Wow...What's Gonna Happen in Week 2? & The JB Random Report All-Time Outfield & Designated Hitter 4/12/12

What an interesting first week of baseball huh? The Yankees started 0-3 and sent everyone into a panic until it was remembered that they started the same way in 1998 and ended up winning a record 115 games and the World Series.

It only took Ozzie Guillen 3 days to wear out his welcome in Miami (a new record for him and his big mouth) after saying to a reporter what a lot of Latin Americans say in the privacy of their own homes; that they respect Fidel Castro for being able to stay alive only 90 miles away from a country that has wanted to kill him for 60 years. The problem is Ozzie decided to say it in Miami, where the Cuban population isn’t exactly sharing that admiration of Castro’s durability, considering that they were the ones forced to flee after the revolution of 1959. For those of you who don’t know how this feels, let me give you an example: If some asshole said that Osama Bin Laden was a resilient leader because he evaded the United States for ten years how would you feel? Exactly why Guillen needed to be punished. Not because he is not free to think as he chooses, but because he used a severe lack of judgment in not knowing his and his team’s audience.

Many people think that the 5 game suspension was too harsh, but he was lucky he wasn’t fired. Imagine the now Miami Marlins, who just spent close to one billion dollars to get key free agents and a new stadium in Miami, who hired Guillen as a calculated move to get more Latinos to come to the ballpark, now having to contend with that same Latino population boycotting the team? I assure you that Miami has not seen a disaster this big since Hurricane Andrew and J.Lo buying part of the Dolphins.

The JB Random Report All-Time Outfield & Designated Hitter

In Left Field: Barry Bonds (1986-2007), Batting Average:.298 Home Runs:762 Runs Batted In:1996 Hits:2935. Let me just put all the controversy to rest right now by asking you this; has any other player in left field had the numbers Bonds had before the whole steroid controversy? Even if you just take his stats from 2001 down, he is still the best, most complete left fielder to ever play this game. 7 Most Valuable Player Awards (3 before 2001), 8 Gold Glove Awards (All before 2001) 514 stolen bases (a stat that I love) are just impossible to ignore, regardless of what happened later in his career.

Why Its Not:

Babe Ruth? He is more valuable elsewhere on this team.

Ted Williams? Williams was probably the greatest hitter of all time. He lost nearly five years of his career to military service, so he arguably could have had even better numbers, but they would not come close to the overall talent of Bonds at the plate or on the field.

Stan Musial? Musial’s offensive numbers are simply awesome. He is 4^th all time in hits, but wouldn’t match Bonds in the field either.

In Center Field: Willie Mays (1951-1973) BA: .302 HR: 660 RBI: 1903 Hits: 3283. Ladies and Gentlemen, the best baseball player in the history of the game, that never pitched of course. Barry Bond's Godfather only stole 338 bases but could have doubled that total had it been the important stat that it is today. National League Rookie of the Year in 1951 and two MVP awards. He accumulated 12 Gold Gloves, played in a record-tying 24 All-Star Games and participated in four World Series. His catch of Vic Wertz's deep fly in the Polo Grounds of all places, during the 1954 World Series remains one of baseball's most memorable moments.

Why Its Not:

Joe DiMaggio? Like Ted Williams, DiMaggio lost 3 of his best years to military service. But DiMaggio also retired prematurely, with at least 6 good years left. In his prime he was just as sure in center field as Willie Mays and even had a higher batting average, but I would have liked to see Joltin’ Joe play a few more years to make a better determination.

I remember having an argument with one of my professors in law school about who was the best center fielder of all time. I of course said Mays. He thought it was DiMaggio. When I told him that Mays was faster and more dynamic in the field he said “Sure he was, but DiMaggio never had to run, he already knew where the ball was gonna land.” Well Mays still had a better fielding percentage than DiMaggio, but I have to admit that was a good point.

Mickey Mantle? He should have led the league in everything, every year. But a knee injury bothered him throughout his entire career; An injury that ironically enough, he blamed on Joe DiMaggio’s late call for the ball during the 1951 World Series. And there was that whole alcohol and partying thing. And I don’t wanna be accused of favoritism, or as I like to call it, Yankeeism.

In Right Field: Roberto Clemente (1955-1972) BA: .317 HR: 240 RBI: 1305 Hits: 3000. There was no better arm in right field than Clemente’s. Combine that with his 12 Gold Gloves, his speed and batting average and there is no argument for anyone else. Remember that Clemente’s career was cut short in its prime – the victim of a plane crash while he was bringing earthquake relief supplies to Nicaragua.

Why Its Not:

Hank Aaron? Clemente had a higher batting average although be it in less at bats. Both played during the Gold Glove era, Aaron has 3 to Clemente’s 12. The only big stat Aaron had over Clemente was the homerun total. There is more to baseball than that.

At The Designated Hitter Spot: George Herman “Babe” Ruth (1914-1935) BA: .342 HR: 714 RBI: 1983 Hits: 2873. The most celebrated athlete of his time. The greatest baseball player ever. His offensive numbers alone are enough to support that claim, but here is another line: Wins: 94 Losses: 46 Earned Run Average: 2.28 Strike Outs: 488. Those are Ruth’s pitching numbers in nine years, the last three years he barely pitched at all, and was still clearly on pace to be the winningest left handed pitcher in history had he not picked up a bat. Not to mention that he set a World Series scoreless innings streak as a pitcher. No one knew the total game better. So I’d keep him off the field while still playing everyday, just in case I need him to pitch!

Why Its Not:

Hank Aaron? Again? Ok let me end the Aaron-Ruth debate right now too. Aaron had 12364 at-bats and hit 755 homeruns. Ruth had 8399 at-bats with 714 homeruns. If Ruth had as many at bats as Aaron, you are looking at 1,000 homeruns, and that would have been an unbreakable record. Not even Barry Bonds with umm “help” was able to hit as many homeruns per at-bat than Ruth. Ruth also had a much higher batting average than Aaron. Now if a man has been rejected for two different positions on this team, there is no doubt you will see him again later.