Off-Topic Forum

I like Mike Trout, but it's too soon to put him on this list. He's only played 6 seasons, not enough to push Brett or Speaker off this list. Someday Trout could be at the top, but not yet.

Gibson is to say to McCarver once when he came to mound to talk about how to pitch to a batter "The only thing you know about good pitching is, you can't hit it"

You can't argue with Nolan Ryan's 5714 K's and his 7 no-no's (nothing better his 7th no hitter overshadowing Rickey Henderson's base stealing record breaker the same day). Always wondered why he couldn't win a Cy Young in 27 years. On any given day he could obviously shut you down, but...

Don't get me wrong: Ryan was in my top two favorite all-time pitchers for most of my life. I'd still put him fourth on my favorite pitcher list -- behind Maddux and Smith, because, well, Cubs. He was a no doubt, first ballot Hall of Famer. And, as I said above, little doubt that for one game in his prime (or past it), he's the guy I want on the mound. But he was never the best pitcher in the league for any one season. And this stat didn't help him: 

Most bases on balls, career: 1.Nolan Ryan-2795.

Steve Carlton, is second, over 900 walks behind at 1833. 

When Ryan was on -- no-hitter. Seven times! When he was off -- runner of first, pretty much always. 

v3

(ps: Since Lou Brock was my favorite player, flat out, until Sandberg came along, I couldn't agree more with the Rickey Henderson being overshadowed thing. I was at the game where Henderson tied the all-time SB record. I sold that ticket stub on eBay. Didn't want it in the house anymore.)

A few cool stories about meeting some of the guys you mentioned.

When I handed my 300W/3000K home plate for Carlton to sign he asked, "Where do you want it?" Since there were only a few other autographs on the plate at the time I said, "In the middle". So he signed it all the way on the right saying, "I never threw it down the middle".

When I gave a ball to Brock to sign for me he asked what inscription I'd like. I said your hit total 3023 or HOF  '85. He signed the ball Lou Brock 3023H and handed it back to me saying, "This will get you there".

I tried getting my 3000 hit plate signed by Henderson a number of times. Won't do it. I think he has/had an exclusive contract signing bases. Not sure how that would conflict with a home plate signed by the rest of the 3000 hit club. Needless to say not one of my faves. 

That plate is SWEET! And it has 2 AU's that I'd love to have (Gibson and Glavine). I'd also love to get a Brock AU. I currently only have AU's of 3 MLB HOFers, but they are good ones. Ozzie Smith = 3 AU'd cards and 1 AU'd 8x10 photo; Stan Musial = 1 AU'd 8x10 photo mounted on a 14x16 wooden plaque with HOF numbers on a metal plate; Ken Griffey Jr. = 1 AU'd GU'd baseball. I have AU's of a few NASCAR HOFers too.

I have many more AU's of future HOFers in other sports, but the only one I can think of in the MLB is Yadier Molina.