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Boggs vs Gwynn.

So to follow up on boggs vs Jeter, there was some interest in boggs vs. Gwynn as they were perfect contemporaries. So who do you have??

As for me, it is all boggs. He was an on base machine, hit a ton of doubles and perhaps most importantly, he played a much more difficult position. He ended up over 20 war higher than gwynn.

George Brett, Roger Clemens and Tommy Brady.

Comments

  • I think Gwynn was a little more complete than Boggs he had an element Boggs never had Speed! He was lightning fast but he swiped bases. Both were incredibly hard to strike out. Boggs was better early and Gwynn better late in there careers. Boggs got on base more and I think the defense was a toss up. It's a tough question if you ask me think it would depend on what you think is most important getting on base or being able to swipe them. Everything else was pretty close with them in my opinion.
  • I think it was stated pretty well in the other thread about Boggs. He wasn't as appreciated in his day the way he would be now. People fawn all over Suzuki but he wouldn't take a walk if Nuke Laloosh where out there hitting the bull!
  • craig44craig44 Posts: 11,452 ✭✭✭✭✭
    I can't make their defense a wash because boggs played the more valuable, difficult position. I guess the elephant in the room is gwynns surge in his mid to late 30's that coincides perfectly with the steroid era. Something seems a little fishy about those high batting averages so late in career. I understand his body type, but it is all about bat speed. I have just always been suspicious of gwynn and steroids.

    George Brett, Roger Clemens and Tommy Brady.

  • While I am a bigger fan of Gwynn, I think that if I were a manager of a MLB baseball team, I'd rather have Boggs on my team than Gwynn.
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  • I call defense a wash only due to Gwynn's 5 gold gloves I realize they are subjective and I know Boggs played the hot corner and was pretty sure handed but he wasn't Brooks over there. Just think it's closer than you can call. Never really saw a power spike with Gwynn. I think Boggs could have hit 390 just like Gwynn and not had me think steroids. Brett did it, Carew did it and all we ever said was of course HE could be the one to hit 400. Just think either of these guys could have made a run at 400 and not be suspected cause that was there game there whole careers.
  • Mick6, I agree with you in many aspects. But to play devil's advocate, Gwynn did have a spike in HR's late in his career from 97-99. Almost 32% (43 of 135) of his career HRs were hit in his 37-39 year old seasons. That's a pretty big spike considering he had only 90 homerun in the previous 15 seasons (13 full).



    Boggs also averaged 10 extra game played per season, if you take out the partial bookend seasons of their careers. That's not an argument either way. I think that if you surveyed 100 people about this question, you'd have 50 on one side and 50 on the other.
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  • I checked baseball reference right after I posted that lol and figured I'd get called on the Gwynn late power. Good call. I can see that. Isn't it sad that we question every little blip in great career's now. Boggs career progression does resemble the norm where as Gwynn's has greatness a little drop then greatness at a slightly higher level again. Who knows. I loved both these guys and let's face it they where and are a lost breed. No one in today's game hits like these guys did and I don't think guys even try to anymore.
  • billwaltonsbeardbillwaltonsbeard Posts: 3,748 ✭✭✭✭
    Boggs could drink a lot more beer than Gwynn
  • craig44craig44 Posts: 11,452 ✭✭✭✭✭
    I think that gwynn gets the same type of treatment David Ortiz gets when it comes to peds. He was a really nice guy by all accounts and everyone seemed to like him, so the fishyness of his late career surge gets swept under the rug. Now I have no hard proof against gwynn, but the statistics don't lie. I realize Gwynns body type isn't what we picture when we think of ped use, but neither was Dee Gordon. I was also a big fan of tonys, but I just have this nagging suspicion. Boggs is also worlds ahead in career war.

    George Brett, Roger Clemens and Tommy Brady.

  • CakesCakes Posts: 3,657 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Originally posted by: TheMick6
    I checked baseball reference right after I posted that lol and figured I'd get called on the Gwynn late power. Good call. I can see that. Isn't it sad that we question every little blip in great career's now. Boggs career progression does resemble the norm where as Gwynn's has greatness a little drop then greatness at a slightly higher level again. Who knows. I loved both these guys and let's face it they where and are a lost breed. No one in today's game hits like these guys did and I don't think guys even try to anymore.


