Greatest Tulane baseball player of all-time?

tnelly15 · Mon Jul 21, 2014 4:11 pm

In honor of this quote

@TigerRagRobert: Mainieri calls Cannizaro "probably the greatest player in Tulane baseball history."

Who do you think is the GOAT as a Tulane baseball player? Best that I've seen in no order: Gautreau, Aubrey, Bogusevic, Jurries, Sutter.

If Owings played more than 1 season he'd be up there.

Mon Jul 21, 2014 4:27 pm

tnelly15 wrote:In honor of this quote
@TigerRagRobert: Mainieri calls Cannizaro "probably the greatest player in Tulane baseball history."
Who do you think is the GOAT as a Tulane baseball player? Best that I've seen in no order: Gautreau, Aubrey, Bogusevic, Jurries, Sutter.

If Owings played more than 1 season he'd be up there.

That's a difficult one. I would say Top 10. I don't know a fair way of selecting the best ever. Some had power, some speed, some a great glove, some great arm... ect.
Then you have pitchers to consider. I played on the team with Frank Wills and he was as good as any pitcher that came out of Tulane I have seen.
I think you could say this, Andy could probably be the best "all-around" player to wear a Tulane baseball jersey. (Combine speed, baseball IQ, BA, fielding, and intangibles). But if I were to start a team from scratch, no doubt I'd pick Micah Owings first.

golfnut69 · Mon Jul 21, 2014 4:34 pm

tnelly15 wrote:In honor of this quote
@TigerRagRobert: Mainieri calls Cannizaro "probably the greatest player in Tulane baseball history."
Who do you think is the GOAT as a Tulane baseball player? Best that I've seen in no order: Gautreau, Aubrey, Bogusevic, Jurries, Sutter.

If Owings played more than 1 season he'd be up there.

Pitchers...U have to include Steve Mura... the "All Leather" team would have to include Marty Donovan and John "frazier" LeBlanc

sader24 · Mon Jul 21, 2014 4:37 pm

Agree with TPS, Owings would be the guy I'd build around, but not enough can be said about how vital it is to have a guy of Cannizaros ability and consistency at shortstop for 4 straight years. In strictly best "baseball player" terms I think Cannizaro was likely the best that I've seen. Other guys had better years and may have been more explosive at the plate, but all around I can't say that he wasn't the best to play here.

JTLiuzza · Mon Jul 21, 2014 4:37 pm

tpstulane wrote:But if I were to start a team from scratch, no doubt I'd pick Micah Owings first.

Me too. Remember that booming shot over the light standard in left field? Can't remember the opponent. Just going through the list of guys in my head brings back tons of good memories. I can't wait for Coach to start manufacturing some more memorable moments for TU baseball.

OUG · Mon Jul 21, 2014 4:46 pm

I'd probably go with Gautreau for his consistency at the plate and his overall leadership. He reminds me a lot of a Ryan Zimmerman or a Joe Mauer in that regard.

tnelly15 · Mon Jul 21, 2014 4:49 pm

I didn't want to include pitchers other than the two-way players, because it's tough to compare pitchers to hitters. As far as pitchers go Jason Navarro would be up there.

I suppose it depends what you guys are looking for in terms of Greatest of all-time. For me, I'm looking for the guy who produced the most. Owings probably had the greatest season, but he was only around for 1 year. I'd take 3 years of Bogusevic, Aubrey or Gautreau over 1 year of Owings or 4 years of Cannizaro.

I'm with you OUG as far as guys who just hit and played the field, Gaut is the best I've seen. CUSA player of the decade for a reason.

Fred Dowler · Mon Jul 21, 2014 4:56 pm

Nobody mentioning Tookie Spann??

msdos · Mon Jul 21, 2014 5:11 pm

Micah is probably the best, but id be more inclined to pick someone who was here for 4 years like Andy or Goat.

CoachBrockhoff · Mon Jul 21, 2014 5:16 pm

I was about to say Tookie Spann. Also add Dan Wagner to the list. He still owns several records.

He has the career batting average (.380), triples (16) and total bases (619) record.
He is tied in runs scored (284).

lurker123 · Mon Jul 21, 2014 5:31 pm

Bobby Brown. He has four MLB World Series rings and quit when he was only 30. Plus he married the Tulane Homecoming Queen.

After that I'd go with Wills but all other nominees are fun to think about as well.

Great compliment to AC and Tulane baseball program that he won the LSU job.

tnelly15 · Mon Jul 21, 2014 5:44 pm

IMO, pro career shouldn't factor in to this debate.

