Who was better? Steve Garvey or Gil Hodges?

Fuzzy Bear · 08-25-2003, 04:23 PM

Both are Dodger first basemen. Certainly, Garvey and Hodges were received in the opposite manner by their teammates.

I consider Hodges to be a better player on peak value. I give Garvey the nod on career value; his career was longer, and he played in tougher conditions for a hitter.

Wolf Hopper · 08-25-2003, 04:29 PM

Compare Hodges' RCAA totals to Garvey's. Not even close.

SmedIndy · 08-25-2003, 04:29 PM

Gil's on the fringe of the HOF debate - Garvey's just on the fringe...

JamesI · 08-25-2003, 05:19 PM

Hodges and its not close, although neither should get in the HOF.

KCBOOMER · 08-25-2003, 06:14 PM

Since I was born in Brooklyn I prefer Hodges and the numbers sort of bear that out.

Neither one is anywhere near the HoF if I'm voting.

sweaver · 08-25-2003, 09:55 PM

Garvey in a horse race. Nipped Hodges at the finish.

The thing to remember is, Hodges played in a terrific offense in a hitter's park. Makes his numbers look better. Garvey played mostly on good teams, but also mostly in terrible hitter's parks, in a low offense era. Both were strong defenders at first base. Garvey won an MVP, although Hodges had a better single season in 1954 than any of Garvey's. That 304/373/579 year was lost in the Giants' pennant, but it was Hodges' very impressive peak. He was never really quite that good in any other year, and Garvey has him on balance.

Per game, they are about even. But Garvey played longer.

pwdennis · 08-26-2003, 09:37 AM

I always liked Gil Hodges (he was the manager of the Washington Senators when I lived in the Baltimore-Washington area). I think his best seasons were better than Garvey but Garvey had the better career. Ebbets Field is long gone, and I think many have forgotten just what a favorable park it was for hitters.

Meanwhile, the LA Dodger hitters have always played in unfavorable circumstances. It is no coincidence that no Dodger has led the NL in homeruns since the move to La-La land. Similarly only one Dodger (Pedro Guerrero in 1985) has led in Slugging %, and only one Dodger in RBI (Tommy Davis in 1962) or Runs (Brett Butler in 1991). That's pretty poor representation for 45 years - the park is an offense killer.

View Poll Results: Who was the better player: Garvey or Hodges?
Garvey	2	15.38%
Garvey on peak value; Hodges on career value	0	0%
Hodges on peak value; Garvey on career value	4	30.77%
Hodges	7	53.85%
Voters: 13. You may not vote on this poll

08-25-2003, 04:23 PM	#1
Fuzzy Bear NetShrine's Evangelist Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: Living by faith, and not by sight! Posts: 2,194	Who was better? Steve Garvey or Gil Hodges? Both are Dodger first basemen. Certainly, Garvey and Hodges were received in the opposite manner by their teammates. I consider Hodges to be a better player on peak value. I give Garvey the nod on career value; his career was longer, and he played in tougher conditions for a hitter.

08-25-2003, 04:29 PM	#2
Wolf Hopper NetShrine Creator & Curator Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: NetShrine WHQ Posts: 6,191	Compare Hodges' RCAA totals to Garvey's. Not even close. __________________ Steve, Forum Administrator POSTING TIP FOR THE DAY: When composing a post, think about what you would say if the intended recipient was an individual who was actually sitting just two feet in front of you, in person, rather than just some far away and anonymous audience who only can identify you as text on a PC screen - - and then write your post in that manner. It makes for remarkable and sincere discourse.

08-25-2003, 06:14 PM	#5
KCBOOMER NetShrine All-Century Team Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: Home of the T-Bones Posts: 11,116	Since I was born in Brooklyn I prefer Hodges and the numbers sort of bear that out. Neither one is anywhere near the HoF if I'm voting. __________________ KCBOOMER *Buck O'Neil: The Monarch of Baseball*

08-26-2003, 09:37 AM	#7
pwdennis NetShrine All-Century Team Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Winter Springs, FL Posts: 2,503	I always liked Gil Hodges (he was the manager of the Washington Senators when I lived in the Baltimore-Washington area). I think his best seasons were better than Garvey but Garvey had the better career. Ebbets Field is long gone, and I think many have forgotten just what a favorable park it was for hitters. Meanwhile, the LA Dodger hitters have always played in unfavorable circumstances. It is no coincidence that no Dodger has led the NL in homeruns since the move to La-La land. Similarly only one Dodger (Pedro Guerrero in 1985) has led in Slugging %, and only one Dodger in RBI (Tommy Davis in 1962) or Runs (Brett Butler in 1991). That's pretty poor representation for 45 years - the park is an offense killer. __________________ "I would submit that if the world survives for a million years, perhaps its finest hour may be that in the last half of the 20th century, when the power to blow up the world rested in the hands of a few men in two very unsophisticated and suspicious countries, we didn't do it, and one American, Richard Nixon, moved the cold war away from permanent confrontation toward victory. How could any wrong that he did compare with that?" - John Sears

08-25-2003, 04:29 PM	#3
SmedIndy NetShrine's Historian Join Date: Nov 2001 Location: Zionsville, IN Posts: 10,569	Gil's on the fringe of the HOF debate - Garvey's just on the fringe...

08-25-2003, 05:19 PM	#4
JamesI Netshrine Vacuum Cleaner Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Potsdam, N.Y. Posts: 3,723	Hodges and its not close, although neither should get in the HOF.

08-25-2003, 09:55 PM	#6
sweaver Netshrine Cleanup Hitter Join Date: Nov 2001 Location: The Mountain State Posts: 8,883	Garvey in a horse race. Nipped Hodges at the finish. The thing to remember is, Hodges played in a terrific offense in a hitter's park. Makes his numbers look better. Garvey played mostly on good teams, but also mostly in terrible hitter's parks, in a low offense era. Both were strong defenders at first base. Garvey won an MVP, although Hodges had a better single season in 1954 than any of Garvey's. That 304/373/579 year was lost in the Giants' pennant, but it was Hodges' very impressive peak. He was never really quite that good in any other year, and Garvey has him on balance. Per game, they are about even. But Garvey played longer.

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