If FDR Was The Babe Ruth Of Politics, JFK The Mickey Mantle, Clinton The Ken Griffey Junior...

[THUNDER HANDS]

Which baseball players would you compare our candidates to?

And just to explain what I mean in my title thread, I compared FDR to Babe Ruth because he is the gold standard of politicians. Every great one to come after him will be compared to him.

JFK would be the Mickey Mantle, because he was a great player who had his career shortened and never became what he could have been, but he was still great while he was around. Like lightning in a bottle.

Clinton would be the Ken Griffey junior, great talent, could have been as good as anyone, but one who's career for one reason or another never quite lived up to what everyone expected of it. Was still a very good player, as I believe Clinton will be regarded as, simply a very good president.

So who would you compare Hillary, Obama and Edwards to, in terms of baseball players, if you had to predict how they would be as president and what their presidencies would be like?

I'd say Hillary is like an Eddie Murray type - consistent, hard-working, not flashy, just gets the job done day after day after day and by the end of her career will be regarded as very fine, if somewhat underrated.

I'd say Edwards is like a Randy Johnson type. A flame-thrower, always bringing heat, looking to dominate, but with the penchant for giving up the home run on occasion. Prone to mistakes every now and then, but when he's on, he's almost unhittable.

I'd say Obama is like a Willie Mays type - there's really nothing he can't do, and do really well. I think he'll be regarded as one of the top 5, 10 presidents of all time. But I may be biased. ;)

Thoughts?

[Taverner]

1. Quick note: do NOT compare Bush to Bonds!

Barry that is, because Barry cheated by taking roids, but at least he made something of that cheating. A home run record that would stun for generations. Bush took his cheating and did the equivalent of getting the Giants kicked out of the National League.

[RaleighNCDUer]

13. Bush is more like the entire Black Sox team,

fixing the World Series.

[rinsd]

2. Mick played for 18 years. Not sure you could call that a career cut short

Tony Conigliaro would be a better fit.

[Thothmes]

3. or Roy Campanella

[rinsd]

4. That is probably a better fit.

Because Roy was able to achieve some greatness before his career was ended.

[THUNDER HANDS]

10. Mantle fits better, I think

because Mantle was a hero in ways a lot of other players weren't. And JFK was a hero in a way I think no other president has been since.

For a lot of people, Mickey Mantle and JFK are the last American heros they remember.

Yeah, Mantle played a long time, but he only had three or four "hall of fame" type years.

1954, when he hit .300 with 27 HRs and 102 RBI.
1956, when he hit .353 with 56 HRs and 133 RBI.
1957, when he hit .365 with 34 HRs and 94 RBI.
1961, when he hit .317 with 54 HRs and 128 RBI.

[Stop Cornyn]

5. Clinton = Pete Rose

[Kurt_and_Hunter]

6. Funny, I picked Obama as Griffey Jr.

Hillary is a Pete Rose type... no natural grace, but mucho hustle and combativeness (Referring only to playing style, not off field problems)

Obama is Giffey Jr.... all talent, little substance

Bill Clinton ... Reggie Jackson! Always seeming on the brink of disaster, but able to turn it on in the crunch. Someone who needs to be the under-dog to excel, even if it means he has to make his own problems.

George W. Bush... Billy Ripken

[Proud2BAmurkin]

7. Amanda Whurlitzer nt

[SaveElmer]

8. Willy Mays?...Maybe the 1951 Willy...not the 1957 Willy...nt

[MethuenProgressive]

9. Obama : Barry Bonds, Clinton : Roger Clemens, Edwards : Timoniel Perez

Baseball? It's fricken January...

[Captain Hilts]

15. Yes, Bubba would have mouthed 'F-you' to the homeplate umpire as Clemens did. nt

[MethuenProgressive]

16. Bubba isn't a candidate this year, Mookie.

Try and keep up.

[Captain Hilts]

18. Already made my HRC listing, and...

I'm really really disappointed Richardson didn't do better and go farther.

[Perky]

11. Obama is Jackie Robinson, Edwards is Pete Rose....DK is Mario Mendoza and

Hillary is Mark McGwire

[Lobster Martini]

12. Would have compared Obama to Roberto Clemente...

...and Edwards to Lou Gehrig. Classy, tough and hard to keep on the bench.

[Captain Hilts]

14. Hmmm...as for hitters, HRC's more like Keith Hernandez. Pitchers, Maddox.

Not a home run hitter as much as Murray. Timely singles. Clutch.

Maddox as a pitcher as she's not flashy at all. The Big Unit is too much fun to watch pitch than she is.

[SoxFan]

17. Fenway edition

Obama: Jacoby Ellsbury


An amazing multi-cultural raw talent, nothing but upside. No, he hasn't played the game as long as Coco Crisp, but there's no question who has the potential for long-term greatness.

Clinton: Roger Clemens


Was a superstar in her day, but has overstayed her welcome. Also has a knack of playing fast and loose with the rules and then spending ungodly amounts of time trying to spin doctor the situation.

Edwards: J.D. Drew


Looks fantastic on paper, yet seems to underwhelm time and again. Not a bust, not a bad player, but not the lights-out superstar we thought we had at first.

I was going to make a Bill Richardson/Boomer Wells comparison, but I realized that I'm the last person whp should be saying anything about that!

[Kurt_and_Hunter]

19. McCain is Ty Cobb... and not in a good way