Cal Ripken Jr.

[gascan259]

people who bash on cal have tohate white people. how cant you like cal he is a nice guy not cocky respectful.. cant say enough about that man.

[idontknowaname982]

Orioles all the way to the World Series 2011!!!!

[phishaphul]

He's my hero too.

[soccerlax8197]

My dad got hit in the nose with Cal Ripken's 400th home run. I was only 3 at the time, but I've seen all the news reports because my grandmother saved them. It was crazy!

[Tampa370]

That list doesn't have AROD, Pujol,Jeter and Irchiro on it and Randy Johnson, down the list CAL goes. Maybe TOP 100 for not for long.

[Tampa370]

Also look at Sporting News list of greatest players ever on Wikipedia, Cal Listed as 78 and this was back in 1998 when it was done. I'm sure he has moved down the list since then with some of the current players being better. So it's possible your HERO could easily drop from top 100 in the years to come. OVERRATED

[JonW00Z]

I suppose this would be a bad time to mention I'm from the Pittsburgh area and that I'm a casual O's fan because I had grandparents there.. Cal isn't exactly my 'hero'.

Oh the Sporting News eh? Since when have they cared about any other team outside of NY or Boston?

Lets go Buccos!

[rtally3]

Are you saying that 78 was overrated? It seems like maybe you're trying to make some correlation between stats and HOF votes, which no where here is defending. There are a lot of other factors that go into HOF votes. Fact is you're in the minority with your Cal bashing -- why are you even watching these videos? Do you just like watching players that you think are overrated and then critisizing them on youtube? Sounds awesome...

[Tampa370]

@rtally3 Here is something you should do if you're too young to have watched Cal play. Go watch Ozzie Smith videos and you will see the difference.

How about using your superior logical mind and understand slow players don't have great range. 36 Stolen bases in a career of 3000 games is pathic. He was a sure handed fielding, minus what people love to play down as flashy plays, flashy plays are plays someone got to where others couldn't.

[Ninety2q]

@Tampa370 3000 hits and 400 homeruns. Done by only 8 players. You can't field a team with that homie. You're saying that a guy who is on a list of only 8 players to accomplish that is overrated. Ha, think again.

[Tampa370]

Also, TED WILLIAMS doesn't put himself on that list, and throw in AROD there is two more better, I could keep going but I'm sure any one with baseball knowledge would pick more than 50 players before CAL if they could choose anyone in the history of the game !

[Tampa370]

Hey JonW,

Do a little reach before you speak. I looked up Baseball Almanac and there is an article were TED WILLIAMS back in early 90's listed TOP 20 hitters in baseball and CAL isn't on the list, that doesn't include Mike Piazza and Pujols.

I guess I'm idiot and so is TED WILLIAMS, ever heard of him ?

I could list some more hitters better than CAL in history and I could easily find better players who pitched.

Now are those Sports Writers so smart ? Giving CAL 3rd best votes ever !!

[Tampa370]

So using my PEAK years example AROD, Jeter, Nomar, Miguel Tejada had better PEAK years than Ripken. Take those guys top 5 years and compare to Ripken.

If see this then you will see I don't view Ripken as TOP 50 HOF but however he did have 3,000 hits and 431 HR which are great so I Will say HOF but if one says TOP 50 then he is overrated.

[Tampa370]

I'll give him 3,000 hits and 431 HR was impressive feats. However in my opinion two things to look at in a career, peak seasons(top 5 years) and Total Career. Rarely does a player have Career closely equal in averages of Peaks year.

I look at greatest as peak years because they show what a player really at his best could do.

My best example of Peak years really matter is Sandy Koufax, he didn't reach similiar numbers like career #'s like Ripken did if did he would have 300 wins

[Tampa370]

I really don't understand people on boards, it's always a show of maturity when all they can do is insult.

I was trying to show something people NEVER talk about and that was Cal's overrated defense and his speed shown by lack of steals. I did change my opinion on Cal being HOF yet he turned it into everyone thinks so and that's all need to be know. Never once seeing I said HOF but still overrated.

[rtally3]

He also holds the all time record for double plays by a SS, HR's, and all star appearances. He's the all time leader in all star votes. His 1991 season is generally considered the 4th best in MLB history. He's the only player to ever win the HR derby and the all star game MVP. He was a world series champion. He wasn't flashy, and he wasn't the best hitter or the best fielder, but when you look at the whole picture I don't see how anyone can say he's overrated. You Ripken haters are crazy.

