Most Feared Hitter in Baseball

[acsguitar]

It was a little annoying at first. I thought maybe Joe was developing a sexual crush on Sheffield; but then, around 4th inning of the game, Joe backtracked. He decided that Bonds was the "most feared hitter in baseball." But then he said that Bonds doesn't really count because 'pitchers' are so afraid of him they walk him.

Joe Morgan's reasoning is simply astounding at times.

"Joe, who do you think was the greatest boxer of all time?"
Joe: "I would say Muhammed Ali, but he won so many fights that he really doesn't count."

Obviously you could make a connection between how many times a hitter walks and how feared they are by pitchers. This has to do with other factors, including protection in the lineup, which Bonds doesn't have much of these days.

But Morgan's rationale was that Sheffield was "most feared" because he's always looking to crush the ball. OK, that's clever... a lot of players are always looking to crush the ball. Ortiz and Hafner were mentioned. Ryan Howard tries, if he can make contact that is. Pujols is always sitting on that fastball.

Don't get me wrong, Sheffield is a fine player and he would scare the crap out of me if he were angry, or if I decided to throw beer on him from the outfield stands. But I think Morgan read Sheffield's new book like it was a Hustler magazine.

Ichiro led the AL in intentional walks in 2002 and 2004...

[bigh0rt]

What, it takes 3 pages now just to say Barry Bonds?

[Dan Lambskin]

Joe Morgan is the Pat Summerall of baseball

[Snakes Gould]

It was a little annoying at first. I thought maybe Joe was developing a sexual crush on Sheffield; but then, around 4th inning of the game, Joe backtracked. He decided that Bonds was the "most feared hitter in baseball." But then he said that Bonds doesn't really count because 'pitchers' are so afraid of him they walk him.

Joe Morgan's reasoning is simply astounding at times.

"Joe, who do you think was the greatest boxer of all time?"
Joe: "I would say Muhammed Ali, but he won so many fights that he really doesn't count."

Obviously you could make a connection between how many times a hitter walks and how feared they are by pitchers. This has to do with other factors, including protection in the lineup, which Bonds doesn't have much of these days.

But Morgan's rationale was that Sheffield was "most feared" because he's always looking to crush the ball. OK, that's clever... a lot of players are always looking to crush the ball. Ortiz and Hafner were mentioned. Ryan Howard tries, if he can make contact that is. Pujols is always sitting on that fastball.

Don't get me wrong, Sheffield is a fine player and he would scare the crap out of me if he were angry, or if I decided to throw beer on him from the outfield stands. But I think Morgan read Sheffield's new book like it was a Hustler magazine.

Ichiro led the AL in intentional walks in 2002 and 2004...

wow thats interesting

[Tavish]

It was a little annoying at first. I thought maybe Joe was developing a sexual crush on Sheffield; but then, around 4th inning of the game, Joe backtracked. He decided that Bonds was the "most feared hitter in baseball." But then he said that Bonds doesn't really count because 'pitchers' are so afraid of him they walk him.

Joe Morgan's reasoning is simply astounding at times.

"Joe, who do you think was the greatest boxer of all time?"
Joe: "I would say Muhammed Ali, but he won so many fights that he really doesn't count."

Obviously you could make a connection between how many times a hitter walks and how feared they are by pitchers. This has to do with other factors, including protection in the lineup, which Bonds doesn't have much of these days.

It would be interesting to see how many walks Pujols would get if he batted 8th with a pitcher behind him. That might be the only chance someone would have at beating Bonds' record 232 in a season.

[TheDocIsIn]

I'd say its still Vladdy.

[Madman's Crazed Dogs]

Seems like a cool argument. I input all data from all time into SkyNet to come up with an answer and I found out that the Terminator is made out of genetic material from Chuck Norris, Mr. T, Serpentor, Jack Lambert, and Barry Bonds. So I guess that is the answer.

[joecahill]

I'd say its still Vladdy.

Gotta agree. You have to hate a guy at the plate that can hit a head-high or shoetop waste pitch out of the park. And you know the guy will swing at them.

[YardBirds]

Its Pedro Feliz... and don't even try and argue... that guy will swing at anything.

[Coppermine]

So who is the most feared pitcher? Carlos Zambrano? Pedro Martinez? I mean, I almost feel like Clemens is a shoo-in with his throwing the jagged shard of broken bat at Piazza in the World Series stunt.

What makes Clemens scary, in my mind, is that he's like a whiny, schoolyard bully in a giant dude's body and even the teachers are scared to death of him.

But Clemens is scary perhaps because he's not afraid to throw a 96er at your head after you crowd the plate, or heaven forbid, hit well off him. But which hitter would make Clemens scared to throw at? Is there where Sheffield's temper and attitude come into play? Would Clemens run away if Pujols charged the mound?