~2024 MLB Thread~

[OrangeAfroMan]

first number is singles and doubles combined?

Just doubles

[OrangeAfroMan]

Angels comfortably have the best city connect unis.  Only thing theyve done right, but at least they have that.

I pushed my friend around a mall in Vegas and we went into a couple of different sports stores.  
Legit, official baseball caps are now $50.00.

[FearlessF]

[847badgerfan]

[FearlessF]

[FearlessF]

DES MOINES, Iowa —
A prominent Major League Baseball umpire from Iowa has been disciplined for violating the league's gambling rules, according to reports.

Pat Hoberg, a Des Moines native and one of the top umps in professional baseball, is facing disciplinary action after an investigation into a potential violation. Hoberg has not called a game in 2024, according to a report from The Athletic. The report claims MLB began the investigation during spring training.

Hoberg has denied betting on baseball and is appealing the ruling, according to multiple reports. A statement from MLB said the investigation found no evidence that any games worked by Hoberg were compromised or manipulated.

Hoberg is one of the highest-graded umpires in the sport. He finished the 2023 MLB season as the No. 2 ranked umpire by Ump Scorecards.

Hoberg famously called a "perfect game" in the 2022 World Series, the first such perfect game by an umpire in more than 18,000 games tracked by Ump Scorecards.

The 37-year-old Hoberg is the latest in a long line of umps from Iowa, joining the likes of Tim McClelland, Don Denkinger and Eric Cooper.

[ELA]

RIP to the GOAT, Willie Mays

[847badgerfan]

Willie Mays, baseball’s electrifying ‘Say Hey Kid,’ dies at 93 - The Athletic (nytimes.com)

I barely remember the tail end of his 24 year career, and that last year he played for the Mets, which was weird. The last 3-4 years were not very good. But those first twenty? 

You might say nobody did it better than Willie Mays.

[utee94]

RIP

[ELA]

I think Mays comfortably held the title of greatest living player at the time of his death.

So now who is it?

The top 3 in terms of career WAR all have a * next to their names, and aren't even in the HOF.  Bonds, Clemens, A-Rod.

I think if you ignore all of the steroids stuff, it's pretty easily Bonds.

If you do care about the steroids stuff, the next 5 on the list are Rickey Henderson, Mike Schmidt, Greg Maddux, Albert Pujols, Randy Johnson.

[847badgerfan]

Maddux for me.

Schmidt/Henderson tie.

[MarqHusker]

I can't ignore Bonds,  he's markedly better than the rest.

Maddux, Rickey are nothing to sneeze at 

[ELA]

The thing about Pujols is how many bad years he had at the end.  He has a career 89.9 batting WAR.  His first 12 years were 84.7, his last 10 were 5.2.  And that was somewhat salvaged by a solid final season.  The 5 years prior to that, he was a -2.6.  He was paid on a long term deal.  I think without it, he probably would have retired about 5 years earlier.  

For some reason we kind of ignore pitchers in the "greatest" discussion.  But I think here, between Maddux and Randy Johnson, if you ignore Bonds, I think you have your top 2.

[OrangeAfroMan]

Pujols wound up a lot like Griffey Jr......first half of the career was all-time great, the rest was a plateau of meh.
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I'm a Dodgers fan and I hated Bonds, but he was so great.  Here's what he did pre-73 HR-4 years of video game numbers in his 30s:

9141 PA
1584 R
2157 H
451 2b
494 Hr
1405 RBI
471 SB
400 more BB than K (1547 vs 1189)
.289/.412/.567
.979 OPS
165 OPS+
4228 TB
320 IBB
111 career WAR

Great, OAM.  That's a bunch of gobbly-gook.  What does it all mean?
Well, let's see.  I'll list a notable player comp for each one, to see what kind of ball-player Bonds was pre-hat enlargement.

9141 PA...........Joe Carter 
1584 R.............George Brett
2157 H.............Larry Walker
451 2b.............Jim Thome
494 Hr.............Lou Gehrig
1405 RBI.........Robin Yount
471 SB............Jimmy Rollins
1547 BB..........Harmon Killebrew
1189 K............Will Clark
.289/.412/.567...............Acuna/Greenberg/Walker
.979 OPS.........Mantle
165 OPS+........Foxx
4228 TB..........McCovey
320 IBB..........Pujols (Bonds would still be the all-time leader...)
111 WAR..............Henderson

.
See how the volume stat comps at the top are pretty good players?  But then look at the ratio stat comps near the bottom.  Legends.
He's by far the leader in power-speed number....but is only a close 2nd to Henderson here, in 700 fewer PAs.
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He's a first-ballot HOFer pre-2001.  He was doing what everyone else was doing.  His crime was happening to be the best player to be doing it.  Ooops.

3 MVPs long before PEDs (should have had a 4th).
He had a 40-40 season.
He AVERAGED a 30-30 season for 15 years.  WTF is that?!?
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Since he was a HOFer with his 4 best seasons taken out, before PEDs, he should be in the Hall.