Pete Rose talks about Johnny Bench

Pete Rose discusses how his investigation affected Johnny Bench and their relationship.

[@mikeman1141]

The one thing I really respect about Pete is he never has anything bad to say about any of his former teammates he always praises them and builds them up.

[@williamjones6276]

The reason Rose doesn't have anything bad to say about his former teammates is because he knows that they were his supporting cast on the Baseball diamond. Tony Perez was the RBI producer; Johnny Bench and George Foster provided the Home Run punch and Joe Morgan and Dave Concepcion provided Gold Glove defense with Manager Sparky Anderson pushing all the right buttons to blend all their talents together to make Cincinnati one of the most iconic and successful Baseball teams of the 70s. Anybody and everybody who know ANYTHING about Baseball ⚾️ in the 70s knows that Peter Edward Rose was the Engine that drove Cincinnati's "Big Red Machine." Hell so what can Rose honestly complain or piss and moan about that? 🤔

[@rediron44]

​@@williamjones6276Bench was also a Gold Glove catcher, several times. And more importantly, he called a great game behind the plate for pitchers, he knew his opponents well

[@robbie192]

Rose is a phony...Bench said Rose doesn't belong in the hall of fame...this interview is a joke

[@jamesanthony5681]

The starting 8 players on the '75-'76 Big Red Machine were the greatest in history. They could beat you many ways, and many times did just that. Pete's 100% correct about Johnny Bench being the greatest catcher in history. Even as a 20 year old rookie in 1968, Johnny had the smarts of a 10-year veteran, never looking out of place, seemingly never making rookie mistakes.

[@rtmairose7945]

Yes. And there’s an earlier edge to their broship. Pete could go anywhere in Cincy. He could walk down 4th St. in the middle of the day in the 70’s/80’s, and people would say “Hi Pete!” and just keep going. Johnny could not. Johnny would get mobbed. 😅. He was dining behind a curtain at the Maisonette one night and some guy opens the curtain and says, ‘excuse me Mr. Bench would you sign this for my son?’ Johnny couldn’t go anywhere and expect privacy. Pete was a hometown boy who could go everywhere.

[@STxFisherman]

Pete Rose interviews are always great. Pete Rose's legacy in baseball will be that he hustled more than anyone that ever played the game. His heart was always, always in the right place to help his team win.

[@mikebrown9850]

Pete Rose and Johnny Bench both autographed a baseball for my brother and me in 1972 after a game with the Mets. Couldn’t have been any nicer guys. What a team⚾️ What an era!

[@italianwaterice9594]

bs

[@mikemeiring6710]

Bs,2

[@Gregory-sm9pf]

BS3

[@jamesd242]

the guys a douche, but cHARLIE hUSTLE , HUSTLED

[@electrolytics]

I miss this baseball. I could listen to Pete all day long.

[@jonesy4588]

baseball has been dead over 40 years

[@annwilson1136]

Qq www q1

[@annwilson1136]

​@@jonesy45881:2

[@garymorris1856]

I hope that Rose NEVER gets into the hall of fame. I may feel differently if he had not lied about what he did for TWENTY YEARS!

[@cardtrix1970]

Man, those mid 1970s Reds Teams!!! Awesome to watch!!!

[@linkbelt111]

Between the A’s/Red’s/Yankees, the 70’s were the toughest teams I can remember. They played HARD!

[@paulbegley1464]

As a Giants fan during the 70s .I seen a lot of the big red machine. They were a great team And I hated Pete Rose. Because he was the best player I ever witnessed play the game and he wasn't wearing a Giants uniform. And the Dodgers still suck.

[@thomasmckenzie4584]

Love this interview. Whether you like Pete or not, he was a winner and a great teammate. You gotta love how loyal he is to his teammates.

[@kickerpunter8414]

Yesss!

[@rwhirsch]

why wouldn't you like pete? because he bet on his own team when he was a manager. who gives a sh*t. he didn't do anything "wrong" when he was a player.

[@markw4206]

@@rwhirsch He literally did a lot of things wrong while he was a player. He broke baseball's #1 rule - and then lied incessantly about it for years.

[@rwhirsch]

@@markw4206 a "lot of things wrong..as a player"??? give me 3 things out of the "lots". are you talking about running over catchers at the plate? i have no idea what you're talking about and i'm 62 and i know baseball.

[@markw4206]

@@rwhirsch Rose's betting on the game started while he was a player-manager. I know that's easy to forget, as player-managers haven't been common in our recent eras.

[@mattx1875]

100% correct. Rodriguez was the glove, Piazza was the bat, but Bench was THE catcher.

[@362chop]

Richard Glenn Pudge wasn't a very good game caller besides having an affection for PED's, not saying he wasn't an excellent player just not the best @ his position. I'd prefer a Yogi or a Thurman myself.

[@michaelweston2285]

@362chop not the best at his position? Pudge won 13 gold gloves. was never once implicated in PEDs or mentioned in the Mitchel Report. maybe rethink your opinions...

[@ImpliedVolatility704]

Richard Glenn+ Going by advanced metrics Bench was clearly a better hitter than Pudge. I don't mean that as a slight against Pudge either. But Bench was definitely a better hitter. Especially when you consider the era he played in when compared to Pudge's era.

[@michaelweston2285]

@Implied Volatility which metrics show Bench as the better hitter? he certainly hit for more power, but his career batting average was 30 points lower and his slugging % was only 12 points higher. and Pudge averaged 7 more doubles a year versus Bench. Bench only once hit over .300 in a season while Pudge did it TEN times while winning 7 Silver Slugger awards by the same age Bench was when he retired.

[@michaelweston2285]

@Implied Volatility .....and if you take off Pudge's seasons after Bench's retirement age of 35, his career slugging % would probably be even if not higher than Bench's

[@InnocentSmith831]

Really like Rose saying that Joe Morgan stole bases when they meant something. So true. Timely hits in late innings as well. I was thinking while watching that Johnny Bench not only 40 homers often, but a lot of his HRs meant something as well. Clutch. As was that entire team.

[@donjennings9034]

Obviously, a Reds fan...

[@stantheman9072]

@@donjennings9034 likely yes, but true just the same

[@joemarshall4226]

And that clutch thing came form baseball IQ....reading pitchers, communicating with each other....those guys knew how to play the game...

[@zachwayt3874]

@@stantheman9072 im a reds fan but they really were one of those teams that was just ahead of their time. they were reading pitchers way better than anyone and johnny bench was throwing dudes out before it was popular. also gambling on steals. they used a lot of analytics

[@docadams7099]

Tony Perez is my favorite Red of all-time, so I'll put in a "commercial" for him. He was very well-liked and drove in runs in big situations for the Reds. As a Reds fan, I always liked watching him hit and play first base. Joe Morgan was as dependable as they come, and so were Johnny Bench and Pete Rose.

