McCovey and Killebrew

[The Dude]

I've been reavaluating my rankings in the past few days and I've come to the point I can't decide who was better: McCovey or Killebrew. Anyone got any ideas?

[STLCards2]

I have Harmon slightly ahead mainly due to the fact he played so long at 3rd and some in the outfield. Not a huge difference, but their numbers are pretty close.

[538280]

McCovey, and it's not even close for me. Killebrew does have more defensive value, but McCovey was an absolute monster at his peak, pehaps the best peak by any 1Bman (though I'd put it behind Gehrig and Thomas, but there is a case). Career value is about the same.

[1905 Giants]

I go with McCovey because he has a higher OPS+, almost as many RBI, higher OPS, and grounded into 67 less double plays in 50 more at-bats

[leecemark]

--Strictly as firstbasemen I like McCovey, although they are very close offensively and neither was better than average defensively or on the bases. I do rank Killebrew a little ahead for the same reason as Cards though - he could slide over and play 3B if needed. In fact he probably should have played most of his career there. The three times the Twins made the postseason in his career he was at 3B allowing them to get another big bat in the lineup. McCovey couldn't even handle LF adequetely, which created a huge problem for the Giants when they had him and Cepeda (OTOH if McCovey's early career hadn't been impeded by Cepeda keeping him out the the everyday lineup Strech would probably win this matchup for me).

[KCGHOST]

Pretty much agree with 538280.

[DoubleX]

--Strictly as firstbasemen I like McCovey, although they are very close offensively and neither was better than average defensively or on the bases. I do rank Killebrew a little ahead for the same reason as Cards though - he could slide over and play 3B if needed. In fact he probably should have played most of his career there. The three times the Twins made the postseason in his career he was at 3B allowing them to get another big bat in the lineup. McCovey couldn't even handle LF adequetely, which created a huge problem for the Giants when they had him and Cepeda (OTOH if McCovey's early career hadn't been impeded by Cepeda keeping him out the the everyday lineup Strech would probably win this matchup for me).

I couldn't agree more with this. Killebrew gets the slight overall edge due to his play at 3B, but McCovey ranks just ahead strictly at 1B. In addition to considering what could have been if McCovey didn't have to compete with Cepeda for playing time early in his career, you could also speculate about what McCovey could have done had he been healthier in his career. I think given some better health and no competition with Cepeda, he may have been able to hit 600-650 homeruns.

[Sockeye]

I go with McCovey because he has a higher OPS+, almost as many RBI, higher OPS, and grounded into 67 less double plays in 50 more at-bats

Both were great players. McCovey is a little bit ahead in my rankings