Mickey Mantle was the best baseball player.
Mickey Mantle . Mantle was one of the best players and sluggers , and is regarded by many as the greatest switch hitter in baseball history . Mantle was arguably the greatest offensive threat of any center fielder in baseball history . Mantle won the Triple Crown in 1956 , leading the major leagues in batting average , home runs , and runs batted in ( RBI ) ; he later wrote a book about his best year in baseball .