From: drw3l@delmarva.evsc.Virginia.EDU (David Robert Walker)
Newsgroups: rec.sport.baseball
Subject: Re: Best playes of All Time
Date: 20 Dec 92 20:46:31 GMT
Distribution: usa
Organization: University of Virginia

In article <BzKEqI.73u@unix.amherst.edu> ddsokol@unix.amherst.edu (D. DANIEL SOKOL) writes:
>So that we all don't get bored waiting for spring training to start, I
>propose starting best of All Time lists to keep some sort of baseball
>discussion going.

I am going to pipe in comments that are sure to generate som
controversy here. I have adjusted the program I use for adjusting
minor league stats, and will use it to adjust the stats of past stars.
For a measure of quality I am using the study by Dick Cramer,
described in the HIdden Game. Note that I am not applying Cramer's
corrections to individual stats, as are done in THG; I am applying
them to the league, and normalizing the player to the adjusted league.
When I say, "in his own time", I mean pure ratings of performance,
without quality adjustments. When I say, "in our time", I am
incorporating the quality changes and altering his performances
accordingly.

So, the EQA ratings, where .235 is league average
* indicates the highest rating at that position

                            My additions
>Here's my team:         In his time       In our time
>
>C Gaby Harnett            .278          .232
>1B Lou Gehrig             .347*         .297*
>2B Rogers Hornsby         .339*         .275
>SS Honus Wagner           .318*         .248
>3B Mike Schmidt           .300          .292
>OF Ty Cobb                .342          .276
>OF Ted Williams           .365*         .332*
>OF Babe Ruth              .377*         .315*
>
>The bench:
>C Bill Dickey             .285          .244
>1B Hank Greenberg         .317          .280
>1B Jimmie Foxx            .324          .281
>2B Jackie Robinson        .296          .274
>2B Rod Carew              .291          .278
>3B George Brett           .294          .288
>OF Joe DiMaggio           .320          .286
>OF Mickey Mantle          .344*         .314*
>OF Willie Mays            .321          .301
>OF Hank Aaron             .318          .299

Notable omissions
OF  Stan Musial            .325          .302
OF  Frank Robinson         .313          .294
2B  Eddie Collins          .314          .249
2B  Joe Morgan             .298          .284*
3B  Eddie Matthews         .304          .283
OF  TRis Speaker           .323          .260
OF  Rickey Henderson       .312          .308
C   Johnny Bench           .277          .265
C   Yogi Berra             .278          .250
C   Mickey Cochrane        .289*         .240
SS  Arky Vaughan           .298          .261
SS  Cal Ripken             .270          .268*
3B  Wade Boggs             .306*         .303*

I *must* go with Bench over Hartnett or Dickey, and take Yogi as the
backup. At first, Gehrig stays, and McCovey would be the backup (.287
in our time); of current players, Will Clark is over .300, and Frank
Thomas, in only 2.5 seasons, is at .348! At second, Morgan is tops
but weak defensively; poor defense can also be lodged against Carew
and Hornsby. Jackie was also hurt by a late career start, so he gets
my nod. At shortstop, tough call. Cal is highest rated now, but could 
easily fall behind Vaughan. Ozzie is poor offensively(.233), but the best
glove of all time. I will go against my numbers and still take Wagner,
and I will take Smith as well. Third base shows Boggs has the best
offensive numbers, but will probably slip before he quits. Schmidt is
the easy choice, followed by Brett or Matthews, take your pick. In
left field, Ted has the highest rating in our time of anybody. He's
in. Henderson or Musial for the backup. In center, Mantle and Mays
rate well higher than Cobb, DiMaggio, and Speaker. Mantle first if you
want three years, Mays if you want ten from these players. Right
field, the Babe is still on top, and Aaron will back him up. But just
as in real life, Aaron still tops him in career HR (739 for Hank, 700
for Ruth).

An exercise in frivolity. 

Clay D.
Newsgroups: rec.sport.baseball