Catchers?

Katsuya Nomura was easily the best catcher of all time. Nomura hit .277 with 657 HRs and 1,988 RBIs. Nomura is second all time in home runs and second all time in RBIs. Nomura was elected in the Japanese Baseball Hall of Fame in 1989. Willie Mays called him "Moose" and admired Nomura as a player. [Batting Stats - Japan Baseball Daily] [Career Leaders - Japan Baseball Daily]

I'd say Katsuya Nomura is number one without a doubt. Atsuya Furuta was picked in an All-Century vote, but this just shows that Japanese fans are as ignorant of history as American fans (who in their All-Century team picked Ripken over Wagner). Furuta and Kenjo Johjima are a close choice for #2 in my opinion - we'll see what Johjima does in the rest of his career.

My order of catchers as of the end of 2004 is here [Baseball Guru].

Jim Albright

Jim - Thanks for the link to your Greatest Japanese Baseball Players - that helps a lot and gives me what I need.

All - If these were useful discussions, let me know and I'll post for the other positions, too.

- Atsuya Furuta was picked in an All-Century vote, but this just shows that Japanese fans are as ignorant of history as American fans (who in their All-Century team picked Ripken over Wagner).

In all fairness it shows that Furuta has had a great career and is one of the NPB's best all-time catchers, not that fans are ingorant by any means. Fans would be ingorant not to recognize him. He's a 2 time MVP (1993, 1997), 9 time Best Nine (1991-'93, '95, '97, 1999-2001), and a 9 time Gold Glover (1990-'93, '95, '97, 1999-2001). He has batted .294 with 217 HRs and 1,001 RBIs. Furuta isn't without mention of a spot on the All-Century team.

No amount of OPS and special offensive stats can change Furuta's legacy at catcher. [Official Stats - NPB BIS - in Japanese]

Similarly, Ripken was justified over Wagner for the All-Century team. Ripken was a All-Star player, a Hall of Famer, and hands down is the best shortstop ever offensively to play the position until Alex Rodriguez overcame him before moving to third base. Wagner might have been better, but didn't change the position anywhere where near the way Ripken did.

The same thing with Ripken, no amount of OPS, in-depth offensive stats (which will only further enhance Ripken's claim as the best shortstop ever), no amount of defensive stats (which will only enhance Ripken as a player, he was a 2 time Gold Glover, and still holds the AL record for consecutive games without a error), and attempts to attack the Streak as selfish won't change Ripken's legacy like Joe Morgan and Bobby Bonds (Ripken's legacy is the same, a Hall of Famer and the best shortstop ever to play the game of baseball), a 2-time MVP, and many more records.

I know you didn't imply this with your post, but I found it as a troubling message that meant to say that Furuta and Ripken weren't deserving of their honors as All-Century players. Espically, as a Cal Ripken fan which is what got me into baseball back in 1995, and as a big Furuta fan, too, after being interested in the NPB since 2002.

I agree that Nomura is number one without a doubt, but also that Furuta is well definetly deserving of his All-Century vote.

- In all fairness it shows that Furuta has had a great career and is one of the NPB's best all-time catchers, not that fans are ingorant by any means.

If they pick Furuta over Nomura, it does show ignorance, as Nomura was (as you acknowledge) a better player. I don't mean to belittle Furuta, who I rank second or third all-time, and who has done great work running the union to boot. But to claim that he's better than Nomura is nonsense.

Similarly, Cal Ripken Jr. was one of the top ten shortstops in baseball history. He's a clear Hall of Famer. But he was nowhere near the same class as Honus Wagner, who's a candidate for greatest player ever, something Ripken could never aspire to. To vote Ripken over Wagner is showing a very flawed understanding of baseball history and statistics.

Did anyone remember another all-time catcher? His name is Nakao. Last time he played in Chunichi.

Takayoshi Nakao is the catcher you were thinking of, he last played with the Seibu Lions in 1993.

Nakao batted .263 with 109 HRs and 335 RBI. He was the 1982 CL MVP, a two time Gold Glover (1982, 1989), a two-time Best Nine selection (1982, 1989), and was the CL Comeback Player of the Year in 1989. [Japanese Baseball Daily]