POLL .400 or 70

[Pure Steel]

.400 guarantees you immortality and life long comparison to Ted Williams

70 guarantees steroid rumors

Yup, just need to bat .400 and freeze dry your head.....

 

[obxyankeefan]

No one has hit 0.400 since they broke the color barrier. Turns out it’s hard to do when you’re facing the best pitchers available rather than some washed up pig farmers. Also why the records from that era are a joke.

But Sachtel Paige didn't pitch in the MLB until after the they broke the color barrier.

 

[Fountain City Blues]

None of you fat asses have a shot have a shot at either, so who cares?

I protest this, I am not fat, just ... um... not as athletic as pro athletes en sech.

But... LEFT HANDED!

 

[wazzu31]

No one has hit 0.400 since they broke the color barrier. Turns out it’s hard to do when you’re facing the best pitchers available rather than some washed up pig farmers. Also why the records from that era are a joke.

So Josh Gibson was a scrub because he didn't face white guys in legit games?

 

[JohnU]

No one has hit 0.400 since they broke the color barrier. Turns out it’s hard to do when you’re facing the best pitchers available rather than some washed up pig farmers. Also why the records from that era are a joke.

Nobody ever hit 70 home runs before they broke the color barrier. In effect, the color barrier has very little to do with it other than providing a convenient date somewhere before this happened or that happened.
All the same, it's more likely that 70 HR will be reached again than for anybody to hit anything close to .400. There might be somebody out there with the range of tools necessary to hit .400 but it's about vision. You can't coach it. The long ball can be a matter of re-training a swing.
Stanton was one good week away from almost doing it.

 

[tducey]

70 HRS

 

[Gopherfan84]

.400 easy. Homers may excite fans, but to do something that hasn't been done since 1941 would be historic.

 

[Sportsguy9695]

average .400

 

[SlinkyRedfoot]

Turns out it’s hard to do when you’re facing the best pitchers available rather than some washed up pig farmers.

Also why the records from that era are a joke.

Yep. While I'm not sure I'd go so far as to say they're "a joke," I think it's perfectly reasonable to look at them with a measure of incredulity.

 

[SlinkyRedfoot]

In effect, the color barrier has very little to do with it other than providing a convenient date somewhere before this happened or that happened.

I disagree.

By virtue of the fact that entire races/cultures were not allowed to play MLB, it stands to reason that players back then were not facing the best possible competition. Hell, beyond the color barrier, I'm sure there were fantastic baseball players back in the day who never even considered MLB because they could make more running their family's general store.

The level of competition today is higher than it's ever been. By a lot.

 

[MilkSpiller22]

I disagree.

By virtue of the fact that entire races/cultures were not allowed to play MLB, it stands to reason that players back then were not facing the best possible competition. Hell, beyond the color barrier, I'm sure there were fantastic baseball players back in the day who never even considered MLB because they could make more running their family's general store.

The level of competition today is higher than it's ever been. By a lot.

yes and no... the reason for expansion was entirely because of the color barrier... Much more talent created the need for more teams... but by doing this it also watered down the talent at the bottom... so really nobody knows at what proportion the talent increased by...

 

[JohnU]

I disagree.

By virtue of the fact that entire races/cultures were not allowed to play MLB, it stands to reason that players back then were not facing the best possible competition. Hell, beyond the color barrier, I'm sure there were fantastic baseball players back in the day who never even considered MLB because they could make more running their family's general store.

The level of competition today is higher than it's ever been. By a lot.

I agree that the overall game is much more difficult with more talent infused but the point is, that a guy hitting .400 or hitting 70 HR is so disassociated with the color barrier as to be rendered academic to the conversation.
If a billion white guys have inflated numbers because they didn't play against black guys, I can buy that. But that's not a part of a couple of unique events. Bonds and McGwire would not have hit 70 HR against pitchers from the 30s or early 40s for a couple of reasons ... and none of that had to do with race. Conversely, one wonders if Williams could hit .400 today. I suspect not.

