More from the Hot Corner
In the continuing saga of A-Rod--this time for his hip injury—si.com’s fine coverage includes this interesting tidbit. “Only three third basemen age 33 or older ever managed more than two seasons with at least 150 games: Brooks Robinson, Pete Rose and Mike Schmidt.”
That’s the list. By age 33, players on baseball’s hot corner start to fade under the rigors of the position. George Brett? Played mostly at 1B after age 33. Wade Boggs, Eddie Mathews, even Pie Traynor – all faced challenges paying this demanding position as they approached their mid-30s. Let’s wish Chipper Jones some luck this season. Now 36, he’s averaged just over 100 games at 3B each of the past five years.
This is yet another strong argument that Baseball Hall of Fame voters need to rethink their standards for third basemen. Not counting Negro Leaguers, the Hall has just 10 third basemen, one of whom (Freddie Lindstrom) played only 800 games at the position. Compare this with the Hall’s 21 shortstops and 18 first basemen. This is not just a roundabout way to argue for Ron Santo’s induction. (Heck, I’m tempted to tout the record of Matt Williams--almost). Hall voters want a third baseman to have the bat of a slugging 1B/OF/DH. If not, they’d better have 3,000 hits or one of the best gloves of all time. It’s a standard applied at no other position in the game.
Thursday, March 5, 2009
Thursday, February 26, 2009
The Sunshine Rule
In his si.com column this week, Tom Verducci outlines a strong Hall of Fame case for long-time Blue Jay and current Met 1B Carlos Delgado. This blog also recently identified Delgado as a potentially strong Hall candidate (Feb. 9). Verducci’s piece is interesting especially because he’s looking for an unsung power hitter, untainted by performance-enhancing drugs, during the steroid era. The column includes an interview with Delgado, who talks about how he has stayed away from steroids both for health reasons and because he considers it cheating.
In the fallout from the A-Rod saga, I think more players who aspire to the Hall of Fame simply are going to have to sit down and agree to interviews about their careers – including the question of whether they used performance enhancers. The board of the Baseball Writers Association of America even could require an interview for all new candidates on the ballot. Players could opt out, of course. But in this environment, they’d do so at their own peril.
In his si.com column this week, Tom Verducci outlines a strong Hall of Fame case for long-time Blue Jay and current Met 1B Carlos Delgado. This blog also recently identified Delgado as a potentially strong Hall candidate (Feb. 9). Verducci’s piece is interesting especially because he’s looking for an unsung power hitter, untainted by performance-enhancing drugs, during the steroid era. The column includes an interview with Delgado, who talks about how he has stayed away from steroids both for health reasons and because he considers it cheating.
In the fallout from the A-Rod saga, I think more players who aspire to the Hall of Fame simply are going to have to sit down and agree to interviews about their careers – including the question of whether they used performance enhancers. The board of the Baseball Writers Association of America even could require an interview for all new candidates on the ballot. Players could opt out, of course. But in this environment, they’d do so at their own peril.
Tuesday, February 10, 2009
Time for Full Disclosure
It’s a sad day to hear Alex Rodriguez admit to the use of performance-enhancing drugs from 2001 to 2003. But it’s important now to release the other names on the list of 104 who tested positive in 2003. We’ll never know the whole truth of steroids in baseball, of course. But we all would benefit from greater disclosure to properly judge the accomplishments of players from this era, and to see that we don't penalize those who followed the rules.
It’s a sad day to hear Alex Rodriguez admit to the use of performance-enhancing drugs from 2001 to 2003. But it’s important now to release the other names on the list of 104 who tested positive in 2003. We’ll never know the whole truth of steroids in baseball, of course. But we all would benefit from greater disclosure to properly judge the accomplishments of players from this era, and to see that we don't penalize those who followed the rules.
Monday, February 9, 2009
Spring Training Round-Up!
With pitchers and catchers reporting this week, it’s a good time to take a look at the Hall credentials of some current players – including a few who may not be on your radar screen:
Jamie Moyer – From all indications, Moyer’s a great person and a fascinating story. That he won 16 games last year, at age 46, was an inspiration to us all. Still, he’d need about four more of those seasons to get to the Hall. It’s certainly possible but not likely.