Mon Jul 21, 2014 5:56 pm

Micah Owings. He did it all.

JTLiuzza · Mon Jul 21, 2014 5:58 pm

tnelly15 wrote:IMO, pro career shouldn't factor in to this debate.

What about marrying the Tulane homecoming queen?

lurker123 · Mon Jul 21, 2014 6:29 pm

JTLiuzza wrote:
tnelly15 wrote:IMO, pro career shouldn't factor in to this debate.
What about marrying the Tulane homecoming queen?

Also to Brown's credit he served in two wars even if it doesn't buff his baseball resume.

mid-40's college baseball seasons had 20 or so games versus 60 of the current era for all players mentioned above. Like comparing MLB dead ball (or even pre 1900) players with folks today.

If "modern" era only and looking exclusively at Tulane career, I might pick Gautreau, Wills or even Mura and maybe Wagner. I can't pick Owings since he only played one year at Tulane.

Fun to pontificate about though.

tnelly15 · Mon Jul 21, 2014 6:57 pm

We may be underestimating Michael Aubrey and even Bogusevic. Those two did it all as well. Aubrey's numbers are a bit better than Gautreau's

winwave · Mon Jul 21, 2014 7:54 pm

Bogey was the best. Aubrey, Andy, Micah way up there. As noted above don't forget about Wagner. Glad to see Mura mentioned by a couple of others here. Outstanding.

BC Wave · Mon Jul 21, 2014 8:11 pm

It was a different era, but Carey Livingston was pretty damn good!

exflash · Mon Jul 21, 2014 8:27 pm

---Tulane's best player ever was the guy on the cover of the history of Tulane baseball---John Olegues!!!! ---I think he struck out 23-23 against Ole Miss one year----think about that--there were no middle relief or closers---JUST HE!!!

winwave · Mon Jul 21, 2014 10:11 pm

BC Wave wrote:It was a different era, but Carey Livingston was pretty damn good!

Good catch. Duhon was good too. Then there's Billy Fitz.

TU23 · Mon Jul 21, 2014 11:25 pm

I'm biased but Michael Aubrey was the best player I played with at Tulane. I watched a lot of Micah Owings and I think he was clearly a better college pitcher than Mike was, but Mike was a much better hitter. I also think Owings gets the benefit of having only played one year at Tulane. He had a great year but he didn't have to sustain it. Mike was national freshman of the year and then hit .420 on the 2003 team where he had very little protection in the lineup. If he wouldn't have had such a bad back, I think he would've played a long time in the big leagues. He played the 2002 season injured and hit over .300 with a bulging disc that required epidurals every few months. James Jurries and Gautreau were great hitters. Jake was also a great leader. Andy, Giarratano, and Tommy were all great fielders. I don't think people realize how good/talented Tony Giarratano was. Physically the most talented of that trio. Made it to the big leagues at 22. Another career lost to injuries.

DfromCT · Tue Jul 22, 2014 8:33 am

Micah Owings, despite only playing one year, took the team on his back to Omaha. They were a good team, but not a CWS team without him. Micah put them over the top, and delivered as promised. On the mound, at 1st base, and especially at the plate, Owings was da man!

Fred Dowler · Tue Jul 22, 2014 8:56 am

DfromCT wrote:Micah Owings, despite only playing one year, took the team on his back to Omaha. They were a good team, but not a CWS team without him. Micah put them over the top, and delivered as promised. On the mound, at 1st base, and especially at the plate, Owings was da man!

Was the 2001 team more of a complete team? The 1999 team?

Tue Jul 22, 2014 8:58 am

DfromCT wrote:Micah Owings, despite only playing one year, took the team on his back to Omaha. They were a good team, but not a CWS team without him. Micah put them over the top, and delivered as promised. On the mound, at 1st base, and especially at the plate, Owings was da man!

+1
And I would add "in the dugout", he was a team leader that got in people's faces when necessary.

winwave · Tue Jul 22, 2014 9:14 am

DfromCT wrote:Micah Owings, despite only playing one year, took the team on his back to Omaha. They were a good team, but not a CWS team without him. Micah put them over the top, and delivered as promised. On the mound, at 1st base, and especially at the plate, Owings was da man!

Have to strongly disagree. Just as in 2000 many of us had predicted we would go to the CWS in 2001. Same happened in 2004. Many said we would go to Omaha again in 2005. That was before anyone knew of Owings transfer.Plus remember that due to his knee surgery he didn't really get productive till midseason. I had to suffer the fools around me who kept saying he was a bust b/c of his slow start. I kept telling them just give him time to get healthy.