Mickey Mantle obviously is the greatest switch hitter of all time and Eddie Murray is likely the second greatest. but it's a really close call with guys such as Tim Raines, Chipper Jones, Roberto Alomar, Pete Rose in regards to ranking them. In terms of power and RBI's Steady Eddie has them beat but Chipper Jones is close in those categories. Roberto Alomar did more in the annual RBI and homer tallies than Tim Raines but lacked in leading the league in any categories whereas Tim Raines won a batting title and led the league in doubles once and dominated the base paths leading the league in runs scored twice and stolen bases four times. Yet Alomar had a .300 career batting average opposed to Raines' .294. Then of course when it came to getting a hit Pete Rose, the hit king was the best as they ever were at that. Eddie Murray being on that elite list of seven is unsurpassed but ranking the best switch hitters after Mantle is just fun and interesting because of all their different styles of play. That's why these debates are fun because there's no right or wrong answer.
If Mantle didn't get hurt so much, the catalyst being when he banged up his knee in the 1951 WS getting his foot caught in the drainage pipe in centerfield and if he didn't hit the bottle so much it's possible he could have hit 800 home runs. "If I knew I was going to live this long, I'd have taken better care of myself."
Love that list of the only hitters with both 500 home runs and 3,000 hits! Whodathunk Eddie Murray would then get a list all his own among the best of the best!?!
Mickey Mantle obviously is the greatest switch hitter of all time and Eddie Murray is likely the second greatest. but it's a really close call with guys such as Tim Raines, Chipper Jones, Roberto Alomar, Pete Rose in regards to ranking them. In terms of power and RBI's Steady Eddie has them beat but Chipper Jones is close in those categories. Roberto Alomar did more in the annual RBI and homer tallies than Tim Raines but lacked in leading the league in any categories whereas Tim Raines won a batting title and led the league in doubles once and dominated the base paths leading the league in runs scored twice and stolen bases four times. Yet Alomar had a .300 career batting average opposed to Raines' .294. Then of course when it came to getting a hit Pete Rose, the hit king was the best as they ever were at that. Eddie Murray being on that elite list of seven is unsurpassed but ranking the best switch hitters after Mantle is just fun and interesting because of all their different styles of play. That's why these debates are fun because there's no right or wrong answer.
I was right! Figured switch-hitting was what you were talking about. I’m guessing Mantle didn’t get to 3,000 hits?
Probably would’ve if he wasn’t so banged up all the time! Finished with 2,415
If Mantle didn't get hurt so much, the catalyst being when he banged up his knee in the 1951 WS getting his foot caught in the drainage pipe in centerfield and if he didn't hit the bottle so much it's possible he could have hit 800 home runs. "If I knew I was going to live this long, I'd have taken better care of myself."
He's had some stellar quotes like that. Can you imagine if a player got injured via something like that during today's game? My goodness.
He did and yeah oh my gosh that would be awful
Love that list of the only hitters with both 500 home runs and 3,000 hits! Whodathunk Eddie Murray would then get a list all his own among the best of the best!?!
Steady Eddie FTW!
Awesome read! Murray was definitely one of a kind.