[Tampa370]

Could you explain why he stole only 36 in his career ?

I have seen Albert Pujol steal more bases . You have any idea how slow he was?

Also tell me how big Cal Ripken is ? And then tell me how big players like Ozzie Smith or the average Shortstop is and you will see Cal was a much bigger man and did he hit like one ?

Please look at the top HR hitters of all time and you will notice Cal was bigger than most of them.

I just can't call someone great when he was so big but didn't hit like a big man.

[rtally3]

Um, he wasn't fast and wasn't one of the best home run hitters of all time. Nowhere did I say he was either of those things. You're cherry picking weaknesses here...

[Tampa370]

His 1991 season is generally considered the 4th best in MLB history. >>>

Obviously you are joking 4th best ? Jon calls me stupid yet lets this slide. Please go back and look at over hundred seasons in baseball and you will find more than 3 players with better seasons that one fluke season of 1991

[JonW00Z]

Or maybe.. I'm just not as invested in this as you. I mean come on, so he didn't steal bases and he wasn't a flashy player, but he was an exceptional hitter. It can't be denied!! Again he was one of 8 players to hit 3000 and 430+ HR.

Seriously, who have you been talking to? I've never heard anybody call Cal one of the top 5 players ever. He's top 50 for sure (HOF), but many in Baltimore would consider Brooks Robinson better considering the people he played against. Go get some perspective.

[Tampa370]

You are crazy about 1991 season being 4th best, AROD had numerous years better and NOMAR had 1999 and 2000 seasons better and 1998 was very close and could be argued better.

[rtally3]

This isn't my original research. I don't know enough about WARP to verify it's use, but it has to say something considering how accepted it is. Re: AROD, he's on the juice, and Nomar had slightly better BA those 2 years but hit for less power and didn't perform as well as the field as Cal did in 1991.

[rjb0978]

@Tampa370

Steroids can explain most of that.  Ballgame

[JonW00Z]

Save your time buddy. This guy is absolutely nuts about this and by his standards, we'd be tossing some pretty exceptional players out of the hall because they didn't make flashy plays or didn't steal bases.

In other words, in his world, the hall would only contain about 10 people.

[rtally3]

His hitting, work ethic, and values are undeniable, as is his what he did for the game in terms of paving the way for big shortstops such as A-Rod, Nomar, and Tejada. Re: his defense, he led the league in assists several times, won the GG twice, and set the all time record for best fielding percentage at his position. He studied hitters and pitchers to position himself for his lack of speed, even calling pitches at times. Set alltime records in assists,PO's, DP's, fielding % & and fewest errors.

[Tampa370]

His hitting, work ethic, and values are undeniable, as is his what he did for the game in terms of paving the way for big shortstops such as A-Rod, Nomar, and Tejada. >>

Why do people talk about RIPKEN himself came up with the idea of BIG MAN playing short, he didn't come up with it. He was placed at SS by a MAN called WEAVER. Don't give more credit than he deserves.

[rtally3]

Cal was playing short before Weaver managed him, and even if he didn't come up with the idea (how do you know?), he still did all those things on the field. Flashy play does not = greatness. Cal was one of the best defensive players of all time -- you simply can't argue that with any kind of cogent logic.

[JonW00Z]

Cal Ripken is a legend and a true professional. I've seen him play many times when I was younger and he truly is one of the last of the old guard in baseball.

One thing I'll never forget is the night I met him when he stayed out after a game for over two hours to sign autographs and get face time with the Baltimore fans. I've never seen another professional athlete put that much care into the fans.

[Tampa370]

Read this...Here read this...Though not a flashy fielder, Ripken displayed excellent fundamentals, and studied batters and even his own pitching staff so he could position himself to compensate for his lack of physical speed, even calling pitches at times.>>

People don't realize he didn't make FLASHY plays because great defensive players make them. Cal was slow stole only 36 bases in his career. Interesting how smart he was in positioning but when it came to smarts of stealing where was it ?

[Tampa370]

Basically he was slow and people try to talk about how he knew where the ball was going be like positioning. What he have ESP ???

No surprise a big man put up numbers better than smaller men. Cal was a thirdbaseman playing short no different than putting Chipper Jones at third and praising him for hitting better than smaller men. Even then Chipper hit better than Cal

Cal Ripken one of the most overrated players.

[JonW00Z]

Two AL MVP's, 2 gold gloves, 3100+ hits, 431 home runs, breaking Lou Gehrig's record of most consecutive games played. Also one of few players ever to break 400 HR and 3000 hits.

