Congrats to Jim Rice

[Mike P]

Originally Posted by BigFish

Boy! Tough crowd over on SOL!!!

What do you expect when you start using Ted Williams as a yardstick for measuring anything that Rice did?

Rice is legit HOF but come on--comparing his stats to Teddy Ballgame's?

[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!

[Raider Ronnie]

Good for Jim !
Was he a 1st ballot hall of famer, NO WAY
But he deserved to get in eventually.
Had the Sox won the world series back in 75 or 86 he most likely would have gone in long ago.

[BigFish]

75 he missed the post season with a broken wrist and in 86 he was a non factor as The Great Greenwell was in left! Winning a championship in baseball does not help or hurt your career stats.....and that is what the voting is mostly based on. I don't see too many players with sub par careers and great post season numbers in the hall of fame?

[Slipknot]

glad to hear the news
about time

[good2hook]

Originally Posted by BigFish

75 he missed the post season with a broken wrist and in 86 he was a non factor as The Great Greenwell was in left! Winning a championship in baseball does not help or hurt your career stats.....and that is what the voting is mostly based on. I don't see too many players with sub par careers and great post season numbers in the hall of fame?

winning a championship might not hurt or help your stats, but it does help you in getting inducted

[Mike P]

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!

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.

[BigFish]

The numbers and stats still speak for themselves. In that 12 year period of his prime he was in the top 5 in the MVP voting 6 out of 12 seasons and won once. We can sit here and cut up any players numbers any number of different ways but in the end, in his time, like it or not....Jim Rice was the best in the game.

What are your thoughts on the Reggie Jackson/Jim Rice comparison Mike?? Curious which guy you would rather have on your team? Just a curious question?

[Mike P]

Originally Posted by BigFish

The numbers and stats still speak for themselves. In that 12 year period of his prime he was in the top 5 in the MVP voting 6 out of 12 seasons and won once. We can sit here and cut up any players numbers any number of different ways but in the end, in his time, like it or not....Jim Rice was the best in the game.

What are your thoughts on the Reggie Jackson/Jim Rice comparison Mike?? Curious which guy you would rather have on your team? Just a curious question?

Jackson. Rice was one of the worst clutch hitters I ever saw.

[Raider Ronnie]

Originally Posted by Mike P

Jackson. Rice was one of the worst clutch hitters I ever saw.

Thats exactly what I always thought about Rice, a LOT of meaningless stats but he never stepped up when it counted, also at the top of the list every year for hitting into double plays.
But still I'm glad he got in now! certainly NOT a 1st ballot guy though !
As for Larry comparing Rice with Reggie Jackson, You got to be kidding Larry !!!

[BigFish]

The comparison is justified as I was drawing a paralell between the two as different hitters......here, let me draw you a picture. Rice=Power+ Average+ Hits+ Runs Batted In. Jackson= Power+ Runs Batted In+ just as many double plays and twice as many whiffs!

He is in....and that is all that matters.