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Barry Bonds vs. Ted Williams ESPN.com | |||||||||||||||||
Baseball fans may not want to hear this, but we're going to say it right off the bat: Barry Bonds is a better baseball player than Ted Williams was. First, the numbers: Player G AVG OBP SLG OPS* OPS+^ Runs RBI TPR# Williams 2292 .344 .483 .634 1116 186 1798 1839 83.0 Bonds 2143 .289 .415 .567 .982 167 1584 1547 89.4* on-base percentage + slugging percentage ^ OPS adjusted for home park and normalized to league average (from "Total Baseball") # Total Player Rating (wins above average player at his position -- from "Total Baseball") Williams may be the greatest hitter of all time, but Bonds makes up for that with big advantages in the field and on the basepaths. When looking at Total Baseball's TPR, we see Bonds has an edge, with several good years yet to come. Williams, of course, is missing nearly five years spent in the military, which would have pushed his TPR to perhaps over 100. Williams led the AL 10 times in OPS (in an eight-team league, remember). Bonds, playing in a 12- or 14- or 16-team league, has led the NL five times in OPS. What's just as remarkable for Bonds, however, is he has finished in the top three in OPS every year since 1990, except when he was hurt in 1999. He has finished in the top five in OBP every year since 1990 and no lower than sixth in slugging percentage. In fact, Total Baseball rates Bonds as the best player in the NL in 1990, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1995, 1996, 1998 and 2000. Williams rated the best player in the AL six times. Williams' best single-season TPR is 8.0 (eight wins above an average left fielder), in 1941 and 1942. Bonds scored an 8.9 in 1992, 8.7 in 1993 and 8.3 in 1996. The only other seasons since Babe Ruth that TB rates as high as 8.7 are two Mickey Mantle years (1956, 1957) and Cal Ripken, 1984 (9.3). Final tally: Bonds. --David Schoenfield  Send this story to a friend | Most sent stories | ALSO SEE Best now vs. best ever: Catcher Best now vs. best ever: First base Best now vs. best ever: Second base Best now vs. best ever: Third base Best now vs. best ever: Shortstop Best now vs. best ever: Center field Best now vs. best ever: Right field Best now vs. best ever: Pitcher | ||||||||||||||||
