He hit home runs when they were needed though as evidenced in his World Series performance against Baltimore . Mickey Mantle was my favorite player of all time and the way I would break it down was if you judged greatness for a four year period you would pick Mickey Mantle, if for a six or eight year period Willie Mays and for explosive performance in an impossible ball park, Roberto Clemente. Mickey Mantle was the most pitched around player though and for that I give Mickey a ton of credit for coming though like he so often did.