Elite 8: Willie Mays v. Hank Aaron

Fat Strat · Post by **Fat Strat** » March 14 07, 7:56 am

Willie Mays

Bio

Willie Howard Mays Jr. (born May 6, 1931 in Westfield, Alabama outside nearby Birmingham) is a former star baseball player and an American icon. Mays, nicknamed The Say Hey Kid was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1979, his first year of eligibility. During his playing days, Mays won two MVP awards and made twenty-four appearances in the All-Star Game.

Stats

Code: Select all

Year Ag Tm  Lg  G   AB    R    H   2B 3B  HR  RBI  SB CS  BB  SO   BA   OBP   SLG *OPS+  TB   SH  SF IBB HBP GDP 
+--------------+---+----+----+----+---+--+---+----+---+--+---+---+-----+-----+-----+----+----+---+---+---+---+---+
 1951 20 NYG NL 121  464   59  127  22  5  20   68   7  4  57  60  .274  .356  .472  120  219   1           2  11 RoY-1
 1952 21 NYG NL  34  127   17   30   2  4   4   23   4  1  16  17  .236  .326  .409  102   52   0           1   2
 1954 23 NYG NL 151  565  119  195  33 13  41  110   8  5  66  57  .345  .411  .667  175  377   0   7       2  12 MVP-1,AS
 1955 24 NYG NL 152  580  123  185  18 13  51  127  24  4  79  60  .319  .400  .659  176  382   0   7  13   4  12 MVP-4,AS
 1956 25 NYG NL 152  578  101  171  27  8  36   84  40 10  68  65  .296  .369  .557  146  322   0   3  20   1  16 MVP-17,AS
 1957 26 NYG NL 152  585  112  195  26 20  35   97  38 19  76  62  .333  .407  .626  173  366   0   6  15   1  14 MVP-4,AS
 1958 27 SFG NL 152  600  121  208  33 11  29   96  31  6  78  56  .347  .419  .583  165  350   0   6  12   1  11 MVP-2,AS
 1959 28 SFG NL 151  575  125  180  43  5  34  104  27  4  65  58  .313  .381  .583  155  335   0   6   9   2  11 MVP-6,AS
 1960 29 SFG NL 153  595  107  190  29 12  29  103  25 10  61  70  .319  .381  .555  160  330   0   9  11   4  15 MVP-3,AS
 1961 30 SFG NL 154  572  129  176  32  3  40  123  18  9  81  77  .308  .393  .584  160  334   0   4  15   2  14 MVP-6,AS
 1962 31 SFG NL 162  621  130  189  36  5  49  141  18  2  78  85  .304  .384  .615  166  382   0   3  11   4  19 MVP-2,AS
 1963 32 SFG NL 157  596  115  187  32  7  38  103   8  3  66  83  .314  .380  .582  175  347   0   7   5   2  15 MVP-5,AS
 1964 33 SFG NL 157  578  121  171  21  9  47  111  19  5  82  72  .296  .383  .607  172  351   1   3  13   1  11 MVP-6,AS
 1965 34 SFG NL 157  558  118  177  21  3  52  112   9  4  76  71  .317  .398  .645  185  360   2   2  16   0  11 MVP-1,AS
 1966 35 SFG NL 152  552   99  159  29  4  37  103   5  1  70  81  .288  .368  .556  150  307   1   4  11   2  13 MVP-3,AS
 1967 36 SFG NL 141  486   83  128  22  2  22   70   6  0  51  92  .263  .334  .453  125  220   2   3   7   2  12 AS
 1968 37 SFG NL 148  498   84  144  20  5  23   79  12  6  67  81  .289  .372  .488  157  243   0   6   7   2  13 MVP-13,AS
 1969 38 SFG NL 117  403   64  114  17  3  13   58   6  2  49  71  .283  .362  .437  125  176   0   4   7   3   8 AS
 1970 39 SFG NL 139  478   94  139  15  2  28   83   5  0  79  90  .291  .390  .506  140  242   0   6   3   3   7 AS
 1971 40 SFG NL 136  417   82  113  24  5  18   61  23  3 112 123  .271  .425  .482  160  201   1   4  11   3   8 MVP-19,AS
 1972 41 TOT NL  88  244   35   61  11  1   8   22   4  5  60  48  .250  .400  .402  131   98   4   0   6   1   9 AS
         SFG NL  19   49    8    9   2  0   0    3   3  0  17   5  .184  .394  .224   80   11   1   0   1   0   4
         NYM NL  69  195   27   52   9  1   8   19   1  5  43  43  .267  .402  .446  145   87   3   0   5   1   5
 1973 42 NYM NL  66  209   24   44  10  0   6   25   1  0  27  47  .211  .303  .344   81   72   1   1   0   1   7 AS
+--------------+---+----+----+----+---+--+---+----+---+--+---+---+-----+-----+-----+----+----+---+---+---+---+---+
 22 Seasons        10881      3283    140     1903    103    1526  .302  .384  .557  156       13  91 192  44 251
               2992      2062      523    660      338   1464                            6066

