re: I never saw Todd Walker play at LSU

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The term “5 tool player” is somehow simultaneously overused and too highly regarded at the same time. There are all kinds of stats out there that will tell you that there are only like 9-10 true 5 tool players in the MLB, and that Mike Trout, unequivocally the best player in the league, is only a 3 tool player bc of his fielding percentage and above average strike out rate.

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Spot on. When look up five tool guys, you’re going to see Mayes, Mantle, Griffey JR, ARod. There are very few that meet the definition. It doesn’t mean that one is not great. Todd Walker was definitely not a five tool guy. Neither was Ted Williams or Derek Jeter. You don’t have to be a five tool guy to be an all time great. You can have two or three and have a hall of fame MLB career. That is one of the great things about baseball.

As good as Crews is, to surpass Walker, he not only needs to keep up the pace he has set so far for another season, he has to do it in the post season.

Crews is the first player since Walker to play at an All American level from day one and never had drop off. Guys like Nola really didn't hit stride till later in his freshman year, McDonald, Belle and Furniss in their sophomore year, Bregman and Lange, while still very good, both had slight sophomore slumps before returning to all american's their junior years.

You are really splitting hairs comparing these players, they were all great and I don't like to rank one above the other, just glad they were all Tigers

Walker was also clutch, and came through when it mattered most. I'll never forget watching the game against the dirtbags in the 93 CWS, when they elected to pitch to Walker, with a spot in the championship game on the line. Of course, he smokes one to right, that would have cost the 1st baseman his life to make a play on. Tigers win! Tigers win! Shoot, he dang near broke the curse of the bambino single handedly during that '03 ALCS. Set the Red Sox record for postseason HRs. Alas, the ghosts of Yankee stadium prevailed in 7 when Boone crushed that knuckler into the Bronx night.