The Left Field Championship Belt

[ImSmartherThanYou]

Explanation in the first link...

http://www.sportshoopla.com/forums/...7385-starting-pitching-championship-belt.html
http://www.sportshoopla.com/forums/...ussion/108551-catching-championship-belt.html
http://www.sportshoopla.com/forums/...sion/110615-first-base-championship-belt.html
http://www.sportshoopla.com/forums/...ion/110619-second-base-championship-belt.html
http://www.sportshoopla.com/forums/...sion/111460-third-base-championship-belt.html
http://www.sportshoopla.com/forums/...ssion/113057-shortstop-championship-belt.html


On to left field...
Carlos Gonzalez 2013-present
Ryan Braun 2009-2013
Matt Holliday 2006-2009
Manny Ramirez 2005-2006
Barry Bonds 1996-2004
Albert Belle 1995-1996
Barry Bonds 1991-1995
Rickey Henderson 1989-1991
Kirk Gibson 1988-1989
Tim Raines 1985-1988
Rickey Henderson 1980-1985
Jim Rice 1978-1980
George Foster 1976-1978
Roy White 1975-1976
Willie Stargell 1973-1975
Billy Williams 1970-1973
Frank Howard 1969-1970
Carl Yastrzemski 1965-1969
Harmon Killebrew 1963-1965
Rocky Colavito 1961-1963
Minnie Minoso 1959-1961
Ted Williams 1954-1959
Stan Musial 1953-1954
Ralph Kiner 1952-1953
Stan Musial 1950-1952
Ted Williams 1946-1950
Jim Russell 1945-1946
Bob Johnson 1944-1945
Charlie Keller 1943-1944
Ted Williams 1941-1943
Hank Greenberg 1940-1941
Bob Johnson 1939-1940
Joe Medwick 1935-1939
Al Simmons 1930-1935
Lefty O'Doul 1929-1930
Heinie Manush 1928-1929
Goose Goslin 1927-1928
Babe Ruth 1926-1927
Goose Goslin 1925-1926
Zack Wheat 1924-1925
Ken Williams 1922-1924
Babe Ruth 1921-1922
Joe Jackson 1920-1921
Babe Ruth 1918-1920
Bobby Veach 1917-1918
Joe Jackson 1916-1917
Bobby Veach 1915-1916
Sherry Magee 1913-1915
Max Carey 1912-1913
Jimmy Sheckard 1911-1912
Sherry Magee 1905-1911
Mike Donlin 1903-1905
Ed Delahanty 1893-1903
Billy Hamilton 1890-1893
George Van Haltren 1888-1890
Tip O'Neill 1887-1888
Hardy Richardson 1886-1887
Abner Dalrymple 1885-1886
Jim O'Rourke 1883-1885
Abner Dalrymple 1880-1883
Charley Jones 1870-1880
Cap Anson 1878-1879
Charley Jones 1877-1878
George Hall 1876-1877
Andy Leonard 1873-1875
Ned Cuthbert 1872-1873
Steve King 1871-1872

 

[Brahmsian]

Explanation in the first link...

http://www.sportshoopla.com/forums/...7385-starting-pitching-championship-belt.html
http://www.sportshoopla.com/forums/...ussion/108551-catching-championship-belt.html
http://www.sportshoopla.com/forums/...sion/110615-first-base-championship-belt.html
http://www.sportshoopla.com/forums/...ion/110619-second-base-championship-belt.html
http://www.sportshoopla.com/forums/...sion/111460-third-base-championship-belt.html
http://www.sportshoopla.com/forums/...ssion/113057-shortstop-championship-belt.html


