Yordan or David Ortiz in their prime? On draft night

Yordan makes Albert Pujols blush.

 

Bonds on PEDs was the most extraordinary specimen of all time. He broke the sport - there was nothing remotely like it before and nothing will be remotely like it again. And I loved it.

I would also love to have seen Mays, Mantle or Aaron on steroids (setting aside any long term affects on their health, of course). They were probably the only ones on who could match Bonds' pre-steroids level in the modern era, and the only ones who might have matched him if roided-up.

Even in the steroid era there were no comps to Bonds ... just like after integration there were no real comps to those three (though to be fair, one or more was probably on greenies).

I would also have loved to see Teddy Ballgame at 220 pounds of pure muscle ... maybe Musial too. I don't think Ruth would have had the discipline to work out and use PEDs the right way, but Williams and Musial would have been amazing.

That was the beauty of Bonds. He showed us what an all time great could do at peak performance. Posterity can judge him all you want, but I loved it unapologetically.

 

Man I thought about it all day, I'll shamefully take Ortiz due to what we already know of his longevity. I need just 1 more year to convince me otherwise FOR NOW.

 

Ortiz is a certainty. Yordan may wind up better, but it is uncertain. Glad I don't need to make that choice.

 

Yordan is signed for the next 6 years. - his 26-31 age seasons

Ortiz averaged:

144g 618PA
96R, 120RBI
40 doubles, 38 hr

.298 .394/.585/.989

those 6 seasons.

If you give me a choice of those numbers or roll the dice on what Yordan may get (even if he's guaranteed healthy) I have to take Ortiz.

 

BTW:

Jeff Bagwell's average season in ages 26-31.

All in Astrodome and 2 strike shortened seasons (though injured both also)

143g, 641PA
114R, 116RBI
36 doubles, 35 hr

.309 .435/.588/1.023

 

It’s an interesting thought experiment. I agree roids wouldn’t have helped Ruth. I think Ted Williams, Jackie Robinson, and Willie Mays would be 3 guys who could’ve benefitted from roids and risen to goat status. Hank Aaron may not have had the longevity if he’d used PEDs but there’s def a chance he’d have hit more dingers.

 

Yordan works very hard on his body and the only reason he isn’t a full time DH is because he has refused to be one. He spends more time working on his agility and flexibility, on taking fly balls than he does hitting.

He is very tapped into analytical data and technology and according to Bagwell has a really really good memory like Manny Ramirez.

I get the Ortiz comparison as a hitter, I think when he was in the minors he reminded me of a mix of Ortiz and McCovey. At this point I like the comparison to Manny Ramirez better as far as impact.

The difference between Miguel Sano or Daryl Ward and Alvarez is work ethic, intelligence and ambition. Alvarez was teaching himself English as a teenager believing he would come to the USA. Alvarez wanted to be a doctor if he didn’t play baseball.

Lots of talent but just as special for how much he believes in himself and works smart and hard.

His wife is supposed to be an incredible person as well.

 

Bingo.

 

Ortiz 14 years in Boston

483 HR
1530 RBI
.290 BA
.956 OPS
1133/1411 BB:SO

That's what Yordan needs to do from the start of this season on. Obviously he could match that and probably even exceed it if he stays healthy.

 

Pretty easy answer here. Ortiz can't play in the field, Alvarez can. Ortiz can be shifted on and Alvarez can't.

Basic math says you go with the hitter who can slug and not the slugger who can't hit to opposite fields.

 

How tall is he?

6'5" ish right? I mean there are plenty of athletes at that height who have had long careers. I'm just wonder what Yordan has to do like does he have to work on a particular muscle group? Get leaner? I know he has had a lot of knee issues. I really.hope he does have a long career obviously. Probably going to have to limit is fielding games a lot more in the future to maintain his longevity.

 

Yordan fielding is going to shorten his career though right? Higher chance for injuries.

 

Man we are going to have to throw a lot of money his way to retain him once his current contract is up. But ya he needs to be a career Astro.

 

Ortiz was a slugger, Alvarez is a hitter. Ortiz had maybe one of the best careers you can possibly have as DH if not the best. But Alvarez has potential to be more Bary Bonds or Albert Pujols, while Ortiz was and will always be a slugger.

 

I'm just worried given his knee issues. According to Nook he's a hard worker so I'm sure he knows what he needs to do to maintain a body at top shape to prevent injury.

 

I don't know who nook is but I hope you are right.

 

https://bbs.clutchfans.net/threads/...me-on-draft-night.317252/page-2#post-14279813

 

Cool, does this dude work for the Astros or is he doing some James Bond ****?

Btw, cool story. Pudge Rodriguez and Esteban Loaiza kids stayed at our home when Houston hosted the all star game that year, back in 2004 i think.