    Couldn't Gwynn's late power be contributed to his added weight at the end of his career?
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  • DarinDarin Posts: 7,291 ✭✭✭✭✭
    I love hitters like those two with a high batting average and low strikeout rate.
    Used to be a lot more of them than there are now.
  • CakesCakes Posts: 3,657 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Originally posted by: billwaltonsbeard
    Boggs could drink a lot more beer than Gwynn


    Originally posted by: billwaltonsbeard
    in a beer drinking contest??? Boggs

    in a pornstache contest??? Boggs

    These are the only criteria that interest me....sorry


    At least you stay consistent, even 6 years later.

    Stay thirsty my friend

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  • DarinDarin Posts: 7,291 ✭✭✭✭✭
    I don't see anything suspicious about a suspected Gwynn power surge late in his career.
    He hit 14 HR early in his career in 1986 and his career high was 17 HR eleven years later.
    You call that a power surge!
  • I would take Boggs.

    Gwynn had no late career power surge that runs any red flags up a pole either.
  • LarkinCollectorLarkinCollector Posts: 8,975 ✭✭✭✭✭
    There are more red flags associated with at least one of the players mentioned in the sig lines of this thread than either of subjects of this thread.
  • DarinDarin Posts: 7,291 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Originally posted by: LarkinCollector
    There are more red flags associated with at least one of the players mentioned in the sig lines of this thread than either of subjects of this thread.



    Well, it better not be Gene Tenace, or Dallasactuary will throw a fit.lol.
  • LarkinCollectorLarkinCollector Posts: 8,975 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Originally posted by: Darin
    Originally posted by: LarkinCollector
    There are more red flags associated with at least one of the players mentioned in the sig lines of this thread than either of subjects of this thread.

    Well, it better not be Gene Tenace, or Dallasactuary will throw a fit.lol.

    Nope, not him. In the same way many purists still say Hank is the all-time HR leader, a case could be made for the Big Unit being the SO leader, but these are really discussions for the Sports Talk forum until someone starts posting cards.
  • DarinDarin Posts: 7,291 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Here's a few Boggs' cards. Never had much luck pulling nice Gwynn rookies.

    image
  • PM770PM770 Posts: 320 ✭✭
    Originally posted by: Darin
    I don't see anything suspicious about a suspected Gwynn power surge late in his career.
    He hit 14 HR early in his career in 1986 and his career high was 17 HR eleven years later.
    You call that a power surge!


    That's what I was thinking. Are we really calling 17, 16 and 10 HRS for that three year period a "power surge"?
  • craig44craig44 Posts: 11,452 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Well, look at gwynns slugging % and batting averages from age 33 on. I would say that is a huge outlier and very very uncommon. He also had his highest doubles totals during that time and hit fully half of his career home runs during a 6 year span all after turning 33. Other than known ped users, those kind of stats are unprecedented that late in a career.

    George Brett, Roger Clemens and Tommy Brady.

  • FirstBeardFirstBeard Posts: 472 ✭✭✭
    Boggs was on Cheers. Gwynn was not.

    Boggs was a Devil Ray. Gwynn was not.

    Very close call, but I'm leaning Gwynn. Pretty special that these guys played in the same era.
  • pclpadspclpads Posts: 457 ✭✭
    Gwynn's noticeable weight gain later in his career can be attributed to his love of Big Macs and Whoppers . . . NOT 'ROIDS, you morons! His so-called "power surge" around the same period owes to the influence Teddy had over him and the latter's imploring him to use his obvious power to pull the ball instead of just going for a single in the 5.5 slot. Will always remember his homer into the right field upper deck at Yankee stadium in the '98 series. What a blast!
  • rtimmerrtimmer Posts: 1,347 ✭✭✭✭
    Gwynn is certainly more popular and that's easy to compare. They both have 1983 rookie cards and Gwynn has twice the submissions as Boggs or Sandberg. Now Boggs versus Sandberg seems an interesting and close comparison.
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  • craig44craig44 Posts: 11,452 ✭✭✭✭✭
    And to what do you attribute his late career batting averages pclpads? Whoppers and big macs? Talking with ted williams? Even talking with ted won't turn back time and quicken that bat. But I know something that could....

    George Brett, Roger Clemens and Tommy Brady.

  • CakesCakes Posts: 3,657 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Originally posted by: craig44
    And to what do you attribute his late career batting averages pclpads? Whoppers and big macs? Talking with ted williams? Even talking with ted won't turn back time and quicken that bat. But I know something that could....


