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Reactions: Hall-bound? Users tell us who deserves enshrinement next yearPosted: Friday January 14, 2000 02:52 PM
CNNSI.com asked users to tell us which players deserve to be voted into the Hall of Fame next year. A sampling of the most interesting responses follows: Dave Winfield -- 3000 hits, 400HRs. Really not much of a debate with him. Kirby Puckett -- Lifetime BA over .300. Numerous 200 hits seasons. Great defender. There should be no doubt about him going in. Hopefully shortened career won't hurt him. The writers have a tendency to favor long, good careers over shorter, spectacular ones. Don Mattingly -- Lifetime numbers almost parallel to Puckett's... lifetime BA 0ver .300... both had over 200HR's... had over 1,000 rbi's... 2,150 hits in only 11 or 12 seasons. 9 Gold gloves -- highest fielding percentage of any position player in the history of the game. 200 hit seasons 3 times. One MVP... One Batting title... numerous All-star appearances. 8 game HR hitting streak. 6 Grand Slams in one season -- he did it all. Unfortunatly never had the great teams behind, him... hopefully he won't be penalized for that.
Dave Winfield's numbers alone don't make a strong case for the Hall, but when you factor in his love for the game, that should put him over the top. In his era, few players were more exciting to watch. This was a guy who went for the fences every time he stepped to the plate and when he did strike out, he struck out swinging. He ran the bases all-out like Pete Rose or Mickey Mantle. And don't even get me started about that ripping arm from right field. In his peak, no one tried him.
Dave Winfield, Kirby Puckett have the numbers. Hall of Famers are people that have a command of the game. There presence can change the outcome in key situations, and they come through time and again.
I must put my two cents in for "The Murph", Dale Murphy. There is no doubt that for about six or seven good years, he was very nearly the best player in the game. Sports writers used to say that they couldn't imagine that Mickey Mantle was any better in his prime. Those who say his talent faded at too young an age should realize that the man had SOOO many children, that his mind must surely have been somewhere else. Additionally, there is no doubt that he is a class act through and through, a man worthy of being idolized. His contributions off the field are as compelling as those on the field.
Gary Carter most certainly should have been elected into the Hall this winter. I can remember growing up and watching him he was always referred to as "the future Hall of Fame catcher". His statistics match up to Fisk's, he was a better defensive catcher, and he lead the Mets to a World Series Championship as their co-captain. During his peak ten or so seasons he was always considered among the league's two or three best receivers. The media's love affair with Fisk allowed them to cast oversight on one of the best catchers to ever play the game, to pass over "The Kid."
Pete Rose: 4,256 Hits, .303 Lifetime Batting Average, .987 Fielding Percentage, Played in more winning games that anyone, #1 in AB, Games Played, Singles, and the list goes on and on. It's time to lift the ban and put real Hall of Famers in the Hall of Fame.
Lou Whitaker all the way. he could hit. he had a glove that any kid watching him would love to have. when you needed that base hit he gave it to you. go for it Sweet Lou. you will make it to the hall. you and you counter part Allen Trammell.
Dale Murphy. If he had spent his career in New York, there would be no controversy. Along with Mike Schmidt, he was the best player of the 80's. From a catcher to gold glove outfielder? A member of the 30/30 club in a time when only a few had accomplished the feat? 2 time league MVP? All this while carrying the Braves' franchise on his back. He also could have padded his numbers moving to the AL as a DH to finish his career, hitting 25-30 HR's 5-8 more years - something a lot of players now do. He played with grace, he retired with grace, and he should be inducted into the Hall of Fame the same way. But I now question the induction balloting process, because there were about 10 players who got more votes than The Murph did. Maybe someone should tell the 'experts' it is not a popularity contest.
I don't see any locks out there. I like Kirby Puckett, but having his career cut short will hurt his chances of making it on the first ballot. I am somewhat surprised that Gary Carter is not receiving more support than he has. Dale Murphy has pretty good numbers plus back-to-back MVP award going for him. Dave Winfield had a very solid (and long) career - chances would have increased he had not bounced around him last few years.
Keith Hernandez should be elected. Nobody in his time, or in many years before or since, has played first base at the level he established. That should be enough right there. But he was a heady player who made the most of his offensive skills and raised the level of play of his teammates. I don't know how many players have worn number 17 on his account, but it's a long list and that list includes David Cone and Mark Grace. Is there any other player who received that kind of tribute from his peers and isn't in the hall of fame? If the Hall of Fame isn't big enough for Mex, get a bigger hall.
Steve Garvey, "The Garv" was the cornerstone of the most famous infield in history. Gold Glove and Mr. Clutch deserves his place in THE HALL.
Gary Carter should get in on the catcher clause, which assures any catcher who strung together five good seasons in a row gets in. Sorry, I just hate this guy. I watched him torch the Phillies at the Vet so many times on hot summer nights I wanted to bean him myself...and if his fist pumping and curtain calls with the Mets, most of the time while leading 10-0 didn't make me like him much either.
No one on that list -- or any other list -- belongs in the Hall of Fame until Ron Santo is inducted. Check the record. Check the stats. No one. Period.
I think Bruce Sutter has been overlooked by the Hall of Fame long enough. He won the Cy Young award in 1979, he led the National League in saves at least 5 times, he was the all time saves leader for several years and is still in the top ten, and he dominated relief pitching in the early '80s. Also, if my memory serves me correctly, he was the first pitcher to predominately use the split-finger fastball. Isn't one of the criteria for election someone who dominated his position? Isn't one of the criteria a person who introduced something new to baseball or, at least, became the first person to use a newer innovation? If so, Bruce Sutter meets those qualifications without a doubt. He carried the role of the relief pitcher into the '80s and he deserves to be in the Hall for that.
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