[Gotham Dark Knight]

Okay, who would you rather have on your team and why...Rod Carew or Tony Gwynn?...Both won a few batting titles...both hitting machines...with 3,000 lifetime hits ...both singles hitters...both had speed at one time...they are pretty much the same type of player...so who would you take?

[Lefty Noob]

Don't get me wrong -- Rod Carew is an all-time great and I've got nothing against him. But Tony Gwynn had the sweetest swing I've ever seen. He's one of if not the best pure contact hitter the game has ever seen. I'd take Gwynn, hands down.

[Gotham Dark Knight]

Originally Posted by Lefty Noob

Don't get me wrong -- Rod Carew is an all-time great and I've got nothing against him. But Tony Gwynn had the sweetest swing I've ever seen. He's one of if not the best pure contact hitter the game has ever seen. I'd take Gwynn, hands down.

I think they are one in the same hitters, Carew probably went against the tougher pitchers...but I didn't realize Gywnn hit about .300 19 straight seasons...he only missed it hsi rookie year...I'd give to Carew for his ability to get on with a bunt, everything else behind jsut about equal...he was a bit faster.

[legend]

Give me Gwynn any day of the week. Although I am sure he had to at least once, I never saw Carew come through in the clutch. Gwynn also won 5 Gold Gloves. Carew hit .220 in 4 post season series- Gwynn hit .333. I got into an argument a long, long time ago when I told someone I would rather have a clutch player like Lou Pinella on my team than Rod Carew, and nothing has changed my mind in the almost 30 years since.

[Gotham Dark Knight]

Originally Posted by legend

Give me Gwynn any day of the week. Although I am sure he had to at least once, I never saw Carew come through in the clutch. Gwynn also won 5 Gold Gloves. Carew hit .220 in 4 post season series- Gwynn hit .333. I got into an argument a long, long time ago when I told someone I would rather have a clutch player like Lou Pinella on my team than Rod Carew, and nothing has changed my mind in the almost 30 years since.

I don't think that a seven time batting champ with a .328 lifetime average did it all against bad pitching and less than pressure filled situations...

I'd give you Gywnn over Carew because its a toss up...If you are going to bring up fielding though on a batting question, I would argue that Carew holds more value as a .300 hitting second baseman, than Gywnn as a singles hitter in the outfield ...which by the way, since you don't like Ichiro, why do you like Gywnn?...they are close to the same type of player...

But Pinella over Carew?...that's a big stretch...big stretch...Lou could hit, but he was not in Carew's league...

[legend]

With a man on second and two outs in the bottom of the eighth inning, the score tied in a big game,I could think of maybe 200 players I would rather have had up than Rod Carew. Lou Pinella and Thurman Munson would have been right at the top of my list.
The question was who would I rather have on my team, not who was the better hitter. I didn't say I liked Gwynn either.
Let's put the Ichiro thing to rest here. He is a great hitter with ridiculous hand - eye coordination, speed and a great arm. Except for the arm, I just described guys like Willie Wilson, Omar Moreno, and Vince Coleman- none who are close to Hall of Fame material. Ichiro is probably in the wrong league;his game is better suited to the National League style of play.

[Gotham Dark Knight]

Originally Posted by legend

With a man on second and two outs in the bottom of the eighth inning, the score tied in a big game,I could think of maybe 200 players I would rather have had up than Rod Carew. Lou Pinella and Thurman Munson would have been right at the top of my list.
The question was who would I rather have on my team, not who was the better hitter. I didn't say I liked Gwynn either.
Let's put the Ichiro thing to rest here. He is a great hitter with ridiculous hand - eye coordination, speed and a great arm. Except for the arm, I just described guys like Willie Wilson, Omar Moreno, and Vince Coleman- none who are close to Hall of Fame material. Ichiro is probably in the wrong league;his game is better suited to the National League style of play.

Oh come on...Wilson at his best maybe...but Moreno and Coleman?...you got to be kidding me...they are not living in the same neighborhood as Ichiro...think about what you are saying man...

Munson migh be worth defending, but Pinella was a glorified pinch hitter at best...its like giving up the war to win a battle or two...sure Pinella might get you a key hit or two...but to have him on the team over Carew?...Man you just not much for liking those singles hitter huh?

I think its okay to say you don't favor singles hitters or you don't like Ichiro or Carew...but when you are saying that there were 200 other guys at the time you rather have on your team...that's laughable...take a year in which Carew won a batting title...say 1977...we don't even have to go 200 deep...in the AL, the 24th and 25th best averages belonged to Jim Sunberg and Paul Dade...two regular blistering hitters...imagine if you go 100 deep in each league?...

Look I admire your stubborness and all, but those statements are a bit hard for anyone to stand by.

[ThePundit]

Originally Posted by Gotham Dark Knight

I think they are one in the same hitters, Carew probably went against the tougher pitchers...but I didn't realize Gywnn hit about .300 19 straight seasons...he only missed it hsi rookie year...I'd give to Carew for his ability to get on with a bunt, everything else behind jsut about equal...he was a bit faster.

Gotham. Absolutely correct. You couldn't go wrong with either. I would take Carew for no other reason except he played in a dead ball era.

[Gotham Dark Knight]

Originally Posted by ThePundit

Gotham. Absolutely correct. You couldn't go wrong with either. I would take Carew for no other reason except he played in a dead ball era.

That's all I was saying...its a toss up...to me Ichiro is now the new version of Gywnn and Carew...every generation has a htiing machine of this caliber...can't go wrong with picking them...

[legend]

Carew had 1015 RBI with his 3000 hits, Piniella had 766 with 1700
With the game on the line carew would choke like he choked on his chewing tobacco that time and almost croaked.

[Gotham Dark Knight]

Originally Posted by legend

Carew had 1015 RBI with his 3000 hits, Piniella had 766 with 1700
With the game on the line carew would choke like he choked on his chewing tobacco that time and almost croaked.

Come on man...RBIs are a combination of many things...including what spot on the order you bat and who your teamates are...Carew's speed placed him higher in the order than Pinella...the year he moved to 3rd in the line-up like 1977, he came through with 100 RBIs...he also had another season with 90...Pinella peaked out at 88 early on and never got more than 72 any other year...he was not an every day player either...after 1974, he was a very well rested platoon player...

But I'll give you he had the better ratio...and I was suprise Carew scored as few runs as he did for a .328 hitter with speed....Those twins must of sucked big time.

[legend]

Carew was the best bunter I ever saw and could slap the ball anywhere. I remeber the Twins of the Sixties- Cesar Tovar, the Allisons, Killebrew, Oliva, Ted Uhlaender, Jim Kaat, Jim Perry.

[desertrat]

I like both players, but have to go with Gwynn. I went to school with Tony's younger brother Chris, who also played in the majors.

[Gotham Dark Knight]

Originally Posted by desertrat

I like both players, but have to go with Gwynn. I went to school with Tony's younger brother Chris, who also played in the majors.

Well school mates being a reason...consider your vote cast.