Hank Bauer vs. Al Smith

[Cowtipper]

We're playing the "who is better than his most similar comparison" (on Baseball-Reference) 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?

Bauer:

1544 G
5777 PA
5145 AB
833 R
1424 H
229 2B
57 3B
164 HR
703 RBI
50 SB
33 CS
521 BB
638 K
.277 BA
.346 OBP
.439 SLG
.785 OPS
113 OPS+
2259 TB
95 GDP
34 HBP
51 SH
>= 25 SF
>= 11 IBB
24.6 WAR

Smith:

1517 G
6173 PA
5357 AB
843 R
1458 H
258 2B
46 3B
164 HR
676 RBI
67 SB
43 CS
674 BB
768 K
.272 BA
.358 OBP
.429 SLG
.787 OPS
113 OPS+
2300 TB
127 GDP
63 HBP
35 SH
>= 43 SF
>=30 IBB
18.4 WAR

If Bauer wins, he will face his second-most similar comp. If Smith wins, he will face his second-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
John Titus vs. Elmer Valo
Elmer Valo vs. Stan Javier
Elmer Valo vs. Dave Martinez
Elmer Valo vs. Tony Gonzalez
Tony Gonzalez vs. Tillie Walker
Tillie Walker vs. Roberto Kelly
Tillie Walker vs. Al Cowens
Tillie Walker vs. Wally Moon
Wally Moon vs. Hank Bauer

[JR Hart]

I voted Smith. Bauer platooned more.

[ol' aches and pains]

Al Smith would be forgotten today if not for the famous picture of him getting a beer dumped on him in the 1959 World Series, but he was the better player, IMO.

[Second Base Coach]

Good golly they are close... like Kaline and Clemente, but close in different ways than those two.

[TomBodet]

Hmmmm, close yeah, Smith by a beer spill.

[PVNICK]

The numbers are pretty close. I didn't realize Bauer was platooned. That would be a tick against him, even if it was more to get someone else in than because of any issue on his part. Smith played 3B and COF which gives him my vote.

[Cowtipper]

About one day left.