John Titus vs. Elmer Valo

[Cowtipper]

Valo barely edged Titus, four votes to three. That has to be one of the closest matchups we've had to date.

[westsidegrounds]

Valo is right up there among the "most competitive players ever". Member Emeritus of the "I Laugh at Outfield Walls" Club. If he hadn't come off second best in a meeting with the wall in Cleveland early in the 1953 season, that streak that started in 1946 would probably have lasted several years longer. As late as 1960, aged 39 and a full time pinch hitter, he posted a team-best .424 OBP (in 85 PA) for Washington.

[Cowtipper]

I went with Elmer Valo, especially if the Valo I'd be getting is the 1946 to 1952 version. The guy walked a ton, rarely struck out, had some speed and could hit for average. Titus could as well, but it's Valo's superhuman walking ability that puts him on top.

[1905 Giants]

Really tough call on this one.

[Jackaroo Dave]

Ooh, this is a tough one for me. Elmer Valo is one of my favorite players. But despite his .360 season, he was a great pinch hitter and reserve, while Titus was a really good full-timer.

[Cowtipper]

We're playing the "who is better than his most similar comp" game.

My starting point was Tommy Dowd, the guy with the lowest WAR among all batters with at least 5,000 plate appearances. I hope to work my way up to *somebody* vs. Babe Ruth. That'd be cool.

Which of these players would you like to build your franchise around?

Titus:

1402 G
5818 PA
4960 AB
738 R
1401 H
253 2B
72 3B
38 HR
561 RBI
140 SB
>=7 CS
620 BB
386 K
.282 BA
.373 OBP
.385 SLG
.758 OPS
127 OPS+
1912 TB
94 HBP
144 SF
27.9 WAR

Valo:

1806 G
6901 PA
5029 AB
768 R
1420 H
228 2B
73 3B
58 HR
601 RBI
110 SB
79 CS
942 BB
284 K
.282 BA
.398 OBP
.391 SLG
.790 OPS
115 OPS+
1968 TB
111 GDP
38 HBP
65 SH
>=17 SH
>=12 IBB
25.8 WAR

If Titus wins, he will face his second-most similar comp's ninth-most similar comp. If Valo wins, he will face his third-most similar comp.

Past face-offs (winner in bold):

Tommy Dowd vs. Ned Hanlon (as a player)
Ned Hanlon (as a player) vs. Joe Hornung
Ned Hanlon (as a player) vs. Curt Welch
Curt Welch vs. Blondie Purcell
Curt Welch vs. Bob Bescher
Curt Welch vs. George Pinkney
Curt Welch vs. Joe Hornung
Curt Welch vs. Rube Oldring
Curt Welch vs. Solly Hofman
Curt Welch vs. Tom York
Curt Welch vs. George Case
Curt Welch vs. Tommy Dowd
Curt Welch vs. Charlie Hemphill
Curt Welch vs. George Browne
Curt Welch vs. Jack McCarthy
Curt Welch vs. Shad Barry
Curt Welch vs. Patsy Dougherty
Patsy Dougherty vs. Carson Bigbee
Patsy Dougherty vs. Jack Smith
Patsy Dougherty vs. Johnny Bates - tie
Patsy Dougherty vs. Johnny Bates vs. Cliff Heathcote vs. Mike Mitchell
Patsy Dougherty vs. Lou Finney
Patsy Dougherty vs. Whitey Witt
Patsy Dougherty vs. Ducky Holmes
Patsy Dougherty vs. Matty McIntyre
Patsy Dougherty vs. Gene Richards
Patsy Dougherty vs. Tom Goodwin
Patsy Dougherty vs. Peanuts Lowrey
Patsy Dougherty vs. Patsy Tebeau
Patsy Dougherty vs. Billy Hatcher
Patsy Dougherty vs. Red Murray
Patsy Dougherty vs. Hi Myers
Patsy Dougherty vs. Mike Kreevich
Patsy Dougherty vs. Luis Polonia
Patsy Dougherty vs. Darryl Hamilton
Patsy Dougherty vs. Max Flack
Patsy Dougherty vs. Al Bumbry
Patsy Dougherty vs. Ron LeFlore
Ron LeFlore vs. Mookie Wilson
Ron LeFlore vs. Dan Gladden
Ron LeFlore vs. Doug Glanville
Ron LeFlore vs. Taylor Douthit
Ron LeFlore vs. Terry Puhl
Terry Puhl vs. Jerry Mumphrey
Terry Puhl vs. Les Mann
Terry Puhl vs. John Titus
John Titus vs. Amos Strunk
John Titus vs. Tommy Griffith