Is it just me or did the 70s suck

[BondsOverBabe]

As far as prime elite A+ players go. After Morgan, Schmidt, and Bench the next best players seem awfully weak compared to most decades. Same with pitchers after Seaver, Palmer, and Carlton.

And to clarify I don't mean HOFers like Pete Rose and Nolan Ryan I mean all time elite players like the 60s had Mays Mantle Yaz Robinson Aaron Koufax McClain Marchial and Gibson The 90s had with Bonds, Griffey, A-rod, Thomas, Mcguire, Maddux, Clemens, Johnson etc

[Captain Cold Nose]

As far as prime elite A+ players go. After Morgan, Schmidt, and Bench the next best players seem awfully weak compared to most decades. Same with pitchers after Seaver, Palmer, and Carlton.

And to clarify I don't mean HOFers like Pete Rose and Nolan Ryan I mean all time elite players like the 60s had Mays Mantle Yaz Robinson Aaron Koufax McClain Marchial and Gibson The 90s had with Bonds, Griffey, A-rod, Thomas, Mcguire, Maddux, Clemens, Johnson etc

Denny McLain? How did he make the list?

[BondsOverBabe]

Denny McLain? How did he make the list?

MVP, back to back Cy Young, 55 wins, 15 shutouts.

[dominik]

As far as prime elite A+ players go. After Morgan, Schmidt, and Bench the next best players seem awfully weak compared to most decades. Same with pitchers after Seaver, Palmer, and Carlton.

And to clarify I don't mean HOFers like Pete Rose and Nolan Ryan I mean all time elite players like the 60s had Mays Mantle Yaz Robinson Aaron Koufax McClain Marchial and Gibson The 90s had with Bonds, Griffey, A-rod, Thomas, Mcguire, Maddux, Clemens, Johnson etc

wasn't the 70s and 80s the cocaine era?

maybe that is the reason why not many guys played great

[redban]

Some 1970 stars:

- Reggie Jackson
- Nolan Ryan
- Catfish Hunter
- Rollie Fingers
- Fergie Jenkins
- Jim Rice
- Goose Gossage
- Willie Stargell
- Carlton Fisk
- Rod Carew
- Thurman Munson
- Phil Niekro
- Gaylord Perry
- Mike Schmidt
- Vida Blue
- Bert Blyleven
- Don Sutton

No, it was not as good as the 1990s or the 1960s. But was it any worse than the 2000-2009 decade that we just passed?

[pheasant]

Some 1970 stars:

- Reggie Jackson
- Nolan Ryan
- Catfish Hunter
- Rollie Fingers
- Fergie Jenkins
- Jim Rice
- Goose Gossage
- Willie Stargell
- Carlton Fisk
- Rod Carew
- Thurman Munson
- Phil Niekro
- Gaylord Perry
- Mike Schmidt
- Vida Blue
- Bert Blyleven
- Don Sutton

No, it was not as good as the 1990s or the 1960s. But was it any worse than the 2000-2009 decade that we just passed?

Of this list, only Schmidt and Jackson were truly great, altough Carew was one of my favorites(until he left the Twins). But neither one cracks the top 20. I agree. What is up with the 1970s? At least the 1990s had Bonds, Piazza, and Thomas for starters. Thomas is arguably the best RH batter since Dimaggio and Bonds cracks the top 5 all time. And Piazza is the best hitting catcher of all time by a large margin. And even Jeff Bagwell put up stats that challenge Jackson's. Bagwell's OPS+ was 10 pts higher and his WAR was 8 higher than Jackson's. Jackson was the 1970s most popular player and yet he arguably was no better than Bagwell, a guy that might not even make the Hall. And Schmidt's stats were better in the 1980s vs the 1970s. Schmidt hit 313 of his HRs during the 1980s while having an OPS+ that was 12 pts higher than the 1970s.