Johnny Damon – Never thought of him as a Hall of Famer, and still don’t. Still, he’s only 700 hits from 3,000 and, despite injuries, continues to play 140+ games a year. He may be the Vada Pinson of his era, with 2,700+ hits but little else that entices a Hall of Fame voter.
Chipper Jones – Last year’s batting title should have sealed it. But given Hall voters’ notoriously stingy position on third basemen (noted here and elsewhere), one can never be sure. The .310 career BA and 400+ home runs are impressive. Fortunately, he has a couple years left to improve his case.
Carlos Delgado – New Yorkers called him toast, and he responded with a big year. Another guy I’ve never considered a Hall of Famer, but he'll be a strong candidate if he stays productive. He’s at 469 HRs now, at age 36. Has only two All-Star appearances, which supports the idea that he flies under the radar.
Michael Young – Sort of a poor man’s Derek Jeter. Last year saw a noticeable decline in batting average and a dip in RBIs. Will have to return to his 2005-’06 production to have a decent shot.
Pedro Martinez – Hope he ends up in L.A. or somewhere else so he can add to his win total. Still, Martinez should have no problem getting to Cooperstown. His ERAs from ’97 to 2003 are incredible. Take 2000 for example – Pedro’s ERA: 1.74; the league ERA: 5.07.
Ichiro – Had his second lowest BA in 2008 since coming to the U.S. With 1,805 hits, still needs some strong seasons to make his case. A better supporting cast in Seattle would definitely help.
Lance Berkman – Strong all-around player whose year-to-year consistency brings him into the conversation. Bet you didn’t know he has a higher career OPS than A-Rod. The next few years are critical.
Jim Edmonds – An underrated player, Edmonds may get to 400 HRs if he finds a team this spring. But the Hall’s a stretch at this point.
Josh Beckett – With all the attention he gets, it’s hard to believe he only has 89 career victories. He’ll need a few impressive injury-free seasons to build his resume. According to baseball-reference.com, the player he most resembles through age 28 is….Kevin Millwood.
With pitchers and catchers reporting this week, it’s a good time to take a look at the Hall credentials of some current players – including a few who may not be on your radar screen:
Jamie Moyer – From all indications, Moyer’s a great person and a fascinating story. That he won 16 games last year, at age 46, was an inspiration to us all. Still, he’d need about four more of those seasons to get to the Hall. It’s certainly possible but not likely.
Johnny Damon – Never thought of him as a Hall of Famer, and still don’t. Still, he’s only 700 hits from 3,000 and, despite injuries, continues to play 140+ games a year. He may be the Vada Pinson of his era, with 2,700+ hits but little else that entices a Hall of Fame voter.
Chipper Jones – Last year’s batting title should have sealed it. But given Hall voters’ notoriously stingy position on third basemen (noted here and elsewhere), one can never be sure. The .310 career BA and 400+ home runs are impressive. Fortunately, he has a couple years left to improve his case.
Carlos Delgado – New Yorkers called him toast, and he responded with a big year. Another guy I’ve never considered a Hall of Famer, but he'll be a strong candidate if he stays productive. He’s at 469 HRs now, at age 36. Has only two All-Star appearances, which supports the idea that he flies under the radar.
Michael Young – Sort of a poor man’s Derek Jeter. Last year saw a noticeable decline in batting average and a dip in RBIs. Will have to return to his 2005-’06 production to have a decent shot.
Pedro Martinez – Hope he ends up in L.A. or somewhere else so he can add to his win total. Still, Martinez should have no problem getting to Cooperstown. His ERAs from ’97 to 2003 are incredible. Take 2000 for example – Pedro’s ERA: 1.74; the league ERA: 5.07.
Ichiro – Had his second lowest BA in 2008 since coming to the U.S. With 1,805 hits, still needs some strong seasons to make his case. A better supporting cast in Seattle would definitely help.
Lance Berkman – Strong all-around player whose year-to-year consistency brings him into the conversation. Bet you didn’t know he has a higher career OPS than A-Rod. The next few years are critical.
Jim Edmonds – An underrated player, Edmonds may get to 400 HRs if he finds a team this spring. But the Hall’s a stretch at this point.
Josh Beckett – With all the attention he gets, it’s hard to believe he only has 89 career victories. He’ll need a few impressive injury-free seasons to build his resume. According to baseball-reference.com, the player he most resembles through age 28 is….Kevin Millwood.