vs.

Hank Aaron

Bio

Exhibiting an understated style that became his trademark, Hank Aaron became the all-time home run champion via one of the most consistent offensive careers in baseball history. In addition to his 755 home runs, he also holds the major league record for total bases, extra-base hits and RBI. Aaron was named the 1957 National League MVP, won three Gold Gloves for his play in right field and was named to a record 24 All-Star squads.

Stats

Code: Select all

 Year Ag Tm  Lg  G   AB    R    H   2B 3B  HR  RBI  SB CS  BB  SO   BA   OBP   SLG *OPS+  TB   SH  SF IBB HBP GDP 
+--------------+---+----+----+----+---+--+---+----+---+--+---+---+-----+-----+-----+----+----+---+---+---+---+---+
 1954 20 MLN NL 122  468   58  131  27  6  13   69   2  2  28  39  .280  .322  .447  104  209   6   4       3  13 RoY-4
 1955 21 MLN NL 153  602  105  189  37  9  27  106   3  1  49  61  .314  .366  .540  143  325   7   4   5   3  20 MVP-9,AS
 1956 22 MLN NL 153  609  106  200  34 14  26   92   2  4  37  54  .328  .365  .558  151  340   5   7   6   2  21 MVP-3,AS
 1957 23 MLN NL 151  615  118  198  27  6  44  132   1  1  57  58  .322  .378  .600  166  369   0   3  15   0  13 MVP-1,AS
 1958 24 MLN NL 153  601  109  196  34  4  30   95   4  1  59  49  .326  .386  .546  153  328   0   3  16   1  21 MVP-3,AS
 1959 25 MLN NL 154  629  116  223  46  7  39  123   8  0  51  54  .355  .401  .636  181  400   0   9  17   4  19 MVP-3,AS
 1960 26 MLN NL 153  590  102  172  20 11  40  126  16  7  60  63  .292  .352  .566  155  334   0  12  13   2   8 MVP-11,AS
 1961 27 MLN NL 155  603  115  197  39 10  34  120  21  9  56  64  .327  .381  .594  161  358   1   9  20   2  16 MVP-8,AS
 1962 28 MLN NL 156  592  127  191  28  6  45  128  15  7  66  73  .323  .390  .618  170  366   0   6  14   3  14 MVP-6,AS
 1963 29 MLN NL 161  631  121  201  29  4  44  130  31  5  78  94  .319  .391  .586  179  370   0   5  18   0  11 MVP-3,AS
 1964 30 MLN NL 145  570  103  187  30  2  24   95  22  4  62  46  .328  .393  .514  153  293   0   2   9   0  22 MVP-14,AS
 1965 31 MLN NL 150  570  109  181  40  1  32   89  24  4  60  81  .318  .379  .560  160  319   0   8  10   1  15 MVP-7,AS
 1966 32 ATL NL 158  603  117  168  23  1  44  127  21  3  76  96  .279  .356  .539  143  325   0   8  15   1  14 MVP-8,AS
 1967 33 ATL NL 155  600  113  184  37  3  39  109  17  6  63  97  .307  .369  .573  168  344   0   6  19   0  11 MVP-5,AS
 1968 34 ATL NL 160  606   84  174  33  4  29   86  28  5  64  62  .287  .354  .498  154  302   0   5  23   1  21 MVP-12,AS
 1969 35 ATL NL 147  547  100  164  30  3  44   97   9 10  87  47  .300  .396  .607  178  332   0   3  19   2  14 MVP-3,AS
 1970 36 ATL NL 150  516  103  154  26  1  38  118   9  0  74  63  .298  .385  .574  148  296   0   6  15   2  13 MVP-17,AS
 1971 37 ATL NL 139  495   95  162  22  3  47  118   1  1  71  58  .327  .410  .669  194  331   0   5  21   2   9 MVP-3,AS
 1972 38 ATL NL 129  449   75  119  10  0  34   77   4  0  92  55  .265  .390  .514  147  231   0   2  15   1  17 MVP-16,AS
 1973 39 ATL NL 120  392   84  118  12  1  40   96   1  1  68  51  .301  .402  .643  177  252   0   4  13   1   7 MVP-12,AS
 1974 40 ATL NL 112  340   47   91  16  0  20   69   1  0  39  29  .268  .341  .491  128  167   1   2   6   0   6 AS
 1975 41 MIL AL 137  465   45  109  16  2  12   60   0  1  70  51  .234  .332  .355   94  165   1   6   3   1  15 AS
 1976 42 MIL AL  85  271   22   62   8  0  10   35   0  1  35  38  .229  .315  .369  102  100   0   2   1   0   8
+--------------+---+----+----+----+---+--+---+----+---+--+---+---+-----+-----+-----+----+----+---+---+---+---+---+
 23 Seasons        12364      3771     98     2297     73    1383  .305  .374  .555  155       21 121 293  32 328
               3298      2174      624    755      240   1402                            6856
+--------------+---+----+----+----+---+--+---+----+---+--+---+---+-----+-----+-----+----+----+---+---+---+---+---+
 162 Game Avg        607  107  185  31  5  37  113  12  4  69  68  .305  .374  .555  155  337   1   6  14   2  16
 Career High    161  631  127  223  46 14  47  132  31 10  92  97  .355  .410  .669  194  400   7  12  23   4  22