[@garyburns8040]

Pete Rose is the most knowledgeable guy in baseball ever.

[@jaymike3302]

He forgot about George Brett.

[@greglopez8206]

Most? Nah bruh

[@johnkidd1226]

Rose's retention of facts is amazing. I have seen him questioned many times and never proven wrong. He can tell you his batting average against every pitcher he ever faced.

[@gumshoe7237]

I'm a stat geek , and could not hold a candle to Rose his memory is sharp as a tac

[@roland7584]

He's not telling the story on 1989 very well. He's saying the investigation was out of his control which is untrue. The league talked to Pete a number of times and tried to get him to confess rather than having to investigate in the first place. They knew what they had on him but he felt he was above the game and they couldn't do anything to him. Out of his control? Hardly.

[@jamesanthony5681]

True. When he played, Pete could have told you his up-to-date batting average to 4 decimal places, at any point in the season.

[@roland7584]

@@jamesanthony5681 But he couldn't keep up with the amount he owed his bookies.

[@Ken-ck4zn]

@@roland7584, ignorant

[@samartist9319]

I remember as a 12 yr old kid.. Going to Cincinnati and watching the big red machine play.. Pete Rose is in my HOF!! Best ever!

[@NJGuy1973]

And no one mentions the coolest thing about Pete Rose: he played 500 games each at 2B, RF, LF, 3B, and 1B. The Reds would bring up someone from the minors (Tommy Helms, Ken Griffey Sr. George Foster,) Pete would move to another position to get them in the lineup. He didn't care where he was put, so long as he could help the team win.

[@peteryouds5634]

NJGuy1973 This is true , Pete even refers to himself in the interview as a “utility player “ . I think he made all star team at each position as well !

[@KydenBufect]

Rose played ALL of the fielding positions and was an all-star at 5 of them.

[@easyenetwork2023]

@@KydenBufectHe never caught and never pitched though, right?

[@23Wisser]

If Pete had to catch or pitch to help his team win…. he would. He is the Ultimate Baseball PLAYER

[@motorcitymanman7711]

Piazza "couldn't catch a cold" 😂 DAMN PETE!!!

[@tomloera1983]

Motorcityman Man sorry but what’s the meaning of “catch a Cold”?

[@aramondehasashi3324]

He's talking about the illness of the common cold.

[@alsacrime4806]

Career utility clank/banjo hitter Pete thinks this is real clever. Haha, Pete, you should do standup in VEGAS!!! Wait, what?? Pete was 3.5 TOTAL Defensive WAR in a 24-year career.

[@paulbegley1464]

Well as great as the Dodgers team of the 70s were they still suck. Love from a Giant fan.

[@stpaulimdog]

Piazza could call a good game tho. Theres a reason pitchers followed him from team to team.

[@bigmikeystyle]

I love how Rose shines a healthy dose of praise on the guys he played with and when asked about himself "nah I'm a utility player....."

[@tppwttiger2244]

The best utility ever

[@sas6561]

Not even a close #2? ... what??? ... go to Yogi's lifetime hitting stats and compare to Bench's stats. Yogi's overall stats win hands down!!! (and if you remove the last two years for both ... omg, no contest!) ... Bench comes out #2 to Yogi!

[@tppwttiger2244]

@@sas6561 Not even close????🧐 Throw away the stats. You have to watch both them play. That’s how you know, that’s how you determine, that’s how you compare them. But if you want to go on that route. Ask yourself this question? When did Yogi Berra hit 50 home runs in one season like Johnny Bench did. Johnny was a powerful hitter. Basically he’s the only Catcher in history to lead the league in homers with 50, for one season. I do believe that Yogi Berra is in the top 10 greatest catchers ever. But Yogi been a better catcher than Johnny Bench! Never! No way! Yogi is not in the same class. He’s not even better than Carlton Fisk.

[@sas6561]

@@tppwttiger2244 ... Its NO WONDER you want to "throw away the stats"!!! With 1,119 FEWER at bats, (one thousand, one hundred and nineteen!), Berra had 54 more career rbi's and just 31 fewer career home runs. His career average was 18 points higher than Bench, (that is a wide career margin) and Yogi played with just his yankee cloth cap on in an era of spitballs and beanballs, whereby Bench was protected at bat with his helmet, spitballs were illegal, and beanballs were FAR less prevalent. I can tell you are not old enough to have seen Yogi Berra in his prime winning 10, (TEN!) world series rings and three MVPs. So when you say Yogi is "not in the same class as Bench, and not even better than Carlton Fisk" ... lets see you make your case with facts and career stats ... You won't because you can't. And BTW, what are you smoking? Bench NEVER hit 50 home runs! (No wonder you can't get your baseball comparisons correct!!!) Berra and Bench are the two greatest catchers to have ever played. Fisk does not get a mention in that rarified air!

[@tppwttiger2244]

@@sas6561 Stats are important. But is not everything. “YOU HAVE TO WATCH THEM PLAY!” Not just only in Baseball, but in Basketball and Football as well. I confused Johnny Bench with George Foster, who hit 52. But in 1970 which is an even number just like 50. Bench hit 45 so I exceeded 5 more, big deal 🙄 did Yogi Berra ever hit 45, no! Even Carlton Fisk hit more homers in one season than Yogi. That Yogi hit with a cap 🧢 on instead of a helmet ⛑ that was his problem, not Johnny. Is a weak argument!😠 Don’t you or anybody else try to stop prosperity as the year goes by!🙄 Actually, Johnny Bench swept the Yankees in 1976. My top 10 Catchers of all time. 1.Ivan Rodriguez * 2.Johnny Bench 3.Thurman Munson 4.Carlton Fisk 5.Yogi Berra 6.Roy Campanella 7.Gary Carter 8.Mike Piazza 9.Darrell Porter 10.Ted Simmons *If I find out that Ivan Rodriguez took droids, I’ll take away his first ranking and given back to Johnny Bench. Heck, I might put Thurman Munson ahead of Rodriguez. Johnny Bench was known as a human wall because no passed balls got through Johnny. He will picked up with his glove. He was a master behind the plate.

[@BobInKC1]

By the time Bench was 25 he'd been to two WS; a five time AS; Five GG; Led the NL in homers and RBI twice; won the MVP tice. By 30 it was four WS; nine time AS; nine GG; One more RBI title. Two WS wins. One WS MVP. He changed the way the position was played. He, Randy Hundley, and Maybe Fosse were using the hinged glove and catching the ball one handed. Plus bench handled the pitching staff from his first game. He was what a catcher is supposed to do. What good is a top hitting catcher if he's better serve you at first base or DH? I've seen all three in person and Johnny gets my vote.

