 Whether past or present, who do you think is the best all-time pitcher who has ever pitched in major league baseball? What about the best all-time catcher? You can feel free to answer who you think the best was/is for every position if you'd like. But for me there are two sound choices (pitcher and catcher). Also, if that player has played for more than one team, name the team you think of them with more than the other team(s) they have played with, and/or where they made a name for themselves with. For the best all-time pitcher I'm going with Nolan Ryan, and I feel that he made of a name for himself with the Houston Astros. For the best catcher ever I'm going with Johnny Bench who has played his entire 17-18 years with my Cincinnati Reds! He can also hold 7 baseballs in one hand. They don't make players like these two anymore it seems.
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| Who's the best all-time pitcher and catcher in MLB in your opinion? |
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StraddleMyNose
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Aug 28 @ 9:56AM
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Okay, here are a few more of my all-time picks...
Third base - Pete Rose (Cincinnati Reds)
Shortstop - Cal Ripken Jr. (Baltimore)
Second base - Joe Morgan (Cincinnati Reds)
First base - Tony Perez (Cincinnati Reds)
Outfielders - Willie Mays (San Francisco), ?, ?
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Wordsofwit
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Aug 28 @ 10:00AM
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I will go along with Johnny Bench but it is difficult for pitchers, but to make a decision, I will say Sandy Koufax.
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NightOfOld
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Aug 28 @ 10:49AM
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I also will go with Johnny Bench, and Sandy Koufax, but George Herman Ruth also started out as a outstanding pitcher.
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Wordsofwit
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Aug 28 @ 11:03AM
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I have a feeling that nobody but a homer will argue on Johnny Bench, but that the age of the commentator will be the driver on the pitcher selection.
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Wordsofwit
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Aug 28 @ 11:12AM
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I have met Johnny Bench twice. He tells this joke regarding baseball management and players:
A man was traveling by a farm and saw a pig in the barnyard with only his two front legs pulling himself around with his hindquarters on a little cart. The man just had to go ask the farmer about this pig. The farmer said, "Well, that is one amazing pig, best one I ever had. One time a fox was trying to get in the chicken coop and that pig broke out of his pen, attacked the fox and drove him off saving the chickens. Another time, I had too much to drink and fell asleep while smoking and the cigarette caught the sofa on fire. That pig broke out of his pen, burst into the house and pulled me out saving my life! Now, if you have a pig that amazing, you can't expect me to kill him all at once now can you?"
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juliecd
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Aug 28 @ 11:50AM
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Bill Freehan of the Tigers for catcher
Mickey Lolich of the Tigers for pitcher
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ou81289
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Aug 28 @ 11:57AM
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Pitcher - Sandy Koufax (Brooklyn Dodgers)
Catcher - Ivan Rodriguez (Texas Rangers)
Third base - Mike Schmidt (Philadelphia Phillies)
Shortstop - Ernie Banks. (Chicago Cubs)
Second base - Ryne Sandberg (Chicago Cubs)
First base - Lou Gehrig (New York Yankees)
Outfielders - Babe Ruth (New York Yankees), Ted Williams (Boston Red Sox)
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manwithoutahorse
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Aug 28 @ 12:07PM
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It is hard to argue against Johnny Bench. But as a "homer" I often wonder what the scope of Thurman Munson's career wold have been if he had not died tragically.
Pitchers? I agree with WoW that the era in which a pitcher played will dictate fan's choice. I also think you can look at the discussion in other ways. Style and the teams a pitcher played for contribute to their place in history.
Sandy Koufax might have been the best,
Bob Gibson might have been the most competitive/nastiest,
Roger Clemons (pre-steroids) might have been the best hired-gun (various teams),
Walter Johnson was the best ever to play on a terrible team (the Washington Senators),
Bob Feller and Nolan Ryan threw the hardest,
Ron Guidry for that one season was the best (had to get a "homer" in there)
But for my money, I think I may have to go with Cy Young, and not because the pitcher's award was named after him, but over 500 wins and over 7300 innings pitched. (And a great winning percentage) Let's not forget the old guys!
