2013 MLB Hall of Fame Screechfest

Because I'm a Cubs fan and I have a corresponding high threshold for misery.

 

Fixed.

 

hahahahaha. chump.

 

Rodriguez had more speed and played longer than Piazza and deserves credit for both, but he wasn't close to Piazza as a hitter. Overall when you figure in the defense and durability, you can certainly make a strong argument for Rodriguez over Piazza, but there is little question who was the better hitter.

Rodriguez scored more runs had only three fewer RBI, but that is because he played in 631 more games. Piazza still had a lot more home runs (427-311) The only real edge Rodriguez had was in steals with 127. Piazza was never a threat at all on the bases.

The career slash lines are significantly in Piazza's favor.
Piazza: .308/.377/.545
Rodriguez: .296//334/.464

Piazza averaged 89 runs scored, 36 home runs and 113 RBI per 162 games.
Rodriguez averaged 86 runs, 20 home runs and 85 RBI per 162 games.

Even if you figure runs produced correctly (add RBI and runs scored, then subtract home runs), Piazza comes out ahead with 166 per 162 games to Rodriguez's 151.

The better overall player? That's a really interesting debate. How much weight do you give durability and defense?

 

LOLZ.

 

For a catcher? Traditionally, a lot.

 

That one is actually pretty funny. First time for everything.

Completely irrelevant to the topic, so that fits right in for you.

 

Piazza is so light years ahead of all the other catchers offensively that I give him the edge. Rodriguez might be the best defensive catcher of all-time, but there are at least other guys in the discussion (Bench for one, plus a lot of guys who didn't amount to much offensively, like Bob Boone, Jim Hegan and Rick Ferrell).

 

Defense is so important at that position, though. Piazza isn't really "The Greatest Hitting Catcher Ever." He's "The Greatest Hitter Who Mostly Played the Catcher position." catcher is a tough place to have a defensive liability. As early as the mid-1990s there was talk of moving him to first.

 

oh, i think it's totally relevant.

 

And they never moved him (thought the Mets tried it for a couple of games one year). His glove was adequate behind the plate, he just couldn't throw. But no one was stealing bases in those days anyway.

Piazza played catcher. He's the greatest hitter who ever played that position. Ergo he's the greatest hitting catcher.