I remember reading the sports magazines at the time. They showed that the Yankees win/lost percentage without Mantle in the line up was startling. Not so much what he did with the bat particularly, but just by the players watching him playing through such pain gave them motivation.
I know that from 1961 onwards, it WAS painful just to WATCH him batting from the left side, and it only got worse.
Just to drop another name that belongs in the mix; Alan Trammell. Four Gold Glove awards, won three Silver Slugger awards. And of course he was a Tiger.