[@MOST550]

Bob Gwartney: I agree with you 100%.... I also saw all three players play and to be honest, Piazza should not be mentioned with Bench or Rodriquez because everybody was stealing bases on him... He couldn't throw out no one at 2B, while Bench was throwing out Hall of Fame base stealers at 2B from the squat position... Bench also hit better in the clutch than both of them, especially in the World Series.... Johnny Bench was simply the best MLB Catcher to ever play the position....

[@michaelpascarello895]

Without a doubt, give me Bench at catcher, As a Phillies fan, I hated Johnny Bench, but respected him.

[@jonlanier_]

Just think how good Johnny would have been if he didn't get hurt very early in his career?

[@olddad4551]

Yogi Berra -!0 - count 'em - TEN World Series Rings (as a player)! JB had 2? 21 WS. That's right, 21 - not 9. 21. Played in 75 WS games! 15 STRAIGHT All-Star appearances. JB had 9? MVP 3 times. I mean, 2 is good, OK? Caught Don Larsen's Perfect Game And Yogi didn't start 'til he was 21 years old, because he volunteered for the US Navy in World War II. Love me some Johnny Bench, but he was no Yogi!

[@subg8858]

Yogi also would strike out about 8 to 12 times a season. Remarkable player

[@rgk9ruler777]

Pete is right...Bench was the best all around catcher that ever played.

[@mickeydrago9401]

yogi berra was in 14 world series, helped win 10 of them... had 12 home runs in world series bench had pretty good post season numbers, and CRAZY good when he got the MVP in 76... but still a fraction of the Berra team success... so this is another way of arguing GREATEST EVER... like Clayton Kershaw SHOULD be THE GOAT, but his post season is so relatively crappy that i think he won't ever get close to matching his season play... too late

[@michelemcdaniel6032]

Yogi was drastic

[@mynameisgladiator1933]

You actually care what this criminal thinks? He is an embarrassment. This interview is embarrassing. Johnny Bench hates Pete Rose. They are not friends. Rose is a delusional child.

[@mickeydrago9401]

@@sdgakatbk They make a big deal about Josh Gibson and Satchel Paige but of course if they played their full careers in the majors they would not have done as well...

[@sdgakatbk]

@@mickeydrago9401 Maybe so, but there are some that contend the Negro League teams won over 60 or 65% of the time they played exhibitions against the MLB teams. This admittedly has to be looked into more though as many factors could impact this, positively or negatively. One thing I do know is that Satchel Paige, pitching in his 40's for the Cleveland Indians acquitted himself pretty well, (2.48 era for the World Champion 1948 Indians and 3.04 ERA for the 1949 Indians though not as well after). I have to assume that he would have done better in the majors if 15-20 years earlier he had been let in 15-20 years earlier. Jackie Robinson, Roy Campanella, and Hank Aaron are all in the Hall and played a number of years in the majors after having played in the Negro Leagues.

[@finch45lear]

Johnny Lee Bench was the greatest catcher in MLB history. He was also the smartest.

[@robertsr.249]

@Jimmy King his middle name was Binger , after the town he was born in (Oklahoma)

[@alsacrime4806]

Robert Westerman No. en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Johnny_Bench

[@alsacrime4806]

Jimmy King Yeah an intellectual giant. What anecdotes do you have that shed a light on his legendary brilliance?

[@alsacrime4806]

MANCHESTER UNITED Only if you get rid of the goalkeeper. American sports are based on gambling and always have been. The old guard owners scam minor investors with offensive bubbles because the nouveau riche are always attracted to sports/movies/music. In soccer a 2-0 score is considered a blowout, hahaha. People have been making your claim about soccer in the US for sixty years. Ain’t happening.

[@moss8448]

and a damn good guy to boot.

[@jonpos4671]

I heard Pete could give you a pitch by pitch recount of a game, he watched so intently. A player and a fan. And how he ran to first on walk. Charlie hustle he was. An unfortunate ending for one unique player

[@kennethmarchesani9823]

No doubt when your money is on the game you will usually pay close attention.

[@br8826]

Weird. You would think with that knowledge he wouldn't have lost so much gambling..

[@topmech71]

Its unfortunate...I don't know what kind of person he is or the character he has outside of interviews and baseball. But if there is someone that should be in the HOF for what they accomplished on the field its him.

[@jjcnyc6313]

Perfect example of how hard work and dedication pays off. One more thing, if Pete Rose isn't a Hall of Famer, there shouldn't be a Hall of Fame.

[@douglasbrittain7018]

I agree. Best player overall I have seen.

[@roland7584]

The only if you should have in your statement is IF Pete didn't bet on baseball and put his career in the fate of the league, then he'd be in. Without Pete's own ignorance, we wouldn't even be having this discussion.

[@jeffreyullmer2831]

I am grateful I grew up in the 70s and witnessed the Big Red Machine, Sparky Anderson and Riverfront stadium. I dont care what Pete did, he was one of the most aggressive and complete player ever. He deserves the HOF!

[@doug3819]

I grew up watching the big red machine. Born in the late 50s. They were so awesome believe it or not when they dismantled I lost interest in baseball. You can't top them period. We were poor no chance of going to a game, but a fellow had the good gracious to take me to riverfront stadium to watch them. One of the great moments of my teenage yrs.

[@gglackin]

Pete and Johnny were one of the best Cincinnati players that have ever played on that team! They are both athletic Heroes to me! Hall of fame or not!

[@kevinbrooks1104]

I don't know Joe Morgan, really played the game with intelligence he is the type of guy that would count the bricks in a wall before running thru it

[@skinnie2838]

Ivan Rodrigues was easily the greatest catcher in MLB history. Bench and Yadier Molina can fight it out for number 2 but Pudge is at the top.

[@jamesanthony5681]

​@@skinnie2838No. Pete's correct. Johnny Bench.

[@TheBatugan77]

​@@skinnie2838👈😆 ☝️😆👍 Yeah, okay spanky.

[@BlackMoonHawk]

You can't tell the story of baseball without Pete Rose, people make mistakes enough is enough!

[@MrShobar]

Pete went to prison for income tax evasion. Same as "Scarface".

[@Betrayerslayer]

Shaddap

[@normbatchelor7403]

Betting on baseball is not a mistake, but lying about it and not being honest was his mistake, and the one that cost him his place in history.

[@MrShobar]

@@normbatchelor7403 No. Doing hard time in Federal Prison cost him his place/

[@randywissler9923]

​@@MrShobarNo, he went to prison for tax evasion. Betting on baseball is what got him banned for life. He was already banned before his tax conviction. And as a lifelong Reds/Rose fan, enough is enough, he DESERVES to be in the Hall!!!!

