We spend a lot of time arguing about who the best players were. To change things up a little, here's something that can't really be argued about (which will probably keep the thread very short).
Who are your favorite players of all time? Obviously, use whatever criteria you want. All of the guys on my lists were favorites formed in childhood.
Here are mine:
1) Greg Maddux
When I was a kid, his games were almost always nationally televised (WGN & TBS) so I got to watch him pitch a lot. He was amazing. A 6 foot, unspectacular, average velocity guy making fools of some of the greatest hitters of all time.
He also lead me to believe that any unathletic bum could be a major league baseball player. Not true. Not only are all major league players great athletes, Maddux was world class. He just looked like a nerd.
2) Tony Gwynn
Another guy I saw a lot of because my Dodgers played the Padres on the reg. Another guy who I thought was unathletic (I had no idea that he was a great college basketball player until I was an adult). Gwynn's value on the field was probably a little overrated but people from San Diego literally loved him. He was a great person and a great hitter. Through a weird bit of luck, I was at his last game in San Diego in 2001 (9-11 had caused the schedule to get shuffled around a little and the game that was supposed to be his last wasn't). People were bawling. Two guys in my office didn't come to work the day after he died and my office is 100 miles from San Diego.
3) Mike Piazza
Talk about a diamond in the rough. This guy was one of the greatest offensive catchers in history. I had his rookie card when I was a kid and it was probably my most prized possession. I was convinced it would be worth millions someday. The
same card can be picked up for $0.99 on ebay right now.
4) Rickey Henderson
I didn't appreciate how good Henderson was until I was an adult. Probably a top 10 or 15 position player. The stories about him are what I love the most, even if the one about Olerud was fake.
5) Ken Griffey Jr.