So we are discussing one topic and adding unique events to support it. The color barrier affected the overall game but not Ruthian or Williams-ian standards.

I hope I'm clear on that.

 

[SlinkyRedfoot]

yes and no... the reason for expansion was entirely because of the color barrier... Much more talent created the need for more teams... but by doing this it also watered down the talent at the bottom... so really nobody knows at what proportion the talent increased by...

Well, it can't be definitively measured, but I'd be happy to take my chances with the 2017 Astros vs the 1939 Yankees.

Just too many people didn't play MLB back then.

 

[MilkSpiller22]

Well, it can't be definitively measured, but I'd be happy to take my chances with the 2017 Astros vs the 1939 Yankees.

Just too many people didn't play MLB back then.

yes, but would you take the 2018 Miami Marlins over the 1939 Yankees??


baseball is weird now... the top teams are too elite, while the bottom teams are too terrible... Those top teams have the majority of the talent in baseball...

 

[SlinkyRedfoot]

I agree that the overall game is much more difficult with more talent infused but the point is, that a guy hitting .400 or hitting 70 HR is so disassociated with the color barrier as to be rendered academic to the conversation.
If a billion white guys have inflated numbers because they didn't play against black guys, I can buy that. But that's not a part of a couple of unique events. Bonds and McGwire would not have hit 70 HR against pitchers from the 30s or early 40s for a couple of reasons ... and none of that had to do with race. Conversely, one wonders if Williams could hit .400 today. I suspect not.

So we are discussing one topic and adding unique events to support it. The color barrier affected the overall game but not Ruthian or Williams-ian standards.

I hope I'm clear on that.

I think we sort of agree. I agree that Ruth and Williams were incredible talents and would likely be among the top hitters in the game today. I also agree that Williams would likely not hit .400.

However, I think Bonds and McGwire would have hit more than 70 homeruns in the 30's or 40's. Of course, I'm assuming that they'd still be enjoying their modern day "training regiments."

 

[SlinkyRedfoot]

yes, but would you take the 2018 Miami Marlins over the 1939 Yankees??

Are you suggesting that arguably the worst team in 2018 would have to beat the 1939 Yankees (who many consider to be one of the best teams of all time) in order to prove that the league's overall talent is better today?

I'm not going to say that the Marlins would win, but I think it might be a lot closer than people would believe.

I would however bet my middle testicle that the 2018 Marlins would kick the ever loving shit out of the 1939 St Louis Browns.

 

[MilkSpiller22]

I think we sort of agree. I agree that Ruth and Williams were incredible talents and would likely be among the top hitters in the game today. I also agree that Williams would likely not hit .400.

However, I think Bonds and McGwire would have hit more than 70 homeruns in the 30's or 40's. Of course, I'm assuming that they'd still be enjoying their modern day "training regiments."

but how about size of stadium?? more teams back then had pitching friendly stadiums...

 

[MilkSpiller22]

Are you suggesting that arguably the worst team in 2018 would have to beat the 1939 Yankees (who many consider to be one of the best teams of all time) in order to prove that the league's overall talent is better today?

I'm not going to say that the Marlins would win, but I think it might be a lot closer than people would believe. I would bet my middle testicle that the 2018 Marlins would kick the ever loving shit out of the 1939 St Louis Browns.

no, I am the opposite... if you are saying the talent is so much better now, then aren't you saying the worst team should still beat the best team back then.... its like how NO college team could beat a major league team...

 

[SlinkyRedfoot]

but how about size of stadium?? more teams back then had pitching friendly stadiums...

They also didn't have relief specialists and the starters often pitched the whole game. How's some washed up pig farmer going to fare against Bonds the third, fourth and fifth time in a day? Not well.

 

[SlinkyRedfoot]

if you are saying the talent is so much better now, then aren't you saying the worst team should still beat the best team back then....

No, that's incorrect.