Since it's Spring Training: favorite baseball player of all-time?

[enigmatic]

I'll give you my Trinity of Cleveland Indians that I grew up rooting for in the 70's and early 80's, when Cleveland baseball was at it's nadir:

Andre (Thunder) Thornton
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Andre_Thornton


(Super) Joe Charboneau, the real-life Joe Hardy
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joe_Charboneau


Ken (The Hawk) Harrelson- My first favorite player when the Indians traded for him. It set the tone for 35+ years of heartbreak:D
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ken_Harrelson

[Oeditpus Rex]

1. Boys keep their heroes forever

[texasleo]

2. will clark

[Mojambo]

3. That would be this guy...

[SeattleGirl]

4. You beat me to it, Mojambo!

I know a lot of NL fans don't like the DL, but it's a position, and nobody did it better than Edgar.

[Bunny]

5. The Great One:

http://bp3.blogger.com/_ALX7o6zZ7L0/RyfTWqZ0NFI/AAAAAAAAA2g/h2VGuXAPm7o/s400/Roberto+Clemente_3000_Hit.jpg

[Richardo]

6. !!

Indeed. :patriot:

:hi:

[Bunny]

8. I knew you'd be along to share your opinion!

:hi:

[Richardo]

9. Thanks for the reminder to change to my Spring/Summer avatar....

:pals:

[JustABozoOnThisBus]

7. Babe Ruth, a role model for ordinary folk

Out of shape, up all night, drinking, smoking, gambling, eating, carousing (whatever "carousing" is).

Then played a decent game of baseball.

Gotta like that!

:rofl:

[trof]

10. VAN LINGLE MUNGO-Brooklyn Dodgers, aka "Da Bums".

Just because of his name...AND 'The Song':
by David Frishberg

HEENEY MAJESKI
JOHNNY GEE
EDDIE JOOST
JOHNNY PESKY
THORNTON LEE
DANNY GARDELLA
VAN LINGLE MUNGO

WHITEY KUROWSKI
MAX LANIER
EDDIE WAITKUS
JOHNNY VANDER MEER
BOB ESTALELLA
VAN LINGLE MUNGO

AUGIE BERGAMO
SIGMUND JAKUCKI
BIG JOHNNY MIZE
and
BARNEY MCCOSKY
HAL TROSKY
AUGIE GALAN
and
PINKY MAY
STAN HACK
and
FRENCHY BORDAGARAY
PHIL CAVARRETTA
GEORGE MCQUINN
HOWARD POLLET
and
EARLY WYNN
ROY CAMPANELLA
VAN LINGLE MUNGO

AUGIE BERGAMO
SIGMUND JAKUCKI
BIG JOHNNY MIZE
and
BARNEY MCCOSKY
HAL TROSKY
JOHN ANTONELLI
FERRIS FAIN
FRANKIE CROSETTI
JOHNNY SAIN
HARRY BRECHEEN
and
LOU BOUDREAU
FRANKIE GUSTINE
and
CLAUDE PASSEAU
EDDIE BASINSKI
ERNIE LOMBARDI
HUEY MULCAHY
VAN LINGLE

VAN LINGLE MUNGO

[MissMillie]

11. The man we call Yaz

[joeybee12]

12. Oh yeah!

I grew up during his time...I always associate him with the Red Sox and with baseball.

[darkstar]

13. speed never slumps...

[KatyMan]

14. Not a popular choice

But Pete Rose has always been my fave player. A close second would be Craig Biggio...

[AllegroRondo]

15. Hank Aaron

got to see him play at my very first game.
I had no idea who he was at the time, just that all the adults there seemed in awe of him. And that he hit a lot of home runs.

[Thirtieschild]

26. Agree. #44. Hank Aaron

Watching him field was as exciting as watching him field.

[flvegan]

16. Yaz, Carl Yastrzemski

My childhood hero. It was a given that if the Sox were on, I was in front of the tv.

[tekisui]

17. Greg Maddux

[Arkham House]

18. Tony Conigliaro

...poor Tony C...he had everything going for him but luck. Just *cursed*...he made one of baseball's greatest comebacks in '69, was even better in '70...then it all fell apart...it still hurts...

[BOSSHOG]

19. MICHAEL JACK SCHMIDT

548 steroid free homeruns, sweetest swing ever, sweetest homerun trot ever. World Series MVP, League MVP x 3. Greatest third baseman ever. And although the statisticians will disagree, I think he was the "greatest" home run hitter ever. Sure he didn't hit the most but this fan will always consider him the greatest.

[Phillycat]

21. Me too, and I saw him play as a kid. He was great.

I also love Jason Varitek. :)

[BOSSHOG]

32. I was fortunate enough

to see him play in many games. Back in the 80's my wife took me to a Philly game on my birthday and he hit a homerun. What a great present. Also watched the Phillies at Connie Mack. Johnny Callison, Clay Dalrymple, Cookie Rojas, Chris Short. Great memories about a great team. Got my Philly mini-shrine set up in the garage.

[HERVEPA]

20. Pancho Herrara

[FredScuttle]

22. Say Hey

[Bennyboy]

23. The "Say Hey" Kid...Willie Mays..

Never been a better player...

[bmbmd]

24. My first words as a baby-

"Mickey Mantle".

No foolin'.

[JeffR]

25. Bob Gibson n/t

[Pacifist Patriot]

27. Al Hrabosky and Phil Niekro

[yellowcanine]

28. Yogi Berra

[SteppingRazor]

29. It's not even close -- Jackie Robinson. n/t

[momophile]

30. the great Paul Molitor

the first baseball player I remember liking and it turns out he was amazing too.

[ceile]

31. Jose Cruuuuuuuzzzzzzz!

[BeachBaby]

33. Past and Present...

RIP, Tugger....



Mike Schmidt



Ryan Howard - 2006 NL MVP & Jimmy Rollins aka J-Roll - 2007 NL MVP