Greatest First Basemen/Favorite Songs of the 80's

Of course you can, but not if you want to be consistent...

You don't have to sell me on Killebrew's awesome power; it's why I have him at number 7. Also, I don't want you to "play strictly by overall game." However, you did say," I also like overall games, not just offensive prowess." So, Killebrew's unimpressive overall game and considerable offensive prowess doesn't exactly meet your standards. Therefore, Mattingly would be a much better fit for your professed criteria than Killer.

Also, if you left off Cabrera, Thome, and Thomas for "both" reasons, your inclusion of Killebrew would be even more contradictory.

Of course you can, but not if you want to be consistent...

You don't have to sell me on Killebrew's awesome power; it's why I have him at number 7. Also, I don't want you to "play strictly by overall game." However, you did say," I also like overall games, not just offensive prowess." So, Killebrew's unimpressive overall game and considerable offensive prowess doesn't exactly meet your standards. Therefore, Mattingly would be a much better fit for your professed criteria than Killer.

Then move Killebrew out and Matting to ten and move the guys in between up, as I said. Not like my list decides on the HOF here.

It's your list, dude. I was just trying to help you maximize its principles.

Now to your 80's song list, I'm sure a few of your picks will be HOF worthy. Just try not to pack it with Bono, Larry, Adam, and The Edge...

It's your list, dude. I was just trying to help you maximize its principles.

Now to your 80's song list, I'm sure a few of your picks will be HOF worthy. Just try not to pack it with Bono, Larry, Adam, and The Edge...

I'm actually trying to limit things, but the way it's looking I'll have to have two list's, one with artists with 2 songs I love and one with single entries. NO way I can limit it to just 10. Hell I'm still kicking myself for leaving off Red Hot Chili Peppers, Smashing Pumpkins, and No Doubt off my 90's list.

Miggy's played how many seasons at 1B (not enough to qulaify) Big Hurt played more games at DH than 1B....

and you left off Lou Gehrig?

I wasn't aware you had set the qualifications rule, Geekor. Please share with the rest of the forum your determination process. However, both Cabrera and Thomas played more than enough games at the position to qualify for my list. If you disagree, please submit your own list following your rules.

Wow, condescending jerk much?

Why not Piazza then, played games at 1B? Musial too. Hank Aaron had over 200 games played at 1B.

This was Miggy's second year being a full time designated 1B at any point in his career. Thomas was a DH who played 1B his first few years. In that case David Ortiz should be on there as well. Trying to pigeon hole them as 1B is silly. Just because you want to argue about EVERYTHING, you can just stop with that nonsense.

Miggy's played how many seasons at 1B (not enough to qulaify) Big Hurt played more games at DH than 1B....

and you left off Lou Gehrig?

I wasn't aware you had set the qualifications rule, Geekor. Please share with the rest of the forum your determination process. However, both Cabrera and Thomas played more than enough games at the position to qualify for my list. If you disagree, please submit your own list following your rules.

Wow, condescending jerk much?

Why not Piazza then, played games at 1B? Musial too. Hank Aaron had over 200 games played at 1B.

This was Miggy's second year being a full time designated 1B at any point in his career. Thomas was a DH who played 1B his first few years. In that case David Ortiz should be on there as well. Trying to pigeon hole them as 1B is silly. Just because you want to argue about EVERYTHING, you can just stop with that nonsense.

Wow, hostile cretin much?

Oh, Geeko, just when it seems the toxicity has left the forum, you shine your miserable, toxic "light" on it. And considering your gifts at jerkdom, your rhetorical question is simply a hyprocritical joke...

Again, Geeko, your complaints about games played at first are completely hollow, since you, yourself, do not establish a minimum standard of games played at first. If you want to set them and actually make a list of your own, then do so. However, since YOU are the one who wants to argue about EVERYTHING, you clearly would rather pick a fight with me. And placing players on a Top Ten list at a position isn't "pigeonholing" them; I'm not surprised you didn't know that.

Now, be a good lad and contribute something productive to the thread, not just your empty vitriol...

My favorite 80's song is "Living Years" (1988) by Mike and the Mechanics. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gUdiQWxps5E

Reason why is my father died in 1992 and I heard this song shortly afterwards when I was grieving his death. Hard for me to listen to it without weeping. Sometimes more than just weeping. My dad died at 50.

It pretty much has me by the balls.

I would like to participate more in these intriguing forums, but I am always disillusioned by the degenerating conversations that turn into insults. Can we please just turn the other cheek? America is far too angry as it is.

That being said, Don Mattingly probably deserves to be somewhere on this list. A sin he never made it to the World Series (to this day...could be some kind of cosmic jinx). He hit for both power and average, was a gold glove 1B and sooooo clutch. Bummer he played for some really lousy Yankees' teams, double bummer his back betrayed him.

Frank Thomas had close to a brick glove and was a DH for the majority of his career; for that reason alone, his spot should disappear; I'm sure we'll get to the DH list at some point. Thome spent a majority of his career at 3B/DH, but the plurality at 1B, so I guess he sticks.

Not sure what to say about McGwire. Best HR/AB ratio of all time. Steroid user. Leave him off.

Otherwise: The best R.E.M. song is "Sitting Still," except maybe for "Nightswimming," but that might've been the 90s. Best memory of R.E.M. -- seeing them at a college in the deep South in the late 80s, the audience clearly wasn't familiar with their work beyond the few radio songs and the reception was muted as best -- suddenly they ripped through a series of amazing classic rock covers, one after another -- "Radar Love," "Don't Fear the Reaper," "Surrender" a couple others I don't remember, and then capped it with a huge hit at the time, Lou Gramm's "Midnight Blue" (which, honestly, could be one of the best songs of the 80s). The place went crazy; everybody on their feet. Always gave them a ton of credit for that.

