As his cryogenically frozen brain awaits regeneration, the late Ted Williams should savor the warmth of awareness that IT IS HIGH voters have voted him left-fielder on our All-Time Yankee Torture Opponents team.
The vote, with 199 ballots cast:
Ted Williams (74 votes): 37%
Manny Ramirez (48): 24%
Rickie Henderson (40): 20%
Carl Yastrzemski (31): 16%
Willie Horton (6): 3%
Manny Ramirez (48): 24%
Rickie Henderson (40): 20%
Carl Yastrzemski (31): 16%
Willie Horton (6): 3%
It's hard to disagree with this choice. Williams was a 19-year-all star, a two-time MVP, six-time batting champion and two-time Triple Crown winner, with the highest career batting average in the live-ball era. He was a military hero in both World War II and Korea, and sort of a dick. He spat at fans, raged at sportswriters and ignored cheers.
He shoulda been a Yankee.
In 1937, after the 19-year-old Williams hit .291 for the independently owned San Diego Padres of the Pacific Coast League, the Redsocks got him in a trade for $35,000 and two middling players.
Imagine the Yanks if Williams played for 15 years next to Joe Dimaggio. Yikes.
So, our all-time opponents, thus far:
1b Eddie Murray
2b Rod Carew
ss Cal Ripken Jr.
2b Rod Carew
ss Cal Ripken Jr.
3b George Brett
lf Ted Williams
lf Ted Williams
Next up, CF. Nominees?
Well, duh ...
ReplyDeleteCF is tough for me. The only guys I remember are Mantle, Murcer, Rivers, Bernie...you know, our guys.
ReplyDeleteKen Griffey Jr...enuf said
ReplyDeleteTy Cobb hands down! He's before everybody's time and I don't think people really knows how great he really was but yes, he was awesome.
ReplyDeletePersonally I love Trout and he's the one player from this era that will be remembered 100 years from now but he's wasted on the Angels. Same with Griffey Jr. They really don't make the Yanks quiver when they can beat the teams without much fear.
Maybe Kirby Puckett? Unlike Trout and Junior he did get them to win two World Series. But the again the Yanks were so terrible during those years that they just didn't care about playing rather than feared other players.
Fred Lynn? Chet Lemon? Willie Wilson? Surely not Kenny Lofton. Bleh!
Honestly all the best ones whom I admire was either on the Yanks (like Mantle) or in the NL (like Mays).
Junior, for sure. He killed us: statistically, visibly, at bat, and in the field, over and over again. Thanks goodness he moved to the NL.
ReplyDeleteKir-by, Kirby Puckett! King of the Wild Frontier—he played very, very well against us, but actually a little less well than he did against most teams, and not in Junior's league.
After his rookie year, Freddy Lynn never scared me, and statistically he played below his usual performance against us, just a .275 hitter, lifetime.
Lofton played below his norm against us, and I don't ever remember him hurting us.
To my surprise, Johnny Damon underperformed a little against us, at least by the numbers. Paul Blair, just not near the level of these others. Carlos Beltran, to name another former Yankees, below average with us. Rickey Henderson—only 446 games in center.
Which leaves the Millville Meteor, Mike Trout.
By the numbers, he's best in show, with a 1.067 OPS against us, as opposed to his usual, mere 1.000.
BUT, that's in only 44 games. Junior played 133—and that's not including the 1995 ALDS, when he absolutely wrecked us, with 5 HRs, a .395/.444/1.043/1.448 slash.
He's got my vote.
KEN GRIFFEY JR.
ReplyDeleteTHE BEST ALL AROUND PLAYER I EVER SAW.
HE LOOKED LIKE CARL LEWIS ROUNDING THE BASES IN THAT FINALE IN SEATTLE.
HE MURDERED US REGULARLY AT THE PLATE TOO.
I saw Junior go 5 for 5 one day at the Stadium. He was amazing. And the '95 playoffs still rankle.
ReplyDelete
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