    I still think you are fishing. If I was a betting man I would bet there is a greater chance that Wade took PEDs vs Tony taking them. I would like to add I don't think either player took them and even if they did it wouldn't change my opinion very much of either one.

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  • DarinDarin Posts: 7,291 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Originally posted by: craig44
    And to what do you attribute his late career batting averages pclpads? Whoppers and big macs? Talking with ted williams? Even talking with ted won't turn back time and quicken that bat. But I know something that could....


    How about a passionate desire to improve himself as a hitter?
    Time and experience sometimes trump youthful athleticism.
    And I don't think PEDs' would improve his hand eye coordination,
    which is why he was such a high average hitter.
  • totallyraddtotallyradd Posts: 941 ✭✭✭✭
    Originally posted by: billwaltonsbeard
    Boggs could drink a lot more beer than Gwynn


    And probably could eat more chicken, too
  • Originally posted by: craig44

    ... but the statistics don't lie. ...




    Quite the contrary! Statistics were made for lying and then proving that the lie was a lie.



    "Correlation does not imply causation."



    That's true, but I'm just light-hardheadedly playing around. His surge in HRs that late in his career

    are skeptical and reason to speculate that PEDs may have been a factor. His weight gain may have been too, or maybe he knew that he couldn't hit it in that 5-6 hole as much and decided to try for more power than finesse. Who knows.



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  • Originally posted by: PM770

    Originally posted by: Darin

    I don't see anything suspicious about a suspected Gwynn power surge late in his career.

    He hit 14 HR early in his career in 1986 and his career high was 17 HR eleven years later.

    You call that a power surge!





    That's what I was thinking. Are we really calling 17, 16 and 10 HRS for that three year period a "power surge"?




    Originally posted by: PM770

    Originally posted by: Darin

    I don't see anything suspicious about a suspected Gwynn power surge late in his career.

    He hit 14 HR early in his career in 1986 and his career high was 17 HR eleven years later.

    You call that a power surge!





    That's what I was thinking. Are we really calling 17, 16 and 10 HRS for that three year period a "power surge"?




    Statistically, YES!





    Two-sample T for Young_Gwynn vs Old_Gwynn



    ......................N Mean StDev SE Mean

    Young_Gwynn 13 6.77 3.24 0.90

    Old_Gwynn 3 14.33 3.79 2.2





    Difference = mean(Young_Gwynn) - mean (Old_Gwynn)

    Estimate for difference: -7.56

    95% upper bound for difference: -0.66

    T-Value = -3.20 P-Value = 0.043 DF = 2





    P-value is 0.043!!!!!!! This "surge" is not by random chance.
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  • PM770PM770 Posts: 320 ✭✭
    I'm not seeing significant batting average differences, in relative terms, either. He won 4 batting titles in the 80s and 4 in the 90s. He had a .370 in '87 and a .351 in 1984.

    Regarding the doubles, remember to take a look at the triples he hit in the 80s v the 90s, too. I think a lot of 3bs turned into 2bs due to his noted weight gain.
  • PM770PM770 Posts: 320 ✭✭
    Originally posted by: wilkiebaby11
    Originally posted by: PM770
    Originally posted by: Darin
    I don't see anything suspicious about a suspected Gwynn power surge late in his career.
    He hit 14 HR early in his career in 1986 and his career high was 17 HR eleven years later.
    You call that a power surge!


    That's what I was thinking. Are we really calling 17, 16 and 10 HRS for that three year period a "power surge"?


    Originally posted by: PM770
    Originally posted by: Darin
    I don't see anything suspicious about a suspected Gwynn power surge late in his career.
    He hit 14 HR early in his career in 1986 and his career high was 17 HR eleven years later.
    You call that a power surge!


    That's what I was thinking. Are we really calling 17, 16 and 10 HRS for that three year period a "power surge"?


    Statistically, YES!


    Two-sample T for Young_Gwynn vs Old_Gwynn

    ......................N Mean StDev SE Mean
    Young_Gwynn 13 6.77 3.24 0.90
    Old_Gwynn 3 14.33 3.79 2.2


    Difference = mean(Young_Gwynn) - mean (Old_Gwynn)
    Estimate for difference: -7.56
    95% upper bound for difference: -0.66
    T-Value = -3.20 P-Value = 0.043 DF = 2


    P-value is 0.043!!!!!!! This "surge" is not by random chance.