[@larrythomas6543]

JOHNNY BENCH BEST EVER. Lets move on. NOT debatable PETE ROSE HALL OF FAME!!!!!

[@robrauch13]

Even Johnny says Pete doesn't deserve the HOF. Johnny has said many times that rules are rules and if you break them, there are consequences. He goes on to say that letting Pete in, sends the wrong message to the next gen.

[@novemberoverhaul]

Rob Rauch though he still holds the record after so many years. What do you think, should he be in the HOF?

[@RT-tn3pu]

As a Dodger fan bleeding blue it pains my heart to tell truth.., J. Bench was one of the greatest catchers of all time. Bench should be in Hof. Rose was great but he broke the rules more than 3 or 4 times. No Hof for Rose.

[@josecarranza7555]

Never.

[@tryithere]

Bob Ueker was better. He had to be, he batted .200

[@dontchastop]

Pete reminds me a little of Mike Tyson. Both have their faults, but they're both so honest and easy to read.

[@roland7584]

So honest? He lied for years.

[@USA24541]

Rose is, and has been, one of the biggest liars around. He admitted it finally when he said he bet on baseball, but still denies betting on his on team. How many lies does have to tell before you stop believing?

[@roland7584]

@@USA24541 He also said he bet on his team EVERY NIGHT. That too, is a lie.

[@mastershredder78]

Imagine the knowledge this legend could pass along to the younger players as a manager or hitting coach. He lives and breathes the game of baseball.

[@rediron44]

He actually wasn't a good manager. He was a friend to the players, but not a great manager. I've read that from quotes from the actual players

[@roland7584]

He was a manager and what he passed along to the younger players was that you can use that phone in the dugout and place bets. He's the poster child for fans believing sports could be rigged because of a bad call or a bad pass or a dropped pass or watching a 3rd strike go by. Most likely that doesn't happen, but the question runs through the fans' minds because there are Pete Rose-like gamblers everywhere in sports and on the fields or courts at any time.

[@ibb51]

I really loved that he went to the same barber as Moe from the Three Stooges.

[@stumarston6812]

Ah, a wise guy eh.

[@PlumbNutz]

😄

[@CaptainByAHook]

Lol hat on the whole time…..

[@wallyohrel9086]

Why did he bet. For more money. He didn't make enough. 💰⚾️

[@michaelfitzgerald3467]

​@@stumarston6812Nyuk,nyuk, nyuk....

[@user-ij6xs4ut7j]

Could listen to this man talk baseball until my ears fell off! Love Pete! HOF has a gaping hole!

[@IanPunter]

So ironic this Pete Rose not in the Hall thing because not only is Pete overwelmingly qualified but sometimes how well a player got along with sports media becomes a factor. Well not only was Rose liked by media but he was virtually one of them. He may have been baseball media's favorite player. He did go on to do sports radio. I think he would have become a sportswriter or broadcaster had he not gotten to the majors.

[@patrickmorgan4006]

I really can't stand the guy, but I will listen to him talk baseball all day long. He loves the game, knows it as well as anyone ever did, and can speak intelligently about it. I have to question his opinion that the greatest players of all time at 3 of the 6 infield positions just happened to have been his teammates, but all 3 could certainly be in the conversation.

[@jackmehoff8994]

God bless America. God bless Pete Rose - an American icon.

[@mickeydrago9401]

Charlie Hustler (as in gambler and head diving slider combined ;)

[@JimInNashville]

A wife-beater, a bully, a braggart, and a guy who hung around the game for 6 final years betting on games and dinking the occasional hit. A discredit to the game. God Bless Bart Giamatti!!

[@edpaprocki507]

This made me love Pete Rose. All the accolades he gives his team mates.

[@r.d.sandman6474]

Put this man in the Hall of Fame, what he did on the field is all I care about. Numbers are awesome, he deserves the Hall! God bless, Pete.

[@gthotshot]

Could listen to pete all day

[@JDRB423]

I would love to sit down, have a meal, and pick that man's brain for everything I could get.

[@ErichLRuehs]

My thoughts exactly, GTRandy! This guy is just so interesting whether he's talking baseball or anything else. I know there's lots of controversy and some don't much care for Pete, and that's fine. But, he is a fascinating personality.

[@anonymousinternetcowardmcq4967]

GTRandy agree a million percent

[@musicoldies83]

Couldn't agree more. This man called it like it was, and still does. You never hear him spew out the same politically correct bullshit that all the other players mouth during an interview.

[@joemarshall4226]

Great raconteur...would have made a great salesman.

[@peterjeffery8495]

My favorite Johnny Bench story. Catching in Triple A a Pitcher who, on this one night, had a good moving fastball and a curve that was awful. No sharp break and way too soft. Bench gets shaken off repeatedly when calling for the fastball, but this guy, that night really was in love with his curve ball. Bench calls time and goes out to plead with the pitcher. Dude you got nothing on that curve, they are gonna kill it..Pitcher disagrees and Bench goes back behind the plate and calls for the curve ball. The pitcher sets and throws his curve ball which Johnny catches with his bare hand. Bench trots back to the mound hands the ball to the pitcher and says, see, I told you it was weak. That was the last curve he threw that night.

[@mikziv]

Great story! Thanks.

[@alsacrime4806]

Apocryphal anecdote. Here are the pitching stats for the 1967 Buffalo Bisons, where this great narrative would have to have occurred. What pitcher, and where did you get the story? www.baseball-reference.com/register/team.cgi?id=e2ce1254

[@peterjeffery8495]

@@alsacrime4806 Johnny Bench story told on a talk show back in the day, maybe Mike Douglas. He didn't name the pitcher as he might have still been active.

[@alsacrime4806]

Peter Jeffery Yeah, Johnny Bench, the Television Personality. BOBBY GOLDSBORO.

[@peterjeffery8495]

@@alsacrime4806 Go fuck yourself Troll

[@alan30189]

Bench had 10 Golden Glove seasons!

[@mitchmurray2260]

Ivan Rodriguez has 3 more than that..

[@MoMoMyPup10]

Thing is, Bench was close to the best ever in every thing a catcher can do. Called a great game, framed pitches, blocked balls, threw guys out (had a cannon), and was the 2nd best hitting catcher ever.

[@stevepipenger4651]

Hell, Bench threw people out FROM THE CROUCH.

[@easyenetwork2023]

@@stevepipenger4651He could throw from his knees. I guess he pioneered hiding the throwing hand behind the glove and he learned to let the ball get to him before throwing instead of leaving towards the ball forward and slowing the exchange from the glove to his throwing hand when throwing out runners.

