Greatest " total Baseball player " of all times? My pick would be Willie Mays. He had it all.?
450758
Ted Williams may have been the greatest hitter ever, but he was only an OK fielder (not because he didn't have the ability to field, he just didn't put much effort in that direction. He was also not the best base runner ever either, not even close).\n\nWillie Mays and Hank Aaron both were incredible "five tool" players... Aaron was a better hitter than Mays, Mays was a little better fielder than Aaron.  Mickey Mantle was also a better hitter than Mays when they were both at their peak, but injuries (and his lifestyle) prevented Mantle from putting up the career numbers that Mays had.  Mantle was a much, much better post-season player than Mays ever was (Mantle's teams won 8 of 12 World Series, Mays' teams lost 3 of 4.  However, two of Mays' World Series teams were the '51 Giants of his rookie year and the '73 Mets in his last year, when he was 42 years old). Mays' Giants lost the World Series to Mantle's Yankees in 1951 and 1962.\n\nMantle hit 18 post-season home runs...all in the World Series, of course, as the playoff system did not start until 1969, the year after Mantle retired. Nowadays, with umpteen rounds of playoffs, players are setting all kinds of 'post-season' records, without ever having to even play in a World Series. No telling how many 'post=season' HR's Mantle would have hit if he had 3 rounds (i.e two extra rounds per year) of playoffs...\n\nBut Babe Ruth would have to get the nod as the greatest player of all time. He was well on his way to a Hall of Fame pitching career before his move to the outfield. He then became either the best or 2nd best hitter (Ted Williams) of all time, with only Barry Bonds recently clouding the issue as to who's the best...\n\nBabe Ruth simultaneously held the World Series records for (1) Most home runs hit, with 15  AND  (2) most consecutive scoreless innings pitched (29+)  !!!!!!  The thought of one man holding BOTH records is amazing, but even more amazing is that he held both records for over 30 years... his pitching record was set with the Red Sox (who won the W.S. with Ruth in 1915, 1916 and 1918) and was not broken until Whitey Ford's performance in 1961.   His HR record (last W.S. HR hit in 1932) was not broken until Mantle hit his 16th in 1964.\n\nBill James' top 10 players of all time\n\n1. Babe Ruth\n2. Honus Wagner\n3. Willie Mays\n4. Oscar Charleston (Negro League player)\n5. Ty Cobb\n6. Mickey Mantle\n7. Ted Williams\n8. Walter Johnson\n9. Josh Gibson (Negro League player)\n10. Stan Musial\n\nfollowed by \n\n11. Tris Speaker\n12. Hank Aaron\n13. Joe DiMaggio\n14. Lou Gehrig\n15. Joe Morgan\n16. Barry Bonds (first active player listed, this was ab.2000)\n17. Satchel Paige (Negro League pitcher, played briefly in majors)\n18. Eddie Collins\n19. Lefty Grove\n20. Grover Cleveland Alexander\n\nOther recent players include \n21 Mike Schmidt \n24. Frank Robinson  \n26 Rickey Henderson   \n30 George Brett   \n31. Mark McGwire  \n33. Pete Rose  \n35 Craig Biggio    \n37 Carl Yastrzemski  \n38 Tom Seaver    \n44 Johnny Bench   \n45 Jeff Bagwell   \n46 Bob Gibson   \n48 Cal Ripken   \n49 Roger Clemens   \n54 Tony Gwynn  \n55 Robin Yount   \n57 Reggie Jackson     \n58 Ryne Sandberg   \n60 Wade Boggs   \n61 Eddie Murray  \n63 Harmon Killebrew   \n64 Rod Carew    \n69 Willie McCovey   \n73 Griffey Jr   \n75 Frank Thomas   \n77 Ernie Banks  \n78 Steve Carlton   \n79 Mike Piazza  \n80 Robbie Alomar   \n71 Tim Raines   \n92 Greg Maddux  \n97 Carlton Fisk   \n98 Kirby Puckett  \n100 Billy Williams
613479
I think that Barry Bonds should be up there with his godfather, Willie Mays, but not with the babe and hank arron. Without the steriods he still would have hit a ton, even if what the book Game of Shadows says is true, and he started in 1998, the pace that he was going on, he still probably would have reached 600. And even 600 is enough to be put in the same category as the babe and aaron, but not worthy of being on the exact same level as the two greatest homerun hitters of all time.
978792
Mickey Mantle.\n\n\nI gave a quick answer initially because you had a trivia question.\nMantle was called that because he had so many terrible injuries to his legs.  Who knows how much more he could have accomplished if he did not have to retire in his early 30's.
866869
Juan Gonzalez.  The guy was total talent with the bat, and he just bulked up and wore out his body on roids.
