Since all the major team sports except Baseball are having their summer breaks, it only leaves baseball to discuss GOAT.
Especially since it is generally understood that Jack Nicklaus and Rod Laver are the Golf and Tennis GOATs and thus not worthy of debate.
Who do you think? Babe Ruth Cy Young Ted Williams Ty Cobb Alex Rodriguez Rogers Hornsby Stan Musial Mike Trout ...
Bob Bailey because I went to high school with him and he told me he was the best. :)
Politely, that's a lot of crackers on this list...
My personal list
The GOAT: The Say Hey Kid Best Infielder: Honus Wagner Best Pitcher: Tie - Satchel Paige and Sandy Koufax
@TheeOSU
Yes, and MLS is in season too. Hence, my assertion that forms of Football is in the off season as well. For American Football it's NFL. For club Football (soccer), the European leagues are the top class.
Without having Willie Mays, Hank Aaron and Ken Griffey Jr. on your list, this isn't a real conversation. If Alex Rodriguez is on the list, then Barry Bonds should be as well.
I would take issue with you over tennis. Laver was great but he even admitted McEnroe was better than him. I really would have liked to see Sampras/Federer when both were are their peak. Federer got him at the end of his career. Nadal has to be in the conversation as he has a winning record against Fed. I think any pro tennis player you talk to will give this title to Federer.
Names to consider: Pete Sampras Roger Federer Rafael Nadal Novak Djokovic Andre Agassi John McEnroe
@a2195 the best pitchers I ever saw were Tom Seaver and Catfish Hunter Sandy Kodachrome was good but he had a very short career @flagooner good list of candidates but you left out a few how about Jackie Robinson and where is Reggie Jackson
^^^Koufax somehow spellcheck ducks that one
Reggie Jackson??? Lolololololol
BTW. I aught autocorrect on that one. I almost posted Reggae Jackson.
People still watch stickball?
Baseball fans are an aging demographic, perfect topic for a TUSCL discussion.
Reggie was on a half a dozen championship teams went from the Oakland As to the NY Yankees and although he was a so-so fielder he was a tremendous clutch hitter Another name you left out was Pete Rose he ducked himself with his gambling but was a tremendous competitor along with his teammate Johnny Bench, what about Carleton Fisk and Thurman Munson baseball has a real divide between players of different eras earlier players had a dead ball so those like Ruth,Cobb,Wagner had crazy great stats but with the many expansions the talent got very diluted this is a very interesting subject read some of the older players stats and they don't really translate well into the modern game.
My list was intended to get the discussion started. I'll add some more.
Call Ripen Jr. Mickey Mantle Joe Dimaggio Ichiro Suzuki Yogi Berea Roger Clemens Nolan Ryan
@25 - yes, it was extremely short, but Sandy played what is considered one of the (if not the most) dominating 6 year stretch in the history baseball for any player. He's deserving to be in that conversation at the least. Catfish only played 1 or 2 seasons more than Sandy did.
I'd go with Barry Bonds as the best everyday player and maybe Bob Gibson or Sandy Koufax or Roger Clemens as best pitcher with Clayton Kershaw having a chance to be in the picture.
Aaron judge!!!
We didn't get the best of Ichiro state side and he was still amazing. Ted Williams might have some of the most impressive stats. Roger Maris had a short career compared to many of these but wow.
Babe is still the best. I think he's still the all time leader in slugging and OPS. Not to mention 3rd lowest ERA of player who pitched over 1000IP... and 3rd in Homeruns
You might be able to name a great of an era for baseball but you simply can't compare across them.
Football's on right now on ESPN2, the CFL season opened today but seeing it's late June i'm not ready for football right now and then again i never followed the CFL.