You know how Branch Rickey picked Jackie Robinson for his temperament because he believed that Jackie would play with dignity while being subject to vile abuse? Kayleigh is like if Jackie Robinson had also been a great ballplayer, too.
He was very good, but not great. Yeah, I said it.
Edit: While I'm already courting baseball controversy, please allow me to say the following:
I don't care if everyone was doing it, taking steroids is cheating and an insult to the game and every player who came before, therefore, proven steroid users should not be in the hall and their records should have asterisks;
The 2017 Astros need a big 'ol asterisk next to their WS win (in addition to a lifetime ban or several);
Ichiro's hits in Japan should be treated like minor league hits;
Pete Rose has no business in the HoF, but Shoeless Joe Jackson deserves to be reinstated because there is little to no evidence that he threw any games in that series;
The Designated Hitter is part of the communist plot to destroy America.
I also said this below. I'm not saying he wasn't very good, but he's not on the same level as his contemporaries who were truly great. And it's not like he was the greatest player in a lackluster period so he stands out. The 40s (WWII excluded) through the '50s were almost like the '90s NBA.
He's on the Maris level, not the DiMaggio, Williams, Mantle level.
I'm not saying he wasn't very good. He was. But he's closer to a Rodger Maris level than he was to truly great ballplayers who were his contemporaries like DiMaggio, Mantle, Williams, etc.
He only had one year with an OPS of 1.000 or greater, and in his best year, he played like a great ballplayer,, but he regressed back to very good.
I don't think Jackie would mind at all being in the same tier as Roger Maris.
I think it's a matter of semantics. It seems you're operating as if "Great" is the top level, where other people like myself call that the G.O.A.T. tier (greatest of all time).
Spot on. Robinson was not the best player, but the best pick to break the color barrier.
All your bullet points are correct, also. Thanks for pointing out the Ichiro fact--Japanese baseball is awesome, but pretty much AA minor leagues talent wise.
When Maris was chasing 60 HRs, people made the point that even though he had more games, Ruth didn't have to travel cross country. If travel really is that important to a player's ability to produce consistently, then playing in a country the size of CA should definitely unfairly add to those numbers compared to MLB players.
I will take your points one at a time.
1-no, if everyone is doing it. It is equal. Sort of like speeding on the freeway the cops pull over the cars going faster than the others not everyone. Let them in the hof with asterisk if necessary.
2- damn right!!
3-okay 4-agree about shoeless joe, rose iffy. 5-Damn Right!!!!!!!
You know how Branch Rickey picked Jackie Robinson for his temperament because he believed that Jackie would play with dignity while being subject to vile abuse? Kayleigh is like if Jackie Robinson had also been a great ballplayer, too.
He was very good, but not great. Yeah, I said it.
Edit: While I'm already courting baseball controversy, please allow me to say the following:
I get that argument, and I understand that he was robbed of years in MLB, but outside of his MVP season, he was "only" very good.
I think he was saying he was a great player, but not the best player in the Negro leagues. Just the best candidate to break the color barrier.
I also said this below. I'm not saying he wasn't very good, but he's not on the same level as his contemporaries who were truly great. And it's not like he was the greatest player in a lackluster period so he stands out. The 40s (WWII excluded) through the '50s were almost like the '90s NBA.
He's on the Maris level, not the DiMaggio, Williams, Mantle level.
Also, 56 > .406 AND THAT IS MATH!
league mvp, six time all star, ROTY, batting champion and world series champ is pretty great.
I'm not saying he wasn't very good. He was. But he's closer to a Rodger Maris level than he was to truly great ballplayers who were his contemporaries like DiMaggio, Mantle, Williams, etc.
He only had one year with an OPS of 1.000 or greater, and in his best year, he played like a great ballplayer,, but he regressed back to very good.
I don't think Jackie would mind at all being in the same tier as Roger Maris.
I think it's a matter of semantics. It seems you're operating as if "Great" is the top level, where other people like myself call that the G.O.A.T. tier (greatest of all time).
And I'm not saying that being on Maris' level is in any way insulting.
And yeah, we are talking semantics, ultimately.
Spot on. Robinson was not the best player, but the best pick to break the color barrier.
All your bullet points are correct, also. Thanks for pointing out the Ichiro fact--Japanese baseball is awesome, but pretty much AA minor leagues talent wise.
When Maris was chasing 60 HRs, people made the point that even though he had more games, Ruth didn't have to travel cross country. If travel really is that important to a player's ability to produce consistently, then playing in a country the size of CA should definitely unfairly add to those numbers compared to MLB players.
I will take your points one at a time. 1-no, if everyone is doing it. It is equal. Sort of like speeding on the freeway the cops pull over the cars going faster than the others not everyone. Let them in the hof with asterisk if necessary. 2- damn right!! 3-okay 4-agree about shoeless joe, rose iffy. 5-Damn Right!!!!!!!
Your original post was insightful cultural commentary.
Stick to your guns.