You're right, he's definitely one of the most overrated players ever in the history of MLB. You must be absolutely nuts.

[Tampa370]

He had only two 20 + homeruns season after the age of 31, if he had ended his career a few seasons earlier he wouldn't have those 3,000 and 400 numbers.

People put too much in career numbers that R round milestone #s like EVEN numbers of 3000 and 400 like they are magical. Look at how long he played and what was his averages were. He was a .276 hitter.

Of all the players to 3000 hits his average is worse. Ricky Henderson was close but he drew a lot walks.

[Tampa370]

2 gold gloves ? Hmm, maybe it was his hitting he won those.

Fact is he was slow. He HAD to position himself to compensate for it, everyone knows this. He didn't have the speed to make plays people like to refer to as FLASHY when in reality FLASHY plays are plays made by great defensive players.

I suppose when someone hits a homerun it's FLASHY because it was beyond a normal single or double.

Cal Ripken was overrated.

[Tampa370]

You should realize before Ripken, Shortstops were 6 inches shorter and 50 lbs smaller than him. So moving a thirdbaseman to shortstop and going crazy over his hitting numbers is just plain nuts.

Even before him, Hongus Wagner and Ernie Banks were much better than Ripken and they were smaller men. Hongus Wagners Batting averages and Banks homer run number of multiple 40+ seasons, while had only on 30+ season.

Cal is overrated.

[JonW00Z]

3000+ hits and 400+ HR plus breaking another legends record (who many thought was impossible to break), plus his contributions to the local Baltimore region and little league baseball. He is a Hall of Fame player.

Now your argument is more along the lines that he wasn't the greatest ever. Okay, good for you, but saying he was average and that he doesn't deserve the Hall is ignorant and very stupid. By your standards, there would only be about 4 or 5 players in the Hall.

Again, a weak analysis.

[Tampa370]

He was overrated. I notice totally ignore fact having 3rd most votes ever in HOF, going tell me he was that much better than the rest ?

Is he third best ?

[JonW00Z]

Again, he was well respected in baseball and that number of votes goes well beyond what he did on the field. He set up a better form of little league baseball, did extensive charity work in the Baltimore region, and went above and beyond for the Baltimore fans.

It's foolish to equate the third highest voting percentage to mean that the voters thought he was the 3rd best player ever. He was a great ball player and a great ambassador of the game.

100% Hall of Fame material.

[Tampa370]

Why foolish to equate that to amount of votes ? Those votes prove people think more from him than other more TALENTED players. To me that proves people overrate him.

No way better than everyone but a couple others.

[Tampa370]

Ok, good luck in the UK. I'm done here talking about Cal and overrated. I'm not going change your mind and I know Baseball talent when I see it, been watching it for a long time.

Cheers to YOU

[Tampa370]

Any of you other people who think Cal is a demi-god should go back in time and check out Mark Belanger of the Orioles, he was much better fielder than Ripken.

[JonW00Z]

Time spent watching the game = nothing.

Time spent playing and analyzing the game = actually having a well based opinion.

The difference between you and the people who endorsed Ripken as great and voted him in are listed above. You and I are amateurs. Why don't you go ask any player today how hard it is to reach his numbers?

I guarantee your credibility would tank the minute you tell them that Cal Ripken doesn't deserve to be in the Hall.

He's a Hall of Famer, get over it.

[Tampa370]

I guarantee your credibility would tank the minute you tell them that Cal Ripken doesn't deserve to be in the Hall.>>

Of course they would laugh because my list of HOF would be much smaller.

Here is a couple things I see as great some one like Ichiro hitting 9 straight seasons of 200 hits, much better than anything CAL did.

Pujols with his TRIPLE crown numbers EACH YEAR.

I would take those two players over CAL EVERY day of the year, call me amatuer but those players are better than CAL

[Tampa370]

Here to response to difference between me and you and people who vote !

The Baseball Writers' Association of America (BBWAA) is a professional association for baseball journalists writing for daily newspapers, magazines and qualifying Web sites These guys who vote Ripken and other HOF don't have any more experience in baseball other than watching and writing about it, think about that ! So they gave him 3rd highest votes on same knowledge as us amatuers. Call me stupid at least I know this.

[JonW00Z]

Okay, there's a huge difference between writing and analyzing baseball for a job and just being a fan that casually researches stats whenever a YouTube fight erupts.

