tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13718554.post9161009508472049469..comments2023-10-10T03:21:23.580-04:00Comments on Motown Sports Revival: MLB Hall of Fame Projections: First BaseJakehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16208921021297172480noreply@blogger.comBlogger13125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13718554.post-84096673929658423742010-05-31T22:13:07.157-04:002010-05-31T22:13:07.157-04:00No doubt, anon. Pujols would waltz into the HOF if...No doubt, anon. Pujols would waltz into the HOF if he retired right now. His ERA+ is 172 and is career batting average is .333. Those numbers are unprecedented for this era.Jakehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16208921021297172480noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13718554.post-11905191436063376682010-05-31T22:05:49.728-04:002010-05-31T22:05:49.728-04:00For those that in 2007 didn't think that much ...For those that in 2007 didn't think that much about Pujols. Whatcha think now? <br /><br />;)<br /><br />Do you think he would be a lock if he retired RIGHT NOW after 2010?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13718554.post-66455527650228231952009-06-29T14:58:18.575-04:002009-06-29T14:58:18.575-04:00This is for first basemen only. I did all of the o...This is for first basemen only. I did all of the other positions in separate posts.Jakehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16208921021297172480noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13718554.post-47387241429584722732009-06-29T12:35:36.687-04:002009-06-29T12:35:36.687-04:00Hey what about Ken Griffey Jr.,Randy Johnson, Dere...Hey what about Ken Griffey Jr.,Randy Johnson, Derek Jeter, Mariano Rivera, Tom Glavine, "Pudge" Rodriguez, John Smoltz,Chipper Jones, Greg Maddux aren't they locks to be in the hall of fame? Between them there are 87 all star appearances, 44 gold gloves,14 World Series rings????Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13718554.post-26106462313755014282007-08-21T22:59:00.000-04:002007-08-21T22:59:00.000-04:00Thanks for the comments. I understand where you’re...Thanks for the comments. I understand where you’re coming from but I disagree wholeheartedly. If Pujols’ career ended at the end of the ’07 season, he would still be a lock for the Hall of Fame. Nobody in baseball history has had a greater string of seasons to start a career. Early in their careers, it looked like Mattingly and Garciaparra might be headed for a Hall of Fame career. Mattingly and Garciaparra were never even in the same stratosphere as Pujols not even for seven seasons. <BR/><BR/>By the end of the ’07 season, Pujols will have surpassed two of Baseball-Reference.com’s Hall of Fame monitors and is close to passing the other two as well. So even if we judge Pujols’ chances of making the Hall of Fame on his career totals alone, he stands to make it by most measures. But, if his career ended now, he would not be judged on totals. He would be judged on how absurd his seasonal averages are. <BR/><BR/>By the end of ’07, he’ll have had five straight seasons of at least 34 HR/100 RBI/ 100 Runs/ .314 average. I would be willing to bet that nobody has ever put together a string of seven-straight seasons with at least those numbers and not made the Hall of Fame. He’ll also have finished in the top four of the MVP voting for the seventh straight season (assuming he doesn’t get hurt in the next five weeks). Not only has there not been a player in MLB history kept out of the Hall of Fame with seven-straight finishes in the top four of the MVP voting, there has never been a player ever (!!!) with more consecutive top four finishes in the MVP voting than Pujols. Just to compare, Mattingly finished in the top four of the MVP voting twice and Garciaparra did it once. Pujols will have done it a Major League record seven times come October (Yogi Berra also did it seven-straight seasons). <BR/><BR/>Since 1962, there have been five seasons where a player has had at least 41 HRs, 117 RBIs, 119 Runs, a .330 batting average, and had more walks than strikeouts. In 45 years, this has only been done five times. Pujols accounts for four of the five occurrences (Bonds had the other in ’93). This isn’t just a good player who may end up being Hall of Fame-caliber. Pujols is already a Hall of Fame player. We are witnessing one of the greatest hitters to ever play the game in his prime. He is the most complete hitter we have seen since Ted Williams. Nobody has hit for power and average combined with his plate discipline like Pujols since Ted Williams. Based on the numbers and based on my opinion, he is a lock right now. Even if he became an average hitter for the next 10 seasons, his averages are so high that they would still be Hall of Fame numbers with 10 average seasons added on. I’m trying to think of a scenario—that doesn’t include a performance-enhancing drug scandal—where Pujols would not make the Hall of Fame. I don’t think such scenario exists.