On to left field...
Carlos Gonzalez 2013-present
Ryan Braun 2009-2013
Matt Holliday 2006-2009
Manny Ramirez 2005-2006
Barry Bonds 1996-2004
Albert Belle 1995-1996
Barry Bonds 1991-1995
Rickey Henderson 1989-1991
Kirk Gibson 1988-1989
Tim Raines 1985-1988
Rickey Henderson 1980-1985
Jim Rice 1978-1980
George Foster 1976-1978
Roy White 1975-1976
Willie Stargell 1973-1975
Billy Williams 1970-1973
Frank Howard 1969-1970
Carl Yastrzemski 1965-1969
Harmon Killebrew 1963-1965
Rocky Colavito 1961-1963
Minnie Minoso 1959-1961
Ted Williams 1954-1959
Stan Musial 1953-1954
Ralph Kiner 1952-1953
Stan Musial 1950-1952
Ted Williams 1946-1950
Jim Russell 1945-1946
Bob Johnson 1944-1945
Charlie Keller 1943-1944
Ted Williams 1941-1943
Hank Greenberg 1940-1941
Bob Johnson 1939-1940
Joe Medwick 1935-1939
Al Simmons 1930-1935
Lefty O'Doul 1929-1930
Heinie Manush 1928-1929
Goose Goslin 1927-1928
Babe Ruth 1926-1927
Goose Goslin 1925-1926
Zack Wheat 1924-1925
Ken Williams 1922-1924
Babe Ruth 1921-1922
Joe Jackson 1920-1921
Babe Ruth 1918-1920
Bobby Veach 1917-1918
Joe Jackson 1916-1917
Bobby Veach 1915-1916
Sherry Magee 1913-1915
Max Carey 1912-1913
Jimmy Sheckard 1911-1912
Sherry Magee 1905-1911
Mike Donlin 1903-1905
Ed Delahanty 1893-1903
Billy Hamilton 1890-1893
George Van Haltren 1888-1890
Tip O'Neill 1887-1888
Hardy Richardson 1886-1887
Abner Dalrymple 1885-1886
Jim O'Rourke 1883-1885
Abner Dalrymple 1880-1883
Charley Jones 1870-1880
Cap Anson 1878-1879
Charley Jones 1877-1878
George Hall 1876-1877
Andy Leonard 1873-1875
Ned Cuthbert 1872-1873
Steve King 1871-1872

Ted Williams didn't give the proverbial rat's ass about anything but hitting.

He damaged Red Sox World Series hopes enormously because of that.

I'm a Red Sox fan, BTW, so when I say he doesn't belong on this list it should count for something, shouldn't it?

Yaz and Rice I have no argument with. Yaz played "the Green Monster" better than anyone else I've watched, and Rice put in more effort at it than Williams ever did.

Rice wasn't a Gold Glove, but he cared. And was better defensively than most people think he was.

 

[ImSmartherThanYou]

Ted Williams didn't give the proverbial rat's ass about anything but hitting.

He damaged Red Sox World Series hopes enormously because of that.

I'm a Red Sox fan, BTW, so when I say he doesn't belong on this list it should count for something, shouldn't it?

Yaz and Rice I have no argument with. Yaz played "the Green Monster" better than anyone else I've watched, and Rice put in more effort at it than Williams ever did.

Rice wasn't a Gold Glove, but he cared. And was better defensively than most people think he was.

You're putting way too much weight on defense, especially for left field which is probably the least important defensive position. Ted Williams' offensive prowess made up for his defensive shortcomings and then some. Suggesting he wasn't the best left fielder in baseball just because he was a lackluster defender is nonsense.

Not to mention that suggesting Williams' defense cost the Red Sox championships is one of the most absurd things I've ever read in my life.

 

[navamind]

Ted Williams didn't give the proverbial rat's ass about anything but hitting.

He damaged Red Sox World Series hopes enormously because of that.

I'm a Red Sox fan, BTW, so when I say he doesn't belong on this list it should count for something, shouldn't it?

Yaz and Rice I have no argument with. Yaz played "the Green Monster" better than anyone else I've watched, and Rice put in more effort at it than Williams ever did.

Rice wasn't a Gold Glove, but he cared. And was better defensively than most people think he was.

LOL

 

[steveringo]

You're putting way too much weight on defense, especially for left field which is probably the least important defensive position. Ted Williams' offensive prowess made up for his defensive shortcomings and then some. Suggesting he wasn't the best left fielder in baseball just because he was a lackluster defender is nonsense.

Not to mention that suggesting Williams' defense cost the Red Sox championships is one of the most absurd things I've ever read in my life.

Thank you for this post. I was unsure how to reply....

That was the first time I heard anyone ever say something like that...

 

[steveringo]

LOL

That works, too...

 

[gunnarthor]

Alex Gordon has had some nice seasons these last few years.

 

[navamind]

Yup. He was pretty awesome over the last two years. He's having another good year, albeit somewhat disappointing.

 

[da55bums]

I thought RF was the least important defensive position on the field...guess LF took the title over.