    Can't tell if your joking or not. Please advise.
  • craig44craig44 Posts: 11,452 ✭✭✭✭✭
    I'm really not trying to rain all over gwynn, just trying to explain kind of a fishy statistical anomaly and treat him fairly as we do other players. people would think you were nuts if you explained Barry bonds late career surge as a passionate desire to improve himself as a hitter, or his experience being more important than athleticism. So I am just not giving gwynn a clear pass because he was such a nice and outgoing guy. No, we will never have a failed blood test for proof, so it is looking at the available proof and coming up with your own opinions. Remember, we have also have no hard evidence against bonds, no failed tests.

    George Brett, Roger Clemens and Tommy Brady.

  • DarinDarin Posts: 7,291 ✭✭✭✭✭
    craig- then why no suspicions when Boggs went from 8 HR to 24 HR.
    That looks like a lot more of an anomaly than any of Gwynns' stats.

    And just to be clear on where I stand, I don't think either of them took PEDs'.
  • Originally posted by: PM770

    Originally posted by: wilkiebaby11

    Originally posted by: PM770

    Originally posted by: Darin

    I don't see anything suspicious about a suspected Gwynn power surge late in his career.

    He hit 14 HR early in his career in 1986 and his career high was 17 HR eleven years later.

    You call that a power surge!





    That's what I was thinking. Are we really calling 17, 16 and 10 HRS for that three year period a "power surge"?




    Originally posted by: PM770

    Originally posted by: Darin

    I don't see anything suspicious about a suspected Gwynn power surge late in his career.

    He hit 14 HR early in his career in 1986 and his career high was 17 HR eleven years later.

    You call that a power surge!





    That's what I was thinking. Are we really calling 17, 16 and 10 HRS for that three year period a "power surge"?




    Statistically, YES!





    Two-sample T for Young_Gwynn vs Old_Gwynn



    ......................N Mean StDev SE Mean

    Young_Gwynn 13 6.77 3.24 0.90

    Old_Gwynn 3 14.33 3.79 2.2





    Difference = mean(Young_Gwynn) - mean (Old_Gwynn)

    Estimate for difference: -7.56

    95% upper bound for difference: -0.66

    T-Value = -3.20 P-Value = 0.043 DF = 2





    P-value is 0.043!!!!!!! This "surge" is not by random chance.




    Can't tell if your joking or not. Please advise.





    I'm not joking. Using statistics and grouping the former 13 seasons as compared to the latter 3 full seasons, there is only a 4.3% chance that the latter 3 years had a "power surge" that was by random chance. Therefore, there is a statistical difference in the last 3 seasons as compared to the former 13. What caused this is up for debate, but there is definitely a power surge, even if it is just 43 home runs over 3 seasons.





    I used a pretty basic concept in statistics; a two-sample t-test.
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  • craig44craig44 Posts: 11,452 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Darin, 87 seems to be more of an outlier, as it was just one year and not 6 or 7 years to end a career. Boggs was 29 that year, and that was the year of the rabbit ball. Lots of players hit homers that year that never did before or after. I think the story goes that mlb used a different vendor for the balls that year and they were wound tighter. Again, I could be wrong as there is no proof, but it seems more realistic that a player in his prime could have one career year than a player in the second half of his career strings together the best years of his career in his mid to late 30's

    George Brett, Roger Clemens and Tommy Brady.

  • estangestang Posts: 1,337 ✭✭✭
    It's a tough one, but I'm going to go with Gwynn by a fraction...
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    Erik
  • PM770PM770 Posts: 320 ✭✭
    Originally posted by: wilkiebaby11
    Originally posted by: PM770
    Originally posted by: wilkiebaby11
    Originally posted by: PM770
    Originally posted by: Darin
    I don't see anything suspicious about a suspected Gwynn power surge late in his career.
    He hit 14 HR early in his career in 1986 and his career high was 17 HR eleven years later.
    You call that a power surge!


    That's what I was thinking. Are we really calling 17, 16 and 10 HRS for that three year period a "power surge"?


    Originally posted by: PM770
    Originally posted by: Darin
    I don't see anything suspicious about a suspected Gwynn power surge late in his career.
    He hit 14 HR early in his career in 1986 and his career high was 17 HR eleven years later.
    You call that a power surge!


    That's what I was thinking. Are we really calling 17, 16 and 10 HRS for that three year period a "power surge"?


    Statistically, YES!


