5 best baseball players of your lifetime

[Uncle Rico]

Saw this on the tweeter machine and thought I’d bring it here.  In your lifetime, not all-time, who were the 5 best players in your mind.

My baseball memories begin in 1981, so I’ll start.

My five are, in no particular order:

- Greg Maddux
- Barry Bonds
- Mariano Rivera
- Ichiro
- Tony Gwynn

[wadesworld]

Bonds, Shohei, Trout, Griffey, Jr., and ARod

[Jockey]

Mantle, Aaron, Bonds, Ohtani, Mays

[Uncle Rico]

Bonds, Shohei, Trout, Griffey, Jr., and ARod

Always wonder about Griffey.  Losing the ‘94 season end to the strike and a chunk of ‘95 to injury in his prime hurt his overall numbers.  Couple that with the abuse his legs took on the turf at the Kingdome, feels like he got cheated of even a greater career

[lawdog77]

Molina
Wainright
Carpenter
Edmonds
Pujols

But seriously:
Clemente
Bonds
Maddux
ARod
Ohtani

[Jay Bee]

- Tony Gwynn

How close do you have Boggs to Gwynn? I think I may lean toward Wade.

Kirby Puckett… so amazing. Hate that his career (and life) got cut short. Many great memories of him.

[Uncle Rico]

How close do you have Boggs to Gwynn? I think I may lean toward Wade.

Kirby Puckett… so amazing. Hate that his career (and life) got cut short. Many great memories of him.

Boggs over Gwynn is perfectly fine.  Boggs took twice as many walks.  Both were similar in power numbers.  Boggs played in a more friendly ballpark, especially for lefties but to his credit, took advantage of it.  I was always more fascinated watching Gwynn hit.

I probably have an anti-Kirby view because of how he raked against the Brewers.  However, his game 6 in the ‘91 series was one of my favorite moments in baseball.

[Jay Bee]

I probably have an anti-Kirby view because of how he raked against the Brewers.  However, his game 6 in the ‘91 series was one of my favorite moments in baseball.

Understandable. ‘87 at County Stadium… day before went 4/5 w 2 dingers… next game, 6/6 with another 2 HRs, plus robbed Yount of a grand slam… so great.

Having been at game 7 in 1987, I think maybe the only sporting event that could top it for me would be another MU national championship. Vikings SB win would be up there too, but I don’t like even trying to think about that.

[Uncle Rico]

Understandable. ‘87 at County Stadium… day before went 4/5 w 2 dingers… next game, 6/6 with another 2 HRs, plus robbed Yount of a grand slam… so great.

Having been at game 7 in 1987, I think maybe the only sporting event that could top it for me would be another MU national championship. Vikings SB win would be up there too, but I don’t like even trying to think about that.

Those games in ‘87 were wild.  Still remember them vividly.

[MU82]

Interesting topic, Unk.

My “lifetime” and my baseball-watching years are different, of course.

The former includes the likes of Koufax, Gibson, Mays and Aaron in their primes. By the time I really tuned in, though, they were either retired or all but done.

Assuming that you meant the latter, and that juicing nomatta …

A-Rod, Bonds, Griffey, Pedro, Rickey.

Two more great years and Shohei moves to the top of the heap.

[Herman Cain]

Pete Rose
Hank Aaron
Johnny Bench
Frank Robinson
Mike Schmidt

[Jay Bee]

87 was bizarre. 85-77. Negative run differential. 4.63 team ERA. 4th & 5th pitchers combined for a ~6.11 ERA (Mike smithson & an elderly Joe Niekro). But, we got the job done

#CardsSuck

[Hards Alumni]

Saw this on the tweeter machine and thought I’d bring it here.  In your lifetime, not all-time, who were the 5 best players in your mind.

My baseball memories begin in 1981, so I’ll start.

My five are, in no particular order:

- Greg Maddux
- Barry Bonds
- Mariano Rivera
- Ichiro
- Tony Gwynn

Bonds
Rose
Griffey Jr.
Maddux
Trout

Hard to do.

[tower912]

87 was bizarre. 85-77. Negative run differential. 4.63 team ERA. 4th & 5th pitchers combined for a ~6.11 ERA (Mike smithson & an elderly Joe Niekro). But, we got the job done

#CardsSuck

Quality air management.

[TSmith34, Inc.]

Saw this on the tweeter machine and thought I’d bring it here.  In your lifetime, not all-time, who were the 5 best players in your mind.

My baseball memories begin in 1981, so I’ll start.

