Your all-time favorite baseball player at each position

[magic8ball]

Since baseball is actually back and several of us like baseball.

I'm looking for favorites, not who you think is the best.

I'm going to keep it to players that I actually got to see play.

SP - Greg Maddux

C- Johnny Bench

1B - Frank Thomas

2B - Lou Whittaker

3B - Chipper Jones

SS - Ozzie Smith

OF - Dale Murphy

OF - Tony Gwynn

OF - Ken Griffey Jr.

RP - Dan Qisenberry

 

[rick64]

P: Nolan Ryan

Position players: 1975-76 Cincinnati Reds

 

[Crawfords Corner]

Maddux
Bench
Mark Grace
Brandon Phillips
Chipper
Larkin
Eric Davis
Rickey Henderson
Griffey Jr
Kent Tekulve

 

[berniecarbo]

OK, since you used players you saw and not necessarily the best.

SP Sandy Koufax

C Ted Simmons

1B Not a good player, though he did hit some homers. Dick Stuart. Nicknamed Dr Strangeglove or my favorite "Clank", signifying the sound the ball made as it bounced off his glove.

2B Not a big fan of 2Bman in general, but Ryne Sandberg

SS The Wizard Ozzie Smith-saw him play a lot. Baseball Reference has him the #1 defensive player of all time at any position

3B I love 3B, so this is hard. I guess Don Hoak. He was tough as nails. A pro boxer before getting into baseball. Barely edges Ron Cey.

OF favorite all time at any position. Got to see him a few times at the old Sportsman's Park in St Louis. Stan Musial.

OF Rocky Colavito "Don't knock the Rock"

OF Curt Flood. Bill James has him best defensive outfielder of all time, though he notes since Flood retired early, he didn't have as steep a late career decline as others.

RP Lee Smith

 

[HagginHall1999]

Going favorites (per question), not best and for that reason I have to pick players I actually saw play to a significant degree and my favorite players are all Reds.

SP- Jose Rijo
C- Benito Santiago
1B- Hal Morris
2B- Brandon Phillips
SS- Barry Larkin
3B- Chris Sabo
OF- Ken Griffey Jr
OF- Eric Davis
OF- Kevin Mitchell
RP- Rob Dibble

 

[Cawoods_Ghost]

P - Nolan Ryan
C - Mike Piazza
1B- Frank Thomas
2B- Ryne Sandberg
3B - Chipper Jones
SS- Barry Larkin
OF- Ken Griffey Jr
OF- Bo Jackson
OF- Rickey Henderson
RP- John Rocker

Not necessarily the best, but favorites that I can remember watching play

 

[Ineverplayedthegame]

SP Big Unit
C JB
1B Stretch
2B Little Joe
SS Wizard
3B Brooks
OF Rickey
OF Junior
OF Hawk
RP Sandman

 

[uk_bill]

'86 Mets

 

[Baller Cal]

LF Stargell
CF - Griffery Jr.
RF - The Cobra
3B - Boggs
SS - Concepcion
2B - Morgan
1B - Eddie Murray
P - Tekulve
C - Lance Parrish

 

[anon_q409idbs5m40a]

1B-Willie McCovey
2B-Joe Morgan
SS-Bert Campanaris
3B-Brooks Robinson
LF-George Foster
CF-Vada Pinson
RF-Roberto Clemente
C-Johnny Bench

P-too many to list but I'll go with Vida Blue and Sandy Koufax, with Dennis Eckersly as reliever.

 

[magic8ball]

It's cool that a couple of you guys said Kent Tekulve. I like him, too.

I miss all the sidearm/submarine style pitchers.

 

[anon_q409idbs5m40a]

It's cool that a couple of you guys said Kent Tekulve. I like him, too.

I miss all the sidearm/submarine style pitchers.

I liked him too. Didn't realize that he was originally born in Cincinnati and played for the Reds his last season.

