MAN-EYE

Sometimes the worst place to be during a Red Sox/Yankees series is at home in New York City. That is, if you are a Met fan in NYC. For all of our inferiority complexes and little brother syndromes, there is not much more that can make us feel completely insignificant than when the Yankees and Red Sox do battle. Every bar is filled big screens showing Jeter and Papi, while Beltran gets what feels like an 18" screen at the corner of the bar. As a result of this, and the fact that if I am with my friends I am forced to abandon my Mets for the enjoyment of the group, I get to watch a lot of these Yankee/Red Sox battles. While there are tons of different things to love about this rivalry, and just as many memorable moments, there is one constant that fixates me to the screen at least four times a game. Watching Manny Ramirez hit.



He is, in my mind, the greatest right handed hitter that I have ever seen. Since his first full season in 1995, Manny has hit over .300 every year except for twice. He has hit over .340 twice and has six career 40 homer seasons. Manny has driven in 100 runs or more in every season since 1995 except for one and has a career on base of .410. Numbers are great, but they do not tell the entire story. To me, the epitome of a good hitter is someone who will consistently fight off good pitches and hammer bad ones. To me, has done this better than anyone in the American League over the past 10-12 years, and still has a few more year left in him. As a pure hitter, there is no one I would rather watch up at the plate.



Now, when I judge a hitter there there is an order to how what means most to me. Number one is batting average. Number two is power. Three is the ability to not strikeout and last is the skill of seeing pitches or taking walks. When I look at all the players that I have had a chance to watch over the past 15 years or so, there are a few that jump out at me.



1. Tony Gwynn: I know he did not have the power of others, but he hit so many line drives. He never struck out and would not swing at balls. The only thing missing from him and Ted Williams as a hitter is the power (which is a very big difference).



2. Manny Ramirez: read above



3. Vladamir Guerrero: This guy can hit anything. Unreal plate coverage, and crazy power. He is a modern day DiMaggio in that he is a free swinger, but does not strike out much. Does not walk a ton, but he has improved this aspect as he has had to in that bare Angel line-up.



4. Albert Pujols: He may end up on top of this list, but I am not ready to put him there yet. His strikeout rate is one of the best ever for a man with his power. Every aspect of hitting, he is one of the best.



5. Ichiro: Basically can do whatever he wants with the bat. Not great power, but you get the feeling that if he wanted to he could hit .300 instead of .330 and his 20 HRs instead of 10. A flat-out hit machine.



Honorable Mentions:



Derek Jeter: Has gotten better with age; similar to Ichiro in the hits he racks up

Mike Piazza: If he retired three years ago he would had had a career .320 AVG. That is rare-air and ridiculous for a catcher

Nomar Garciaparra: There was a time when I felt he had the best shot in baseball to come close to DiMaggio's 56 game streak. Lights out hitter in his prime.

Alex Rodriguez: Insane power and has a career AVG over .300

Ken Griffey Jr.: Great power and the prettiest swing most of us have ever seen.

Gary Sheffield: Quickest bat over the past 15 years. People forget that he once won a batting title.



*Barry Bonds: Rank him will you may. I have a problem assessing him and his place int he game. One thing is for sure though, and before any steroid suspicions, he had great power and the best eye in the game.



I can be forgetful, so if you think I am missing someone, don't be shy.



STKAFI