Ruth’s display of power was so impressive, the adjective “Ruthian” was created to describe any long home run hit by any player. Babe Ruth is widely regarded as the greatest ballplayer of all time and the most influential
[15] Bonds made his major league debut on May 30, 1986. [9] In 1986, Bonds led National League (NL) rookies with 16 home runs, 48 RBI, 36 stolen bases and 65 walks, but he finished 6th in Rookie of the Year voting. [9][16] He played center field in 1986, but switched to left field
This place is called the Hall of Fame. One of the most famous Halls is the baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, New York. Since its inception in 1876, millions of people have played professional baseball, but only 242 players are considered one of “the best” and earn a coveted placement in the Baseball Hall of Fame. This paper analyzes the careers of certain players who have been recognized as one of “the best” and will discover what it takes to accomplish such recognition. What it Takes to Make it Into the Hall of Fame Babe Ruth, Willie Mays, Ty Cobb, and Cy Young are four baseball players almost every baseball fan knows of.
Alex Rodriquez is arguably one of the best baseball players ever. He started his career in 1994 with the Seattle Mariners, but he only played seventeen games that year. With the Mariners in 1996 he finally earned a starting spot at shortstop and burst on to the scene with 36 home runs and 123 RBI. Then in 2003 Major League Baseball and the players association agreed on a new contract which includes random drug tests called survey testing. Alex Rodriquez is one of the many players who were tested and had performance enhancing drugs (PED) in his system.
Before 2004 he had never hit more than 20 home runs or driven in more than 80 runs in his career, nor had he hit over .450 (which represents the total number of bases divided by the player’s at-bats – essentially how much power production the player has). So Beltré ¬wasn’t a power hitter, until 2004, that is, when he ¬became a free agent and had his one shot at big-time money. This was also the last year that the MLB didn’t test for steroids. That year he hit 48 home runs and drove in 121 runs, with a batting average of .629. Beltré signed a five-year, $64 million contract.
He had the dedication to make 1000 jumpers a day, and that is why he is arguably the best to ever play. Texas Rangers, Josh Hamilton is another example of an athlete with fantastic dedication. His whole life they told him he was too small, not quick, and fast enough. He had a goal to play in the MLB, and he fulfilled that goal with hard work and dedication. In 2008, he was the homerun champion; launching 28 balls out of the ball park.
The Importance of Pitching “A baseball team will only go as far as their pitching staff takes it” (Denny Peterson, San Joaquin Delta College Baseball assistant coach). From 2000 to 2004 the Oakland Athletics features one of the best pitching rotations of all time; that being their three starters, Tim Hudson, Mark Mulder, and Barry Zito. With these three outstanding pitchers in their starting rotation, the Oakland Athletics ended up with a total record of 392-255 from 2000-2004 when all three of the previously named pitchers were on the team together (baseball-reference.com). Now, however, the Athletics do have a couple talented, healthy pitchers (that being Gio Gonzalez and Trevor Cahill) but no member of their pitching staff has the experience like the bull pins of teams like the Philadelphia Phillies, or the New York Yankees. The Yankees have been in the playoffs every year since 1995, with the exception of 2008, and the Phillies have been there every year since 2007.
Fernando Valenzuela For my Hispanic Heritage assignment I chose the great Dodger pitcher, Fernando Valenzuela. I decided to write about the Dodger legend because both my dad and grandpa would always tell me how much they loved the way Fernando Valenzuela pitched. They especially loved it when the Dodgers won the World Series in 1981 against the Yankees behind Fernando’s pitching. A reason why Fernando Valenzuela was famous was because he won the “Rookie of The Year,” and the “CY Young Award,” all in one year. Fernando’s first full season in 1981, this was also his greatest achievement as a Hispanic person.
He changed the game of baseball by focusing on strength and power, his record setting career, and his over the top personality. Babe was not only winner on the field but a winner in many people’s hearts back in the 1900’s and today. It is safe to say that he was the most influential person of his day and
Their 2013 season was as dismal as their last ten seasons, in last place in the national league’s central division with a record of 66-96. So why do fans still come to Wrigley, to watch the team of lovable losers? Wouldn’t they rather see a team winning and being successful? The answer may lay in being optimistic. The Cubs were always positive, even when they blew a seven run lead in the 2003 national league division series, even when they lost the 1946 World Series in heartbreaking fashion on Jack Spinner’s walk off home run in game 7 against the Brewers, even when the team’s slugger Sammy Sosa was found guilty of steroid usage and was suspended, the Cubs and their fans still remained contended, even optimistic about their team’s chances to win the Central and go to the playoffs.