Quote:
Originally Posted by BigFish
I was speaking of the fact that Williams never had 200 hits in a season Mike.....not comparing their careers, just trying to make a point that there are so many variables to a player and why he makes the hall of fame. Rice made it by doing so many things well that many greater players did not. Don't start on me about why Williams never had 200 hits...I know why but the game was different then than it was when Rice played which, again, is my point! During Rice's tenure, nobody was doing all of the things that he was doing! Jackson was smashing lots of homers, Carew was batting .325-.380, many were driving in 100+ runs......but Jim Rice was doing it all! Batting .310-.315, hitting 35-40 homers and driving in 110+.....and getting 200 hits!!! Sorry but those numbers together are staggering and not many other power hitters I can think of accomplished that combination........Aaron, Mays did but not many others........and again.....not saying Rice was the kind of player Aaron and Mays were but that he did some special things in his own right and if people can't see that then they are not paying attention!
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Rice also never walked, and Williams only swung at strikes. That's the reason Williams never had 200 hits in a season---but he averaged well over 100 walks. Rice's career high walk total for one year was 62.
Ted Williams wouldn't swing at a pitch that was a half inch off the plate, and he got the benefit of the doubt from the umps all the time.
Rice swung at anything, and pitchers knew it. Throw him a slider, down and away, and he'd invariably try to pull it. That's why he was known as Mr. 6-4-3.
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