Future Legends of Baseball

[daske17]

An interesting article over on ESPNabout current MLB players who may be bound for "legend" status in the future. Among those mentioned:

 

Albert Pujols

Derek Jeter

David Ekstein ( :roll: )

Vladie

David Ortiz

Ichiro

 

With this list in mind, who else does everyone think will achieve "legend" status in future generations?

[B]

Arod maybe.

[Allroy]

Neifi Perez

[jersey cubs fan]

I honestly don't get the inclusion of Ichiro. The luster has already worn off that one. He was a nice addition to the ballclub, and I'm sure still a huge star in Japan. But Ichiro is not going to be remembered as some sort of legend in America unless some very significant things happen in the near future, like a World Series run where he dominates or if he starts breaking records. He plays on a pretty mediocre team, and is already approaching his mid 30's, without having done anything truly remarkable other than for a few short stretches. I just can't imagine people talking about him in 40 years the same way some people talk about a lot of former legends. Jeter is the only lock to be talked about this way, because he's a Yankee who has won titles. Ortiz, maybe, since he was a central figure on the Red Sox championship team, but he could just as easily be lumped in with every other very large masher of this era. Pujols could end up like this if he maintains his career path of absolute greatness for a while.

[chuckywang]

No one. The state of the game as it is today does not make for legends. Compare it with the 30s and 40s.

[YearofDaCubs]

Eckstein? BAHAHAHAHAH get real.

[jersey cubs fan]

No one. The state of the game as it is today does not make for legends. Compare it with the 30s and 40s.

 

The fact that a select few sports writers no longer dominate the story probably means we will never have the same sort of reverence for these guys when their careers are over. I just don't see people pining over anybody of this era the way people talked about Mantle, Dimaggio and guys of that era.

[SouthSideRyan]

No one. The state of the game as it is today does not make for legends. Compare it with the 30s and 40s.

 

Get off my lawn!!

[gflore34]

What about Todd Helton? I know his numbers have been inflated due to Colorado nevertheless, he has put up some mind boggling stats - lifetime: .334 AVG, .432 OBP and .592 SLG

[jersey cubs fan]

What about Todd Helton? I know his numbers have been inflated due to Colorado nevertheless, he has put up some mind boggling stats - lifetime: .334 AVG, .432 OBP and .592 SLG

 

No way. He's hardly remembered right now. The career numbers are great, but he won't be remembered as a legend, at least not nationally.

[chuckywang]

What about Todd Helton? I know his numbers have been inflated due to Colorado nevertheless, he has put up some mind boggling stats - lifetime: .334 AVG, .432 OBP and .592 SLG

 

Who's Todd Helton?

[transplanted_suburbanite]

Neifi "I Once Hit for the Cycle" Perez

 

8-)

[rawaction]

Ichiro is only legendary in that he will probably get credited (fairly or not) for bringing a huge Japanese influence into the MLB. Sure the 2nd most hits thru 1000 games are nice, but his overall stat line looks weak. Mark Grace is nowhere near legendary and his numbers are much better than anything Ichiro has or will ever do.

 

 

FWIW, I think there are some legendary young players in the making. Alex Gordon, Cameron Maybin, etc.

 

And I don't know if I would call these guys "legends", but I think more people need to take notice of the careers that Chipper Jones, Randy Johnson, and John Smoltz.

[Lukin]

Clemens and Bonds will be remembered for a long time. Once AROD breaks Bonds HR record and wins a WS he will be remembered as the greatest player of his generation.

 

Remember that we are the people that ascribe legend status to a ballplayer.

[Soriano12]

DAVID ECKSTEIN, SS, ST. LOUIS CARDINALS

In a country that loves gritty and gutty, he is the grittiest, guttiest cat of them all. He barely can throw the ball across the infield, and he chokes the bat like a T-baller. But he comes up big, comes up swinging, and is humble and gracious about every miraculous accomplishment. The guardians of days gone by like to think they have the market cornered on gamers, but this generation has its Eck. And though little, he stacks up

 

bhwhhahahhahahahahahah!

[RichHillIsABeast]

Sammy Sosa

[Backtobanks]

An interesting article over on ESPNabout current MLB players who may be bound for "legend" status in the future. Among those mentioned:

 

Albert Pujols

Derek Jeter

David Ekstein ( :roll: )

Vladie

David Ortiz

Ichiro

 

With this list in mind, who else does everyone think will achieve "legend" status in future generations?

 

No way for Eckstein. I don't get including Ortiz.....very good hitter, but not legendary.

[fromthestretch]

Ichiro is only legendary in that he will probably get credited (fairly or not) for bringing a huge Japanese influence into the MLB. Sure the 2nd most hits thru 1000 games are nice, but his overall stat line looks weak. Mark Grace is nowhere near legendary and his numbers are much better than anything Ichiro has or will ever do.

 

Ichiro will be legendary because he's the first position player from Japan to have prolonged success. That and a couple of years of very high batting average, which some people still go gaga for. His stats aren't legendary, but I don't think that's what ESPN was shooting for here.

[fromthestretch]

Pedro should have legendary status.

[Drew Doughty]

Pedro should have legendary status.

 

he really should, but he probably never will because the media doesn't really like him.

[Ding Dong Johnson]

Mark Prior (shoulda coulda woulda)

[fromthestretch]

Pedro should have legendary status.

 

he really should, but he probably never will because the media doesn't really like him.

 

Exactly. It's too bad, because the man was about as dominant as it gets.

[seanimal]

Felix Pie

[daske17]

Pedro should have legendary status.

 

he really should, but he probably never will because the media doesn't really like him.

 

Exactly. It's too bad, because the man was about as dominant as it gets.

 

I think the media will come around after Pedro retires and the majority of reporters who had direct dealing with him start falling to the wayside.

 

Fans realize what Pedro accomplished and that's the most important thing.

[jyoung55]

Pedro should have legendary status.

 

he really should, but he probably never will because the media doesn't really like him.

 

Exactly. It's too bad, because the man was about as dominant as it gets.

 

I think the media will come around after Pedro retires and the majority of reporters who had direct dealing with him start falling to the wayside.

 

Fans realize what Pedro accomplished and that's the most important thing.

 

Fans realize what Ronnie did too.. but that hasn't gotten him into the Hall so on that basis I take issue with fans opinions being the most important thing in these sorts of things.