Well, spring training is here. Right now it is dominated by the sound of balls hitting mitts with amazing velocity. There is plenty of optimism, and from each camp, you hear that this guy looks amazing, and his pitches are jumping out of his hand. All that will change in the next few days when the rest of the squad reports and soon the crack of the bat will join in.
Baseball has been a huge part of my life for over 65 years. I have always looked forward to spring and the return of the game. Back in the day, spring games were rarely on TV, so we had to wait until the real thing started before we could see for ourselves what kind of team we might have.
But certain players you just knew would be at the top of their game no matter what. Barring injury, you knew what to expect. I have seen so many come and go, and watched some really great Hall of Fame players for some, or all of their careers.
For me, the best I ever saw was Willie Mays. Now, this is simply my opinion. I know many will think otherwise, but Willie year in and year out was just so outstanding to watch. No, he does not hold a lot of records, but just watching him play the game was amazing.
And he made it look easy when we all know it is not. Willie was an effervescent personality. He just always looked like he was having so much fun playing the game. He was consistent, and he was a total 5 tool player.
Watching him run the bases was something to behold. He almost always lost his cap and then he would slide into the base in a cloud of dust. I cannot recall ever seeing him make a baserunning mistake. And he could steal bases too. 338 of them in his career. He stole 20 or more 6 years in a row. The last time he stole over 20 bases was in his last full year with the Giants when he was 40!
He hit .302 for his career. But it would have been higher had he retired a little sooner. He started to decline when he was 35 and never came close to .300 after that. But he still was a very productive member of the Giants. His K to BB ratio was excellent and he only struck out 62 more times than he walked.
He topped 50 homers twice, and over 40 six times in his career. He drove in over 100 runs 10 times. He was also a very good clutch hitter. Seemed like whenever LA played SF, Willie would do something that impacted the game. His .309 career average against the Dodgers is evidence of that. He also hit 98 HR’s against LA, his highest total against any team. 92 against the Cubs was 2nd.
He was instrumental in stopping the attack by Marichal on Roseboro and helped calm the situation down. He then hit what would be the game-winning homer off of Koufax.
He was a lot of fun to watch when playing defense. He ran down so many long drives, and his catch of Vic Wertz blast in the 1954 Series has been shown many times.
His signature was the basket catch. He was a master at it. But he only used it when he had the time to get set to make the catch. Derrell Thomas did it a couple of times when he was with the Dodgers, and it did not make Tommy Lasorda very happy.
But Willie was just such a talented player. Even though he was a Giant he was just fun to watch. He had skills we all wish we had. I think he would have gotten to 700 homers, but playing at Candlestick Park probably cost him quite a few even though he hit 203 there over 889 games. The wind knocked a lot of them down.
He totaled 1323 extra-base hits among his 3283 career hits. Had a .384 OBP and .942 OPS. His career WAR is 156.2. He scored 2062 runs and drove in 1903. Pretty impressive stuff.
There are players I have seen who have passed him in HR’s, Bonds, Pujols, Rodriguez. But they simply were not the all-around player Willie was. Funny, the only MLB all-time record Pujols owns is grounding into double plays.
I used to love watching or hearing Vin interview Willie after a game. He has this high-pitched voice that almost sounds squeaky. But he is always smiling, and just seemed like a guy you would love to know.
Willie Spent his last 2 seasons with the Mets. His first was respectable, hitting .267 for them. But his age 42 season was not good by his standards at all and he retired. He only got to play in 3 World Series and was not particularly outstanding in any of them, save the catch.
He has been one of those players you often say what if. For me, it was the knowledge that Roy Campanella had told the Dodgers about him. And they sent a scout to check him out. But the scout came back and said the kid could not hit a curveball. Mays was about 17 when this happened. But they could have signed him and passed.
So if fate had been kind, the Dodger outfield could have had Mays, Clemente, and Snider.
Willie last played in 1973. But I can close my eyes and picture him gliding back for a catch, or making a great throw to keep the runners where they are. Hitting a screaming drive into the stands, and running the bases with his cap left in the dust behind him. He was just the best at what he did. In one of the photos, you will see Willie playing 1st base against the Dodgers, and their Willie, Willie Davis diving back to first.
Discussion (31)
Disagree, not disagreeable
Well STB, Mark may be the only one here who could afford those tickets!
Opening day tickets at Dodger Stadium only $8640 a ticket! In the bleachers! Who wants to go with me?!!!!!!
Here is something many do not know. Babe Ruth NEVER struck out more than 93 times in ANY of his 22 seasons. And he only struck out 90 times twice. He consistently walked more than he struck out.
I have been busy all day but thought I’d weigh in with my TOP 6 CF’ers!
1. Mays
2. Mantle
3. Junior
4. Trout
5. DiMaggio
6. Snider
Trout could make it to number one… maybe. I know that Tris Speaker and Ty Cobb also played CF, but I am looking at the modern era.
Insofar as the best player of all time, it is impossible for me t picj beteen Mays, Mantle, Bonds, Aaron, Clemente and a couple of others.
I was watching some games on MLB.TV from 2019. I just wanted to see some of that season. After taking 2 of 3 from the Cubs on June 14,15, 16, the Giants came to LA on the 17th. Dodgers lost that game 3-2. Over the next 6 games things got really interesting. One the 18th they beat the Giants 9-0. Then on the 19th they won 9-2. Then on the 20th, they scored 9 for the third straight game winning 9-8. They almost blew that game, but Jansen, who did not start the 9th, Sborz did, finally got the last out. On the 21st the Rockies came in for a 3 game series. Game 1 was won on a walk off homer by Dodger rookie Matt Beaty, score, 4-2. One the 22nd, the Dodgers again won on a walkoff HR by a rookie, Alex Verdugo, score, 5-4 in 11 innings. On the 23rd, the Dodgers won on a walkoff HR by yet another rookie, Will Smith, who’s 3 run homer in the bottom of the 9th off of Oberg won the game 6-3. Amazing stretch of games.