Monday, February 2, 2009
Kent’s Place in History
It’s interesting to read the accolades given to Jeff Kent on his retirement. Esteemed writers such as Tim Kurkjian have lavished praise on Kent, a slugging 2nd baseman and the 2000 NL MVP. But I’m more inclined to follow those who say, let’s wait and see. After all, there’s a good reason why the Hall of Fame has a five-year waiting period before possible enshrinement.
Kent has hit the most home runs among second basemen, and he has 1,500+ RBIs. But I can’t agree with some commentators who rank him as the top 2B of the last 25 years. In my book, he’s a shade behind the top three: Roberto Alomar, Ryne Sandberg and Craig Biggio. Alomar was an acrobat at 2B, with a dazzling combination of speed and power during his prime. Sandberg set the gold standard for defense and was, for his era, a slugger as respected as Kent. After starting out as a catcher, Biggio became a Gold Glove 2nd baseman and offensive catalyst with more than 3,000 hits and 1,800 runs scored – among the tops of all time. Each one of these players had at least 300 steals, led by Alomar's 474. Thet also combined for 23 Gold Gloves, while the workmanlike Kent never won that honor.
The bottom line: Kent may well earn a plaque in Cooperstown, but there’s no harm in waiting to consider the case.
It’s interesting to read the accolades given to Jeff Kent on his retirement. Esteemed writers such as Tim Kurkjian have lavished praise on Kent, a slugging 2nd baseman and the 2000 NL MVP. But I’m more inclined to follow those who say, let’s wait and see. After all, there’s a good reason why the Hall of Fame has a five-year waiting period before possible enshrinement.
Kent has hit the most home runs among second basemen, and he has 1,500+ RBIs. But I can’t agree with some commentators who rank him as the top 2B of the last 25 years. In my book, he’s a shade behind the top three: Roberto Alomar, Ryne Sandberg and Craig Biggio. Alomar was an acrobat at 2B, with a dazzling combination of speed and power during his prime. Sandberg set the gold standard for defense and was, for his era, a slugger as respected as Kent. After starting out as a catcher, Biggio became a Gold Glove 2nd baseman and offensive catalyst with more than 3,000 hits and 1,800 runs scored – among the tops of all time. Each one of these players had at least 300 steals, led by Alomar's 474. Thet also combined for 23 Gold Gloves, while the workmanlike Kent never won that honor.
The bottom line: Kent may well earn a plaque in Cooperstown, but there’s no harm in waiting to consider the case.
Saturday, January 17, 2009
The Voters Have Spoken!
Congratulations to Rickey Henderson and Jim Rice on their election to the Baseball Hall of Fame this week. Both votes were widely expected. Henderson was a shoo-in during his first year of eligibility, given his 3,000 hits and record number of stolen bases. Rice’s election is certain to help the case of many borderline-or-better Hall of Fame candidates. In the short term, that should aid Andre Dawson, whose numbers are superior to Rice’s in many key categories (HRs, hits, RBIs). He's also the owner of multiple Gold Gloves and 300+ steals.
Of course, today’s selections have implications for years to come. Does that mean Fred McGriff and his 493 scandal-free HRs will gain entry, at some point down the line? Discuss.
Congratulations to Rickey Henderson and Jim Rice on their election to the Baseball Hall of Fame this week. Both votes were widely expected. Henderson was a shoo-in during his first year of eligibility, given his 3,000 hits and record number of stolen bases. Rice’s election is certain to help the case of many borderline-or-better Hall of Fame candidates. In the short term, that should aid Andre Dawson, whose numbers are superior to Rice’s in many key categories (HRs, hits, RBIs). He's also the owner of multiple Gold Gloves and 300+ steals.
Of course, today’s selections have implications for years to come. Does that mean Fred McGriff and his 493 scandal-free HRs will gain entry, at some point down the line? Discuss.
Wednesday, January 7, 2009
The Rice Question
Jim Rice is a borderline Hall of Famer. He was a feared hitter with a number of impressive seasons, but his career numbers – including 382 HRs – fall a little short of immortality. After rejecting him for 14 consecutive years, however, baseball writers appear poised to vote him in during his last year on the writers’ ballot. But let’s compare his record against several other Hall candidates of the same era who generate little or no support.
