Is Aaron Judge the best (righty) hitter we've ever seen?

[msgkings322]

Some numbers from the Athletic:

Quiet Greatness

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Vincent Carchietta / Imagn Images

History — again — for Aaron Judge

Sometimes, superstars have it rough. Narratively, I mean. If a player is consistently great for a long period of time, the greatness becomes … boring. There’s no arc for us to latch onto, no adversity. See: James, LeBron. Aaron Judge has quickly entered that territory. In 2022, he produced one of the best seasons we’ve ever seen — 62 home runs, 131 RBIs and a 210 OPS + in a contract year. After an injury-plagued 2023, he returned to that form last season (58 homers, 144 RBIs, 223 OPS+). Both seasons earned MVP awards. A standard was established. This year? He’s even better. Let’s start at the basics and build up: The surface numbers are just bonkers: a .400 average, 1.241 OPS, 249 OPS+ (which normalizes a player’s OPS in relation to the league average, which is set at 100). As in, Judge is hitting 149 percent better than a league-average player. Judge, 33, has produced 3.4 wins above replacement (via Fangraphs) already this season, which would’ve ranked 77th last year for the entire year. Judge led the league in WAR last year, too (11.2). Judge might be, as Jayson Stark illuminated Tuesday, the best right-handed hitter the modern game has ever seen. Better than Hank Aaron, Willie Mays, Joe DiMaggio — at least statistically. To wit: Since the 2022 season began, Judge put together the best asterisk-free 450-game stretch of any right-handed hitter in the last 100 years — 168 home runs and a 207 Weighted Runs Created+, which means he manufactured runs 107 percent better than the average major leaguer. The only players with more homers in the same amount of time: Mark McGwire and Sammy Sosa. I urge you to read Jayson’s story, which is full of plenty of other mind-blowing stats. And maybe watch Judge hit soon if you get the chance. We may never see a player produce like this again.

 

[MilkSpiller22]

what we are watching right now is special... this is why i brought him up a bunch of times during our best players ever chats... not that he is there yet, but his magnitude is on pace to be top 10 player if not top 5 player of all time...

 

[Clayton]

If we are talking peak play then certainly we have to consider him if not crown him

Career obv probably out reach

 

[Clayton]

but his magnitude is on pace to be top 10 player if not top 5 player of all time...

I guess he'd have to still be doing this at 37 to reach that but maybe Im underestimating him. He could potentially have an historic year, though, so its hard to really measure what is going on

 

[msgkings322]

what we are watching right now is special... this is why i brought him up a bunch of times during our best players ever chats... not that he is there yet, but his magnitude is on pace to be top 10 player if not top 5 player of all time...

As Clayton pointed out he’s probably already top 10 for peak performance but probably too old to have a top 10 career unless he does this his entire 30s which seems unlikely

 

[MilkSpiller22]

As Clayton pointed out he’s probably already top 10 for peak performance but probably too old to have a top 10 career unless he does this his entire 30s which seems unlikely

his 2 MVP seasons were amongst all time best seasons... not just MVP caliber... if he can do another season with at least being that great, like he is on pace for, he would have 3 seasons amongst the top 50 offensive seasons of all time...

He doesnt have to play to MVP caliber again... he would probably need to reach 500 HRs just to be considered but at this point 500 Hrs seems like a guarantee...


also, remember we did our list, and we had Ted Williams, Lou Gehrig and Mickey Mantle on the list who did not exactly have long consistent careers...

 

[Clayton]

his 2 MVP seasons were amongst all time best seasons... not just MVP caliber... if he can do another season with at least being that great, like he is on pace for, he would have 3 seasons amongst the top 50 offensive seasons of all time...

He doesnt have to play to MVP caliber again... he would probably need to reach 500 HRs just to be considered but at this point 500 Hrs seems like a guarantee...


also, remember we did our list, and we had Ted Williams, Lou Gehrig and Mickey Mantle on the list who did not exactly have long consistent careers...

Top 15 is darn near impossible to break into. I think he can wiggle his way into a Pedro type of discussion and some certainly do put him top 15. He seems to be heading towards that path.

The thing about a lot of modern players is that the back half of their career, outside of Bonds, is always a bit of a mess. That doesn't have to be the case, though, but its hard to say either way.

 

[MilkSpiller22]

the only thing that is going to hurt him is that he is unlikely to be BPOT( my unofficial stat for Best player on a WS champion)...

The dodgers are just the 2024-?? dynasty

 

[MilkSpiller22]

Top 15 is darn near impossible to break into. I think he can wiggle his way into a Pedro type of discussion and some certainly do put him top 15. He seems to be heading towards that path.

The thing about a lot of modern players is that the back half of their career, outside of Bonds, is always a bit of a mess. That doesn't have to be the case, though, but its hard to say either way.

sure... but Judge easily becomes a DH, and last until at least 40... again, if he does have another all time great season this season, that would be three... i think at the very worst he would be 12 on our list at end of this season....

i think some have to realize there is a difference between MVP caliber season and all time great caliber sesaon... Judge's MVP seasons were not typical MVP seasons...

 

[nynasty]

What's even more impressive is he's doing this with little to no protection behind him in the lineup. He'll take his walks but he still is hitting like a batting champion while slugging .800. It's absolutely fucking bonkers.

He also should have 3 MVPs. He got robbed his rookie year.

 

[MilkSpiller22]

What's even more impressive is he's doing this with little to no protection behind him in the lineup. He'll take his walks but he still is hitting like a batting champion while slugging .800. It's absolutely fucking bonkers.

He also should have 3 MVPs. He got robbed his rookie year.

i know you didnt say it, but he aint hitting .400.. 400 is an impossible feat in modern baseball...

you really have to realize what it even means... the player has to hit a lot of Home runs, and not get many strike outs(the 2 stats not affected in BABIP)...

and then have a high BABIP...

that is 4 separate hitting skills

the Hard to strike out
the player who takes walks- helps lower the total AB
the home run hitter
the player who has a high BABIP...

 

[Clayton]

sure... but Judge easily becomes a DH, and last until at least 40... again, if he does have another all time great season this season, that would be three... i think at the very worst he would be 12 on our list at end of this season....

i think some have to realize there is a difference between MVP caliber season and all time great caliber sesaon... Judge's MVP seasons were not typical MVP seasons...

I don't think someone who wasn't top 30 would jump to 12 with one season. I think the more interesting discussion right now is just how good this season will be.

 

[MilkSpiller22]

I don't think someone who wasn't top 30 would jump to 12 with one season. I think the more interesting discussion right now is just how good this season will be.

again, i am under the assumption that he puts up another BETTER THAN MVP season... a simple MVP season would not have that rise...

 

[msgkings322]

his 2 MVP seasons were amongst all time best seasons... not just MVP caliber... if he can do another season with at least being that great, like he is on pace for, he would have 3 seasons amongst the top 50 offensive seasons of all time...

He doesnt have to play to MVP caliber again... he would probably need to reach 500 HRs just to be considered but at this point 500 Hrs seems like a guarantee...


also, remember we did our list, and we had Ted Williams, Lou Gehrig and Mickey Mantle on the list who did not exactly have long consistent careers...

You always do this. Williams didn’t have a long career?

 

[MilkSpiller22]

You always do this. Williams didn’t have a long career?

I always do what?? try to make a point without checking if the players fit my point?? yup!!! i type before checking... but that doesnt change my point, just means the example i was using was wrong...

 

[molsaniceman]

You always do this. Williams didn’t have a long career?

hes got a long ways to go
judge



Williams who missed 5 years in the service