Sail on Stan Musial

[CaptainP]

Baseball has lost 2 legends today. First Earl Weaver, now...

http://espn.go.com/mlb/story/_/id/88606 ... ies-age-92

[LIPH]

One of the greatest players ever.

[SMLCHNG]

A legend.

[SchoolGirlHeart]

[Wino you know]

Definately one of the top five who ever played.
A gem of a human being, and THE man.
Sail on, # 6.
Thank you for what you did for the game, and thank you for your service in W.W. II.

[ejr]

One of the great ones. Sail on.

[chippewa]

Signed as a pitcher, didn't know that. He pitched to one major league batter in the middle of his career.

[big john]

Sail on, Stan the Man.

[drunkpirate66]

A legend.Lifetime 330 hitter with almost 500 home runs BUT only 696 strike outs with 3600 plus hits. Amazing.

Almost 2000 rbi's and 1600 walks. 2000 runs scored. About 900 combined doubles and triples.

.990 fielding percentage over 4 positions which include all three outfield slots and first base (plus a pitching appearance). 71000 outs with 688 assists and 935 double plays in over 3000 games played.

I bow down.

[CaptainP]

The only debate there is about Musial is, was he a top 10 player all-time, or was he top 5?

[drunkpirate66]

Top 5 Position Player.

By pure stats and not including era in which they play and leaving out steroid guys:

Williams
Cobb
Wagner
Stan the Man

[CaptainP]

Top 5 Position Player.

By pure stats and not including era in which they play and leaving out steroid guys:

Williams
Cobb
Wagner
Stan the Man

And that's why it is a debate. You left off Ruth, Mays, Aaron. Musial could easily slide down the list, but it depends upon criteria. People forget that Ruth was a career .342 hitter, not just a power guy. Mays and Aaron, too...both were career .300+ hitters, and both hit for more power. Both were great defenders, as well.

[Wino you know]

THE MAN never struck out more than 50 times in a season. Never any controversy about him.
Seven (I think) N.L. batting titles, played in 24 all star games in his 22years, 3630 lifetime hits (at the time of his retirement, he was # 2 to only Ty Cobb). Of his 3630 hits, 1815 came at home, 1815 came on the road.
Had 475 lifetime home runs-including five in one day (a double header). Spent a year & a half in the military during W.W. II, or he would've had well over 500 H.R.'s and close to 4000 hits.
Yes, he was and always will be THE MAN.

[drunkpirate66]

Top 5 Position Player.

By pure stats and not including era in which they play and leaving out steroid guys:

Williams
Cobb
Wagner
Stan the Man

And that's why it is a debate. You left off Ruth, Mays, Aaron. Musial could easily slide down the list, but it depends upon criteria. People forget that Ruth was a career .342 hitter, not just a power guy. Mays and Aaron, too...both were career .300+ hitters, and both hit for more power. Both were great defenders, as well.

Heading off to a football game so I don't have time to go as in depth on this as I would like but none of those guys crack my top 4. Ruth, only because he was a fairly dominant pitcher as well as hitter, perhaps top 5.

If you take into account the era in which Cobb and Wagner played, specifically, they might drop out of the top 10 despite their amazing stats. No night games, less travel, pitchers who just threw the ball and didn't really "pitch" with breaking balls and cut fast balls, defensive plays made with tiny gloves off uneven - non manicured ground, etc . . .

But pure stats . . . that is my top 4.

[Karacal]

Sail on, Stan.......

[jayparrot46]

sail on Stan

[Wildh2oskier]

Had a friend who is a complete baseball nut say that with all the great players passing away God must be getting ready to open spring training in heaven.

[smiller]

Sail on Stan. Wish I could have gotten to see him play. We did get to see him every opening day game at Busch each year. I miss attending those games too.

[dnw]

Sail on, Stan.

[drunkpirate66]

Just read that Musial had 1,815 hits at home and 1,815 hits on the road. No Coors Field like effect for this guy. That stat is pretty incredible.