 

[cole854]

P: Ryan
C: Bench
1B: Pujols
2B: Morgan
SS: Jeter
3B: Schmidt
OF....Reggie, Junior, Gwynn

 

[parrott]

Pirates fan here so a little prejudiced:

1B - Willie Stargell
2B - Ryne Sandberg
SS - Cal Ripken JR
3B - Brooks Robinson
OF - Mickey Mantle
OF - Willie Mays
OF - Roberto Clemente
C - Johnny Bench
RHP - Bob Gibson
LHP - Sandy Koufax
RP - Mariano Rivera

(old)

 

[PFJ_Reg]

P: G. Maddux
C: J. Bench
1B: F. McGriff
2B: J. Morgan
SS: O. Smith
3B: G. Brett
OF: T. Gwynn, D. Murphy, R. Jackson

 

[RoyKent]

1B - Pujols
2B - Morgan
SS - Ozzie
3B - Beltre
C - Piazza
OF - Junior
OF - Pete Rose
OF - Mantle
SP - Randy Johnson
RP - Eckersley

 

[WayneDougan_rivals170043]

SP - Glavine
C - McCann
1B - Freeman
2B - Omar Albies
SS - Rafael Furcal
3B - Chipper Jones
RF - David Justice
CF - Dale Murphy
LF - Rob Gant
Closer - Smoltz

Pinch Runner - Otis Nixon
Pinch Hitter - Bob Horner

Ask me again in a couple years and I may have to replace Ron Gant for Acuna, but I won’t be happy about it.

 

[straykat]

SP - Mark Fidrych

C- Salvador Perez

1B - Willie Stargell

2B - Joe Morgan

3B - George Brett

SS - Cal Ripken, Jr.

OF - Dale Murphy

OF - Dave Parker

OF - Bo Jackson

RP - Dan Qisenberry

 

[KRJ1975]

SP -Dave Stieb
C - Pudge
1B - Pujols
2B- Alomar
3B - Arenado
SS - Omar Vizquel
OF - Bonds
OF - Ichiro
OF - Tim Raines
RP - Tom Henke

 

[KRJ1975]

SP - Glavine
C - McCann
1B - Freeman
2B - Omar Albies
SS - Rafael Furcal
3B - Chipper Jones
RF - David Justice
CF - Dale Murphy
LF - Rob Gant
Closer - Smoltz

Pinch Runner - Otis Nixon
Pinch Hitter - Bob Horner

Ask me again in a couple years and I may have to replace Ron Gant for Acuna, but I won’t be happy about it.

Dafuq is Omar Albies? Ozzie’s little bro?

 

[WayneDougan_rivals170043]

Dafuq is Omar Albies? Ozzie’s little bro?

My Braves fandom goes back 40 years so I’m allowed to call people by the wrong name (age related issues)!

 

[anon_q409idbs5m40a]

Pirates fan here so a little prejudiced:

1B - Willie Stargell
2B - Ryne Sandberg
SS - Cal Ripken JR
3B - Brooks Robinson
OF - Mickey Mantle
OF - Willie Mays
OF - Roberto Clemente
C - Johnny Bench
RHP - Bob Gibson
LHP - Sandy Koufax
RP - Mariano Rivera

(old)

I saw Clemente play in person. IMO, one could easily make an argument that he was the best in the game during his tenure. I still haven't seen anyone that has the all around tools as he did. Hitting, fielding and running the bases. Had an arm like a cannon and with a little work he probably could have pitched in the Majors. He used to entertain himself while flying by bending nails between his fingers. Willie Mays was right there with him but I think that Clemente had the better arm from the outfield.

 

[vhcat70]

I saw Clemente play in person. IMO, one could easily make an argument that he was the best in the game during his tenure. I still haven't seen anyone that has the all around tools as he did. Hitting, fielding and running the bases. Had an arm like a cannon and with a little work he probably could have pitched in the Majors. He used to entertain himself while flying by bending nails between his fingers. Willie Mays was right there with him but I think that Clemente had the better arm from the outfield.

Was leaving Reds' game at Crosley as kid before it was over & was walking out 1B line to exit in RF corner. Pirates on D. A Red lined a ball to right with runner on 3rd, less than 2 outs. RF charged liner and tried to throw it before he caught it & fumbled/dropped it for an error. I asked someone older who the Pirates RFer was. He said, "some rookie named Clemente".

 

[parrott]

Crosley was a great place to watch a game - even for a Bucs fan. Saw Clemente play there in mid 60’s.

 

[vhcat70]

Mays is best player of all-time. His HR stats would exceed Aaron's had he not played in Candlestick so much of his career with winds blowing in off bay.

Best pitchers were Gibson & Koufax. MLB literally changed the field after his 1968 1.12 ERA with 13 SO's: lowered mound from 15" to 10". Koufax screwed up his arm - 1" or 2 shorter than right - but he was near unhittable. Love The Bird - another screwed up arm - to match his head.

