Rawlings is putting together its all-time Gold Glove team and first base features “Keith Hernandez”:http://www.baseball-reference.com/h/hernake01.shtml and the Yankees’ “Don Mattingly.”:http://www.baseball-reference.com/m/mattido01.shtml For accuracy, J.T. Snow, Wes Parker, Vic Power and Bill White are also named at the position.
Other Mets named—these guys came to Shea at the end of their careers—are second baseman Roberto Alomar and center fielder Willie Mays.
If you follow New York baseball, there’s no middle ground here. It’s either Mex or Donnie Baseball. Tell us what you think, and then cast your vote.
“CLICK HERE TO VOTE FOR YOUR GOLD GLOVE TEAM”:http://www.rawlingsgoldglove.com/Voting/Default.aspx
10 Comments
it’s not even close, its Keith. Mattingly said it himself, when asked what he would do if Keith moved to the AL, Mattingly said he’d move to left field.
..it’s Mex hand down….never seen anyone better at charging the bunt….finest defensive baseman…..ever..
I have to echo the opinions of the first two posters. Even if the two were comparable, you have to go with the guy who basically reinvented the way the position was played. Keith brought respect to the 1B position and guys like Mattingly added to it. It’s not a chicken or the egg argument, because Keith obviously came first…
Agreed.
Keith: best defensive first baseman ever.
Mattingly: decent at his position.
No question it is Keith Hernandez – the best all around first baseman I ever saw. Part of that was the intensity he brought to the game – and the baseball knowledge.
This whole argument is Yankee propaganda. Mattingly was an outstanding glove man—but Hernandez was the best of his generation (and maybe of all time).
Hernandez was a field general in the real sense of the word. Ive never witnessed anyone manage the bunt situation better then Hernandez. It’s Hernandez!
Keith for all the reasons mentioned above.
To be fair, Mattingly eventually became a very good glove and always had more pop in the bat, but no one plays a better 1B than Keith.
Dave
Acutally, if you look at their career OPS+ numbers, Keith has the slight edge over Mattingly. Keith played in the pitchers’ league, the pitchers’ ballparks and had the higher on-base percentage. Mattingly’s offensive numbers were likely inflated by the AL and Yankee Stadium.
Ha Benny Ayala i how can i email you i lived next to you in Metairie La in the Fat City Area when you was with the New Orleans Pelican