    Two-sample T for Young_Gwynn vs Old_Gwynn

    ......................N Mean StDev SE Mean
    Young_Gwynn 13 6.77 3.24 0.90
    Old_Gwynn 3 14.33 3.79 2.2


    Difference = mean(Young_Gwynn) - mean (Old_Gwynn)
    Estimate for difference: -7.56
    95% upper bound for difference: -0.66
    T-Value = -3.20 P-Value = 0.043 DF = 2


    P-value is 0.043!!!!!!! This "surge" is not by random chance.


    Can't tell if your joking or not. Please advise.


    I'm not joking. Using statistics and grouping the former 13 seasons as compared to the latter 3 full seasons, there is only a 4.3% chance that the latter 3 years had a "power surge" that was by random chance. Therefore, there is a statistical difference in the last 3 seasons as compared to the former 13. What caused this is up for debate, but there is definitely a power surge, even if it is just 43 home runs over 3 seasons.


    I used a pretty basic concept in statistics; a two-sample t-test.


    Is a sample size of 3 even remotely valid for statistical comparisons?

  • craig44craig44 Posts: 11,452 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Yes, I would say three seasons is statistically relevant. Considering he hit 1/3 of his career home runs in his late 30's, it seems quite suspicious don't you think??

    George Brett, Roger Clemens and Tommy Brady.

  • PM770PM770 Posts: 320 ✭✭
    Originally posted by: craig44
    Yes, I would say three seasons is statistically relevant. Considering he hit 1/3 of his career home runs in his late 30's, it seems quite suspicious don't you think??


    I'm speaking for trying to use the mean and standard deviation in sample that has only 3 data points. That is statistically irrelevant.

    We are also talking about the power of small numbers. When we are talking about HR figures this small any outlier is going to stand out.

    And no it is not suspicious to me at all. We aren't talking about a Brady Anderson-esqe 50 HRs out of nowhere. We are talking about seasons of 17 and 16. By the way, 17 HRs was good for 92nd place on the MLB HR leaderboard.

    Stop the madness.
  • AlbertdiditAlbertdidit Posts: 560 ✭✭✭
    I would say there is no madness going on. Craig is mentioning the HR's as just a part of it as well as the incredible batting averages in those later years.

    I myself dont think he took anything. just a gut feeling but nobody can know for sure
  • craig44craig44 Posts: 11,452 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Pm770, you don't think a 20 year player hitting a third of his career home runs in a three year period is suspicious? As well as having a six year run of batting averages that were the best of his career well into his thirties? Maybe a bit naive.

    George Brett, Roger Clemens and Tommy Brady.

  • craig44craig44 Posts: 11,452 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Furthermore, according to you, we can't look at brady Anderson's 50 homer season as suspicious because it is not statistically relevant as it is only one data point from a long career. He must have just gotten lucky that year, huh?

    George Brett, Roger Clemens and Tommy Brady.

  • PM770PM770 Posts: 320 ✭✭
    Originally posted by: craig44
    Pm770, you don't think a 20 year player hitting a third of his career home runs in a three year period is suspicious? As well as having a six year run of batting averages that were the best of his career well into his thirties? Maybe a bit naive.


    Not when the numbers we are talking about are 43 and 135, respectively over a 20 year period.

    Regarding the batting averages, he was always a high average hitter. He had 4 batting titles in each decade. All of these occurrences are very relative.

    Does it not seem reasonable that someone making contact so frequently, if he was using PEDS, what have hit more than 17 HRs in his high water mark season?

    Look I get it, Boggs is your guy. In regards to the original question choosing Boggs over Gywnn is a very reasonable position. But to feel the need to slander Gywnn with these "I'm not saying........I'm just saying" type of allegations is BS.
  • PM770PM770 Posts: 320 ✭✭
    Originally posted by: craig44
    Maybe a bit naive.


    In fairness, my tinfoil hat is in the shop.
  • CakesCakes Posts: 3,657 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Originally posted by: craig44
    Pm770, you don't think a 20 year player hitting a third of his career home runs in a three year period is suspicious? As well as having a six year run of batting averages that were the best of his career well into his thirties? Maybe a bit naive.


    Did your great, great, great, great, great grandfather burn all of the witches in Salem? You sure do like witch hunts.
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  • Boggs would be my choice but to be fair to anyone taking Gwynn he performed in one home park his whole career. With Boggs you could make the point that when you took the wall away he wasn't the same.
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