You Make The Call: Griff or Bond Player of Decade [Archive]

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Ansky39

04-25-00, 11:50 AM

Once again mr keegan we see eye to eye...

I’ve gone on record at least 2,348 times in the past that griff is overrated and that bonds is the real preeminent player in this game... I posted dozens of times that bonds, NOT griff was the greatest position player of the 90's... I crunch the numbers, discuss the facts and all I get is,“ansky you’re out of your mind...” the players disagreed w/ me, the media obviously disagrees,and most fans I’ve encountered wouldn’t even entertain the thought...

well at least one man,agrees w/ ole ansky... my favorite writer on my favorite daily sports, uh newspaper, Tom Keegan
from the Post displayed the numbers from the 90's in a table, (unavailable online) to this article,(http://www.nypost.com/04232000/sports/28748.htm) Sunday and entitled it: You make the call... Well once again I’ll list the numbers and allow everyone to see what most pencil necked, thin skinned, griffey hyping media clones hide...

Games:
Bonds 1,444
Griff 1,408

HR’s:
Bonds 361
Griff 382

RBI’s:
Bonds 1,076
Griff 1,091

2b’s:
Bonds 299
Griff 297

3b’s:
Bonds 42
Griff 30

SB’s:
Bonds 343
Griff 141

BB’s:
Bonds 1,146
Griff 703

In the article he noted:

“BARRY BONDS: He has spent much of his career without great hitters batting in front of him,
which means he doesn't see as many fastballs as hitters constantly coming up with men on base,
and behind him, which results in him getting pitched around so routinely. Still, he manages to
produce great numbers. A much better base-stealer than Griffey and an even tougher out. ”

you make the call...

Ansky39

04-26-00, 01:39 PM

check out this link for two more takes:

http://www.cnnsi.com/baseball/mlb/news/2000/04/20/headtohead_bondsgriffey/

NewYorkIrish

04-27-00, 11:09 AM

jeez, another "Tiger Beat" poll. Who thinks of this crap, all these polls and stuff? So, it's Player of the Decade, and in Column 2, Everyone Else Is Chopped Liver. Well, if there's any player of the decade, it's Jim Abbott. Talk about cajones.

Ansky39

04-27-00, 01:28 PM

actually this wasn't so much a poll as ot was an award given to griff last seas... there are some out here, myself included that think it was given to the wrong player...

but the media created him...

I'd likely rate clemens and maddux ahead of both to be honest...

NewYorkIrish

04-27-00, 01:58 PM

I dunno ansky, I think the Espy awards are bogus anyway, even though I watch it just to look at the players. It just annoys me when, in ALL of baseball, some media dweebs try to pick out one single player as THE player of the decade. Most players, at one time or another, have played their hearts out. Why should just one be singled out? (But I know guys think differently when it comes to stats!)

If there was such a thing as marketing back then, can you imagine the commercial endorsements that Jim Thorpe or Jesse Owen would've gotten.

Ansky39

04-27-00, 02:25 PM

i hear ya, it is hard to really rate one guy over another... i mean numbers can tell you a lot... but they certainly can't ell you everything... like some of the closers like eckersly or rivera, who do you rate them and their value compared to a hack a way limited game deciding impact player like griff... your right...

but i still say bonds is better than griff... if your gonna compare two comporable players, then numbers can help alot... and the numbers show that bonds brings more to the table than griff... even now when he's like 35 or 36...

anyways, i'll be at the game saturday, what's up you going... duque vs. boomer, can't beat it... we still got that appointment behind the bleachers ;)

NewYorkIrish

04-27-00, 02:39 PM

ya know ansky, I may just meet you behind the bleachers one of these days to "have it out", orangema says you're a looker, oh, and yep, numbers-wise you're right.

[Edited by NewYorkIrish on April 27th, 2000 at 03:40 PM]

Ansky39

04-27-00, 02:50 PM

that's my ma ;)

clipper

04-27-00, 03:56 PM

I will continue to maintain that the decade is not yet over, since I count from 1 to 10, not from 0 to 9. I will gladly consider the merits of your position once the decade is truly over. Until then...good day.

Ansky39

04-27-00, 03:59 PM

touche' sir...

but, griff's off to a slow start... he's gonna need a heckuva year to catch up to bonds' numbers... or at the min a world series...

clipper

04-27-00, 04:40 PM

On a more serious note, I'd say it's terribly close.

I lived in Pittsburgh from '90-'92 (hence my adopted NL team), and watched Bonds when he DID have some bats around him in the lineup (Bonilla, Bream, VanSlyke, Bell, etc.). Bonds was clearly the best player on that ballclub.

The only knock on him was that he disappeared in the postseason. I, for one, believe that all players go through slumps, and his just happened to come in all of the three NLCS he played in, but the rap is out there just the same.

In both '91 and '92 they went to a seventh game against the Braves (I was at the '91 game). One clutch hit by Bonds in that game would've put the Bucs in the World Series.

They're both monsters on both offense and defense. I'd say that Griffey has done more lately than Bonds has, and that he's captivated more imaginations by reaching 400 HRs at such a young age.

Griffey also has marketed himself better. Bonds is a quiet guy, who does some good work behind the scenes, but for the most part keeps to himself. Griffey is perceived by some to be a leader (and by others to be a whiner), but he's out there in front of the TV cameras ALL the time.

I really think the key measure is Bonds' patience at the plate. His OBP is astounding for a power hitter.

CalifYanksFan

05-01-00, 12:09 PM

Actually, I think BILL CLINTON was the player of the decade. But, then again, we're limiting this to baseball right? :D

Ansky39

05-01-00, 12:47 PM

yuk, yuk... :D

XZavirer

05-01-00, 08:13 PM

You forgot one category:

ws rings
bonds 0
griff 0

Ansky39

05-02-00, 09:01 AM

well i have gone on record as saying berns is better than griff... he's got 3 rings to none...

but i don't know that i could say he's a beeter overall player than bonds...

imagine em together though...