Who is the greatest in your generation?

[Huber.]

Define "generation"

 

[Bill Walton.]

Define "generation"

1.
all of the people born and living at about the same time, regarded collectively.
"one of his generation's finest songwriters"

 

[KB]

For all arounds it would have to be Griffey Jr and Vlad the og edition

Favorite hitters to watch were Frank Thomas, Will Clark and Manny

Fielding was Omar and Ozzie Smith

Pitchers were Pedro, Maddux and Nolan (that Robin Ventura v Ryan mound charge was hilarious)

Biggest waste of talent was Gooden, Strawberry and Bonilla

Biggest career loss from injury was Bo Jackson, Ruben Mateo and Brien Taylor

 

[Joe Charboneau]

For all arounds it would have to be Griffey Jr and Vlad the og edition

Favorite hitters to watch were Frank Thomas, Will Clark and Manny

Fielding was Omar and Ozzie Smith

Pitchers were Pedro, Maddux and Nolan (that Robin Ventura v Ryan mound charge was hilarious)

Biggest waste of talent was Gooden, Strawberry and Bonilla

Biggest career loss from injury was Bo Jackson, Ruben Mateo and Brien Taylor

Its like everyone keeps naming someone different that could be the best of that generation. Not sure i have seen Vlads name until now. This is a great tnread, there are no real wrong answers. As for Bonilla, of course that fool rose up and hit the biggest Hr of his career vs us in 97. Without it we win the WS.

 

[Coyote]

I keep thinking about the '98 home run chase and how I would have expected back then to answer this question with McGwire and Sosa. I mean, that competed with the Clinton-Lewinsky scandal for the news. And then Bonds.... But you can't always know if they're great--or if they're really dirtbags--when you see them.

I'd go with Ken Griffey Jr. Had no idea he tried to commit suicide when he was a teenager. Inspirational story and career, could do it all.

And I'd throw Thome and Vizquel in there.

 

[Out of the Rafters at the Q]

Where do you guys put Robbie Alomar on this list? In the conversation? You talk about the complete package. And clutch as anybody. He broke our hearts in 96. Didnt he also hit some huge HRs in Torontos WS season? Fielding, hitting, hitting for power, speed, one of the first guys it seems they used the title, 5-tool player for.

Best 2B of all-time... until Altuve probably

 

[BMAN]

Loved Jim Thome.

 

[The Wizard of Moz]

Loved Jim Thome.

Until the great conspiracy where he spurned us worse than LeBron..... twice

 

[Urban]

Gonna throw Tony Gwynn up in there

Absolutely absurd stats. Wish I had gotten to see more of him.

 

[BMAN]

Until the great conspiracy where he spurned us worse than LeBron..... twice

Taking more money. Such a bad guy

 

[The Wizard of Moz]

Taking more money. Such a bad guy

Not sure how you can’t see these are identical cloned situations and you perpetuate double standards

Checkmate, buddy

 

[BMAN]

Not sure how you can’t see these are identical cloned situations and you perpetuate double standards

Checkmate, buddy

You got me.

 

[dkbldev]

Link?

Lofton should really be in the Hall of Fame. Hopefully he can somehow get added down the line, voters messed up not putting him in.

I could not find the one where he beats out the infield single but this is still good.

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dv3uVVz_7nQ

 

[Arketebel]

I could not find the one where he beats out the infield single but this is still good.

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dv3uVVz_7nQ

Lofton got to 2nd base before this play with a bunt single and a stolen base. He small balled himself around the bases.

https://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/SEA/SEA199510170.shtml

He has the highest CF JAWS of non-HOF behind Trout and Carlos Beltran. I think the Today's Game Era Committee (Veterans Committee) will elect him in 2022 or 2024.

https://www.baseball-reference.com/leaders/jaws_CF.shtml

 

[The Oi]

Lofton got to 2nd base before this play with a bunt single and a stolen base. He small balled himself around the bases.

https://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/SEA/SEA199510170.shtml

He has the highest CF JAWS of non-HOF behind Trout and Carlos Beltran. I think the Today's Game Era Committee (Veterans Committee) will elect him in 2022 or 2024.

https://www.baseball-reference.com/leaders/jaws_CF.shtml

Small ball was fun and I miss it regardless of whether advanced stats bear it out.

I find bunts, stolen bases, squeezes, etc to be exciting to mix in with homers and doubles for a pretty simple reason.

There is a level of excitement stretching from the beginning of the time that the player shows bunt to the time that they arrive at the base and from the time that they get to it. Same with the steal. It’s the same reason why triples are more exciting to some people than homers. The final result is in jeopardy for a longer period of time than the home run.

Whether the strategy is accurate or not isn’t particularly interesting to me. I understand both sides, same as politics, are completely dug in on their sides with this. I wish they weren’t but it is what it is.

I think many who grew up with these find them to be exciting plays.

For all of these reasons and more, Kenny Lofton was my favorite player growing up and I absolutely love the dude. And I hope you are right. He really really wants in.