Best arms (non pitchers/cathers) in baseball, 1970 to present

[Mr. Sluggo]

Dante Bichette

 

[novelist_wannabe]

Dunston, Furcal and Garry Templeton are the three that come to mind, infield division. Probably Scott Rolen, as well.

Worst outfield arm: Juan Pierre?

Pierre is from the Mickey Rivers school of outfield assists ...

Bo Jackson's throw home from the warning track is one of the most astounding things I've seen in a baseball game. Just ridiculous.

 

[Brian]

Shin-Soo Choo has one of the best in baseball right now for power and accuracy. People just don't run on him anymore, so he hardly ever gets to show it off. When Choo pitched in Korea, they said he had a mid-90s fastball and the Mariners signed him as a pitcher.

 

[CarltonBanks]

Choo has a gun. I saw Parker, at Riverfront, throw out Chili Davis trying to score from third on a relatively deep flyball to right. After he threw Davis out Parker turned to the crowd, held his hand like a pistol, blew imaginary smoke off the gun and stick it back in the holster. Parkway was the man.

 

[Batman]

I was a little too young to appreciate them, but Andre Dawson and Warren Cromartie had third base coaches quaking in their boots. Along with Tim Raines, that might be one of the most underrated outfields ever. How those early 80s Expos teams only made the playoffs once is beyond me.

 

[CarltonBanks]

I was a little too young to appreciate them, but Andre Dawson and Warren Cromartie had third base coaches quaking in their boots. Along with Tim Raines, that might be one of the most underrated outfields ever. How those early 80s Expos teams only made the playoffs once is beyond me.

They were like the Milwaukee Bucks of the late 70's and early 80's...all the talent in the world, but could never get over the hump. When you think about the talent the Expos had it is mind-boggling. That team could draft its ass off.

 

[doubledown68]

He never made the bigs, but couldn't Elway throw a baseball over the outfield wall from homeplate?

That's what I've heard.

The just-released Jose Guillen isn't especially mobile, but he's got some sizzle in his right arm.

 

[spnited]

Clemente was incredible.

Another pre-70 gun was Rocky Colavito but his accuracy was sometimes a problem.
Once saw him catch a fly ball against the bullpen fence in right field at the old Yankee Stadium (right at the 344 foot sign). Guy tags from third, Rocky air mails one into the seats to the third base side of home plate. Amazingly, nobody got hurt.

 

[CarltonBanks]

Andruw Jones, in his prime, also had a gun.

 

[Baron Scicluna]

Hard think to quantify.

But if you are starting at 1970, I'd argue for Dave Winfield, Larry Walker, Jesse Barfield and Ellis Valentine on the list somewhere.

The more interesting list to me would be the "worst outfield" arm. I'll start by throwing out Johnny Damon and Al Bumbry.

Moises Alou

By the time 1970 hit a lot of his greatness had already been seen, but Yaz was still pretty good in the 70s.
EDIT: I should add, I would have loved to see how good his arm if he had played outside of Boston.

Reggie Smith.

In Bill (Spaceman) Lee's book, he told a story of Smith and Yaz discussing their arms during a rain delay.

They decided to have a throwing contest. Yaz ran out of the dugout to the first base line and threw the ball to the base of the Monster.

Smith walked out of the dugout, to the line, reared back, and heaved it over the wall.

 

[Bubbler]

A lot of good names. Two that haven't been mentioned ... Raul Mondesi and Ken Caminiti.

Before his roid-fueled power-hitting days, Caminiti was most regarded for his rocket arm at third for the Astros.

Bichette is in the Brewers' all-arm team, along with Sixto Lezcano. Though he only played there for two years, Charlie Moore had a cannon in right, memorably throwing out Reggie Jackson at third base in Game 5 of the ALCS, a play that really turned that game around in the Brewers' favor.

 

[CarltonBanks]

Speaking of Reggie, underrated arm in right. Catching the ball, well, that's another story.

 

[SoCalDude]

Frank Howard (1958-1973). When he played right field, he used to warm up with the left fielder.

 

[CarltonBanks]

Does anyone else remember the cannon Cory Snyder had for the Indians in the late 80's?

 

[93Devil]

Does anyone else remember the cannon Cory Snyder had for the Indians in the late 80's?

Not really, but you did remind me of Jay Buhner.

 

[old_tony]

Does anyone else remember the cannon Cory Snyder had for the Indians in the late 80's?

Oh, yes. The guy could really throw it.

Also, although his bat threatens to get him bounced from the bigs, one player not mentioned that is still playing is Bill Hall. Came up as an infielder with the Brewers in 2002 and had an absolute cannon at shortstop or third base. Moved to the outfield in 2007 with the Brewers and uncorked some absolute seeds to gun runners down. I saw him throw out someone at third from pretty deep in right-center. Throw was on the bag on the fly. Might be the best single throw I've ever seen.

 

[doubledown68]

Does anyone else remember the cannon Cory Snyder had for the Indians in the late 80's?

Not really, but you did remind me of Jay Buhner.

Funny you mention that. I've been on a Ken Griffey Jr. Baseball kick for the past three weeks. Jay Buhner's arm on that game is ridiculous. No matter where you hit it, in what park you hit it, you can't take an extra base on him.

 

[Brian]

Hard think to quantify.

But if you are starting at 1970, I'd argue for Dave Winfield, Larry Walker, Jesse Barfield and Ellis Valentine on the list somewhere.

The more interesting list to me would be the "worst outfield" arm. I'll start by throwing out Johnny Damon and Al Bumbry.

Post shoulder operation Kenny Lofton was a sad sight. He would wind up his entire body and throw a rainbow, lollipop throw that would one-hop to the plate five seconds after the runner crossed the plate and the crowd loved him so much, they'd cheer like he had made it close.

I'm convinced Kenny is a HOF'er if he doesn't go head-first into the bag. He was scared to steal bases after that point and he never was quite the same player ever again.

 

[93Devil]

He should have never flopped in the NCAAs, but other than that, I have no problem with him.

 

[MTM]

Candy Maldonado had a cannon, as well.