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Wordsofwit
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Aug 28 @ 12:34PM
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the best ever to play on a terrible team
I would have to recognize Steve Carlton in that category.
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xquseme
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Aug 28 @ 12:54PM
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Dunno about the best pitchers/catchers (except for the obvious Johnny Bench
pick, since I'm an all-time Reds fan), but some of the most unusual pitchers in my
mind were:
Mark "The Bird" Fidrych from Detroit, who talked to the baseball and spread birdseed
on the mound;
Al Hrabowsky (the "Mad Hungarian"), who wore a fu manchu mustache, turned his back
on the plate to psyche himself up before every pitch, and threw SMOKE; I remember him
striking out the side against the Reds to get out of a jam, once;
Jim "Catfish" Hunter, for the Oakland A's, who (along with several other teammates in '72)
wore a handlebar mustache to complement their green and yellow uniforms...
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manwithoutahorse
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Aug 28 @ 1:40PM
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Steve Carleton was up there, but the Phillies won the World Series in '80. THey were decent a few years. I bet the Senators didn't have 5 winning seasons Walter Johnson's entire career.
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rnj1013
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Aug 28 @ 2:06PM
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1st base: Lou Gehrig
2nd base: Rogers Hornsby
3rd base: Mike Schmidt
shortstop: Honus Wagner
leftfield: Ted Williams
centerfield: Willie Mays
rightfield: Hank Aaron
pitcher: Nolan Ryan
catcher: Johnny Bench
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manwithoutahorse
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Aug 28 @ 2:16PM
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Glad nobody took my bet. The senators had a few good years too and won the series in '24. I guess I was so young back then I forgot. 
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shyone_4u699
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Aug 28 @ 2:26PM
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Lots of opinions on here, so I'll share mine.
Pitcher: Sandy Koufax, Nolan Ryan, Walter Johnson. Arthritis forced Koufax out fairly early. History has it that Walter Johnson was the hardest thrower in the history of MLB. There was no juggs gun in his playing days, but he won 20 several times on some really crappy teams in Washington. I left off most of the real old timers because the game changed so much, so quickly.
Catcher: Ivan Rodriquez is the best ALL AROUND
First Base: Lou Gehrig
Second: Ryan Sandberg
Third: Brooks Robinson
ShortStop: Ozzie Smith
Left: Ted Williams
Center: Mickey Mantle/Willie Mays Flip a coin The Mick had more power, Mays a little better glove.
Right: Babe Ruth/Roberto Clemente Clemente had the best outfield arm/glove to ever play the game. Ruth had more power and a better lifetime BA.
I know, you said pitchers and catchers. Just threw my opinion in here 
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Detach
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Aug 28 @ 2:56PM
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You mean people are still entertained by baseball? You hit a stick and run. Everyone else's goal is to catch a ball and decide where to throw it. 
I put that in the same category as golf and bowling- I'll watch it on a Sunday afternoon if there is absolutely nothing else on. 
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Sunshine79
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Aug 28 @ 8:08PM
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I don't do baseball....sorry
But they do have nice asses in those uniforms!!
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lifeizabitch
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Aug 29 @ 1:03PM
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Bench is the only choice; he redefined the position of catcher and was also a very good offensive player. During his last 2-3 years with the Reds he played out of his position and still made enourmous contributions to his team.
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funnywhapper
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Aug 29 @ 2:44PM
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as a native angeleno i'm prejudiced. sandy koufax, best all-time pitcher.
johnny roseboro, best all-time catcher. los angeles dodgers.
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asnet
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Aug 29 @ 4:36PM
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Best all-time pitcher(s) ... tie: Sandy Koufax, Ron Guidry, Bob GIbson,
Mariano Rivera
Best all-time catcher: Roy Campanella
1st base: Lou Gehrig
2nd base: Jackie Robinson, Joe Morgan
3rd base: Graig Nettles, Alex Rodriguez
Shortstop: Derek Jeter
Outfield: Ichiro Suzuki, Ted Williams, George Foster, Reggie Jackson
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