Frank Robinson vs. Alex Rodriguez

[Cowtipper]

Here are two great sluggers. One, Robinson, hit .294 with 586 home runs, 1,812 RBI and 2,943 hits. The other, Rodriguez, sits at .301 with 644 home runs, 1,937 RBI and 2,872 hits--though, the specter of steroids looms over his career.

Two historically great sluggers...but which one was better?

[pheasant]

Altough I cringe at this selection, I had to go with A-rod. A shortstop/3rd sacker smashing 600+ HRs with all of those stolen bases is too tough.

[chicagowhitesox1173]

I also picked Alex Rodriguez. Although it does pain me to select him because I feel he was using alot longer than what he claims.

[Yankillaz]

This is gonna sound weird, but I also picked A-Rod, although I despise him. By position, and all around game, I think he edges Robinson.

Besides, the argument of best player in baseball never went Robinson's way, while A-Rod has hold that title.

[PVNICK]

In a vacuum you pick A-Rod. Similar hitters except one is an above average SS-meh 3B the other is a COF of whom I have never heard anything much either way defensively (my interpretation based on his moving from LF-RF-1B with the Reds early in his career is that, at least then, he was sub par). But when it comes to the intangibles it seems that Frank Robinson has it all over A-Rod, and based on my reading from afar perhaps most players of his or any generation. That being said I would probably have A-Rod maybe in the back half of the teens or early twenties for position players with Robby slotting in similarly but maybe a spot or three behind him.


Edit: I'm taking A-Rod at face value.

[Ben Grimm]

As much as I think FR is highly underated for what he did, ARod was simply too dominant from a much more demanding defensive position. This one's not really a fair fight IMO.

[1905 Giants]

I went with A-Rod

[GiambiJuice]

A-Rod wipes the floor with F-Rob.

A-Rod vs. Hank Aaron would be an interesting one.

[BigRon]

FRobinson was a great player, very similar to Aaron- skills just pitched a tiny bit lower. He was one of the fiercest competitors of his era. He was an excellent, aggressive baserunner. He was a good corner flychaser/flycatcher for the first 2/3rds of his career, but his arm was mediocre.

That said, ARodriguez gets a narrow edge due to positions played, and slightly greater consistency. I have Rodriguez around 12-13-14 among position players and Robinson around 16-17-18.

[Ben Grimm]

I may have mentioned in another thread (but can't remember)... I met FR in a suite at Camden Yards back in '92 and he was flat out awesome to talk to. He hung out with us for about an hour and it was great to hear some first-hand stories. Truly a class guy.