I can't imagine what Babe Ruth's stats would be like if he was granted the same privileges as Ohtani
If Babe had been allowed to pitch and DH, playing only a few games a year in the outfield, his numbers would have been astonishing.
Replies to: “I can't imagine what Babe Ruth's stats would be like if he was granted the same privileges as Ohtani”
Good topic, good discussion
Thoughtful positions, no ad hominems, no middle-school snark.
Thank you Hensou. More like this please.
It’s hard to compare the different eras…
But Babe is easily the best player ever.
He looks bigger than 215.
Indeed. Yes, Fat Babe was well over 215.
I doubt there will ever be a Fat Ohtani. Although Sumo Ohtani would be interesting.
Can't agree here, my friend. But imagine if Ohtani were allowed to play golf w 52 clubs in his bag!
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What is your disagreement based on?
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Two things....
...Ohtani really is THAT good,
and
Babe Ruth was fat, out of shape, and a regular night life guy from reports. While very talented, I don't think that he would take full advantage of the same privileges granted to Ohtani.
The "52 clubs in the golf bag" was a reference to one of the all time classic undressings of a disingenuous poster here who was caught red handed making stuff up. It was essentially a reveal of what the guy was really about for all to see. He carries a hard grudge over it, and is now doomed to try to overcompensate for the rest of his life on this board trying to live it down.
For the majority of his career Ruth was 6 '2" and 215 pounds.
Stop looking at end of career photos!
I was adding more to my post - sry. But that is a fair point-it'd be like judging Bird from his last
couple of yrs in the NBA.
I don't think any athlete from 100 yrs ago could compare to today given the advantages to modern training, diet, & conditioning. If you even those things out, you might have even more of a point as i think about it.
Ruth had to bat against pitchers from a higher mound. Ruth didn't enjoy playing against the talent dilution resulting from so many teams these days (but then again, there is a greater population# playing baseball now given world population, and there are the Central American and Cuban players as well as African American players that Ruth never faced which was probably an even bigger advantage for Ruth)
But since those things are not evened out, I have to go on my eyes. I think Ohtani was better.
Still, Ruth has the championships as well which Ohtani must chase.
The only minority player who was Ruth's equal was Josh Gibson
Josh played his best baseball after Ruth retired
The point is not to find an equal to Ruth
The point is that the league was weaker without Black players.
In 1927 there were 16 teams but only 119 million Americans. Today there are 350 million of us - and lots of international players.
The numbers suggest that the competition is tougher today.
Ask Satchel, Oscar, Buck, etc.
No matter what color you were, only Josh Gibson was Ruth's equal.
No one said that anyone was
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You suggested MLB was weaker without Black players. I suggest Ruth would still dominate.
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No, I suggest that any "privilege" that Ohtani has is outweighed by those Ruth had
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You seem to be arguing with yourself.
You have "always argued that Ruth was the best player ever".
We can agree to agree OR agree to disagree. Your choice.
His numbers would have been the same
Leave it to you to find a way to knock the most amazing player in the last 100 years.
He truly is a phenom. So much so that MLB looked the other way on the gambling issue-
It was pretty funny to watch Ohtani's understanding of english and the goings on of the close confidants around him regress so suddenly in front of reporters and investigators.
That doesn't diminish his incredible skill, but I don't root for him because of it.
That is not logical. It is not correct.
How can you say Ruth would not have had more pitching wins? That is simply not true.
The most amazing player in the last 100 years is certainly debatable.
Ohtani has been granted privileges that Ruth was not.
Ruth had motor skills similar to Albert Pujols. He would certainly be a great player today.
Leave it to you to knock the most amazing player of the last 100 years.
I love the Babe. But the game is much harder today.
The Babe did not stop pitching because there was no DH. He just didn't want to pitch any more.
Also, he never faced hard-throwing relievers, modern scouting, and - wait for it - black or latino players.
He would be great today. But Ohtani does not have "privileges."
He is without question the best player in the last 100 years. If you disagree, tell me who is/was better.
Ruth stopped pitching because he wanted to play everyday. To do that he had to play the field.
Ohtani does not.
Ruth championed black players and barnstormed against Black superstar teams.
His stats were better against the Black all stars.
He was suspended for six weeks for the barnstorming.
If Ruth had skills like Pujols he would have excelled in today's game:
Babe Ruth’s “99th Percentile” Performance
Babe Ruth’s reputation for being exceptionally skilled was supported by scientific testing that showed he scored in the 99th percentile on certain physical and motor skill measures — similar to modern tests given to elite athletes like Albert Pujols.
In the 1920s, Columbia University graduate students tested Ruth on a variety of physical abilities relevant to hitting, such as finger dexterity, hand-eye coordination, and movement speed.. One of the most striking tests involved pressing a tapper with his index finger as many times as possible in 10 seconds. Ruth’s performance on this task was in the 99th percentile, meaning he was faster and more precise than 99% of people tested. This was comparable to Pujols’ later score on the same test, which also placed him in the 99th percentile source.
Ruth swung a 40-50 ounce hickory bat at 87 mph. He certainly could have adjusted to 100 mph pitches with a lighter bat.
I have always argued that the Babe was the best player ever
Ohtani can pass him. Another few years of what he is doing now will seal it.
Waiting for you to tell me who is better in the last 100 years. Since Ruth.
Babe played his late game in 1935. 91 years ago. Look at his 1927 stats. 99 years ago.
"Since Ruth" was not in your initial comment.
Sorry - I thought "100 years" obviously meant "since Ruth"
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Please say what you mean and mean what you say. Otherwise, we take you at face value.
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Also, as I mentioned above, Ohtani never faced pitchers from the higher mound which is a big deal
...you have convinced me that the comparison is closer than I thought, though I still would have to pick Ohtani.
Here's a neat side story.
Great stuff.
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