MLB question/debate

I think hands down he will be.  One of the top 5, maybe better, switch hitters of all-time.  That is a very unique skill set in today's baseball.  There is some serious drop off after Mantle and Rose.   The others?  Bernie Williams, Tim Raines, Lance Berkman, Eddie Murray?  I think he has them beat.  I don't think he is a first ballot shoe-in but he will get there on the 2nd or 3rd HOF try. 

I would like to see him stay healthy enough to make it to 500 homeruns but I don't foresee that. 

^^^^^ Exactly what I was going to say. 

Not to mention he played at 3rd base, which will help him considerably. There are fewer 3rd basemen in the Hall than in any other position. I think he gets in, just not 1st ballot.

I'm going the opposite direction and saying he doesn't make it. He has great skills at the plate, but he just has never played enough due to injury to put up the astronomical numbers it takes to get into the hall of fame. Also, he has never been very good in the field whether he was playing 3rd base or when they experimented with him in the outfield.

I tend to agree with the OP. He has a chance based on his skills at the plate, but he has become sort of a joke among sportswriters due to his frequent ( and sometimes strange ) injuries. By the way, these are the same sports writers that will vote for the HOF. His toughness was questioned just this week by Brian Jordan and I hear a lot of people joke all the time that Chipper is out again due to a hangnail or a bruised pinky figner. There are also a lot of people within MLB that believe he misses so many games due to injury, because he is more concerned with his stats than his team.

As much as I hate the Braves, I think he'll get in and deservedly so. I'd be SHOCKED if he were a first ballot HOFer, but certainly a few years down the road he'll make it.

So far in his career, I find these stats among the most compelling for his eventual inclusion in the HoF:

6-time All-Star (1996–98, 2000–01, 2008)
National League MVP (1999)
NL Batting Champ: .364 (2008)
8 consecutive 100+ RBI seasons (1996–2003); 9 total 100+ RBI seasons
Career BA: .307
Career RBI: 1451
Career HR: 428
Most HRs in a season by an NL switch hitter (45; in 1999; tied with Lance Berkman)
17 seasons with one club (Atlanta Braves, '93-'10)

1451 HRs???  He's in!

I'll admit to being a Braves' fan on this, but statistically I think he's in.  400+ HRs, the longevity of his career and with one team,... He's also got 2 Silver Slugger awards and a lifetime average over .300

Don't forget, he was also the #1 pick in the draft (1990)... baseball is the least of the major 4 sports where the #1 overall pick actually has a great career.





Edited by Fitzy 2010-04-30 11:27 AM

Fitzy, by your bolding to get stats from the previous poster, I could just as easily say with an underline...
307 career RBI, no way he's getting in.  

I think Chipper (which is a dumb nickname I feel) will likely make it, but it won't be on his first few years.  He has decent offensive numbers, but when you think of the all time great 3rd basemen, do you ever think of him?

I'm not saying I'd rather have Jim Gantner playing instead of him, but he's not in the top 5 3rd basemen in baseball today.

I'll preface this by saying Chipper has been my favorite player since he came into the league. So yeah, I will atleast admit to hoping he makes the Hall. But, also, I don't think that he's injury issues will keep him out. He's never been a Cal Ripkin type, but up until 2004 (as a 32 year old), he was playing 150+ games a year. I think some of the intangibles make him a more desirable Hall vote as well, considering his club leadership and image. Think of somebody like Tony Gwynn, who put up consistent numbers, but never huge production. Yet he still got in on the first ballot.

I don't think Chipper will make first ballot, his defense is just that bad, but I do think he will make it eventually.

as a Mets fan, Larry beat up on us more than any player that i can remember.  he can be a hall of famer from only playing us.

Sorry, but I have to call you out...Jim Gantner was a second baseman.

And don't go ripping Gumby, the guy played with more heart and guts than 99% of the hacks playing in the bigs today :-).

Plus, I drywalled his house and he was a salt-of-the-earth type fellow so be careful how you tread ;-).

He's a for sure HOFer.