPosts
Recent FanPosts
In Association With
Big League Stew - MLB - Yahoo! Sports
- The Juice: Nelson Cruz matches career high eight RBIs, Pujols stays hot in Seattle
- Benches clear at Fenway as Red Sox-Rays rivalry heats up
- Keeping good company: Albert Pujols becomes fourth-youngest player to hit 450 home runs
- Giancarlo Stanton misses cutoff man, and Logan Morrison is thankful he did (Video)
- Snoop Dogg delivers memorable first pitch at U.S. Cellular Field