Dwight Evans: Rice’s teammate on the Red Sox, Evans has more career HRs than Rice, more runs scored, a higher on-base percentage and nearly as many hits and RBI. Oh, and Evans won eight Gold Gloves to Rice’s zero. But you can’t vote for Evans anymore, since he was dropped from the ballot in 2000 for lack of support.
Now, you may argue, Rice did much better in annual MVP voting, winning the award once. So I would offer for your consideration….
Dave Parker: The 1978 National League MVP, Parker has more career hits, runs and RBI than Rice. Cobra also won three Gold Gloves and two batting titles (none for Rice), and he was a valuable player on two world champion teams. Yet Parker is stuck far down the Hall ballot, winning only about 15 percent support a year.
Now, you may argue, his fine for recreational drug use might tarnish his candidacy even today. So I would offer for your consideration….
Dale Murphy: Winner of two NL MVP awards, Murph had a squeaky-clean reputation and the perfect combination of power, speed and defense in the 1980s. One argument for Rice is that, at his peak, he was perhaps the best in the game. But Murphy can make that claim, too, just in a different league. Even though his career tailed off considerably, Murphy still finished with more homers than Rice. Yet, like Parker, he also barely generates enough support to stay on the ballot each year.
So should the writers change course and vote all four of these guys in? Not necessarily. But it’s clear there is a huge difference of opinion on how to judge the merits of borderline candidates. What’s more, the writers have a perfect out on this one – to turn Rice’s candidacy over to the Hall of Fame Veterans Committee. Much has been made of the fact that this is Rice’s last year on the ballot, but it’s not the end of the road at all. If he again falls short of election, he’ll go to the Veterans Committee, where people who actually played the game can pass judgment on his record. Sure, past Vet committees made some poor decisions. But they’ve set pretty high standards now for a few years. Sending them Rice, another borderline candidate, sends a message that the writers haven’t lowered their standards – and that the veterans can play an increasingly vital role for an important, and growing, group of players.
Jim Rice is a borderline Hall of Famer. He was a feared hitter with a number of impressive seasons, but his career numbers – including 382 HRs – fall a little short of immortality. After rejecting him for 14 consecutive years, however, baseball writers appear poised to vote him in during his last year on the writers’ ballot. But let’s compare his record against several other Hall candidates of the same era who generate little or no support.
Dwight Evans: Rice’s teammate on the Red Sox, Evans has more career HRs than Rice, more runs scored, a higher on-base percentage and nearly as many hits and RBI. Oh, and Evans won eight Gold Gloves to Rice’s zero. But you can’t vote for Evans anymore, since he was dropped from the ballot in 2000 for lack of support.
Now, you may argue, Rice did much better in annual MVP voting, winning the award once. So I would offer for your consideration….
Dave Parker: The 1978 National League MVP, Parker has more career hits, runs and RBI than Rice. Cobra also won three Gold Gloves and two batting titles (none for Rice), and he was a valuable player on two world champion teams. Yet Parker is stuck far down the Hall ballot, winning only about 15 percent support a year.
Now, you may argue, his fine for recreational drug use might tarnish his candidacy even today. So I would offer for your consideration….
Dale Murphy: Winner of two NL MVP awards, Murph had a squeaky-clean reputation and the perfect combination of power, speed and defense in the 1980s. One argument for Rice is that, at his peak, he was perhaps the best in the game. But Murphy can make that claim, too, just in a different league. Even though his career tailed off considerably, Murphy still finished with more homers than Rice. Yet, like Parker, he also barely generates enough support to stay on the ballot each year.
So should the writers change course and vote all four of these guys in? Not necessarily. But it’s clear there is a huge difference of opinion on how to judge the merits of borderline candidates. What’s more, the writers have a perfect out on this one – to turn Rice’s candidacy over to the Hall of Fame Veterans Committee. Much has been made of the fact that this is Rice’s last year on the ballot, but it’s not the end of the road at all. If he again falls short of election, he’ll go to the Veterans Committee, where people who actually played the game can pass judgment on his record. Sure, past Vet committees made some poor decisions. But they’ve set pretty high standards now for a few years. Sending them Rice, another borderline candidate, sends a message that the writers haven’t lowered their standards – and that the veterans can play an increasingly vital role for an important, and growing, group of players.
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