Baseball from different eras

[deeman11747]

When watching clips of old players Babe Ruth, Ted Williams, Mickey Mantle, guys whoa re considered some of the greatest hitters of all time, I see that their swings look eeirly similar to one of a drunk guy in an over 30 mens softball league, in that it is very sloppy, all over the place, not precise at all, yet they were as good if not better than all of the players that play the game currenty.

In this day and age, you have guys who have perfect mechanics so precise that are tweaked and refined using videotape and computer that look very graceful, compared to the very sloppy yet successful swings from so long ago.

With that in mind, lets say Babe Ruth was being scouted in today's day and age, and was hitting the ball with the same success as say for instance, a middle to high tier player, such as (just off the top of my head) Juan Encarnacion or Aubrey Huff.

Do you think people could have any faith in today's day and age with a swing that looks so screwed up compared to the very precisely executed swings of todays age? I know this is an odd topic to be discussing but there's been no regular baseball for a few days and Sportsceneter was shwoign some clips of the guys from long ago Allstar games and then just showed today's game.

[Blzer]

Re: Baseball from different eras

No, no I don't. That's what I hated about baseball a long time ago... everything looked like crap. Even the pitchers looked horrible. They didn't pitch very well, either.

Last year on FSN Bay Area or ESPN or something, there was an Men's Adult Softball Home Run Derby at SBC Park, where the guys hit baseballs with softball bats, with their softball swings. And boy, they absolutely LAUNCHED them. They looked like the same kind of swing that these guys did a long time ago. They are only used well with the kind of pitching there was back then.

At this time with this pitching, it's impossible. No way would they be any good. I guarantee you Ruth would be just like Humberto Quintero (Who? Exactly). At this day and age, anything under perfection isn't cutting it... and that's something that people don't realize.


You don't think pitching is tough now with the 5-man rotation? Come back to me when you stand in the box of a 90 MPH fastball, let alone a 98 MPH fastball.

[bravosfan]

Re: Baseball from different eras

I don't think you guys are giving the old timers enough credit.

[Stu]

Re: Baseball from different eras

I don't think you guys are giving the old timers enough credit.

I agree. I think people would accept the "ugly" styles if they were productive. There are many unorthodox swings and especially pitching motions in the game, Ichiro and Dontrelle Willis just to name a couple off the top of my head. I've always contended that the great players in the game would be great players in any era.

[Jistic]

Re: Baseball from different eras

Then again, they didn't have the benefits of HGH like today's player.

[Tomahawk]

Re: Baseball from different eras

If you think Ted Williams swing was ugly I really don't know what to say......in my opinion and I've countless others say that Williams has one of the prettiest swings of all time. Also, there is not a huge difference between Williams' swing and Griffey's swing.

[mjb2124]

Re: Baseball from different eras

I don't think you guys are giving the old timers enough credit.

Agreed. Old Timers didn't have the benefits of video and swing analysis, good equipment (bats that were as hard as they are today and balls that are wound as tightly) and performance enhancing supplements/drugs among many other things.

Look at Johnny Damon today? Terrible, ugly looking swing, but he gets the job done. Take it to a different sport - golf. Jim Furyk has a terrible looking swing, but the job gets done.

There's no doubt Babe Ruth, Mickey Mantle, Ted Williams (who had a beautiful swing IMO) and others would do well today as well. They were THAT good.

There are a ton of pro's and con's of today's baseball and the game played many years ago. Pitching was better back then and yes guys threw gas back then as well (Walter Johnson threw 98 MPH, so did Bob Gibson, Bob Feller and many others). Nowadays many 4th and 5th starters wouldn't even sniff a MLB roster back then. However, players of the past never had to deal with pitching specialists as much.

For those that really think players of the past just weren't that great, I suggest really looking at those guys and what they accomplished in their careers. They could compete in any era... Doesn't matter how it looks as long as the results are there.

[DGetz]

Re: Baseball from different eras

There are a ton of pro's and con's of today's baseball and the game played many years ago. Pitching was better back then and yes guys threw gas back then as well (Walter Johnson threw 98 MPH, so did Bob Gibson, Bob Feller and many others). Nowadays many 4th and 5th starters wouldn't even sniff a MLB roster back then. However, players of the past never had to deal with pitching specialists as much.

That's true, but on the other hand (prior to WWII) the players played against mostly only other white Americans. Obiviously blacks wern't in the league and there was not nearly the kind of scouting and signing of Latin American players that there is today, my point being that probobly many number 3 or 4 starters would have been out of the rotation in a more diverse league and thus that perhaps what it takes to be a number 5 starter now with players of all races and from all countries isnt much (or any) less than it would take to make the rotation in a smaller league, but with a smaller pool of players.

[mjb2124]

Re: Baseball from different eras

That's true, but on the other hand (prior to WWII) the players played against mostly only other white Americans. Obiviously blacks wern't in the league and there was not nearly the kind of scouting and signing of Latin American players that there is today, my point being that probobly many number 3 or 4 starters would have been out of the rotation in a more diverse league and thus that perhaps what it takes to be a number 5 starter now with players of all races and from all countries isnt much (or any) less than it would take to make the rotation in a smaller league, but with a smaller pool of players.

Good point. I completely overlooked the fact that baseball at that time was segregated. Pretty big omission on my part.

I don't think that completely takes away from what players of that era did. There are a lot of variables that could go into comparing the past and present and I'm not sure it's possible to ever get a good handle on all of them. Like Camulos stated though, I still believe that great players would be great in any era.

[Hootiefish]

Re: Baseball from different eras

That's true, but on the other hand (prior to WWII) the players played against mostly only other white Americans. Obiviously blacks wern't in the league and there was not nearly the kind of scouting and signing of Latin American players that there is today, my point being that probobly many number 3 or 4 starters would have been out of the rotation in a more diverse league and thus that perhaps what it takes to be a number 5 starter now with players of all races and from all countries isnt much (or any) less than it would take to make the rotation in a smaller league, but with a smaller pool of players.

I would have to say that today's over-expansion has thinned out the pitching ranks enough, that there are countless number of arms that would not have made the show even in the segregated days of baseball. So in terms of pitching comparison (as in who would and wouldn't be pitching when), I think everything more or less evens out.

And as for some kid saying that Ted Williams and Mickey Mantle had ugly swings, WTF? Remember, you are seeing these swings shown on black and white cameras and film that is 40 and 50 years old. Nothing looks pretty in that respect. Toss in the fact that the playback speeds and film speeds are off just enough to make everything look a little funky (watch players running from that era if you want to see what I mean). But seriously, ugly swings. Sit down and break down Teddy Ballgame's swing one time. As some one stated above, it isn't that much different than Griffey's. And as for Mantle's (and for what it is worth, Maris'), watch the film 61*. Thomas Jane and Barry Pepper got Mantle and Maris' swings down perfectly. Seeing those swings in a more modern setting will make you change your mind.

[X*Cell]

Re: Baseball from different eras

In the NBA, Larry Bird had a awkward looking toss, that we all called a shot, and he dominated in games vs. the likes of Michael Jordan or Magic Johnson, etc...

and there is no doubt in my mind, that he would dominate today.

Awkwardness doesn't always = Below Standards... and I strongly believe that in the older eras, those ballplayers were good...

when you go to the 1800's however, and very early 1900's, I'm sure that they all sucked compared to today's stream of players... just like the early NBA players all sucked (little harsh, I know)... but 50 years into a league, I'm pretty sure the players had what it took.