1071689
Right now i'd have to go with Scott Rolen. In the past month he has hit .380 and made some amazing defensive plays. He gets it done on both sides of the ball. He has really stepped up his game while Albert Pujols is injured.
444373
C - Mike Piazza - Me may not be a defensive star, but his bat can't be ignored\n\n1B - Lou Gehrig - Albert Pujols may hold down this spot one day, but he's going to have to keep it up for another 5-10 years before he does. Gehrig is a career .340 hitter with nearly 500 homers. Only Jimmy Foxx comes close. \n\n2B - Rogers Hornsby - His 1922 season when he had 250 hits and  42 homers while batting .401 is the best season ever by a second baseman. He batted .358 for his career\n\n3B - Alex Rodriguez - Mike Schmidt actually deserves the nod here, but the edge is slight. It's only a matter of time (a year or two) before A-Rod cements his place as the game's best ever third baseman. \n\nSS - Cal Ripken - The answer here probably should be Honus Wagner...but because of his ability to play every day, power, and the fact that I've actually seen him, Cal Ripken is my pick. \n\nOF - Babe Ruth - No contest. He's the best player to ever play the game, nevermind the best outfielder. \n\nOF - Ted Williams - "There goes the greatest hitter that ever lived"\n\nOF - Willie Mays - The guy could do it all...run, hit, hit for power, field...The games most well rounded player\n\nDH - Barry Bonds - Love him, hate him, steroirds or not....whatever. Quit bitching about what he may or migiht have done and watch the damn game. Then you'll see that this guy is one of the greatest of all time. He's not a DH, but I figured with his knees he could use a rest. \n\nRHP - Roger Clemens - You could say Walter Johnson...you could say Cy Young. You could even be a complete fool and go with Nolan Ryan. But in an age dominated by hitters, Clemens has dominated everyone. \n\nLHP - Randy Johnson - He was a good pitcher up until he turned 30. Then he became a great pitcher. Everything clicked for him and he dominated the game.\n\ncloser - Mariano Rivera - The closer has become the most overrated player in the game today. Gone are the days where they actually did their team good by going 2 or 3 innings, holding a lead, and dominated a team. But in this age of closers who don't do all that much, Rivera has actually managed to make a difference. He's not the typical closer who pitches an inning a game and manages to rack up 35 saves with 50 innings for the entire year. The guy shortens games. If the Yankees are leading after 8, they win the game.
1040411
Pete Rose is the best. I am a big fan of his and always will be. He was a great ball player. He should be in the Hall of Fame. He could have done worse. There are other ball players I think should be taken out because of what they did.
538385
Alltime:\n5 tool player-Willie Mays\nDefense-Ozzie Smith\nHitting-Ted Williams, Stan Musial\nPitching-Nolan Ryan\n\nRight now in 2006- Albert Pujols.
155885
It's gotta be Jerry Rice.  He pretty much had all the bases covered.  He owns pretty much every record (most by a RIDICULOUS amount), was integral in several Super Bowl victories, and on top of that he was a clutch player who always came through in desperate situations.  Aside from that he had a great work ethic and obvious loved the game, and oh yeah played it 20 years.
127078
Willie Mays struck out 1436 times for the Giants, if that helps.  I got it from a message board, so I can't vouch for the accuracy.
1183312
thats not a fair question there were and are so many great hitters that you cant say one guy is the greatest aside from hitting well there are other things that they were and are really good at and that is different from all players when your comparing them if i had to pick one i would say gehrig when you look at his numbers they are just mindboggling tooo bad he couldnt be healthy his whole carrer
998309
I would have to say Barry Bonds because he is said to be the greatest hitter of all time but those are hard to get.Also ones like Albert Pujols, Derek Jeter, and others who will be a big part of baseball history years down the line.
752458
Yes I am George, Webb is my favorite player. It may not have been the greatest performance but he was the best out of all the other pitchers. I watched all of his starts and Webby put his heart into every one of them. I'm very happy he won.
642354
a toss up between schilling and wakefield.they are both team players,got guts,and can kick butt against the best hitters around.(gimme a break,i'm a lifelong Boston fan.
536316
I am an avid Red Sox fan, but I would give the nod to Joe DiMaggio. Williams was a selfish, self-centered player who was concerned with his own achievements. He was not a team player. Having said that, he also was probably the greatest hitter and student of the game. However, DiMaggio was more well-rounded and was a big time team player. Williams would be right at home today with the overpaid, self-serving athletes we support with our hard-earned money.
893179
1951 Minneapolis Millers \n\nThe Great #28 Willie Mays
901807
Yes to both McGwire and Bonds.  Nobody has definitively proven they broke any rules of baseball.  Keep in mind that in the speculation of when McGwire took steroids it was not a banned substance.  Canseco?  I don't think his numbers were there.  He was great in the 80's and very early in the 90's but he did not have a HOF career.  He did however have a very good career.