And finally, this conversation is over. You are obviously very ignorant on how Ripken is perceived in the baseball world. I think an overwhelming majority of people would agree with me. Is the entire world of baseball wrong and are you right? Probably not. But keep telling yourself that.

[Tampa370]

Obvious you ignore reading my posts when I said HOF and not top 50, maybe top 100, I did change my view to agree, however if I were to pick players I wanted on my team it would be a while before I got to his name, just my view on players and doesn't mean everyone has to agree.

CHEERS !

[Tampa370]

Here is another reason CAL is overrated ! He gets third most votes EVER when Andre Dawson with 438 HRs and 2774 hits can't get enought votes to barely get in the HOF, Dawson before your time had a rifle for an arm won 8 GG and won a MVP in 87 with 49 HRs for a losing team.

Cal gets worshipped and is overrated.

[rjb0978]

@Tampa370

I agree its a fucking joke that the Hawk isn't in the hall of fame. I think Dawson would be a 50 home run guy every year and had better health with his knees in this steroid era. That said, Ripken was a great player. Look at all the stats before the early 90's(pre steroid era for the most part) and look at after when everyone is jacking 30 - 40 hr's. Some of you out there really have no idea how incredibly steroids can effect your body. It really does make you superhuman.

[Tampa370]

Let try to understand this. Your 20 so if you did watch Ripken it's obvious it was his last years, he wasn't anything special then. He hit only 20+ homeruns twice after age of 31

Only once hit 30 homeruns, from a REALLY BIG man, BIG MAN with smaller man's numbers, equates to weak !

And was slow 36 SB in a career longer than you are old.

He may have played longer than Lou Gehrig but he didn't have nowhere the talent Gehrig had. Look up Gehrig numbers, he was the Albert Pujols of his time.

[Tampa370]

Haines Baines had higher BA(.289 to .276), OBP (.356 to .340) and SLG (.465 to .447) higher than Ripken career

Only difference career was a little shorter career. He missed 400 homeruns by 16 (384) and 2866 hits just missing your magic number, now tell me how those numbers mean ones great even if a few have done it.

Go watch video on Ozzie Smith and see what people call great shortstop fielding is, Cal never made plays like those. I'll give every thing added up he is HOF barely, overrated HOF

[rjb0978]

@Tampa370

2632..........nuff said

[Tampa370]

I just looked at your profile and you're not old enough(20) to have watch Ripken play. Besides that you're from UK where Football(Soccer) is king not baseball. Only people here in the states that play Soccer are girls.

[JonW00Z]

This is coming from a man in his 30s. I suggest you go research studying abroad. I know you probably never went to college and you're probably an uneducated Neanderthal, but it's been around for a while. Oh yea, I wasn't there when he tied Gehrig's record or anything.. and I guess I dreamed all of those times when I saw him play.

Football's for girls eh? Obviously you've never played and your comment is equal to a 10 year old school boy. Face it, you couldn't last 20 minutes in a footy game.

[Tampa370]

Oh yea, I wasn't there when he tied Gehrig's record or anything.. and I guess I dreamed all of those times when I saw him play. >>

Let me see, you are 20 and Cal broke the record back in 1995, you couldn't remember crap even if you were there.

You probably so pump from childhood memories to know better. Do yourself some mind opening experience on shortstop fielding look up Ozzie Smith. You see the plays he made and you'll know what shortstop fielding is about.

[JonW00Z]

This is by far the stupidest comment ever. I was there, I remember it. I've seen him play probably 30 to 40 times. Believe it if you want. If not, keep making yourself look pathetic.

You obviously are listening to the most diehard Orioles fans ever. No one would regard Ripken as being equal to Wagner, Ruth, Gehrig, etc. but only a fool or crazy man would regard him as average. He's easily one of the top 50 baseball players in history. You can't deny that.

[Tampa370]

Ok, tell me why he stole only 36 bases in his career ? Do you know why ?

And you were how old when Cal broke the record and you remember all that at what 5-6 years old and that is stupid ? You were too young to know what you were seeing.

[Tampa370]

Ok, you saw him at the END of his career and that was GREAT ? He hit 20+ homeruns only twice his last 10 years, call me stupid but these are facts. Nothing AWESOME.

Ok, he is my beef just keep an open mind, Cal was BIG when compared to normal SS or ones before him so when he hits 20+ HR people say WOW, SS can't do that he is SUPERHUMAN. Now please go to the all-time list of HR and tell me how many CAL is smaller than. Not many and not by much, I expect a big man to hit like a big man.

