The Big Lead

5 Major Leaguers Who Did It Their Own Way & Who Is Most Like Them in Today’s Game

By Tom Fink

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Baseball’s history books are full of all-stars and hall of famers, but some of our most favorite athletes to ever play the game aren’t necessarily the best. These ballplayers became legends because they took the field with their own unique fashion and style of play.

Here are 5 Major Leaguers who did it their own way and the players currently in the majors who most closely resemble their games:

4) Dave Kingman – The 6’6 slugger from Oregon will always be remembered for three things…hitting mammoth homeruns, striking out a lot and not caring about the media. Kingman once unloaded a 550 ft. bomb at Wrigley Field as a member of the Mets but he is probably most famous for sending a live rat to a Sacramento Bee reporter that he disliked.

Player Most Like Him Currently in the Majors: Adam Dunn – Dunn, also 6’6, is the king of striking out and hitting deep drives. His average is well below .200 at the moment but he leads the White Sox in homeruns and walks and seems perfectly content doing it that way.

Player Most Like Him Currently in the Majors: Jeff Samardzija – The Cubs starter is 6’5, sits in the Top 10 in strikeouts and has a similar affinity for the mullet haircut and facial hair style that Randy did. Though his stuff isn’t as electric, Samardzija is as close as we are going to get when it comes to being like Johnson.

Player Most Like Him Currently in the Majors: Dustin Pedroia – The Red Sox second baseman hits for a high average, walks a ton and is short in stature like Biggio. It isn’t hard to picture him in a Red Sox uniform for his entire career, just like Craig Biggio did in Houston.

Player Most Like Him Currently in the Majors: None – Nyjer Morgan spoke in the third person frequently but he is currently playing in Japan. And Billy Hamilton (Reds) may one day eclipse the single season 100 steal plateau but he is a one-tool player. Rickey truly was the best when it came to doing things his way and doing them well.