My five are, in no particular order:

- Greg Maddux
- Barry Bonds
- Mariano Rivera
- Ichiro
- Tony Gwynn

Maddux, Rivera, Ichiro definitely in the conversation.

Bonds: very good player pre-steroids, but far from top-5. Can't agree that steroid Barry should be included but realize that is a whole separate discussion that has already spilled an infinite amount of digital ink.

Gwynn? Great average hitter. I guess.

[Hards Alumni]

Bonds was one of the top players of all time even before steroids.

[TSmith34, Inc.]

Bonds was one of the top players of all time even before steroids.

IMO, he was very good in his prime, but far from top players all time. Pre-steroids, was he in the same conversation with Ruth, Williams, Spahn, Mays, Matthews, et al?

Steroids, of course, allowed him to be beyond top players of all time at a time in his career when others are barely hanging on or out of the game.

[MU82]

Understandable. ‘87 at County Stadium… day before went 4/5 w 2 dingers… next game, 6/6 with another 2 HRs, plus robbed Yount of a grand slam… so great.

Having been at game 7 in 1987, I think maybe the only sporting event that could top it for me would be another MU national championship. Vikings SB win would be up there too, but I don’t like even trying to think about that.

You're lucky to have been there in '87, JB. I have never heard any sports facility louder than the Metrodome was after Hrbek hit his grand slam in Game 6. I have many great memories of Puckett, too, one of my personal faves when I was in Minnesota, and his performance in 1991 Game 6 was an all-timer.

[dgies9156]

Molina                     Gibson
Wainright                 Brock
Carpenter                 Pujols
Edmonds                 Ozzie
Pujols                      McGee

My kind of list. Since I probably am older, I made a broader list of Cardinals I'd seen.

Now for my true list:

Aaron
Mays
Clemente
Barry Bonds
Pete Rose

Pitchers
Gibson
Seaver
Maddux
Koufax (yes, I saw him and he lives just down the road from me)
Carlton (and this one really hurts!)

[Jay Bee]

You're lucky to have been there in '87, JB. I have never heard any sports facility louder than the Metrodome was after Hrbek hit his grand slam in Game 6. I have many great memories of Puckett, too, one of my personal faves when I was in Minnesota, and his performance in 1991 Game 6 was an all-timer.

Incredibly fortunate. Back then, went to 25-30 games a year.

Said my goodbyes to Kirby over 15 years ago at the Dome. It was a rainy night. I drove the few miles from my house and went alone. Tears were shed, but I was not alone.

Btw, my homie’s stepson has his MLB debut tonight. Starting on the hill for KC Vs the Catholic-hating Dodgers. Hoping for the best for him. Milwaukee kid.

[LloydsLegs]

I'm going to start with 1969, when I was 5 and paying attention.  And then go with only players I saw at their peak (so no Mays, Aaron, Gibson, Clemente, Mantle, Koufax etc):

Rickey Henderson
Barry Bonds
Albert Pujols (heart says Frank Thomas, and they had similar 10 year streaks, but Albert gets nod)
Ichiro
Ohtani

Pitchers (I'd put position players above pitchers every time bc they play every day, and position players above DH's bc they play D):

Bruce Sutter
Mariano Rivera
Roger Clements
Greg Maddox
Pedro Martinez

[wadesworld]

Incredibly fortunate. Back then, went to 25-30 games a year.

Said my goodbyes to Kirby over 15 years ago at the Dome. It was a rainy night. I drove the few miles from my house and went alone. Tears were shed, but I was not alone.

Btw, my homie’s stepson has his MLB debut tonight. Starting on the hill for KC Vs the Catholic-hating Dodgers. Hoping for the best for him. Milwaukee kid.

Hook me up with some nice seats and I'll go cheer him on.

[Goose]

Jay Bee

I remember those games back in '87. Simply amazing. He was a great player and clutch.

[Uncle Rico]

Maddux, Rivera, Ichiro definitely in the conversation.

Bonds: very good player pre-steroids, but far from top-5. Can't agree that steroid Barry should be included but realize that is a whole separate discussion that has already spilled an infinite amount of digital ink.

Gwynn? Great average hitter. I guess.

Gwynn is the greatest hitter I’ve seen in my life.  I could listen to him talk hitting for hours.  Given how the game is played today, give me a million average hitters

[TSmith34, Inc.]

Gwynn is the greatest hitter I’ve seen in my life.  I could listen to him talk hitting for hours.  Given how the game is played today, give me a million average hitters

Gwynn was very, very good. IMO just not top 5 of his era or my lifetime. Amazing hitter no doubt. I see him as basically very much the same player as Rod Carew, who I would rate as very , very good but not top 5.