JL21 · Post by **JL21** » March 14 07, 7:59 am

Talk about a dynamite matchup!

My gut insinct is Mays because he was a better all-around player. But I'm going to research it a bit.

jim · Post by **jim** » March 14 07, 8:51 am

Tough one. My gut instinct was Aaron, and that's what I ended up going with.

WARP3:
Aaron
209.7/13.1/13

Mays
206.2/13.8/13

Mays was better defensively, Aaron had the HR's. It's a pick 'em, looking forward to seeing how this one plays out.

Da Rocket Sauce · Post by **Da Rocket Sauce** » March 14 07, 10:36 am

HANK AARON

Richie Allen · Post by **Richie Allen** » March 14 07, 11:51 am

The Hammer. Very underrated in the field and on the base paths.

jim · Post by **jim** » March 14 07, 12:03 pm

Richie Allen wrote:The Hammer. Very underrated in the field and on the base paths.

He was, and Mays maybe given a bit too much credit for "The catch".

M1IRONMIKE · Post by **M1IRONMIKE** » March 14 07, 3:45 pm

WILLIE MAYS.......Lets not forget Mays lost 2 years to military service. If he hadn't he would likely have had around 735 hrs 2100 rbis and 3650 hits. that coupled with the fact that he is probably the greatest defensive center fielder in the history of baseball puts him ahead of AARON.

M1IRONMIKE · Post by **M1IRONMIKE** » March 14 07, 3:47 pm

also lets not forget that mays played in candlestick a much more difficult park to homer in

jim · Post by **jim** » March 14 07, 6:19 pm

M1IRONMIKE wrote:also lets not forget that mays played in candlestick a much more difficult park to homer in

That's why I like using WARP, it factors in the park factor, as well as the era the player played.

haltz · Post by **haltz** » March 14 07, 7:25 pm

It's surprising how similar some of the numbers are when you look at it. 155/156 OPS+, 22/23 seasons, .374/.384 OBP, .555/.557 SLG, the Warp numbers Jim mentioned, 7.86/7.65 RC/27, etc. Overlapping the vast majority of their careers in the same league to boot.

At the end of the day though, Mays did what he did at a premium defensive position, in 1500 less plate appearances. 12 straight Gold Gloves.

Mays in a tough one.

GatewayRedbirds.com

Elite 8: Willie Mays v. Hank Aaron

1. Willie Mays vs. 2. Hank Aaron

Elite 8: Willie Mays v. Hank Aaron