[@eddierivera1860]

​@@easyenetwork2023 Bench pioneered throwing what? Please catchers throwing from their knees was done way before bench.

[@davidhooper259]

If ever there was a quarterback on the field of baseball-Johnny Bench was it.

[@skinnie2838]

Ivan Rodrigues was easily the greatest catcher in MLB history. Bench and Yadier Molina can fight it out for number 2 but Pudge is at the top.

[@kenlucas2276]

"Couldn't catch a cold"....ROFLMAO!!!!

[@annefreitas4212]

As a birthday gift many years ago, my family took me to see a doubleheader Cincinnati Reds baseball game. Johnny Bench caught the first game and played left field the second game. The Reds won the first game and Johnny was catcher. Our seats were on the third base side and for the second game Johnny Bench threw a ball from the left field fence and caught a man rounding third from second base half way down to home. No slide. No contest. It wasn't even close. It was amazing and a play and fabulous baseball player I will always remember. God Bless you Johnny Bench - Anne

[@theseventhsojourner1413]

Yeah, I'm old enough to recall doubleheaders, too. That was a lot of baseball, wasn't it?

[@odibaracatibaro1255]

Rose deserve to be in the HOF enough of BS

[@johnceragioli9671]

No, actually he doesn’t. He cheated when he bet on baseball. Johnny Bench put it most succinctly, when Pete Rose gets in the HOF, go tell your children that rules mean nothing. Besides, Shoeless Joe Jackson and the remainder of the Chicago Black Sox are still banned, so should Pete be banned.

[@Pablo-jw9sf]

When you get put in the hof it’s what you did as a player not a manager

[@MayneDeWayne]

J Wil Definitely Clinton.

[@TomSmith-dt4tj]

ive met a number of former MLB players at various autograph conventions etc. I ask virtually every one i meet. Should Pete Rose be in the HOF? and Every single former player ive asked answered "YES"

[@christopherhanna5754]

if you're going to exclude Pete from the Hall of Fame for gambling on the game they need to go back and exclude all those fellows that were doing and are doing tons of roids to improve their numbers and their stats to reach stardom. Any fool knows Pete's not the only one to ever gamble on baseball while playing baseball or gamble on his sport while playing his sport he's just one of the most famous ones to ever get caught. Still one of the greatest damn ball players of all time.

[@highcurrent1125]

Pete Rose to the Hall of Fame NOW!

[@tidefanyankee2428]

I don't think MLB will let him live to see it. I think he gets in after he passes on. That would be his ultimate punishment but at the same time ultimate acknowledgement.

[@garymcnay8529]

No way. No room in Cooperstown for cheats.

[@calebk5522]

Gary McNay not really cheating, betting on ur team isn’t cheating

[@MountainFisher]

@@calebk5522 When he was manager he invited his mobster buddies into the dugout and he would let them know not to bet on the Reds by not betting on them himself so they knew what was going on. Omission is just as guilty as commission and he had a pattern with pitchers he had no confidence in, then he would NOT bet for his team. The mobsters knew what was up. The following link shows what an arrogant lying jerk that was IS Pete Rose. www.cincinnati.com/story/news/2015/03/21/rose-investigator-pete-belong-game/25112355/

[@javiersalinas5642]

"I'm a utility player" LOL Classic.

[@michelemcdaniel6032]

Pete rose was a utility player

[@egaz11]

Utility means you can play many positions well, but some people think it means you can't play defense.

[@sdgakatbk]

@@egaz11 Or that you can only play defense. I'm not the biggest Pete Rose fan by any means. But a player that played the way he did and hit the way he did that could be put at a number of positions like he was is VERY valuable.

[@dennisryan6370]

Nice to hear him talk up his team mates.....classy!

[@lefty5757]

Put Pete in the Hall of Fame!

[@stevesheldon8616]

I was living in Portland OR in the 70s when a major league team came to town. Actually, I don't remember if it was two major league teams playing each other or what, but what I do remember is Pete Rose drawing a walk and sprinting to first base. It sent a jolt through the entire stadium and is the only thing I remember about the game. All the other stars looked like they were sleepwalking. A couple looked drunk, which the local papers mentioned the next day. But Pete Rose, one of the biggest stars in the league, loves the game so much that he SPRINTED to first base on a walk.

[@gregoryhall3156]

And Mr Pete Rose was “Charlie Hustle”-as a kid I admired him for his tenacity as a hitter and his pure determination and all out effort on every play. Bench was great too-gotta agree with Mr Rose that Bench is the all around greatest catcher-at least from the last 75 years (Its always hard to compare players from the modern era against their counterparts from the pre-1940s)-because most people alive today never got to see them play. When I think of Pete Rose-I automatically think of Ty Cobb-both were tenacious, ferocious competitors, both were outstanding hitters and did it with base hits rather than home runs, though both could hit a dinger. Cobb passed away before I was ever born, so all I know of him is what I have read-but having read about Cobb I think he would have liked Rose as a player.

[@tompease8810]

Pete was one of those players I loved to hate but he's one of the best of his time and then some great hitter and versatile position player

[@mysticakhenaton1701]

he will get in someday, for a future HOF. Pete Rose👍👍👍👍

[@TheDCGuitar13]

Imagine if rose was allowed to coach a young Joey votto. Screw the league man...

[@alsacrime4806]

He’d be a slap hitter with an OPS+ like Ichiro’s.

[@adamirishconundrum851]

@M soccer is a bunch of clowns running around kicking a ball and flopping all over the place.

[@classicsurvivor]

I don't like listening to Rose when he talks about himself, the investigation, or anything outside of baseball, but I love hearing him talk about the game and other players.

[@octojake]

Pete Rose was one of the greatest players to ever play the game. He loved every minute of it. I loved the way he would Run, not walk to first on a ball four. He knew what to do out there on defense, in all those positions he played, he hit for power, for moving runners on bases ahead, as he earned that "Charlie Hustle tag, that so many young kids and players through school and into the big leagues for so many that watched him, and if they didn't make the bigs, they would still play with Rose's influence no matter if they played in the majors, minors, or any of the thousands, and thousands of those of us who played in baseball or softball leagues from coast to coast, and all over the world, who were influenced by Pete between the lines. I was sure one of them. Really, it's a disgrace that Pete is not in the club in Cooperstown. I don't want to mention any names of people who are in the Baseball Hall of Fame who did so much less for baseball than Pete did, way less. He came to play every single day and he played the way everybody wished that they could play. Others did far worse than bet on a game, or did drugs by the handful. Everybody knows that. What a travesty, damn it. So hypocritical. For shame, baseball. Shame on you . This disservice on your part has gone on way to long. Do the right thing.