[Tampa370]

He's easily one of the top 50 baseball players in history. You can't deny that.>>>

Counting all positions, Top 100 not Top 50

I notice you will NEVER like some many won't anwer why CAL stole only 36 bases and you will never will because the next thing you will have to admit is Cal was slow. And nothing special about a slow SS.

Answer how a SLOW man can get to a ball hit hard into the hole if he isn't in position for that play ? He can't ! CAL as great SS is why overrated.

[JonW00Z]

Again, irrelevant point. The hall is full of great hitters who aren't great fielders, great fielders who weren't great hitters (Bill Mazeroski), and so on. Your standards are too high and if we used them, Babe Ruth wouldn't be in the hall because for most of his career he was much more slow.

No one looks at his fielding numbers, his hitting numbers are hall of fame. Am I starting to repeat myself now?

[Tampa370]

When inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame in 2007,[8] he was a first ballot inductee with the third highest voting percentage (98.53%) in Hall of Fame history,>>

Here is part of my reason of overrated. He was in no way the third best player ever !!

Tony Gywnn with all his Batting titles and BA higher than anyone else in the last 50 years didn't receive the votes he did.

He was overrated !

[JonW00Z]

Again, this is a silly point that doesn't really reflect how good of a player Ripken was. He has many contributions to the game that are beyond his HOF statistics. HOF = He is one of 8 players to ever hit 400+ HR and 3000 hits.

You claim that he shouldn't be in the Hall because he didn't make flashy plays. It's a weak argument. There are many average fielders in the Hall just as there are many great fielders who were average batters.

Your arguments are very poor and lack analysis.

[Tampa370]

HOF = He is one of 8 players to ever hit 400+ HR and 3000 hits.>>>>

You should look up Harold Baines, he finish his career with nearly (384)400 homeruns and nearly 3000 hits just short of those magical numbers you talk about but nobody is calling Harold Baines great.

[Tampa370]

Cal Ripken is a legend and a true professional. I've seen him play many times when I was younger and he truly is one of the last of the old guard in baseball. >>

This shows your age. You are going tell me of all the players of last 20-30 years that CAL was one of last of the old guards in baseball. You came up with this statement and were able to judge all other players, how, what standards did you use ? Tell us how you came up with that he was one of the last old guards.

[mvp829]

Cal Ripken was and still is my favorite baseball player. He should be the next MLB commish. He's literally given his whole life to the game. A true professional in every aspect of baseball and life. I'm a Mets fan too but I always followed the Orioles cause Cal is the man.

[spfsurferkid08]

hes a beast i met him a couple times at the liiitle leage worl series in maryland

[mattygOsfan]

Anyone that doesnt like Cal doesnt like America and can get the fuck out. Cals my hero too.

[raze1X3]

that most overrated baseball record by far, above average player at best. choked in the playoffs like brett favre.

[CharmCity528]

it's takes a special player to play in 2,632 consecutive games, above average players don't hit 400+ home runs and 3,000+ carrer hits and a 2 time AL MVP, 18X All Star, and a Hall of Famer

[MrBoh528]

Cal was the greatest player of all time..I agree dude, takes a special player to play in 2,632 games without a break and do all that he did..Cal is the greatest of all time

[lcuba101]

totally agree with charmcity528

cal was a great baseball player, thats all there is to it.

i grew up watching him at camden yards, hes my hero :)

[dagr3at0ne316]

dude..ur telling me ur opinion of the man is contingent on whether or not he writes his name on a baseball for you? grow the fuck up you whining baby.

[XThrowUpTheX]

eat a dick

[MrBoh528]

who the fuck cares, he was probably out with his family..LEAVE HIM ALONE! He's not there to cater to you, he has a life as well

[XThrowUpTheX]

Fuck you! It was at a yankee game! He signed the chick in front of me. I BET IF I HAD A SET OF DOUBLE D's I WOULD HAVE A SIGNED BALL! FUCK U CAL!

[MrBoh528]

get over it dude, Todd Heap didn't sign my hat at training camp three years ago, but I didn't cry like a 13 year old school girl

[ozzyintexas]

maybe he was there to watch the game and not you bimbo.

[lightslayor07]

possibly the gayest song i ever. but solid video

[Pimp17403]

Good stuff. gay song, tho

[kinggeorge2131]

My hero. A great all around person.

[pologamez]

el rey

[shawdad]

A true legend. Can you make a Brady Anderson tribute also?

[captk5146]

This tribute brought a tear to my eye