Comments on: Paradise Lost

By: Mr. OK Jazz TOKYO

Mr. OK Jazz TOKYO — Fri, 15 Oct 2010 04:04:56 +0000

My Pop said Mantle & Mays…saw them both and you couldn’t go wrong with either. Slight edge to Mays cause of his glove and lack of boozing..talenwise both gods from above..

The book: Oklahoma..mining..Yankees..boozing..etc etc…not that interested, sorry…is it a generational thing?

By: omarcoming

omarcoming — Thu, 14 Oct 2010 22:59:32 +0000

Yesterday I took my golf club and got in a left-handed baseball stance. My brother said “The Mick”. It never changes.

By: OldYanksFan

OldYanksFan — Thu, 14 Oct 2010 18:11:12 +0000

[4] That’s true Alex. And Willie is one name that is certainly in the ‘Greatest Player Ever’ debate.

Mays was a better defender, but Mantle had a better arm and was faster before he was hurt. And even injured and drunk, Mickey outhit Willie by quite a bit (172 OPS+ to 155 OPS+, during the same era).)

In my mind, the only one who may have been as good or better then Mantle was Ted Williams.

By: Chyll Will

Chyll Will — Thu, 14 Oct 2010 17:49:07 +0000

I guess in every generation there is that player or players who are so off the chain they spark hyperbole at the mere mention of their name. But I can’t think of one player who wasn’t alternately saddled with some limitation that you perceive has kept or will keep them from achieving the ultimate achievements in their respective sports. Be it circumstance, accident self-inflicted or being targeted, the records they set are somehow never quite unattainable.

By: Alex Belth

Alex Belth — Thu, 14 Oct 2010 17:29:07 +0000

3) Well, then I won’t try…but guy called Mays wasn’t half bad as far as talent goes.

By: OldYanksFan

OldYanksFan — Thu, 14 Oct 2010 16:41:10 +0000

I know I have an unnatural man-love for Mickey…. but I think a lot of people do. More then 40 years after I last saw him play, I still think… what if? What if he hadn’t been injured his first year. What if he hadn’t been such a heavy drinker. What if he had even attempted to take care of himself. What if he had understood his legacy.

How can you have a serious injury your rookie year, be a raging alchoholic, do absolutely nothing to take care of your health, take your baseball career for granted…. and still be one of the top 10 players of all time?

What if……
The man was absolutely the most talented player in the history of the game.
No one can convince me otherwise.

By: The Mick536

The Mick536 — Thu, 14 Oct 2010 16:04:47 +0000

It is a good read, I must say. Lots of new details. I also am interested in The Mick’s coaching experience in 1968 and 1969.

More appropriate to this time if year would be “All My Octobers.” Sort of supports the premise that despite all his post season HRs, his performance in October, when he showed up, was not all that good.

I also suggest that his stats for 1962 be examined. Retrosheet is a good source. Not sure how he won the MVP, but he did, only playing 122 games. His award will be reviewed when Hamilton wins this year’s version, though I believe that Cano deserves it, since he played the entire season. My argument would be how valuable to the team could you have been, if they win without you.

By: Yankee Mama

Yankee Mama — Thu, 14 Oct 2010 15:23:14 +0000

I liked her Koufax book. This one looks good too. Mantle was far more illustrious than the remote Koufax ever was. I’m looking forward to reading it. Love The Mick!