The Yankee Clipper........you have the hitting streak, the titles, the MVP's......and oh yeah....Marilyn Monroe.

Tough call, but I'll go with the Fifth Third Man. He quite simply redefined the position of catching and took it to a level never before seen in baseball.

 

On the downside, I don't know if any of you have ever met the man, but he came off as kind of a jerk the two times I met him. :irked:

As good as Joe D. was in his time he might not have been the best player of his era. Johnny Bench reinvented the catching position and is considered by most to have been the greatest player at the toughest position in baseball.

Tough call, but I'll go with the Fifth Third Man. He quite simply redefined the position of catching and took it to a level never before seen in baseball.

 

On the downside, I don't know if any of you have ever met the man, but he came off as kind of a jerk the two times I met him. :irked:

 

:thumb:He's not kind of a jerk. He truly is a big jerk not to mention a few other things that shall go without saying here on BGPs.

Bench. Joe D. a tad overrated in my opinion.

 

Joe DiMaggio - 3 MVP's - 2,214 hits, 361 HR's, 1,537 RBI's, FPG% - .978, .325 career hitter, and of course a 56 game hitting streak

 

Johnny Bench - 2 MVP's - 2,048 hits, 389 HR's, 1,376 RBI's, FPG% - .987, .267 career hitter......

 

I think the CLIP wins.

DiMaggio - The picture of consistency and only played 12-13 years, so his stats could even be more impressive.

 

Bench - One of the greatest defensive catchers, of all-time. A critical part, of the Big Red Machine.

 

Hornung - One of the toughest and hard nosed players. Not often given the credit he deserves, due to some of his off the field problems.

 

Brett - A total complete player, both offensively and defensively. One of the best MLB players, of his time.

 

Robinson - Perhaps the best at his position, defensively in the game. Consummate professional and competitor.

 

Joe D., get my nod.

Joe DiMaggio - 3 MVP's - 2,214 hits, 361 HR's, 1,537 RBI's, FPG% - .978, .325 career hitter, and of course a 56 game hitting streak

 

Johnny Bench - 2 MVP's - 2,048 hits, 389 HR's, 1,376 RBI's, FPG% - .987, .267 career hitter......

 

I think the CLIP wins.

 

I think you've forgotten to take into account what JB brought to the game from a defensive standpoint. And that's huge, absolutely huge.

^ You don't think a lock down centerfielder does that.....especially in those days of giant outfields?

^ You don't think a lock down centerfielder does that.....especially in those days of giant outfields?

 

Compared to a role of a catcher? No way. A catcher is involved in every single pitch of the game. Joe D. was solid. JB set a new bar for his position.

Joe DiMaggio - 3 MVP's - 2,214 hits, 361 HR's, 1,537 RBI's, FPG% - .978, .325 career hitter, and of course a 56 game hitting streak

 

Johnny Bench - 2 MVP's - 2,048 hits, 389 HR's, 1,376 RBI's, FPG% - .987, .267 career hitter......

 

I think the CLIP wins.

 

I did say a tad overrated. If he and Stan Musial had traded cites Paul Simon would have written "Where have you gone, Stan The Man?" But that is a topic for another thread.

BTW, has there ever been a bigger jerk in sports than DiMaggio?

 

As Cooperstown said, Bench took his position to an all new level. From a new style of catching to throwing runners out from his knees. As far as Catchers go he is arguably the best ever. While Joe D was a GREAT player, he is not one of the first names thought of when you think greatest outfielders. Heck he isn't in the top two for his own team all-time.

 

Bench's numbers also would have been much better had he not had surgery to remove a tumor on his lung back in the early 70's. While not that big of a deal now he was sliced down the middle of his entire chest and his ribs spread for the surgery. Many think that it took him 3 to 4 years to truely recover.

Joe DiMaggio - 3 MVP's - 2,214 hits, 361 HR's, 1,537 RBI's, FPG% - .978, .325 career hitter, and of course a 56 game hitting streak

 

Johnny Bench - 2 MVP's - 2,048 hits, 389 HR's, 1,376 RBI's, FPG% - .987, .267 career hitter......

 

I think the CLIP wins.

 

Taking into account the beating a catcher takes day in day out, I'd say JB's offensive stats are as impressive as Joe D's.

 

Joe D played in the golden age of baseball which is an intangible that JB doesn't get to take advantage of. When you're as good offensively at the toughest position in baseball and add in that you REDEFINED the position, you get my vote.

I know JB's rep, but I've met him and he was very pleasant!

 

Of course, I wasn't hounding him for an autograph, those are dumb, I just wanted to shake his hand and tell him he was my favorite ballplayer of all time, he seemed genuinely appreciative. He may not have been but he was not rude in the least.

What, no love for Terry Labonte?

I know JB's rep, but I've met him and he was very pleasant!

 

Of course, I wasn't hounding him for an autograph, those are dumb, I just wanted to shake his hand and tell him he was my favorite ballplayer of all time, he seemed genuinely appreciative. He may not have been but he was not rude in the least.

 

Unfortunately, most folks don't approach famous people in that fashion; choosing instead to engage in celebrity worship. And they wonder why the famous people are surly ...