If only Papi could juice again...

[Mike P]

Originally Posted by Raider Ronnie

Bingo again.
Manny, love him or hate him was a great hitter before the juice, same goes for Barry Bonds & A Rod.
Big Papi, Sosa, McGwire, products of the juice.
I think I'm like a lot of other Sox fans who are willing to throw Ortiz to the curb because of the juice, making him a fraud !

I think McGwire would have been a 30-35 HR a year guy even without the juice. Pudge Rodriguez would have still been the best defensive catcher of my lifetime, too.

[basenjib123]

Originally Posted by Mike P

I think McGwire would have been a 30-35 HR a year guy even without the juice. Pudge Rodriguez would have still been the best defensive catcher of my lifetime, too.

IMO the best Catchers in last 50 years goes...Bench, Fisk, Rodriguez.

[Mike P]

Originally Posted by basenjib123

IMO the best Catchers in last 50 years goes...Bench, Fisk, Rodriguez.

Bench was great, but I never saw a better arm than Rodriguez had--he threw out 70% of runners trying to steal at one point of his career, and mastered the art of the snap throw to first to catch a guy lollygagging back to the bag after a pitch. There was a time when he probably picked more guys off first than his entire pitching staff in a season. I took my son to a Yankee game vs. the Rangers once, where he threw Bernie Williams out by a good 20' on an attempt to steal second. A-Rod took the throw, and he had time for a cup of coffee before putting the tag down.

Bench and Fisk were much better hitters than the pre and post juice Rodriguez.