<BR/><BR/>Again, I appreciate the comments.<BR/><BR/>Take care,<BR/><BR/>JakeJakehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16208921021297172480noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13718554.post-72630914171007750972007-08-21T18:36:00.000-04:002007-08-21T18:36:00.000-04:00While I agree with you that Albert Pujols is a fre...While I agree with you that Albert Pujols is a freak, he has not played long enough to be a "lock" for the Hall. I remember saying the same thing about Nomar Garciaparra before his major wrist injury and he's never returned to being the player he was. The same thing happened to Don Mattingly, who was as impressive as anyone for seven years, then back injuries sidelined his career.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13718554.post-6128190025021363492007-08-17T13:47:00.000-04:002007-08-17T13:47:00.000-04:00Very good points. Delgado is definitely not a firs...Very good points. Delgado is definitely not a first-ballot Hall of Famer. Of the players I have listed at first-base, the Big Hurt and Pujols might end up being the only first-ballot guys. It'll be interesting to see whether voters punish Deglado or not. If he hits 600 home runs, without a hint of steroid-speculation, it'll be tough to keep him out completely. I look forward to seeing how Delgado fares in the voting process.Jakehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16208921021297172480noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13718554.post-267616006649629682007-08-17T10:39:00.000-04:002007-08-17T10:39:00.000-04:00I love Delgado as I am a fan of both the Toronto B...I love Delgado as I am a fan of both the Toronto Blue Jays and the New York Mets, but I don't think Delgado will get in on his first ballot. He will be overlooked for personal reasons I believe, such as when he was in Toronto and he refused to stand for the National Anthem because of the war in Iraq. I really like him, its just a gut feeling I have the all the voters won't feel the sameway that I do about him and put him where he belongs.Shawnhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05172485007983426070noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13718554.post-48018374790447260702007-08-01T11:28:00.000-04:002007-08-01T11:28:00.000-04:00Pujols needs to perform for another 4-5 years to e...Pujols needs to perform for another 4-5 years to even be considered. It's too early. Helton? Certainly not a first time ballot but maybe eventually. I do like Thomas. He always had a great batting average to go along with his power, the past few years not withstanding.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13718554.post-76161425029360638632007-07-24T21:21:00.000-04:002007-07-24T21:21:00.000-04:00Thanks. That was an oversight on my part. It's fix...Thanks. That was an oversight on my part. It's fixed now.Jakehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16208921021297172480noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13718554.post-59771848682326620522007-07-24T19:03:00.000-04:002007-07-24T19:03:00.000-04:00fyi, thome wasn't on the chisox world series team....fyi, thome wasn't on the chisox world series team.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13718554.post-26593836277992219492007-07-23T15:07:00.000-04:002007-07-23T15:07:00.000-04:00Ortiz and Hafner are somewhat similar in that they...Ortiz and Hafner are somewhat similar in that they both got late starts and are both dominating hitters. There is a pretty significant difference between the two, though. Ortiz has a streak of three-straight seasons of at least 41 HRs and 137 RBIs. Hafner has never done that. In fact, Hafner has never driven in more than 117 runs and has only hit 40 HRs once. If Hafner can put together a three-year string like Ortiz, then I think he’ll be looking good for the HOF. Ortiz has finished in the top five of the AL MVP voting four straight seasons. Hafner has done it once. Ortiz has almost double Hafner’s career HR and RBI totals. <BR/><BR/>They are similar but Ortiz has the dominating seasons that Hafner doesn’t. Ortiz is almost two years older than Hafner so we could be having a different conversation in two years if Hafner stays productive and healthy.Jakehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16208921021297172480noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13718554.post-14535831119813178742007-07-23T11:55:00.000-04:002007-07-23T11:55:00.000-04:00I'm not the most knowledgeable person with regards...I'm not the most knowledgeable person with regards to players not on my team of choice (Atlanta). Your descriptions for David Ortiz and Travis Hafner seem similar. What makes Ortiz likely and Hafner not?susieandrewhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10063926729366897989noreply@blogger.com