Is godson Barry Bonds the best player alive after the death of Willie Mays?

Part of that might be due to the naturally elevated status enjoyed by the recently deceased, but all week Willie Mays has been called the indisputably greatest living baseball player. Let’s assume that’s true.

Who’s next? There’s no doubt about it.

So let’s argue. (And let’s not argue about the use of “argue” as an imperative. That is undeniable.)

Choosing the best player alive today requires parameters. Barry Bonds – who happens to be May’s godson – has amassed the most extraordinary batting statistics in baseball history, and Roger Clemens has accomplished nearly the same as a pitcher in the modern era. They have by far the most Wins Above Replacement (WAR) of any living player.

But both will be forever tainted by their alleged use of performance-enhancing drugs. That includes Alex Rodriguez, another outstanding hitter who ranks third in WAR among living players.

Pete Rose of the Cincinnati Reds rounds first base after hitting a single, breaking Ty Cobb’s record for most career hits set in 1985.

(Associated Press)

Pete Rose is the all-time hit king, but he has been banned from baseball since 1989 for betting on games as a player and manager. The betting probably didn’t improve his performance, but it did raise questions about the integrity of the competition. Those questions are resurfacing because sports betting is now legal in most states and is embraced as a source of revenue by all major sports.

The “everyone has done it” rationale applies to performance-enhancing drugs, and anyone who takes that route can safely put Bonds, Clemens, and A-Rod at or near the top of the list of the greatest living players.

A quick look at social media shows that just as many fans are unwilling to consider the inflated numbers of confirmed steroid users. Among the outfielders at the top of their lists are Rickey Henderson, the all-time king of stolen bases and runs scored, the inimitable outfielder Ken Griffey Jr. and the hard-hitting third baseman Mike Schmidt.

Fans with long memories mention Big Red Machine catcher Johnny Bench, Boston Red Sox legend Carl Yastrzemski and “the straw that stirred the drink” Reggie Jackson. Those who want a more contemporary choice name Albert Pujols, Cal Ripken Jr. and Adrian Beltre.

Some fans consider Ken Griffey Jr. to be the greatest living baseball player after the death of Willie Mays.

(John Froschauer / Associated Press)

A list of the greatest living pitchers can begin with two left-handers: Sandy Koufax, a three-time Cy Young Award and World Series winner for the Dodgers, and the 6-foot-1 flamethrower Randy Johnson, who won four consecutive Cy Youngs and five total.

Right-handers who get support include Nolan Ryan, who has by far the most strikeouts and walks of all time, and Greg Maddux, whose surgical precision was the exact opposite of Ryan’s intimidating speed. The jovial Pedro Martinez has his avowed supporters, and Steve Carlton shouldn’t be overlooked just because he was grumpy.

Mays was the oldest living Hall of Famer when he died, at age 93. The honor now goes to Luis Aparicio, a 5-foot-10, 175-pound shortstop who shined with his glove and led the American League in stolen bases in his first nine seasons.

Again, nothing is indisputable at this point. It’s great fun to relive the illustrious careers of so many baseball players, and their ranking is a personal decision that requires research, memory, and pure fandom. Enjoy.

The best living player candidates

Sorted by Wins Above Replacement by Baseball Reference and older

The Flawless
Barry Bonds, 162.8, 59
Roger Clemens, 139.2, 61
Alex Rodriguez, 117.6, 48
Pete Rose, 79.5, 83

THE PITCHERS
Greg Maddux, 106.6, 58
Randy Johnson, 101.1, 60
Steve Carlton, 90.2, 79
Pedro Martinez, 83.9, 52
Nolan Ryan, 81.3, 77
Sandy Koufax, 48.9, 88

POSITION PLAYER
Rickey Henderson, 111.1, 65
Mike Schmidt, 106.9, 74
Albert Pujols, 101.4, 44
Carl Yastrzemski, 96.5, 84
Cal Ripken Jr., 95.9, 63
Adrian Beltre, 93.5, 45
George Brett, 88.6, 71
Ken Griffey Jr., 83.8, 54
Johnny Bench, 75.1, 76
Reggie Jackson, 74.0, 78
Derek Jeter, 71.3, 49
Suzuki, 60.0, 50

ACTIVE PLAYERS
Mike Trout, 86.2, 32
Justin Verlander, 81.4, 41
Clayton Kershaw, 79.7, 36
Mookie Betts, 68.8, 31
Shohei Ohtani, 38.5, 29

OLDEST LIVING HALL OF FAMERS
Luis Aparicio, 90 years old
Sandy Koufax, 88
Bill Mazeroski, 87
Orlando Cepeda, 86
Juan Marichal, 86
Billy Williams, 86
Tony Oliva, 85
Jim Kaat, 85
Carl Yastrzemski, 84
Tony Perez, 82
Ferguson Jenkins, 81