[@AlmostReady504]

He was Sure fun to watch.

[@briancaine9130]

Yes. I went to Reds baseball clinics in the late 1960s in Dayton Ohio. Rose et al were all there showing youngsters fundamentals and providing encouragement. Great memories. .

[@jjarm]

Dang. It’d been nice to get The whole conversation, but still thx for this piece. 🤔

[@nicolosito]

Vey good comments by Pete Rose. It's really time that he be admitted to the Hall of Fame.

[@MyMy-zi7yv]

Totally agree with the GREAT PETE ROSE!

[@lionelkennedy1394]

Johnny Bench is a legend and so Pete Rose! Forgive the man and let him in the HOF, for God sakes!!

[@donaldbrady3850]

Lionel Kennedy. I agree he should be in the HOF but he should never be allowed the Manage again. He has a gambling problem and lied about in for too many years.

[@lionelkennedy1394]

Donald Brady Absolutely... I agree that he should not be allowed to manage again. HOF yes, but not directly involved in the game. Good point.

[@vincentrobinson9645]

Being a teen and baseball fan in the 70’s , I use to think the 72, 73 ,74 A’s were the IT team, until the 75 ,76 Reds took it all

[@martybaggenmusic]

One of the greatest plays I've ever seen in baseball was when Rose was with the Phillies. There was a foul popup near one of the dugouts. The Phillie catcher raced over and got a glove on it but it popped out..... Rose was there and like a cat, snatched the ball for the out. I've never been able to find that play on KZbin, and it may have even been a post season game. It was a beautiful combination of quickness, focus, and of course..... hustle.

[@johngorman8782]

I remember it. It might have actually been in the WS in 1980. Bob Boone was the catcher.

[@anthonydonofrio3869]

Yes, it was in the 9th inning of the clinching Game 6 of the 1980 World Series. A pretty big play given the scenario.

[@kickerpunter8414]

Gosh I love this guy, this interview. I'm going to find/watch this whole interview.

[@midgebarker4022]

Rose played the game the way it should be played. On the Field, the way he played the game is the way I wanted to play it. As a young player growing up, Rose was the player I wanted to be like on the Baseball Field. Charlie Hustle in Everything you do!

[@rmsmith2396]

Wonder if Bud Harrelson would agree. Funny what amphetamines will do.

[@josephdegennaro6819]

Me too. He was the man back than. Tough as nails. Always played hard.

[@StevenC32]

I grew up watching the Big Red Machine during the 70s, and to this day, I still say that was the greatest starting lineup that I have ever seen: Pete Rose 3B Ken Griffey Sr. RF Joe Morgan 2B Tony Perez 1B Johnny Bench C George Foster RF Caesar Geronimo CF Dave Concecpcion SS They collectively had a 288 Batting average as a team

[@albundy6008]

I love listening to Pete talk about baseball. He can rattle off stats like most guys can recite their phone number.

[@apexjoe4769]

Pete Rose,Johnny Bench & co.,The 1976 Big Red Machine Cincinnati Reds was without a doubt the "Greatest Team" in baseball history !

[@JudoLover71]

This guy bleeds baseball!!

[@djm.326]

Judo Lover One good thing about it for Pete... he's in the Cincinnati Reds Hall of Fame. To many ex players, that means more to the players than Cooperstown does. Why do I know that? Because I've heard a couple of them say it with tears coming out of thier eyes. I agree with em too. Its that uniform and team name on it....and fans you play for.

[@samuelhowie4543]

@@djm.326 then it was about the fans and teammates. Now it's about money.

[@johnlayman2482]

You bet your ass he does! 😂

[@fenwayify]

Unfortunately he also bled addiction and that was his undoing. Such a shame.

[@loug2414]

Anytime they found someone that could hit that played his position they'd move Pete.

[@tonyvincent9753]

I’ll never forget the ‘76 world series and the microphone picking up Sparky Anderson during a trip to the mound. How impressed he was with “The Captain”, Thurman Munson! I got to watch Thurman play every day and it was an honor. He had a lot of good years ahead of him, too! RIP Captain!

[@easyenetwork2023]

True, but Sparky also said it was wrong to ever compare another catcher to Johnny Bench.

[@LaserRanger15]

Glad he gave Schmidt (great hitter, solid defensively) some love. I played 3B and had a Mike Schmidt glove!! Brooks is the best defensive 3B ever, and could hit too

[@stantheman9072]

The thing about Schmidt was, those at third who could catch with him, couldn’t hit with him; and those who could hit with him, couldn’t catch with him. Graig Nettles was pretty damn good, too. I saw Buddy Bell make plays on the hot corner to make your eyes bug out. Incredible reaction speed and reflexes.

[@gocygo63]

...Schmidt was good...Brooks Robinson was good...George Brett was pretty damn good too...

[@jacobhearns9724]

Love these old time stories (told well, like Pete does).

[@garysizemore158]

Pudge #2 no doubt in my mind. But BENCH. Best of All Times! Having said that. Bill Freehan deserves some Love also

[@Delphi_Primetime]

Baloney! Bill Dickey is the man for my money.

[@Billfish57]

I love listening to Pete Rose talk.

[@volunteerpatriot2143]

Pete is a class act. He and Johnny were part of one of the greatest teams in baseball. The Big Red Machine. Put Pete in the HOF. He deserves it. He earned it. He earned it for his on field activities.

[@msg238]

Lol. Anything but.

[@TheGoldenGreek21]

As spot-on as possible. Look at what Schmidt and Bench did and compare to their adversaries, it's not even close.

[@jakeweisenberg3097]

The ‘75 World Series was one of the greatest I have seen..the Reds and Red Sox, just battled. For 7 games, With the Reds winning in 7.....We always enjoyed watching Pete Rose play, my dad loved his hustle, even after Drawing a walk he would run full speed to first base...Put the man in the HOF!!!

[@Melissamills68]

In 1976, Pete Rose was in Dayton, at the Elder Beerman Store to sign books of the Big Red Machine, me being 8 years old and a an of Johnny, I ask Pete to tell Johnny hello and he looked at me and said I dont have time for that, I will never forget it, how can he be so rude to an 8yr, my bucket list is someday to meet Johnny!! He has always been my favorite, I even wrote book reports in school.

