Best player missing from the game???

[ericdavisfan]

I think that it's fair to say that Rickey Henderson changed the game, but not because of stolen bases (that's what lead-off men were//are expected to do).  Anyway, I'd say that he made the lead-off spot a legitimate power spot.

[Shooty]

Tim Raines changed the way people slide with vials of crack in their back pocket.

[BeefMaster]

I think that it's fair to say that Rickey Henderson changed the game by always referring to himself in the third person.

[Dryden]

I think that it's fair to say that Rickey Henderson changed the game, but not because of stolen bases (that's what lead-off men were//are expected to do).  Anyway, I'd say that he made the lead-off spot a legitimate power spot.

Followed by who?  And what about Lou Brock, who was busy hitting 15-20 homers out of the leadoff spot back in the 60's?

[ericdavisfan]

I guess I'm talking about managers trying to put a "legitimate" power threat in the lead off spot.  Brady Anderson, Soriano, Corey Patterson, Johnny Damon come to mind off the top of my head.  I'm just saying that the traditional leadoff hitter was up there to bunt, walk, or slap a basehit and then run.  Maybe Lou Brock changed it and Rickey carried it on.  I'm just saying that I can see someone saying that he changed the game in the fact that the leadoff is expected to drive the ball more now than then. 

[Shooty]

I guess I'm talking about managers trying to put a "legitimate" power threat in the lead off spot.  Brady Anderson, Soriano, Corey Patterson, Johnny Damon come to mind off the top of my head.  I'm just saying that the traditional leadoff hitter was up there to bunt, walk, or slap a basehit and then run.  Maybe Lou Brock changed it and Rickey carried it on.  I'm just saying that I can see someone saying that he changed the game in the fact that the leadoff is expected to drive the ball more now than then. 

Juan Pierre

[Dryden]

No one tries to put a legitimate power threat in the leadoff spot in and of itself.  Corey Patterson batted leadoff because he could run and because Dusty Baker is a moron.  Johnny Damon doesn't really hit homers, but he runs/ran better than anyone else on the Red Sox.  More importantly, he got on base a lot.  Same goes for Brady Anderson.  Managers (intelligent ones, anyway) put guys with high OBPs (which Rickey obviously had) in the leadoff spot, and if they can run well, so much the better.  If those guys happen to have a little power, so much the better.  If they had a lot of power, they'd be mostly hitting third...

Soriano is a weird exception.  I can't explain what Joe Torre was doing with him in the leadoff spot, other than the fact that Mr. Jeter only bats second and plays shortstop, and the world revolves around him.

[RedBarron]

Lenny Harris is the world's bestest most ultimate lead off hitter. 

[ericdavisfan]

I know that the best power threat doesn't go in the leadoff spot, but I was just saying that it's more common to have a guy in the leadoff spot who has a little pop in his bat.  Kind of like Rickey

[VerlairWightSL]

My rants on some players MIA in :

Where the fuck is Terry Kennedy (Kenedy-American Stars), Harold Reynolds (Rnolds - American Stars) and Hubie Brooks (National Stars)? Brooks had a decent career, Reynolds may look like a weak lead-off guy, but his bat, speed and contact would make him nearly as broken as Raines, Trammell and Vince Coleman. Also, why the fuck is Harold Baines in the game, but not Dave Winfield?

[Dryden]

I know that the best power threat doesn't go in the leadoff spot, but I was just saying that it's more common to have a guy in the leadoff spot who has a little pop in his bat.  Kind of like Rickey

Isn't that more a function of the fact that, aside from the Cubs, most players currently in the majors who aren't #8 hitters have more pop in their bats then they did 15 or 20 years ago?  There just aren't many guys with under 10 HRs a year who are major league regulars who hit well enought to bat first.

[ericdavisfan]

I know that the best power threat doesn't go in the leadoff spot, but I was just saying that it's more common to have a guy in the leadoff spot who has a little pop in his bat.  Kind of like Rickey

Isn't that more a function of the fact that, aside from the Cubs, most players currently in the majors who aren't #8 hitters have more pop in their bats then they did 15 or 20 years ago?  There just aren't many guys with under 10 HRs a year who are major league regulars who hit well enought to bat first.

Possibly

[ultimate7]

I say it's me

[Metal King]

Probably Henderson, Winfield, or Parker.  Tartabull also had a great year in either '86 or '87.  Even though the Yankees, Reds, and Royals aren't on the NES version it'd still be cool to have them.  I guess you guys are talking about the arcade version too.

Just about all of the other players mentioned on this thread can be used in RBI 2 & 3.

[lancemeister2006]

Interesting topic, I went and looked up players stats from 86 and 87, thinking I'd find several deserving players, and I was surprised that I couldn't really find many.  There are definitely a few, like Henderson and Barfield, but overall I gotta hand it to RBI for covering most of it.  Of course, Pedriq will always be a glaring disgrace, but what are you gonna do.

[Metal King]

Al Pedrique wasn't even an actual All-Star.  In 1987 combined with the Pirates & Mets, he had his 1 hr and .294 average.  Could they not think of anyone better???

[Big Apple RBI Champ]

edavisfan hit it on the head.  power in the leadoff spot changed the game.

btw, i LOVE the comment someone made about why corey patterson leads off (dusty baker is an idiot).

how can dusty baker let prior/ wood throw so many pitches?  terrible.

[Nacho]

I know that the best power threat doesn't go in the leadoff spot, but I was just saying that it's more common to have a guy in the leadoff spot who has a little pop in his bat.  Kind of like Rickey

Isn't that more a function of the fact that, aside from the Cubs, most players currently in the majors who aren't #8 hitters have more pop in their bats then they did 15 or 20 years ago?  There just aren't many guys with under 10 HRs a year who are major league regulars who hit well enought to bat first.

Soriano doesn't have pop in his bat?

[TβG]

no... he has soda!

[GreatScott]

Dave Kingman ... I love this line .210 35HR 94RBI 126Ks.  That was in 86. Your standard one dimensional RBI dominator.  And an asshole to boot

We could have also used Rob Deer, Mike Pagliarulo, Steve Balboni, Pete Incaviglia, Cory Snyder ... you could make a whole team out these long ball stiffs that werent in the game. 

One guy I'm surprised nobody has mentioned yet is Mike Greenwell.  I think we could use him a little better than stinkbath sullivan