 

[Brahmsian]

You're putting way too much weight on defense, especially for left field which is probably the least important defensive position. Ted Williams' offensive prowess made up for his defensive shortcomings and then some. Suggesting he wasn't the best left fielder in baseball just because he was a lackluster defender is nonsense.

Not to mention that suggesting Williams' defense cost the Red Sox championships is one of the most absurd things I've ever read in my life.

Tom Yawkey used to think that way when he owned the team, but what's happened since his demise is strong evidence that he was wrong.

The Red Sox have been stron defensively as well as offensively since then, and have won 2 World Series in 9 years compared to ZERO in the previous 86. Coincidence? I strongly doubt that!

 

[ImSmartherThanYou]

Alex Gordon has had some nice seasons these last few years.

Not nice enough. He's taken a step back this year, in fact.

 

[Brahmsian]

I thought RF was the least important defensive position on the field...guess LF took the title over.

How much baseball have you watched?

A good, accurate, throwing arm is more important there than at any other non-pitching position. RFs have to make
longer throws than other outfielders to keep opposition baserunners honest.

 

[ImSmartherThanYou]

I thought RF was the least important defensive position on the field...guess LF took the title over.

It's park dependent, but for the most part I've always considered RF slightly more important because of it's importance in preventing runners from willfully taking 3B.

 

[ImSmartherThanYou]

Tom Yawkey used to think that way when he owned the team, but what's happened since his demise is strong evidence that he was wrong.

The Red Sox have been stron defensively as well as offensively since then, and have won 2 World Series in 9 years compared to ZERO in the previous 86. Coincidence? I strongly doubt that!

Wow. You're a crazy person. These are the ramblings of a complete loon. Way to go with that.

 

[da55bums]

It's park dependent, but for the most part I've always considered RF slightly more important because of it's importance in preventing runners from willfully taking 3B.

but, and I honestly don't know 100 percent, aren't more balls hit to LF and more oppotunities for errors to allow more bases to be taken.

 

[ImSmartherThanYou]

but, and I honestly don't know 100 percent, aren't more balls hit to LF and more oppotunities for errors to allow more bases to be taken.

Errors are a terrible way to judge outfielders. They can also happen to any outfielder. However, runners are more inclined to advance to 3B on plays to RF even without errors, thus increasing the importance of a RF in run prevention since 3B places a runner closest to scoring.

 

[Brahmsian]

but, and I honestly don't know 100 percent, aren't more balls hit to LF and more oppotunities for errors to allow more bases to be taken.

There are more balls hit to left, but the runner doesn't have to go as far from home plate to 1b as he does when
trying to go from 1st to 3d or trying to score from 1B on a gapper. That makes a BIG difference!

 

[da55bums]

There are more balls hit to left, but the runner doesn't have to go as far from home plate to 1b as he does when
trying to go from 1st to 3d or trying to score from 1B on a gapper. That makes a BIG difference!

I understand the reasoning behind the point of cutting off 3b from RF but if 10 balls are hit to RF and 20 balls are hit to LF...RF stops a runner from getting to 3b 1 time because of his arm and the LF makes 1 error that allows a runner to get to 3b....its a wash...thats my point

There is a reason they put the better athletes in LF over RF, throughout baseball history...for defensive purposes.

 

[soxfan1468927]

I understand the reasoning behind the point of cutting off 3b from RF but if 10 balls are hit to RF and 20 balls are hit to LF...RF stops a runner from getting to 3b 1 time because of his arm and the LF makes 1 error that allows a runner to get to 3b....its a wash...thats my point

There is a reason they put the better athletes in LF over RF, throughout baseball history...for defensive purposes.

A lot of this is flat out incorrect. This year, for instance, right fielders have had 9293 fielding chances while left fielders have had 8480. You hide a poor defender in left field, not right.

 

[ImSmartherThanYou]

I understand the reasoning behind the point of cutting off 3b from RF but if 10 balls are hit to RF and 20 balls are hit to LF...RF stops a runner from getting to 3b 1 time because of his arm and the LF makes 1 error that allows a runner to get to 3b....its a wash...thats my point

There is a reason they put the better athletes in LF over RF, throughout baseball history...for defensive purposes.

I would agree if the disparity were that great, but it's not. The disparity is actually in the opposite direction.

The second part really isn't true.