RevMike's Journal: [Baseball] Is there a better all-around player?

Mr. November showed up again tonight. He's a relatively quiet guy - such that it baffles the mind to think how the average spoiled star would behave with his numbers.

After ten years, it is time that we can appropriately ask "Is he the greatest of his generation? Is he on par with the greatest of all time?

1. Hits for power
2. Hits for average
3. Hits situationally
4. Hits in the clutch
5. Hits to all fields
6. Runs the bases well
7. Fields his position exceptionally
8. Positive clubhouse influence
9. Good leader
10. Good role model

There simply aren't any holes in his game.

Now there is a certain pitcher whom is a definite first ballot hall-of-famer, but he is a bit more difficult to measure against the all time greats. Pitchers have become so specialized that it is tough to measure a closer against the great starters of previous eras. You can't argue with a 0.81 post-season era over a very large body of work. You can't plausibly argue that there has been a better closer since the emergence of the modern closer, but would a Sandy Kofax have been even better if he was used in the same role? Who can say?

Jeter and Cano

[RailGunner]

Jeter, Matsui, and Cano are the only Yankers position players that I have any respect for. A-Rod is a major league asshole, Giambi is an admitted cheater, Sheffield is another jerk, and Damon spent all 2005 in Boston practically begging Steinbrenner to sign him.

Jeter is an excellent player - but best player in his generation?

Michael Young of the Texas Rangers has an argument there...
Carlos Beltran might also have an argument there...
Albert Pujols might have an argument as well - he's underrated defe

Re:

[RevMike]

Jeter, Matsui, and Cano are the only Yankers position players that I have any respect for. A-Rod is a major league asshole, Giambi is an admitted cheater, Sheffield is another jerk, and Damon spent all 2005 in Boston practically begging Steinbrenner to sign him.

I agree that all threee are exceptional players in all senses, and that any team would be happy to have them on their roster. These are guys that would have fit with the '96-'98 teams. I love Martinez/O'Neil/Williams/Girardi and everything they

Re:

[RailGunner]

I enjoyed when they didn't quite make it back in time to see Gillis throw the ball away attempting to hold Abreau on first.

:1,$s/Gillis/Grilli/g

:)

That annoyed me, they come back and Abreau's on 2B, and I'm like, WHAT HAPPENED?
The other thing that got me was there were two pitches to Jeter in the 5 run inning that I thought were strike 3, but Nate was getting squeezed. As a former pitcher myself - that's tough. You start thinking "WTF is the strike zone" and then you end up making a bad decision like

Re:

[RevMike]

Well, the names of your pitchers just don't really matter all that much. :)

As far as umpiring goes, I really hate the delayed strike call. I'd mark the ball on my scoresheet, then I d look up and realize that I needed to pull out the eraser. Really annoying.