15 MLB Greats You Would Want to Play Catch with

After a busy offseason, we're now just a week away from seeing footage of pitchers and catchers tossing around the baseball at spring training facilities across the grapefruit and cactus leagues.

You could argue that they have the best job on earth, I mean how many of us get to make a career out of playing a kid's game?

Only a select few will ever get to live out that dream, but that doesn't mean you can't imagine what just one day on the diamond would be like with your favorite players, past and present.

Since we all have our own favorites for a multitude of reasons, I just tried to split the selection between some former greats and the best in the game today.

Ted Williams

As one of baseball's all-time greatest hitters, it's hard to not want to spend any amount of time with the late, great Ted Williams.

The two time MVP was an All-Star in all but two of his 19 major league seasons and his .482 on-base percentage has yet to be matched.

Ivan Rodriguez

Who better to toss the ball around with than a man who has caught nearly 2,500 games during his career.

Ivan Rodriguez will no doubt go down as one of the best catchers of all-time, with a career average of .296,14 All-Star appearances and 11 gold gloves to his name.

Hank Aaron

He may no longer be baseball's home run champ, but Hammerin' Hank Aaron is still one of the best players to set foot on the baseball diamond.

With 2,297 RBI, 755 home runs and nearly 3,800 hits to his name, Aaron is in a league of his own in most respects, and is in a discussion that can only include a select few when talking about all-time greats.

David Ortiz

Widely regarded as one of the nicest players in baseball, it seems like David Ortiz is always having fun on the field, and it's hard to think of other current players that would be more fun to spend some time with.

He's almost like baseball's version of Shaquille O'Neal, considering his animated interactions with fans and seemingly constant smile.

Mickey Mantle

Given the team's rich history, it certainly says a lot that Mickey Mantle could easily be considered one of the best to ever put on a Yankees uniform.

During his 18-year career he was able to earn himself a .298 average while hitting 536 home runs and driving in over 1,500 runs.

Josh Hamilton

Having gone through more turmoil than many of us have ever endured, Josh Hamilton has made a very strong career for himself in Texas.

I think we're all pulling for him as he looks to rebound from his recent troubles and start with a clean slate heading into the 2012 season.

Babe Ruth

The Sultan of Swat was idolized by kids and adults alike as he led the New York Yankees to a number of championships during his days in baseball.

It's hard to leave Ruth off any discussion surrounding the most well known and accomplished players of all time and you can't go wrong adding him to a list of players you'd want to meet if given the chance.

Tim Lincecum

After signing a contract extension with the San Francisco Giants, fans in the Bay Area can sleep easier (at least for now) knowing that their ace will be around for a couple more years.

He's one of the more intriguing and popular players in the league today and at just 27 years old you know he just doesn't take things too seriously.

Lou Gehrig

Lou Gehrig certainly lived up to the billing as one of the game's greats throughout his life.

As baseball's original Iron Man, Gehrig's rise to prominence began as a star on the football field as well as the baseball diamond.

His career and life were cut tragically short, but Gehrig accomplished more in his 37 years than many could in a lifetime.

Albert Pujols

He's the greatest offensive powerhouse that our generation has seen, and while he's likely made a number of fans in St. Louis upset this offseason, Albert Pujols is one of the most appealing players in the game today.

His almost superhuman abilities have strung together some of the most consistently dominant seasons and he's done it all while staying healthy for each of his 11 career seasons in the league.

Willie Mays

As the best center fielder to play the game, it could actually be argued that Willie Mays is the best all-around player at any position to set foot on a field.

Whether you remember his offensive prowess that currently has him in the top five on the all-time home run list (660) or the 12 Gold Glove awards he holds, he clearly made his mark on the league.

Jim Thome

Baseball's nice guy, Jim Thome, is one of the most respected players in the league and will no doubt find a place in Cooperstown when his time is up.

There aren't many players out there with as much respect for the game as Thome has, and it'd be a blast to sit down and talk baseball over a brew with him.

Cy Young

Is there any better person to throw the ball around than with baseball's most established pitcher?

Cy Young's 511 wins will certainly never be matched again, and the all-time great also leads the ranks in complete games and innings pitched with an astounding 7,356.

Derek Jeter

He may be one of baseball's biggest playboys, but Derek Jeter is also one of the best infielders we've seen play the game in recent memory.

Spending some time with him on the field could make for a great afternoon (although hitting the bars with him off the field could make for an equally memorable experience).

Jackie Robinson

As the first to break baseball's color barrier, Jackie Robinson's contributions to the game of baseball were all remarkable, as he showed a tremendous ability to hit for power, average and was a phenomenal baserunner.

It's hard to think of a more important figure throughout the history of the game, and it'd most certainly be an honor to spend some time tossing the ball around with Robinson.