HOF Ballot Released

[BrockForBroglio]

For me it is Chipper(and as a Cardinal fan that is hard to say) but he deserves it and Jim Thome, a skinny kid from Peoria Illinois who worked his ass off to become a clean power hitter....

BTW......LMAO at Brad Lidge....if it wasn't for Albert Pujols, no one would know who this guy was.

 

[calsnowskier]

One of my all time favorite players Frank Thomas only played 42% of his games in the field. That's more than Edgar, and of course he was a better hitter. But he may have broken the seal on DHs and the HOF.

Thomas has 2 MVPs and 7 OTHER top 10 MVP finishes. Edgar only has 2 top 10s.

To get in as a DH, you have to be inner-rung HOF. Edgar is borderline at best.

 

[Voltaire26]

One of my all time favorite players Frank Thomas only played 42% of his games in the field. That's more than Edgar, and of course he was a better hitter. But he may have broken the seal on DHs and the HOF.

If it had not been for Rickey Henderson, Frank Thomas was probably the most annoying batter I ever saw!!

 

[msgkings322]

If it had not been for Rickey Henderson, Frank Thomas was probably the most annoying batter I ever saw!!

Annoying?

 

[Voltaire26]

Annoying?

Yeah Annoying ... trust me it's a compliment ... he would talk pitches and foul them off ... until he got the pitch he wanted. If you're not on the Tigers ... that's annoying. Thomas had more walks than strikeouts ... how many modern players had that ... maybe Barry Bonds, but no one wanted to pitch to him ... therefore less annoying.

 

[msgkings322]

Yeah Annoying ... trust me it's a compliment ... he would talk pitches and foul them off ... until he got the pitch he wanted. If you're not on the Tigers ... that's annoying. Thomas had more walks than strikeouts ... how many modern players had that ... maybe Barry Bonds, but no one wanted to pitch to him ... therefore less annoying.

Got it. Agree 100%, Frank was easily one of the top 5 right handed hitters of all time. Maybe top 3. Mays being first.

 

[msgkings322]

Got it. Agree 100%, Frank was easily one of the top 5 right handed hitters of all time. Maybe top 3. Mays being first.

OK my fandom got me carried away. I decided to look into it. Contenders would be Mays, a somewhat obscure hitter named Hank Aaron, Pujols, A-Rod (feel dirty including him but facts are facts), Thomas, Cabrera, Frank Robinson, Foxx...and I guess Trout is on his way. Maybe throw Manny in there to make it 10.

 

[Voltaire26]

OK my fandom got me carried away. I decided to look into it. Contenders would be Mays, a somewhat obscure hitter named Hank Aaron, Pujols, A-Rod (feel dirty including him but facts are facts), Thomas, Cabrera, Frank Robinson, Foxx...and I guess Trout is on his way. Maybe throw Manny in there to make it 10.

Take Aaron out of it ... he an arrogant self absorbed prick ... You forgot the best Rogers Hornsby ... Frank Thomas is a strong hitter that drove pitchers crazy ... If you have him a little overrated, it's like me overrating Al Kaline ... it's okay!!!

 

[msgkings322]

Take Aaron out of it ... he an arrogant self absorbed prick ... You forgot the best Rogers Hornsby ... Frank Thomas is a strong hitter that drove pitchers crazy ... If you have him a little overrated, it's like me overrating Al Kaline ... it's okay!!!

It's not a personality contest. Aaron was arguably the 2nd best right handed hitter of all time

 

[Voltaire26]

It's not a personality contest. Aaron was arguably the 2nd best right handed hitter of all time

Rogers Hornsby
Willie Mays
Miguel Cabrera
Albert Pujols
Al Simmons
Rickey Henderson
Roberto Clemente
Hank Greenberg
Harry Heilmann
Frank Robinson
Alex Rodriguez
Joe Dimaggio
Frank Thomas
Jimmy Fox

I may have forgotten a couple, but if Aaron is 2nd it is crowded at 1st.

 

[msgkings322]

Rogers Hornsby
Willie Mays
Miguel Cabrera
Albert Pujols
Al Simmons
Rickey Henderson
Roberto Clemente
Hank Greenberg
Harry Heilmann
Frank Robinson
Alex Rodriguez
Joe Dimaggio
Frank Thomas
Jimmy Fox

I may have forgotten a couple, but if Aaron is 2nd it is crowded at 1st.