Prejudiced or not, Bench stands out as the best D catcher between blocks, throws, grace of movement.

 

[vhcat70]

Crosley was a great place to watch a game - even for a Bucs fan. Saw Clemente play there in mid 60’s.

Well, hard to be far from field with 28-29K capacity. Upper deck poles in stands could be a pain. Outfield terrace was cool. Parking was a pain. Practically no lots so had to park on streets for a mile or so around. Did have character. Wrigley today most reminds me of it.

 

[WayneDougan_rivals170043]

You should have to caveat this with how old you are.

 

[DSmith21]

 

[magic8ball]

SP - Glavine
C - McCann
1B - Freeman
2B - Omar Albies
SS - Rafael Furcal
3B - Chipper Jones
RF - David Justice
CF - Dale Murphy
LF - Rob Gant
Closer - Smoltz

Pinch Runner - Otis Nixon
Pinch Hitter - Bob Horner

Ask me again in a couple years and I may have to replace Ron Gant for Acuna, but I won’t be happy about it.

I'm a lifelong Braves fan, too.

I considered Glenn Hubbard for my 2B.

It's a crime that Dale Murphy isn't in the HOF!

 

[Hank Camacho]

Off the top of my head. (You can tell when I closely followed the game):

3B. George Brett (favorite player of all time)
SS. Barry Larkin
2B. Ryne Sandberg
1B. Big Hurt
OF. Rickey Henderson
OF. Ken Griffey, Jr.
OF. Kirby Puckett or Canseco depending on whether I want a good guy or outlaw
C. Darren Dalton
SP. Maddux / Nolan Ryan
RP. Eckersley

 

[WayneDougan_rivals170043]

I'm a lifelong Braves fan, too.

I considered Glenn Hubbard for my 2B.

It's a crime that Dale Murphy isn't in the HOF!

And you didn’t have Pascual Perez as your starting pitcher???

 

[J_Dee]

RP - Dan Qisenberry

I've bought maybe five packs of baseball cards this century, and an autographed 1988 Topps Dan Qisenberry was in one of them. That was maybe two years ago; I guess Topps must've held back or discovered some autographed cards around that time, because Dan Qisenberry passed away like twenty years ago.

 

[BlueVelvetFog]

It's cool that a couple of you guys said Kent Tekulve. I like him, too.

I miss all the sidearm/submarine style pitchers.

Formed my throwing style after him.

 

[jrpross_rivals]

A lot of mine are Reds. Lifelong Cincy fan. I only remember back to 90 so I gotta stay there.

SP- Jose Rijo
C- Ivan Rodriguez
1B- Jeff Bagwell
2B- Brandon Phillips
SS- Barry Larkin
3B-Chipper Jones
LF- Kevin Mitchell
CF- Griffey
RF- Ichiro

Mitchell is kind of a random one, but he hit a few clutch homers for the Reds and this is one of my favorite plays ever...

 

[magic8ball]

^^^^^

The fact that Mitchell was a platoon player on the '86 Mets shows how awesome that team was!

 

[magic8ball]

And you didn’t have Pascual Perez as your starting pitcher???

I'm a huge fan but Maddux is my guy.

 

[Nuke99m.]

SP -Jim Palmer
C - Johnny Bench
1B - Boog Powell
2B- Davey Johnson
3B - Brooks Robinson
SS - Cal Ripken
OF - George Foster
OF - Reggie Jackson
OF - Frank Robinson
DH - Dave Kingman
RP - Rollie Fingers

 

[Anon1711055878]

I'm not a baseball fan at all, but this is a great thread.

 

[Ohiocatfan826]

Huge Tribe bias, but some of my favorites were on other teams for sure

P- Corey Kluber
1B- Jim Thome
2b- Roberto Alomar
SS- Omar Vizquel
3b- Wade Boggs
DH- Edgar Martinez
C- Sandy Alomar
LF- Manny Ramirez
CF-Ricky Henderson
RF- Tony Gwynn

P- Fernando Valenzuela
RP- Dennis Eckersley

 

[JamesIII]

You should have to caveat this with how old you are.

37 years old, here are my all time favorites:

C - Jason Kendall
1B - Joey Votto
2B - Luis Castillo
3B - Chipper Jones
SS - Barry Larkin
LF - Alfonso Soriano
CF - Ken Griffey Jr.
RF - Vladamir Guerrero

SP - Pedro Martinez
RP - Eric Gagne