[@pastorowenwardsr]

PETE ROSE SHOULD BE IN THE HALL OF FAME ⚾️⚾️⚾️

[@jamesdesch3201]

Pete Rose is right. Johnny Bench did it all! Bench had all the intangibles. Bench is the greatest defensive catcher ever, no disrespect to Pudge. Bench was well on his way to becoming the most dynamic offensive catcher in history as well. However, at the age of 25 he had lung surgery. Bench said, he was not the same player after the surgery. He said, you're not the same person when they cut open your chest cavity. He wasn't making excuses, just stating facts, because he still put up solid numbers. But nothing like what he did up to 25... He was an offensive force... A beast. Bench was the best catcher ever and it's not even close.

[@glindabeaven6805]

Pete should be in the hall of fame regardless of anything else he is one of the greatest players of all time. Its a shame that hes not recognized for his amazing ability to play the game and his accomplishments in the game

[@johncirillo9544]

Do you have children? If you put Rose into the HOF, you might as well tell your kids, “There are no rules”! -Johnny Bench (2018 Dan Patrick Show)

[@AG-ci7rl]

The sign of someone with respect, someone that's very popular - be it sports, entertainment, etc., is when they're being interviewed, they refer to the interviewer by name during the interaction.

[@wylie40]

I understand Pete's love for Johnny and I too think he is one of the 2 Greatest catchers, but I argue that he and Ivan "Pudge" Rodriguez are clearly the top 2 and 3rd place is a long ways away. Pudge is a RoY winner, League MVP, 14 time all star, 13 time gold glove winner, 7 time silver slugger, batted a career .296, over 300 home runs, over 2,800 hits, and a World Series ring. I have my own bias just like Pete does as a former teammate of Johnny, but when you line up the accomplishments I put Pudge over Johnny, but I have no doubt that the 2 of them are by far the greatest 2 catcher of all time. I think Pete discounts how good Pudge was offensively, he even stole 25 bases one year for example and hit well over .300 numerous times.

[@YogGroove]

Pudge put up his numbers in the steroid era, the biggest offensive era in baseball history (also reason to not run much in that era) while Bench put up his numbers in the 2nd most defensive era ever (one 50 HR season 1962 - 1989). And Bench was nearly as good defensively as Pudge. People would not run on him. The only comparison to Bench was Josh Gibson, period.

[@66fredo99]

Both Pudge and Bench could shut down a running game, I know that...but Pudge was on the 'Roid Rangers team.

[@daw162]

Pudge would be talked about defensively only if he hadn't been enhanced. Bench enhanced would've been 550 home runs or more, and a stronger arm.

[@michaelbelfer1069]

Ever see or hear of Yogi Berra? Fine defensive Catcher and ä better clutch hitter than Pudge and Bench put together. Do you think Purge would have put up those numbers if he was playing on the Yankees with all that pressure to win it all year after year? We'll never know but I've seen more than a few players tare it up on crummy teams and do zip when they play under pressure. Guys like Bench, Yogi, Fisk and Munson performed under the spotlight year after year.

[@davidpadilla9468]

yogis was the best 10 rings says it's all.

[@coupelikeacaravan]

This guy knows baseball better than everyone on the planet. If he didn't get mixed up betting and with the wrong people, he would be a manager.

[@hj-xb2tr]

Yogi was absolutely a close second to Bench (at minimum). Many people don't realize how great he was and how much the Yankees dynasty of that era continued because of him.

[@easyenetwork2023]

Yes, but he also had some great players too. Maris, Mantle, DiMaggio, Larsen, etc.

[@skinnie2838]

Ivan Rodrigues was easily the greatest catcher in MLB history. Bench and Yadier Molina can fight it out for number 2 but Pudge is at the top.

[@SAHOVNICU]

"Piazza couldn't catch a cold, but he could sure damn well hit" *LOL!* Love Pete Rose

[@shanghunter7697]

When you get personal hitting lessons from Mr. Ted Williams as a kid, you're probably going to hit well and he did.

[@harpoon_bakery162]

Can't be a major league catcher and not be a damn good catcher.

[@dinodimichele7789]

pete rose belongs in hall of fame.

[@ohger1]

What really bothers me about Pete's gambling on baseball is that it wasn't me that ratted him out...

[@MrPocketfullOfSteel]

There is No One in the history of ⚾ that I would rather hear talk than Peter Edward Rose. Oh how MLB has lost out because of their hard-on for Pete. I know....I know what others will say "blah blah bet on baseball blah blah".....get over it! This fella is LITERALLY ***The GREATEST Ambassador*** that All of Baseball (including tee ball and knothole) has or ever will have. The amount of information and tutledge he could have offered to young ballplayers would have literally been immeasurable. I feel so fortunate at my age of 51 yrs. to have been born and bred right here in Cincinnati, Ohio and to have witnessed The Greatest MLB Team ever assembled day in day out....night in and night out. The greatest catcher in the history of MLB. The greatest 2B in the history of MLB. The greatest clutch hitter IMO in my era at 1B in Doggie (Tony Perez.) One of the greatest SS of his era and SHOULD be in the Hall of Fame in Davey Concepcion. And OVERALL - No Doubt the greatest all around baseball player ever to put on a MLB uniform in Pete Rose. That isn't even including George Foster. Cesar Geronimo. Ken Griffey. There was not one easy out. The Great Eight. We'll never see anything like it again. Incredible.

[@wayneengle4473]

If Pete Rose had been black, and EVERYTHING else about his story had been exactly the same as it actually was, there would have been riots in the streets and screams of "Racism!" about him not being allowed into the Hall.

[@KatiePhongh]

Put Pete in the HOF! He's paid his penance, and you can't leave one of the 10 best ball players who ever played the game out or you simply make a mockery of the institution.

[@geoffmorse4366]

If Pete goes in, then shoeless Joe goes in!

[@duaneknorr3081]

Noooowaaaay! He is a liar and a baseball cheat..!! 2. Easy to bet an throw a game when u are tha player mgr!! How can u believe NE thing he says!! Blah blah blah Pete 🌹 sucks!! He bet on ⚾.. throwing games an lied about everything else!!

[@genebull3837]

Pete Rose should never get in the hall of fame. He knew how betting on games could ruin baseball and he did it anyway.

[@adamirishconundrum851]

@@duaneknorr3081 he is a legend and the 🐐. A quality guy as well.

[@eliotoole]

God bless him...class act 😎👍 And telling the truth

[@bobnewfart]

He was a moron to bet.

[@garymagr81]

That BIG RED MACHINE is the best baseball team of all time

[@JohnSmith-kz8yo]

Yankees had pretty good teams too...

[@garymagr81]

@@JohnSmith-kz8yo believe it or not I agree I'm also a die hard Yankees fan and my dream is to see the Yankees play the Reds in the World Series before I die and yes the Yankees had good teams but that Big Red Machine lineup top to bottom along w the pitching they had no one will ever compare IMO

[@jamesvickers9476]

The best!!