My Dad would be 103 now was a Dodger and Duke Snider fan and that is where I learned to be a Dodger and Snider fan dating back to probably 1954. I was all in for the 1955 WS. He hinted that Mays would make catches look more difficult to make than they needed to be. He had showmanship. Trout would never do that and I assume that Snider didn’t do it either.
Mantle could cover more ground but we don’t know about his routes or his jumps.
I am more than happy with the enjoyment Snider gave me without worrying about where he ranks. With apologies to Furillo, wouldn’t it have been awesome to have an outfield of Mays, Snider, and Clemente. Who would play CF and in which years?
DODGERS ANNOUNCE SPRING TRAINING BROADCAST SCHEDULE
SNLA to air all 29 games, with 17 on English radio and eight Spanish-language broadcasts
LOS ANGELES – The Los Angeles Dodgers today announced their Spring Training broadcast schedule with all 29 games airing on SportsNet LA, 17 games on AM 570 and an additional eight games on Spanish radio.
SportsNet LA’s live Dodger Spring Training studio programming is underway with the network’s flagship program, Access SportsNet: Dodgers, airing nightly at 7:00 p.m. and showcasing all the latest Dodger news, highlights and exclusive interviews. Access SportsNet: Dodgers will be hosted by John Hartung with feature analysis from Orel Hershiser, Nomar Garciaparra, Jerry Hairston Jr. and Ned Colletti.
AM 570 LA Sports’ Spring Training Dodgers programming once again will include Dodger Talk, hosted by David Vassegh each weeknight. Vassegh will be onsite in Glendale, Arizona providing daily analysis, special reports and exclusive interviews throughout Spring Training to other AM 570 LA Sports shows including Dodgers pre-game with Tim Cates, The Dan Patrick Show (6 a.m.-9 a.m.), The Herd with Colin Cowherd (9 a.m. – noon), Lunchtime with Roggin & Rodney (noon-3 p.m.) and the Petros & Money Show (3 p.m.-7 p.m.). For the first time, every Dodger Spring Training and regular-season game will be streamed in HD for free on the iHeartRadio app by searching for AM 570 LA Sports.
The Dodgers’ Spanish-language broadcast on KTNQ 1020 AM will shift to a three-person booth with Jaime Jarrín, Fernando Valenzuela and Pepe Yñiguez, reuniting the trio that previously called games together from 2003-13.
The club’s full Spring Training broadcast schedule is below.
Another terrific post Bear. You are a cornucopia of nostalgia. Your knowledge of details is great.
I loved both Mays and Mantle as a kid but Mays was truly my favorite player. And the reason, as you pointed out, was the enthusiasm and joy he brought to the game. I see a lot of Mays in Mookie Betts, especially base running.
I have told the story on this site before about how I met and interacted with Willie at a benefit game and how he gave me an autographed baseball. And how my girlfriends dog got ahold of the ball, and ATE it. The dog ate the ball!
I’m not a collector but I do have a few autographed balls that mean something to me. They are signed by Buck O’Neil, Tony Gwynn, Brooks Robinson and Sandy Koufax. I wish I had that Willie Mays ball in this group.
Good stuff, Bear. Mays one of my favorites too. In my opinion, one of the GOAT.
Mike Trout and Barry Bonds are the the best players I’ve ever seen, with Trout being more complete.
I was born in 1971, and didn’t start watching baseball until 1983, so never got a chance to see Mays/Mantle, etc play.
Nice job of writing, Bear!
I agree with Bear – Mays is the best I ever saw but Mickey was washed up by the time that I saw him play.
Funny story – my Dad was at a medical conference and one of the exhibiters had Mickey Mantle and Yogi Berra there for PR purposes. Dad walked up to Mickey and said loudly “Duke Snider was better than you”. Berra busted out laughing and Mickey said that he hadn’t had anyone say that to him in 30 years. He took it in good humor.
I think Griffey is the best player I ever saw although I have not seen Betts in person yet.
Thanks Bear for the write up on Willie. I agree with you. Mays is the greatest ever. I never thought about it until your article but Mays, Snider and Clemente in the Dodger outfield. Now that would have been something!
I never saw Willie in person that I remember but I did admire him and his talent. At the time I went to baseball games there were 3 great center fielders in New York, Mantle, Mays and Snider. If I had to rank them it would be in that order with Mickey having a slight edge over Willie.
This is a true story. My Mom and Dad many years ago went to an Expo-Giant game in Montreal at Jarry Park. It had to be from 1969 to 1972 while Willie was still a Giant.
Dad went out to get a coffee and when he came back to his seat a home run was hit. He was sitting while the ball bounced around and landed in his lap. At the time they didn’t tell me about it but quite a few years later I noticed the ball sitting on a shelf in their home. I asked about it and Dad told me the story of the home run ball landing in his lap. I asked who hit it and he answered Willie Mays. Dad was a bit of a kidder so I won’t totally convinced it was Willie. After all, what are the chances? And, Willie was probably the only player on the Giants team that he could name.
Dad died in 2004 and a while after that Mom gave me the ball as she was cleaning things out. I asked her who hit the home run and without hesitation she said, “Willie Mays”. Mom was quite a baseball fan and would not kid about anything like that. You could see that she valued the ball. So, I have a Willie Mays home run ball.
The word, “amazing”, did describe Willie. I always appreciated his play and any time he was interviewed he also seemed to be very humble.
Trivia question, who replaced Willie in centerfield during the 73 WS?
Don Hahn