Big Papi, Teddy or Foxx---your choice

[Spudboy]

Publicity. Money.

[dgalehouse]

Papi has a special place in Sox history. Without him we would be nearing a 100 year drought. Foxx was a great hitter. But there really is no argument here. Ted Williams was not only the Sox greatest hitter, but arguably, the greatest hitter of all time.

[Kimmi]

Publicity. Money.

 

I have read that tickets for the 'jersey retirement' game are going for $2800 for front row seats and $180 for standing room only. Though I think that Papi is more than deserving of this honor, the bottom line is always about the money.

[Northern Star]

Yes, my first game was in 1932. At Braves Field. I remember the year, and that it was mid summer. We were moving from Keene, NH., where I was born, to Somerville where I grew up. My father worked on the railroad and he took me down to Boston before we moved. The idea being to keep me from being traumatized, I guess. He took me a game because I spent every decent day playing somewhere. My first hero was Wally Berger.

 

 

Fox was the best RH hitter who ever played the game. His longevity was something else. It would be difficult to chose between Foxx and Gehrig. I think lefties always have had a little advantage. There are a helluva lot more RH pitchers than there are LH pitchers. It's been a long, long time, and I know sometimes memory banks play tricks sometimes. You remember what you want to remember, I guess. My father took me to at least 6 to 8 games a year. Almost always on a Sunday. At that time he had a steady run, and Sundays was his day off. When Cleveland came to town, it seemed that it was a tradition that Grove would pitch, and Cleveland sometimes arranged their staff so he would face Feller. Reason? The Gate! Ticket prices peaked at about $.55 for the grandstand, and when you were making $75 every two weeks, that was a lot of money. I hope some others here who were born in the earl twenties could add to this. Thanks for asking.

 

This was an awesome read.

[notin]

Jimmie Foxx is the most underrated player in MLB history and by a wide margin. Williams was the better overall hitter, but he certainly gets universal recognition as one of if not the best hitter of all time. Ortiz is the least of the three, which is certainly not an insult, but had the greatest flair for the dramatic any of us will ever see...

[Northern Star]

I still want to know how many runs Ortiz's lack of speed cost us on the basepaths. Not as many as he created, I'm sure, but still would like a number on it.

[Kimmi]

I still want to know how many runs Ortiz's lack of speed cost us on the basepaths. Not as many as he created, I'm sure, but still would like a number on it.

 

There is a stat for that.

 

Fangraphs BsR, Baserunning Runs, tells you how many runs above league average a player provided in baserunning. Ortiz' BsR for 2016 was -9.9. Ortiz' baserunning cost his team one win, which is terrible.

 

For some context, 0 is league average, -2 is classified as below average, -4 is classified as poor, and -6 is classified as awful. Ortiz was almost 4 runs below awful.

[notin]

There is a stat for that.

 

Fangraphs BsR, Baserunning Runs, tells you how many runs above league average a player provided in baserunning. Ortiz' BsR for 2016 was -9.9. Ortiz' baserunning cost his team one win, which is terrible.

 

For some context, 0 is league average, -2 is classified as below average, -4 is classified as poor, and -6 is classified as awful. Ortiz was almost 4 runs below awful.

 

Still worth it...

[moonslav59]

There is a stat for that.

 

Fangraphs BsR, Baserunning Runs, tells you how many runs above league average a player provided in baserunning. Ortiz' BsR for 2016 was -9.9. Ortiz' baserunning cost his team one win, which is terrible.

 

For some context, 0 is league average, -2 is classified as below average, -4 is classified as poor, and -6 is classified as awful. Ortiz was almost 4 runs below awful.

 

The whole American League DH base running number was -63.6. It's not like other teams' DHs were running wild out there.

 

[Spudboy]

He was not being paid to be Lou Brock.

 

f*** those statistics.

 

At best they only state what should be obvious.

[moonslav59]

I'l take 9 Papi's clogging up the basepaths every day of the year!

[a700hitter]

I'l take 9 Papi's clogging up the basepaths every day of the year!

Give me 7 Papi's and 2 Ricky Hendersons and you would win 100 games every year with me pitching.

[moonslav59]

Give me 7 Papi's and 2 Ricky Hendersons and you would win 100 games every year with me pitching.

 

7 Papi's and 2 of me hitting (.025) with you pitching might win 90.

[cp176]

Who will be Papi this year?

[Bellhorn04]

Who will be Papi this year?

 

Nobody can be Papi.

[Spudboy]

It's Mookie's team.

[moonslav59]

It's Mookie's team.

 

Yes!

 

And, nobody can be MOOKIE!!!

[Kimmi]

Still worth it...

 

Absolutely worth it. I didn't mean to imply otherwise.

[Kimmi]

He was not being paid to be Lou Brock.

 

f*** those statistics.

 

At best they only state what should be obvious.

 

I have no problem with Papi being slow on the basepaths.

 

I was simply answering a question.

 

Knowing that Papi was slow and knowing how many runs he cost the team are two different things. For the latter, you need stats.

[Kimmi]

Give me 7 Papi's and 2 Ricky Hendersons and you would win 100 games every year with me pitching.

 

Henderson's true value came from his ability to get on base, not from his ability to steal bases.

[notin]

Henderson's true value came from his ability to get on base, not from his ability to steal bases.

 

And that he was the all time MLB leader in THREE categories for a while (before Barry Bonds surpassed him in walks) shows what an insanely underrated offensive player he was..

[Kimmi]

And that he was the all time MLB leader in THREE categories for a while (before Barry Bonds surpassed him in walks) shows what an insanely underrated offensive player he was..

 

Agreed. Stealing bases is "flashy". Hence, that's what Henderson will be remembered for.

 

Stolen bases are overrated though.

[mvp 78]

Back to the original question... I'd take Samantha Fox all day.

[Bellhorn04]

Back to the original question... I'd take Samantha Fox all day.

 

Over Megan Fox?

[mvp 78]

Over Megan Fox?

 

No question. Megan Fox has murderer's thumb. I could never get past that.

[notin]

Agreed. Stealing bases is "flashy". Hence, that's what Henderson will be remembered for.

 

Stolen bases are overrated though.

 

Henderson is a big part of the reason stolen bases are overrated, since he was the headliner in yhat 1980's movement in baseball that emphasized leadoff hitters, speed and steals.

 

But the guy is the all time leader in steals, runs scored, and is second in walks. How many other players are in the top two in three different all time categories?

[Kimmi]

Henderson is a big part of the reason stolen bases are overrated, since he was the headliner in yhat 1980's movement in baseball that emphasized leadoff hitters, speed and steals.

 

But the guy is the all time leader in steals, runs scored, and is second in walks. How many other players are in the top two in three different all time categories?

 

I agree that Henderson's offense is underrated. What I was trying to say was that I think the reason he may be underrated is because he was such a prolific base stealer that people tend to overlook where his true value lies, and therefore tend to underrate his true value.

[moonslav59]

Hendu had an OBP over .390 in 21 seasons, including 13 straight!

[Bellhorn04]

Hendu had an OBP over .390 in 21 seasons, including 13 straight!

 

Great player, but he wasn't Hendu.

[notin]

Great player, but he wasn't Hendu.

 

Dave Henderson was the one and only Hendu. And he would be as immortal as Dave Roberts in Boston if not for passed balls and groundballs...