[dominik]

Some 1970 stars:

- Reggie Jackson
- Nolan Ryan
- Catfish Hunter
- Rollie Fingers
- Fergie Jenkins
- Jim Rice
- Goose Gossage
- Willie Stargell
- Carlton Fisk
- Rod Carew
- Thurman Munson
- Phil Niekro
- Gaylord Perry
- Mike Schmidt
- Vida Blue
- Bert Blyleven
- Don Sutton

No, it was not as good as the 1990s or the 1960s. But was it any worse than the 2000-2009 decade that we just passed?

I'd say yes:
-Arod
-Bonds
-Pujols
-manny
-halladay
-lincecum
-thome
-chipper
-sabathia

[willshad]

Just the natural cycle of things. Not every decade will have a lot of all time great players. The 1920s and 1930s had a lot of great players..moreso than the previous decades. The 40s and early 50s weren't great. The 60s were great. the 70s and most of the 80s weren't. The 90s and early 2000s were awesome. From mid 2000s until now, another slump.

Are the 70s and worse than the current era? How many all time greats are in their prime right now?

[Bothrops Atrox]

What is up with the 1970s? .

1. Some may say that the 70's - early 90's was the highest LQ era and that it is harder to stand out (both with respect to statistics and perception) in higher LQ time-periods. I do not believe this necessarily.

2. Not only is there no reason to believe that HOF talent and ability should be distributed evenly through the decades, statistics would suggest that we should not expect HOF talent to be distributed evenly.

So what was wrong with the 70's? Maybe nothing.

[redban]

Of this list, only Schmidt and Jackson were truly great.

Reggie Jackson is great, but Willie Stargell is not?

[Bothrops Atrox]

I'd say yes:
-Arod
-Bonds
-Pujols
-manny
-halladay
-lincecum
-thome
-chipper
-sabathia

Lincecum was only relevant as a great player in 08 and 09 of the specified decade - I would much rather see Santana or even guys like Pedro, Johnson, Schilling, and many others for the 2000-2009 decade than Lincecum.

[dgarza]

As far as prime elite A+ players go. After Morgan, Schmidt, and Bench the next best players seem awfully weak compared to most decades. Same with pitchers after Seaver, Palmer, and Carlton.

And to clarify I don't mean HOFers like Pete Rose and Nolan Ryan I mean all time elite players like the 60s had Mays Mantle Yaz Robinson Aaron Koufax McClain Marchial and Gibson The 90s had with Bonds, Griffey, A-rod, Thomas, Mcguire, Maddux, Clemens, Johnson etc

Based on some of the names you mentioned, especially the pitchers, you should expand your understanding of the 70s and include at least these guys....

Morgan
Bench
Schmidt
Rose
Carew even
Seaver
Neikro
Perry
Blyleven even

But really, I wouldn't call Koufax, McClain, Marichal, Gibson, McGwire, Neikro, Perry, Palmer, Ryan, or Blyleven A+, elite players.

[BondsOverBabe]

Some 1970 stars:

- Reggie Jackson
- Nolan Ryan
- Catfish Hunter
- Rollie Fingers
- Fergie Jenkins
- Jim Rice
- Goose Gossage
- Willie Stargell
- Carlton Fisk
- Rod Carew
- Thurman Munson
- Phil Niekro
- Gaylord Perry
- Mike Schmidt
- Vida Blue
- Bert Blyleven
- Don Sutton

No, it was not as good as the 1990s or the 1960s. But was it any worse than the 2000-2009 decade that we just passed?

A lot of A/B+ level greats but less A+

2000-2009 has Pujols A-Rod Mauer Bonds Pedro Schilling Johnson and Mariano

[BondsOverBabe]

As with most sports fans you have to differentiate all time great players and all time great careers.

Example

Phil Neikro = all time great career
Denny McClain = all time great player
Tom Seaver = both

[dgarza]

As with most sports fans you have to differentiate all time great players and all time great careers.

Example

Phil Neikro = all time great career
Denny McClain = all time great player
Tom Seaver = both

Well, since we're not really taking about all time great players... you fail to mention Wilbur Wood in the 70s...