WHY I THINK CHARLIE KELLER SHOULD BE IN COOPERSTOWN

 WHY I THINK CHARLIE KELLER SHOULD BE IN COOPERSTOWN

By- Damien 

Charlie Keller was a great beyond the word hitter, an expert defensive leftfielder, and among the best performers in postseason history. He hit over .300 twice and won two fielding titles in leftfield. The primary purpose of each season is to win the World Series, and Keller helped the Yankees do that three times. On a great Yankees team that included Hall of Famers Joe DiMaggio, Red Ruffing, Phil Rizzuto, Bill Dickey, and Joe Gordon, plus fireballing righthander Allie Reynolds, Charlie Keller proved his mettle. Keller started his career in 1939 by batting .334 with 11 home runs and 83 RBI’s in 111 games while leading the Yankees to the World Series title. In 1940 he hit .286 with 21 home runs, 93 RBI’s, and the most walks in the AL. He raised his batting average to .298 and his home run production to 33 in 1941 to help the Yankees win the World Series again. After batting .292 in 1942 with 26 homers and his second straight 100-RBI season to help the Yankees to the pennant, Keller hit .271 with 31 homers and led the AL in walks and OPS (.922) in 1943. After serving for the Merchant Marines in 1944 he came back with a purpose, hitting .301 and smacking ten homers in only 44 games in 1945. Keller hit .275 with 30 homers and 101 RBI’s in 1946 and drew 113 walks. He hit just .238 with 13 longballs in 45 games in 1947 but hit .267 in 83 games in 1948. