He ain't heavy, he's my brother

[Scoe]

I would also say the whole story of Ortiz almost getting assasinated there's more to the story hearing that he was messing around with a kingpins wife. Obviously doesnt excuse murder but Ortiz doesn't have such a squeaky clean image which is protected by the Boston media.

I say Paul Pierce he was a lesser version of Melo before Ray and KG arrived. Also the night club incident where he got stabbed not saying he deserved to get stabbed but there is more to the story then what was being reported.

 

[Waquoit]

Manny didn't hit that grand slam against Detroit.

 

[husky429]

Haven't read the thread... but the answer is Draymond Green.

 

[Kolumbo]

Apologies but I kept thinking of the "opposite" situation, where someone didn't get enough recognition because he didn't have a good enough supporting cast.

Bill Kelly and Thurman Thomas. They are rarely mentioned although they are in the HOF but geez, 4 Super Bowls in a row. I'm not familiar enough with the team so I don't know whether they weren't clutch enough or they had to carry the team.

 

[Kolumbo]

Veritek. I can't say he was overrated by anyone but sox fans, but they sure played him up. He had some decent pitching on his teams.

 

[StllH8L8ner]

Same dealer

And the benefit of having The Mitchell Report written by Red Sox director George Mitchell as cover…

 

[Nick2005]

Magic Johnson. I mean really. He had hall of fame backups. His hall of fame backup’s kids are hall of famers. Magic Johnson is not my favorite. Larry bird was so much better it’s crazy.

 

[Kolumbo]

Magic Johnson. I mean really. He had hall of fame backups. His hall of fame backup’s kids are hall of famers. Magic Johnson is not my favorite. Larry bird was so much better it’s crazy.

I was going to mention Dennis Johnson who was pretty good but played with all-time greats. Magic was an all-time great. Dude played all 5 positions at some point.

 

[HooperScooper]

Veritek. I can't say he was overrated by anyone but sox fans, but they sure played him up. He had some decent pitching on his teams.

I'm a Sox fan and I'm not sure where this is coming from. Varitek was a good catcher who was a good hitter for the position but I don't think any Sox fans think he was great. Certainly not Hall of Fame caliber or anything close.

 

[uconnfan68]

Apologies but I kept thinking of the "opposite" situation, where someone didn't get enough recognition because he didn't have a good enough supporting cast.

Bill Kelly and Thurman Thomas. They are rarely mentioned although they are in the HOF but geez, 4 Super Bowls in a row. I'm not familiar enough with the team so I don't know whether they weren't clutch enough or they had to carry the team.

Weren’t familiar enough to know it was Jim Kelly.

 

[Mr. French]

Apologies but I kept thinking of the "opposite" situation, where someone didn't get enough recognition because he didn't have a good enough supporting cast.

Bill Kelly and Thurman Thomas. They are rarely mentioned although they are in the HOF but geez, 4 Super Bowls in a row. I'm not familiar enough with the team so I don't know whether they weren't clutch enough or they had to carry the team.

Jim Kelly.

I’m the resident Bills honk so sue me, but Jimbo was similar to Favre and Peyton as a gunslinger. Those NFC teams were great but they could have had 2/4.

Thurman is one of the most underrated RBs of all-time. Take Marshall Faulk and Edgerrin James and he was that guy first. Awesome receiver, led the league in scrimmage yards 4 years straight.

Bruce Smith also, he’s every bit the DE Reggie White was and I’ll die on that hill.

 

[Scoe]

Manny didn't hit that grand slam against Detroit.

It doesn't matter Manny was definetly better had amazing strength and plate coverage, there was a game at the old Yankee stadium Manny hit a ball an inch from the ground into the black seats.

 

[Hamms30]

Yeah, how was Marino a bad person? Did he kick small dogs? Did he litter? Commit eugenics experiments on cats? I don't know what "bad person" means in this context

LACES

OUT

DAN

 

[Lefty2one]

You can pick from many any role/solid/good player on great teams/part of a dynasty. The Draymonds of the world. They're easy pickins'.

Pippen is one for me. He was soft coming into the league and early in his career and Jordan's presence helped toughen him up. Kobe doesn't have five rings if he didn't play with great bigs.

Brady obviously wouldn't have been as good without Belichick, though he'd be a HOFer. Those early rings were led by great defenses and Belichick was a mastermind of changing course and adjusting. In Brady's career the Patriots were everything from a power running team to a vertical passing attack to a dink and dunk offense. Belichick was unbelievable at adjusting to the league rules/trends and to his roster year-to-year. He almost always played to his team's strengths. Brady and Belichick were the perfect fit.

Also, Marino was a hot-headed but calling him a terrible person seems like a stretch.

 

[Kolumbo]

Jim Kelly.

I’m the resident Bills honk so sue me, but Jimbo was similar to Favre and Peyton as a gunslinger. Those NFC teams were great but they could have had 2/4.

Thurman is one of the most underrated RBs of all-time. Take Marshall Faulk and Edgerrin James and he was that guy first. Awesome receiver, led the league in scrimmage yards 4 years straight.

Bruce Smith also, he’s every bit the DE Reggie White was and I’ll die on that hill.

Haha. I know someone named Bill so I must have, you know.

 

[Hromp]

Magic Johnson. I mean really. He had hall of fame backups. His hall of fame backup’s kids are hall of famers. Magic Johnson is not my favorite. Larry bird was so much better it’s crazy.

What about when Magic played center in the nba finals and led the lakers to victory. Magic was money.

 

[Nick2005]

Jeter was over rated as a player as he wasn’t in the A-Rod camp of players. Now he is MASSIVELY underrated.

Thst said. Jeter’s career is hall of fame level legendary wherever he played. Jeter’s stats -

Jeter - .310 career batting average.

3465 hits — that is sixth all time behind

Pete Rose
Ty Cobb
Hank Aaron
Stan Musial
Tris Speaker

In modern baseball era, post integration, Jeter has the fourth most hits in baseball history.

6th all time hits (3465)
11 all time runs scored (1923)

Career war is 71.7

Garciaparra is 44
Tejada is 41


Jeter best shortstop ever?

No.

ARod
Cal Ripken

But his war is 95th all time and all his comps are hall of famers.

He has a higher career WAR than Miguel Cabrera, Manny Ramirez, Barry Larkin, Tony Gwynn, Ivan Rodriguez.

he isn’t scooter Ruzzuto.

Under no stat analysis is he not a legendary player.

I grew up in San Diego, I know what you are saying but Tony Gwynn made the ball go where he wanted. He wasn’t just slap hitter. He was a stud until he got fat.

 

[Hans Sprungfeld]

As a Red Sox fan, I loved Jeter. Consumate professional. Nothing but love.

Well then, how about Rivera?

He wouldn't have recorded so many saves if he'd been on a less winning team all those years, right?
;^)

 

[TheHorde]

I'm a Sox fan and I'm not sure where this is coming from. Varitek was a good catcher who was a good hitter for the position but I don't think any Sox fans think he was great. Certainly not Hall of Fame caliber or anything close.

We admired him for his toughness and leadership, but I don’t know any Sox fans that think he was close to as good as Fisk even was.

 

[The Viking]

If he stayed with the Twins, you’d never know who Big Papi was. He couldn’t crack the lineup over Doug Mientkiewicz for like 5 years then went to the Sox and “weirdly” became Superman.

Ortiz couldn't crack the field because Mientkiewicz was a terrific 1B - which is why Theo traded for him in the 2004 WS run.
But Ortiz did get in the lineup. His final year with the twins he hit 20 HR and had a slugging of .500.
In the minors Ortiz had some monster years, the guy definitely flashed power from the get go. But the Twins and Kelly preached contact and hated strikeout mashers. They ultimately wanted to move on from a hitter like Ortiz who had power but no defense. They decided to part ways and find better fits with their roster and Theo scooped him up.

 

[The Viking]

Manny made Ortiz

I'm not gonna say Ortiz was a better hitter than Manny but Ortiz was definitely more clutch than Manny. There have been plenty of examples of it.

 

[husky8273]

We admired him for his toughness and leadership, but I don’t know any fans that think he was close to as good as Fisk even was.

FIFW

 

[storrsroars]

There are plenty of athletes who have the ability to dominate no matter where they land: Shaq, LeBron, Favre, Verlander... yes,

How did Favre get a mention in that group?

One of my favorite thrills as a Jets fan was watching the spurned and cast aside Chad Pennington rip out and stomp the hearts of the Favre-led Jets causing them to miss the playoffs.

I like the Rizzuto pick, but since the worst part of living in Pittsburgh is Steeler fans, I'm gonna go with... let's see, many to choose from, but I'll say Lynn Swann.

 

[willie99]

Awful thread, yuk

 

[CTBasketball]

Awful thread, yuk

When people castrate Derek Jeter as “overrated” yes it’s a bad thread. Mind-boggling dumb take.

 

[TedStriker]

So 6th all time in hits with another franchise wouldn't land Jeter into Cooperstown?

Of course he would be. He basically had the same career as Craig Biggio except with a few more hits and worse defense. Playing in NY elevated Jeter tremendously. Probably the most overrated ball player in the last 30 years.

 

[Jaydumo20]

How did Favre get a mention in that group?

One of my favorite thrills as a Jets fan was watching the spurned and cast aside Chad Pennington rip out and stomp the hearts of the Favre-led Jets causing them to miss the playoffs.

I like the Rizzuto pick, but since the worst part of living in Pittsburgh is Steeler fans, I'm gonna go with... let's see, many to choose from, but I'll say Lynn Swann.

Lynn Swann is a good one!
I chose Favre just as an example not necessarily the ideal. He went to the Jets and was really good until he tore his bicep and then went to Minnesota and made a playoff run. He would've been great on any team.

 

[Doctor Hoop]

I'll just leave this here ...

Pretty sure a combined OPS of 1.371 over 3 WS - that only includes 3 HR - is not at all shabby.

 

[Waquoit]

We admired him for his toughness and leadership, but I don’t know any Sox fans that think he was close to as good as Fisk even was.

Fisk was better but I think Fisk was overrated and Varitek was underrated.

 

[TheHorde]

Fisk was better but I think Fisk was overrated and Varitek was underrated.

Fisk was a great player for a catcher but he did play a very long time, which helped him compile stats. The Sox should have never let him or Fred Lynn go.