Come on man, Aaron was a better hitter than almost everyone on that list

 

[Voltaire26]

Come on man, Aaron was a better hitter than almost everyone on that list

I take any of these guys before Aaron

Rogers Hornsby Stats | Baseball-Reference.com

Jimmie Foxx Stats | Baseball-Reference.com

Hank Greenberg Stats | Baseball-Reference.com

Joe DiMaggio Stats | Baseball-Reference.com

Harry Heilmann Stats | Baseball-Reference.com

Al Simmons Stats | Baseball-Reference.com

Albert Pujols Stats | Baseball-Reference.com

Miguel Cabrera Stats | Baseball-Reference.com

Alex Rodriguez Stats | Baseball-Reference.com

Willie Mays Stats | Baseball-Reference.com

Rickey Henderson Stats | Baseball-Reference.com

https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/t/thomafr04.shtml

https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/c/clemero01.shtml

https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/a/aaronha01.shtml

 

[Cedrique]

I take any of these guys before Aaron

Rogers Hornsby Stats | Baseball-Reference.com

Jimmie Foxx Stats | Baseball-Reference.com

Hank Greenberg Stats | Baseball-Reference.com

Joe DiMaggio Stats | Baseball-Reference.com

Harry Heilmann Stats | Baseball-Reference.com

Al Simmons Stats | Baseball-Reference.com

Albert Pujols Stats | Baseball-Reference.com

Miguel Cabrera Stats | Baseball-Reference.com

Alex Rodriguez Stats | Baseball-Reference.com

Willie Mays Stats | Baseball-Reference.com

Rickey Henderson Stats | Baseball-Reference.com

Frank Thomas Stats | Baseball-Reference.com

Roberto Clemente Stats | Baseball-Reference.com

Hank Aaron Stats | Baseball-Reference.com

Some of those guys maybe, but looking at the stats Heilman and Al Simmons don't even look close to Aaron to me. (a big thing I'm looking at is the fact that Aaron has 8 different seasons with a WAR of 8.0 or higher). Simmons doesn't have any.

 

[navamind]

While Aaron's best offensive seasons weren't that eye popping, he still had an outstanding peak and he was a top player for nearly two decades. 16 seasons where he was top 10 in WAR (14 top 5), 11 in OBP, 19 in SLG% and 18 in OPS+. While some of those players may have been better hitters in their prime, none of those guys really have the longevity Aaron did. Playing in the 60s/early 70s probably didn't do Hank's power numbers any favors either.

 

[navamind]

Some of those guys maybe, but looking at the stats Heilman and Al Simmons don't even look close to Aaron to me. (a big thing I'm looking at is the fact that Aaron has 8 different seasons with a WAR of 8.0 or higher). Simmons doesn't have any.

Neither do Greenberg and Miggy, both of which are a bit surprising IMO. Their overall batting lines might be comparable, but some of them (especially Hank) had way less playing time than Aaron and never really had a decline phase.

 

[navamind]

Crazy to think there was a point in time where Pujols looked like a legit top 20 (maybe 10) player of all-time. His bat really fell off.

 

[Voltaire26]

Neither do Greenberg and Miggy, both of which are a bit surprising IMO. Their overall batting lines might be comparable, but some of them (especially Hank) had way less playing time than Aaron and never really had a decline phase.

It was called World War II

 

[navamind]

It was called World War II

I'm aware.

 

[DragonfromTO]

I will admit, i am NOT for Edgar in the HOF.... if he makes it, i won't complain as he is on top of the fence for me...

the reason i dont have him in:

he played in an offensive dominant era, so lots of his offensive SHOULD be over exaggerated... Sure, his Career BA is a .312, but he was only top 10 in the MLB 4 times, and BEST only once.. now that is very good, but the point is is that he wasn't really ever GREAT... he is one of those players who is great because of being consistently very good...

being a DH doesn't help his case, i have higher standards for someone who ONLY hit... as he played less than 1/3 of his career in the field...

Dude, if you want to make a case for/against offensive greatness you know full well that you have to cite something more/better than just BA. I'm not saying there's no case to be made against Edgar's offensive greatness, just that you're not really making it there.There was a lot more to Edgar on offense than what can be measured by batting average, and I think you know that.

 

[DragonfromTO]

Yeah Annoying ... trust me it's a compliment ... he would talk pitches and foul them off ... until he got the pitch he wanted. If you're not on the Tigers ... that's annoying. Thomas had more walks than strikeouts ... how many modern players had that ... maybe Barry Bonds, but no one wanted to pitch to him ... therefore less annoying.

On a related note, I remember going to see the Mariners play the Yankees and basically telling my wife "if you want to see a good at bat, pay attention to this" when Edgar came up to lead off the 2nd.

He watched five pitches, none of which were terrible, and then hit the sixth one off the top of the wall in LF. Anecdotal bullshit, I know, but that's how I'll always remember Edgar. Ended up being a great game too

Seattle Mariners at New York Yankees Box Score, August 9, 2003 | Baseball-Reference.com