Originally Posted by
LAZERUSS
Baseball is BY FAR, the WORST sport for comparing eras, and even current players. We have seen specific eras which put up unfathomable stats. The "dead-ball" era, WWII ('42-45), "the Year of the Pitcher" ('68), and of course, the "Steroid era" (1990-2005.)
Furthermore, there are a TON of examples where a players stats are "inflated." Everyone knows about "pitcher's parks", and "hitter-friendly" parks. For years Dodger Stadium was considered "Cavernous." Atlanta was called "the Launching Pad."
Then, there were special circumstances, as well. Maris slugged 61 HRs in 1961, but upon closer examination, he not only hit them in a park with a 296 ft right field fence, he had Mickey Mantle hitting behind him. How about this? In a year in which he hit 61 HRs, he was not intentionally walked ONCE all year. Furthermore, the entire league's homerun totals took a huge jump. Why? Because it was an expansion year.
How about this...I have long maintained that Willie Mays' 52 HRs in 1965 is perhaps the greatest HR season of all-time (at least post-Ruth.) Why? Because the next highest HR hitter, in either league, was Wilie McCovey at 39. Or a 13 HR differential...which is the highest in baseball history, post-Ruth. BTW, the AL leader hit 32. Furthermore, Mays hit his homers in the cold and winds of Candlestick Park. Few people probably know this, but when the Giants moved to SF, Mays completely changed his swing because of the winds at Candlestick.
I'm sorry, but a pitcher with an ERA of 1.50 in 1916 is not the same as Pedro Martinez's ERA of 1.74 in 2000, or Greg Maddux's 1.56 in 1994 (or 1.63 in '95.)