OT: Ruth vs Ohtani
- Thread starter Tango Two
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Ohtani is not hitting more HR then teams do
Ohtani is a pitcher/DH. He is kinda sorta doing both at the same time.
Both Babe Ruth and Ohtani are great players but I believe Ohtani is the greatest player of all time. Babe Ruth played between 1914-1935 almost ten years before any black players could play in the MLB. A major baseball league with all white players without players like Hank Aaron, Willie Mays, and Ken Griffey. The league at that time didn’t have the best pitchers or hitters available. Baseball now searches the world for the best players and the training is more extensive, players in general now are better than in the past. In addition, I believe Ruth was in “murderer row“ and saw more pitches than Ohtani.
Very hard to compare guys of completely different eras.
Ruth was hitting more home runs than teams in season . Ohtani is doing all this against guys that are better conditioned, scout him and analytics.
Ruth was hitting more home runs than teams in season . Ohtani is doing all this against guys that are better conditioned, scout him and analytics.
I'm not ready to call him the greatest player in the history of the game, at least not yet. Is he the best player in today's game? Yes, no doubt. But IMO, he has to be elite for at least a decade to have a fair comparison to historical players.
True, but we can compare Ruth to the rest of the league. Relative to his peers, Ruth is the far superior hitter. Ohtani is doing something Ruth never did though, by being a game changer as a pitcher as well. I guess my point is that the comparison is inherently flawed.
Also I hear that Ruth saved baseball. IMO it's hard to overestimate his impact on the game.
+1 I'd like to see a few more years at this pace before I make that call. Of course, what would Ruth's pitching career have been if there had been DH back then?
How many hot dogs can he eat and can he point out his home run right before he hits it?
No comparison.
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Yep, absolutely. Compare him to his peers, compare him to the conditions of the game back then, he was far superior.
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Yep, absolutely. Compare him to his peers, compare him to the conditions of the game back then, he was far superior.
Correct regarding the Black &, we should add, Hispanic players. Wrong with regard to todays players being better. They are infinitely worse.
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Consider it this way - Ruth today would be a good ball player. Ohtani would have been just as dominant 100 years ago.
Athletes get better every generation
That is not to say that great players of the past would not be great players today but overall speed, strength and size progresses each generation
I believe Zappa has posted about the number of pitchers throwing in the 100s in comparison to when he played.
That is not to say that great players of the past would not be great players today but overall speed, strength and size progresses each generation
I believe Zappa has posted about the number of pitchers throwing in the 100s in comparison to when he played.
Othani is 6’4” and chiseled and playing against some of the best athletes in the country and Hemisphere. Ruth was like 6’1” and pudge like and played against guys that had jobs like plumbers and welders in the off season not to mention the game was segregated.
Don’t know if Ohtani is the best player in history of game but he is no doubt better than Ruth.
GO RU
Don’t know if Ohtani is the best player in history of game but he is no doubt better than Ruth.
GO RU
The high majority of best black athletes today are playing football or basketball, so Ohtani isn’t playing against the best of the black athletes either.
The rest of the world wasn’t playing much baseball back when Ruth played, so what was in the USA was it.
There is no doubt that Ohtani is the better athlete. He would kick Ruth's *** in a decathlon competition. The question is who is the better baseball player. Ruth dominated his era as no player has before or since.
True but what about Dominicans, Cubans, Koreans, Japanese, Venezuelans, Panamanians, …? We get the best from multiple countries playing baseball today. You have to consider that Ohtani is a global phenomenon and Ruth dominated white Americans that chose baseball as their sport. It simply has to be considered, but unfortunately the debate often gets shouted down by SOME vocal Yanktards that treat the discussion like a religious affront. Ruth was awesome… but you have to wonder…
It may happen this year, but Ohtani has yet to finish a season in the top 15 of MLB in actual runs produced. His highest season total hasn’t even reached 160. As a comparison, Aaron Judge topped 200 last year.
Ohtani is a great HR hitter who is likely the most unique “player” (he’s a DH, not actually playing) ever. He’s got a long ways to go to approach all time talk status.
Ohtani is a great HR hitter who is likely the most unique “player” (he’s a DH, not actually playing) ever. He’s got a long ways to go to approach all time talk status.
Baseball was the dominant American sport by far in Ruth’s time. Everyone who had any leisure time played. So the caliber of athlete in the majors was high with, of course, the exception of black athletes - who Ruth would play against in off season barnstorming tours.
It all makes for an interesting discussion.
To me, nevermind comparing to Ohtani, 1927 Ruth isn’t even an MLB level player today. Completely different level of competition and fitness.
However, we have to judge greatness relative to the era. He was far more dominant in his era, more dominant than anyone in any major sport in his era except maybe Gretzky.
However, we have to judge greatness relative to the era. He was far more dominant in his era, more dominant than anyone in any major sport in his era except maybe Gretzky.
I assume you are intentionally using hyperbole to make your point. Because if you are not...
You're saying that the 32 year old Babe Ruth of 1927, that guy with the 60/165/.356 traditional slash line, that guy with the 1.258 OPS, y'know, THAT guy... isn't an MLB caliber player today?
You do know that Daniel Freakin' Vogelbach has an MLB job today, right? And Babe Ruth wouldn't?
109…that sort of supports my opinion. Without today’s medicine, training, etc and take him as is from 1927, he would not be good enough to play in the majors.
Doctor, not exaggerating. I don’t think any 1927 player beamed to 2023 would make a roster.
2023 Vogelbach is an all-star hitting 80 mph fastballs in the 1927 game.
I’m not saying that with modern development regimens and medical care Ruth wouldn’t be good.
Doctor, not exaggerating. I don’t think any 1927 player beamed to 2023 would make a roster.
2023 Vogelbach is an all-star hitting 80 mph fastballs in the 1927 game.
I’m not saying that with modern development regimens and medical care Ruth wouldn’t be good.
Stupid comparison. 159 HRs back then meant something WAY different than 160 HRs now. Apple and oranges.