Everyone who is in top 10 in doubles is in HOF except Pete Rose. Everyone in the top 20 in runs scored except for guys who aren't eligible or cheated is in the HOF.
Suzuki was a hit-machine, but Tony Gwynn might ruin every other player's argument for greatest contact hitter. He averaged 29 Ks / 162 games Ichiro is currently 68 Ks for a full season. Ted Williams' combination of contact and power (something both Gwynn and Ichiro lacked) is ridiculous as well. His K-BB ratio was nearly 1/3.
Greatest hitter that ever lived. Saw something recently, haven't checked it or anything, but: Jose Altuve leads MLB in hits and stolen bases from '12-15. The only other player to do that over a 4-year span was Ty Cobb.
Altuve is an interesting hitter because his generated bat speed seems to be the key to his success. He swings as hard as Bagwell used to. I don't recall other great contact hitters swinging so hard. He really does remind my of Vlad though. I don't recall Gwynn swinging so hard. Nor Ichiro. Ted did not appear to have a hard swing either.
They didn't want to, and knew how to slap the outside pitch the other way. Once Altuve learns that he'll be so much more deadly.
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Best hitters, Babe Ruth and Ted Williams. Gywnn best contact hitter, he K less than half the times Ichiro has. Best player, Willie Mays
I've said it before on here that Altuve has a good shot at 3K hits, and the HOF. He'll have to show he can play at a high level for nearly 15 years, but he is on a good pace.
He also seems like the type that's gonna have to be dragged off the field at the end of his career, and he got started very young. Altuve can get 175 hits in a bad season. If he stays healthy, and continues to play well enough to be an everyday player, I think he's gonna blow by 3000 hits easily.
Haven't spent the time to look it up, but would guess the fact that Biggio walked so much more than Altuve explains a lot of the difference in at bats. Would guess the difference in actual plate appearances isn't nearly that large As for the actual comparison, Biggio is in the HOF because he was able to produce for such a long period. Altuve has the ability to get there, but doing this for 15+ years is a different animal Here's to hoping he can do it, and like Biggio all in an Astros uni
Altuve has 350+ more pate appearances than Biggio over their first five seasons. A lot of that is due to their first seasons when Altuve had more games than Biggio.
Biggio and Altuve are 2 very different hitters. Biggio was the great leadoff hitter, ended with a .281 average, but the OBP was .363. Altuve is more of a drive in run hitter and not a leadoff hitter as he will not walk, he has a .305 average (awesome number) but a .343 OBP. If he continues to increase the power, he would be an ideal number 4 hitter. My only problem with Altuve is that i don't really think he is a GREAT leadoff hitter, and he could be a great hitter in a spot in the lineup to drive runs and protect Correa. Look at the numbers, Altuve has a .305 average, and never in his career has scored 100 runs. Actually, not even 90. The reason? Low walks. I can assure you that you leave Springer leading off a year, and he will score 100. I do think Altuve can get to 3,000 hits IF he stays healthy, as he will not walk much. I think that a better comparison to Altuve is Ichiro, not Biggio.
Ted Williams was the greatest hitter in the history of baseball. Tony Gwynn stated this as well numerous times.
I think is Babe Ruth and Ted Williams, numbers are very similar Williams .344 average .482 OBP .634 slugging OPS 1.116 Ruth .342 average .474 OBP and .690 slugging OPS 1.164 Different ERAS and Williams hit over .400 once, but Ruth hit .393 one year, and over .370 six times in his career, Williams hit over .370 twice.
I love me some Babe Ruth, and think he's the greatest player in the history of the game when you combine what he did as a pitcher as well. That said, Ruth averaged 86 K's a yr (22yrs) compared to Williams' 50 K's a yr (19 yrs).