The best U2 song of the 80s was definitely not "Love Comes Tumbling," which is a good, rather obscure track, but derivative of other songs both by the band and others (Roxy Music much?) and doesn't even give Bono or Edge a chance to show off their vocal/helicopter guitar chops. My vote goes to "Gloria," which is among the most exhilarating songs ever recorded -- when the multiple layers of Bono's wailing voice and Edge's slashing guitar converge in the last 30 seconds I still get chills -- or maybe "Zoo Station," all dark and chugging and mysterious but also confident and catchy and masculine; when that album ("Achtung Baby") came out, I was so pleased by their actual successful attempt to move in a new direction. Not so much with the two that came after.

Most-missed artist of the 80s is the woefully unknown "next big thing" who wasn't, power pop singer/songwriter/guitarist Adam Schmitt. Three albums, all great, 4 and 5 star Rolling Stone reviews, big push from record company, still nobody cared. He gave up and I miss him to this day, several decades later. Here's a taste:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I0i5G6sjyp4

And nobody probably knows it, but the single best song of the 80s is "Satisfied" by Van Morrison, from his woefully under appreciated epic album (six songs, 55 minutes) "Common One."
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gOWb8dZeHFA

FWIW, I was actually an award-winning paid/published rock music critic in the 80s-90s, so I'm not just some schlubb with a few opinions here. Not that my opinions were enough to help save Adam Schmitt's career. But I did get to interview Bono/Edge and Peter Buck. (and T-Bone Burnett, Ziggy Marley, James Taylor, etc., etc.)

tws

I would like to participate more in these intriguing forums, but I am always disillusioned by the degenerating conversations that turn into insults. Can we please just turn the other cheek? America is far too angry as it is.

The better question is "can we not start insulting anyone at all?" I'm sure you noticed Geekor started the insult-tossing; so, you should really speak directly to him. If you believe in "turning the other cheek," that's fine. But you can't expect others to just let hostile insults slide. I'm an Italian raised by two Italians; I certainly don't...

Also, there have been no other "conversations turning to insults" on any of these intriguing forums before Geekor showed his charming self. Until then, all 8 of them have been peaceful. So, as long as he stays out of them, you have no reason to be disillusioned.

Otherwise: The best R.E.M. song is "Sitting Still," except maybe for "Nightswimming," but that might've been the 90s.

"Sitting Still" and "Nightswimming"--which was a 90's song--are definitely two of their best. Some of their others would be "Gardening at Night," "Driver 8," "These Days," "The Sidewinder Sleeps at Night," "Leave," and "Pretty Persuasion."

The best U2 song of the 80s was definitely not "Love Comes Tumbling," which is a good, rather obscure track, but derivative of other songs both by the band and others (Roxy Music much?) and doesn't even give Bono or Edge a chance to show off their vocal/helicopter guitar chops. My vote goes to "Gloria,"

You're absolutely right that "Love Comes Tumbling" is not their best song. And yes, Eno's production gave it--and "The Unforgettable Fire"--a Roxy Music sound, but that's not really a bad thing. However, this is the "Favorite Songs of the 80's," thread, not the "best song of the 80's" one. So "LCT" is my favorite 80's song of theirs, not their best. However, you do give me the opening to present a Greatest u2 songs list I came up with last week. I would be curious to read your thoughts on it...(I love "Gloria"; it would have been #11):

1. One. Their cynical ballad of love failed announced their freedom from Rattle and Hum's excessive earnestness.

2. New Year's Day. Their greatest anthem sings of love among personal and political upheaval.

3. Ultraviolet (Light My Way). Only Bono can celebrate the sordidness of love so sincerely...except Leonard Cohen.

4. I Will Follow. Bono's Clash-inspired tribute to his mother was their first classic.

5. Bad. Bono weaves beautifully between hope and despair in this arena ballad.

6. One Tree Hill. Their elegant elegy on a fallen friend is The Joshua Tree's gem

7. Running to Stand Still. Stark and lyrical meditation on drug use and succumbing to it.

8. The Unforgettable Fire. Eno left his greatest mark on this brooder about spiritual and sexual communion..

9. Sometimes You Can't Make it on Your Own. Bono's striking aria about spiritual and familial reconciliation.

10. Beautiful Day. Millennial anthem about hope amidst spiritual despair breathed life into the band.

And nobody probably knows it, but the single best song of the 80s is "Satisfied" by Van Morrison, from his woefully under appreciated epic album (six songs, 55 minutes) "Common One."

You'll have to do some convincing for me on this one. I don't quite see how this is the "best" song of the 80's, or how it's even better than his best songs on Avalon Sunset. At this juncture, I would actually go with "Welcome to the Jungle" as the best song of the 80's for it's savvy genre syncretism, Axl and Slash's bravura performances, and it's literally addressing the cultural and socio-political malaise of the decade.

FWIW, I was actually an award-winning paid/published rock music critic in the 80s-90s, so I'm not just some schlubb with a few opinions here. Not that my opinions were enough to help save Adam Schmitt's career. But I did get to interview Bono/Edge and Peter Buck. (and T-Bone Burnett, Ziggy Marley, James Taylor, etc., etc.)

I never thought you or anyone else here was a "schlubb"...and I still don't. I just assumed you were another passionate music fan. But it is definitely cool you're a published rock critic, since I am most definitely not. I can't seem to shake my Modernist literature gig...

So, I even more look forward to your opinions when we do the 60's and, particularly, the Oughts.

under albums, I just remembered another one
Spirit of Eden - Talk Talk