Buzz Arlett vs Josh Gibson

[Honus Wagner Rules]

This one should be interesting. I suspect it will be one-sided but what the heck? Who was the greater hitter, the "Babe Ruth of the Minor Leagues" or the "Black Babe Ruth"? For those who don't know much about Buzz Arlett here's a recent thread about him.

http://www.baseball-fever.com/showthread.php?110483-Buzz-Arlett

Here's a SABR bio on Arlett.

http://sabr.org/bioproj/person/4419031b

[Sultan_1895-1948]

Buzz Aldrin? What was his career OPS+?

[Honus Wagner Rules]

Buzz Aldrin? What was his career OPS+?

No! Russell "Buzz" Arlett! He had a 138 OPS+ in his only major league season.

[toomanyhatz]

Buzz Aldrin? What was his career OPS+?

Somewhere around the (Wally) Moon, I suspect.

[chicagowhitesox1173]

I picked Gibson but I think this is closer than most might think. I would say Arlett may have been a better pure hitter than Piazza too. (which I guess is why this thread was created).

[Honus Wagner Rules]

Here are Arlett's minor league stats. It's a bummer there are no walk totals. I'm sure he had huge walk totals. Given these stats isn't Arlett's minor league performance at least as impressive as Gibson's Negro League performance?

Arlett minor lg stats.JPG

[willshad]

Was the only reason he was not in the majors because he could'nt play the field?

[Honus Wagner Rules]

Was the only reason he was not in the majors because he could'nt play the field?

No, the main reason was because the Oakland Oaks owner refused to sell Arlett's contract and when he did say ok he asked for a huge buyout. The Tigers, Reds, Cardinals, and Dodgers all scouted him and showed interest in acquiring him in the early to mid 1920's.

[bluesky5]

Gibson

He played a more [the most] important defensive position.

Now granted we don't know for sure Josh Gibson's stats but...

Arlett was playing 190 games [roughly] per season to hit 30-39 HR a year in a minor league. A very strong minor league but minor none the less.

[Honus Wagner Rules]

Gibson

He played a more [the most] important defensive position.

Now granted we don't know for sure Josh Gibson's stats but...

Arlett was playing 190 games [roughly] per season to hit 30-39 HR a year in a minor league. A very strong minor league but minor none the less.

The poll is asking who is the better hitter only.

[bluesky5]

The poll is asking who is the better hitter only.

My bad HWR. I'd still go with Gibson though.

[Honus Wagner Rules]

My bad HWR. I'd still go with Gibson though.

Ok, fair enough.

This comparison intrigues me because it comes down to one major question. Between the PCL of Arlett's era and the Negro Leagues of Gibson's era, which league(s) were stronger? Artlett played far more games in the PCL than Gibson played in established Negro leagues. How much should this factor into comparing the two as hitters? I think Gibson probably had a bit more raw home run power than Arlett IMO. Yet when Arlett played his one major league season in 1931 he hit for great power in the first half of the season. Because of injuries and lack of playing time Arlett hit 18 HRs that season which was still good to tie for 4th in the NL. His .538 slugging percentage was 5th in the NL. Of the top five home run hitters in 1931 Arlett had by far the fewest PA's. Arlett's minor league power translated to the majors quite well.

31 HR- Chuck Klein- 657 PA
29 HR- Mel Ott- 580 PA
19 HR- Wally Berger- 678 PA
18 HR- Buzz Arlett- 469 PA
18 HR- Babe Herman- 661 PA


Had Arlett been signed one year earlier and had a chance to play in the NL in 1930 he'd have much better numbers on a superficial level at least.

[chicagowhitesox1173]

I'm switching my vote to Arlett but only if he actually pitched over 900 innings per year 4 different seasons in the minors.

1.14 career era
0.461 career whip

[Sultan_1895-1948]

I'm switching my vote to Arlett but only if he actually pitched over 900 innings per year 4 different seasons in the minors.

1.14 career era
0.461 career whip

The poll is about hitting only CWS

[Sultan_1895-1948]

Given these stats isn't Arlett's minor league performance at least as impressive as Gibson's Negro League performance?

I'd say the two are about even on competition level but we have more reliable stats for Buzz Aldrin. Just think, if Buzz was able to go beyond the moon, how much more valuable he'd have been.