World Series
This is a rare WS matchup of the unquestioned best players of the era: Shohei Ohtani and Aaron Judge.
It’s not unknown for the two best players to meet in the World Series: e.g., third basemen Mike Schmidt vs. George Brett in 1980 when they both enjoyed career years. But it’s rare: I can think of Mickey Mantle vs. Willie Mays in 1962, Ted Williams vs. Stan Musial in 1946, and Ty Cobb vs. Honus Wagner in 1909.
So, it’s fun that the two best players of the last few years, Shohei Ohtani of the Los Angeles Dodgers and Aaron Judge of the New York Yankees are in the World Series together after phenomenal offensive seasons:
Ohtani’s 411 total bases (4 for a homer, 3 for a triple, etc.) is only the third time since WWII outside the 1997-2001 steroid era peak that anybody broke 400 TB: Stan Musial in 1948 and Jim Rice in 1978 were the others.
Judges 223 OPS+ (onbase percentage plus slugging average adjusted for home field and league norms) is the highest since Barry Bonds trolled the steroid era in 2001-2004. Other than that, you have to go back to Ted Williams’ 233 in 1957 when he hit .388 at age 38. And before then, leaving aside short Negro Leagues seasons, back to 1941 when Ted hit .406 for an OPS+ of 235. Before Ted’s .400 year, you have to go back to Babe Ruth’s 60 homer year of 225 (Lou Gehrig was just behind Aaron at 220 for the 1927 Yankees.) Before then, just Ruth’s 1920, 1921, 1923, 1924, and 1926 seaosns. So, we are talking about only the most famous hitting seasons in baseball history exceeding Judge’s 2024 on this metric.
The only players with better seasons since 1900 than Aaron Judge’s 2024 by OPS+ are Barry Bonds 2.0, Babe Ruth, and Ted Williams.
If you add together runs and RBIs, Judge had 266 and Ohtani had 264. Judge got on base 322 times compared to 284 times for Ohtani, but Ohtani scored 134 runs to Judge’s 122 because he was batting leadoff, stole 59 bases in 63 attempts, and had better hitters coming up behind him. Judge was 10 for 10 in stolen bases, which isn’t bad.
However, it’s unlikely that both will have good World Series simultaneously: baseball is just too random for that.
"I can think of Mickey Mantle vs. Willie Mays in 1962"
Babe Ruth vs Rogers Hornsby, in 1926 World Series (Hornsby had just come off 1921-25 seasons where he hit .400 three times, and .397 once, as well as slugging 42 HR's in one of those seasons. Hornsby without question was THE premiere player in the NL during the 1920's; so the greatest 20th century MLBer vs one of the all time greatest MLBers would definitely qualify as a legit matchup of all time greats)
For some examples of "among the best ever" matchups facing off in a WS:
1936 AL MVP HOF NY Lou Gehrig vs either: HOF NYG P Carl Hubbell; or HOF NYG Mel Ott (who never won the MVP, despite being in the HOF)
Mickey vs Willie in 1951, who were both in their rookie years.
I suppose one could make a case that HOF LA P Sandy Koufax vs HOF MIN Harmon Killebrew, though few think of Harmon Killebrew (career 573 HRS) as a legit all time great.
1970 WS, HOF BAL 3B Brooks Robinson vs either HOF CIN C Johnny Bench, or CIN Pete Rose
1973 WS, HOF NY P Tom Seaver vs HOF OAK OF Reggie Jackson
"we are talking about only the most famous hitting seasons in baseball history exceeding Judge’s 2024 on this metric"
Full context: Judge also struck out 171 times in 2024. What exactly is he swinging at, or attempting to hit--the air? That's definitely a fair observation, Steve. Especially when Babe Ruth never struck out 100+ times in a single season.
"However, it’s unlikely that both will have good World Series simultaneously: baseball is just too random for that."
Did 2 of the NBA's most dominant stars have excellent NBA finals series while simultaneously facing off vs each other in the same finals? Since I don't follow the NBA I don't know.
But anything remains possible. In point of fact, for whatever the reason, the biggest superstars in MLB don't always have spectacular WS. "It's because they don't face that particular team very often" is one response, but the rejoinder is: "So then how come ordinary to middling players in MLB are often to the ones who have spectacular to great WS? Answer: You can't predict baseball. From the greats to the ordinary, players go thru slumps throughout their careers (even during the WS).
Example: perennial Gold Glove 2B for NY Bobby Richardson (whom Steve has castigated before for not walking enough times) was the only MVP WS winner for a losing team (1960, vs PIT). Richardson hit .367; 12 RBIs (including a grandslam, and had 6 RBI's in a single game). Richardson also had 7 H's off HOF STL P Bob Gibson in 64 WS.
Point being: you can't predict baseball. Perhaps unlike NFL and NBA, there really is more parity between teams than ever before.
Congratulations, Steve, on LA winning the 2024 NL Pennant. As you're a long time LA fan, perhaps this WS could be one for the ages (or not). Since moving to LA, the Dodgers have faced the Yankees 5 times in the WS--winning in 1963; losing in both 1977 & 1978 (I'm sure fans of LA in the 70's well remember those losses) and 1981, when they won. So 2024 is the tiebreaker.
Yep, could be the WS from coast to coast that MLB fans have wanted to see for a long time now.