[@curtisjones400]

@@jamesvickers9476 I thnik the Yankee teams were the best and not the big Red Machine. The Yankees were super great when they had players like Joe Dimaggio-Phil Rizzuto-Yogi Berra-Roger Maris-Mickey Mantle.

[@benthekeeshond545]

Perez, Johnny, Rose, Morgan, and the rest of the Reds were really good in hitting but their pitching was good but was not close to putting up zeros for 3 or 4 straight games. I would say winning baseball is at least 70% dependant on pitchers. I wouldn't even pick the Big Red Machine as the team of the 70s. That title belongs to the Oakland A's. Unlike some teams with great regular season pitchings but couldn't pitch after September, the A's pitchers were really good in the regular seasons and they became even better in the playoffs. In recent decades, only the 2010s SF Giants got that type of pitchers.

[@dennisjohndreher7258]

Young kids today never heard of Johnny Bench. Greatest catcher of all time. I love giving the youngins an education.

[@t206kid]

I agree with the catchers with piazza and pudge. I will say though piazza gets a bad wrap for his defense. No, he didnt throw out a lot of runners, but he was a good receiver and his staffs always were among the best in e.r.a. not saying he was great or good but he was a decent catcher behind the plate

[@jonesy4588]

any baseball hall of fame without Pete Rose is not worth giving it a second thought

[@COMB0RICO]

Interesting. Thanks from Texas.

[@crestonburks2141]

1972, at 12 years old, I got a Johnny Bench catchers mitt for my birthday! I actually met Rose, got his autograph on a photo and a baseball, and took picture with him.

[@josephyodiceyodice5990]

Just one thing: Never forget Berra and Campanella won 3 MVPs each in the '50's when guys like Mays, Aaron, Mantle,etc. were in their prime.

[@TheBatugan77]

Campy also started late due to institutional racism in MLB.

[@kindsir2734]

Pete knows baseball...so does Bench. Both give very candid interviews, both played smart ball.

[@vint7054]

Pete Rose should be in the HOF. I was privileged to see him and the big red machine play a few times in Chicago. Those guys were monsters on the field.

[@shanghunter7697]

@Larry Barry I believe it matters what one did ON the field as a player that gets one inducted NOT what one does as a manager. We ALL make mistakes, Rose should be in the h.o.f.

[@whipit4me]

Growing up as a kid in Corona,CA during the 70's, Laura Bench (Johnny Bench's Aunt) lived down the street from us on Vicentia Ave. Group of us kids from the neighborhood would walk by that house, on our way to Mike's liquor store that was just around the corner.....funny how a dollar got you a small bag full of goodies.Many times Johnny's uncle would be sitting on one of them swinging/hanging metal bench's on their front porch. We would always yell out "Hi Mr. Bench" they would always smile and wave back.

[@michaelcollins237]

For me.Pete Rose is baseball.

[@sdgakatbk]

I love to watch videos where he talks baseball!! Yeah he hurt baseball by his gambling and will not get in the Hall because of it. But videos like this and others and how he played and the zest he played with did a lot for the game.

[@darykinnaman2319]

People forget the big red machine, they were great. Pete Rose belongs in the HOF! Good interview.

[@jackmehoff8994]

#PUT PETE ROSE IN THE HOF

[@AmericanIsraeliJew]

Charlie Hustle. It was really a pleasure watching him play ball. He was always doing something. They really hurt the fans when they refused to let him play.

[@roland7584]

"They" didn't refuse to let him play. The victim here is MLB and the fans. Don't side with the criminal in this case. He was innocent until proven guilty with all the evidence and after years and years of denying and lying he finally admitted it. He only admitted it to try and benefit from it by being allowed on the ballot. Everything he does is about him, and not about MLB or the fans in this case. Sure he knows baseball, and sure he's a great hitter, but let's not look past the fact that he is responsible for everything that happened in this case, including the investigation that took place during 1989. Baseball was trying to offer him a deal so they didn't have to go through with the investigation, but instead he chose to roll the dice because he didn't think they'd ever get enough good evidence from the people that he was associated with, so even from the beginning of this video clip, he is not telling the truth when he say he had no control over that investigation (in more ways than one).

[@McDago100]

Yogi would be a close second as a catcher. Yogi hit for power and average, and was great behind the plate. I think there are Yankee fans who would argue Yogi was better. As far a Pudge Rodriguez focusing on defense as Pete states, his hitting was nothing short of awesome. He is correct about Piazza's defensive capabilities. What makes Schmidt number one was his hitting. Robinson might have been better defensively, but hitting it is a no brainer.

[@loyaldude10]

+McDago100 Campanella has to be considered in that category also with Yogi. Career ended with his auto accident injury, and didnt come into majors until he was about 27-28, had tremendous power and a gun for an arm.

[@McDago100]

loyaldude10 You make a very valid point.

[@VioletDeliriums]

It's hard to compare catchers in different eras of baseball. When Bench was a catcher, catchers were expected to be the leader of the defense -- a huge presence -- more so than now. Now it seems they look more for power hitting. How do you compare them? They almost have different roles even though they play the same position.

[@YogGroove]

Josh Gibson is the only comparison to Bench.

[@stevemcqueen1916]

McDago100 Yogi was also a 3 time MVP

[@BiscuitsMcGravy]

Joe Morgan was the best second baseman ever. He was a great fielder, hitter, runner, leader... An all-time favorite of mine.

[@narcisse999]

I would put Eddie Collins and Rogers Hornsby in front of Joe Morgan but not by much. Joe Morgan was the best that I've seen.

[@patrickj.7887]

@@narcisse999 I'm gonna give my vote to Pittsburgh's "The Mazz", he made it to the Hall on defense, and he beat the Yankees in the 1960 World Series in the bottom of the ninth, 7th game, homer! But I can't deny your list, is great!

[@narcisse999]

@@patrickj.7887 The Mazerowski homer was the last hit that my father saw as he died on October 21st and Mazz's homerun was on October 13th, my dad was a great baseball fan and he hated the Yankees so he died happy.

[@OneEyedKeys]

Rose knows baseball. His ego aside, he probably knows in his heart that he was the third best player on the BIg Red Machine. That's how good a team they were.

[@ronniebishop2496]

Yogi Berra and I watched Bench hit a home run in my hometown in Oklahoma he was along with Mickey are heroes. But Yogi played in so many big games and was the best clutch hitter I've ever seen. Yogi hit 285 Bench 267.

[@TheHardcoreRob]

Pete’s humble. He takes personal responsibility for his actions. Put him in the HOF.

[@ericrollings]

I wouldn’t go to Cooperstown if they bought my ticket and airfare. Denying Pete Rose destroyed their credibility.