Sure is nice to have C.C. back, isn’t it?
Andruw Jones had the big hit, a three-run homer. He’s got 12 dingers on the year, 432 for his career. Let me ask you this? Is Jones a Hall of Famer? I know that voters don’t tend to like players who have a long fade to black but Jones was a brilliant defensive player for what, ten years, right? I don’t think he’ll get in but I think he’s probably got a case.
Another question. Rank the following players as Hall of Fame candidates: Jones, Jim Edmonds, Johnny Damon and Bernie Williams.
[Photo Credit: Excess]
I never thought of Andruw as a potential HoFamer, but Bill James's Hall of Fame Monitor gives him a 109, with 100 being "good possibility". (It's not supposed to be a James recommendation but rather his opinion of the likelihood.) Bernie comes in at 134 -- partly for his high BA and partly for being on WS teams, I think. So according to James, he's just about a lock! (Which seems false.)
Jones, Bernie, Dmaon, Edmonds. Jones should get in easy, ten years of a CF with power and Willie Mays-like glove? Awesome player.
Edmonds played 17 years but was hurt a lot. He's got the best OPS of those four and he was much better fielder than Bernie or Damon.
I compiled the following stats:
The 4 fields I used (not comprehensive obviously) are:
OPS+, HRs, yrs w/better than 120 OPS+, Best OPS+
JE - 132, 393, 12, 171
BW - 125, 287, 8, 147
AJ - 112, 432, 4, 136
JD - 104, 235, 0, 118
Edmonds is by far the best on O, and excellent on D. He's close to HOF.
Bernie is 2nd on the list, but again, doesn't reach greatness.
Andruw with a 112 OPS+ can't get in.
JD isn't close. He's had a long career of above average output, but you simply can't call Damon Great.
There is a long list of great fielding CFs. But to make the HOF, you gotta have a great Bat too.
Question: Are there any firm criteria for getting into the Hall of Fame? Really there are not. Correct?
Because, to me, it seems to be much like the Rock 'n' Roll HOF. How do you decide who has made a HOF contribution to music. And why the FUCK is Donna Summer not in the Rock HOF?
If we can imagine the baseball hall as a place to remember those who made the game special and magical for the fans and players there will always be room for folks like Mark Fidyrch and Bernnie and Johnny D, who was a real character.
What happens if Johnny Damon gets to 3000 hits? That is still considered a golden ticket into the Hall.
My opinion is that none of these players should be in the Hall, with Jones the closest to qualifying. Here's another question: is Vlad Guerrero a HOFer?
Andruw has the most WAR of any of those guys (and will likely collect a little more, too). But it's closer than I would have expected.
[6] You're right, he actually could get 3000, though I think he probably won't. Huh. Then I figure Damon would become the first 3000 guy not to make the Hall.
All Hall of Fame's are silly to an extent but none is sillier to me than the Rock n Roll Hall of Fame.
Good question on Vlad. I'd sure take him over Damon. And I don't Johnny will reach 3,000.
i always thought andruw was on the fast track to the HOF. watching him here in Atl was unbelievable when he was a kid. they say you need a solid decade and he dominated in the field for those 10 years.
if scooter and mazeroski are in on their glove, andruw should be, too. add in his power bat and you've got something. plus, he has some hardware to his name, also. close call.
same on all the other aforementioned guys...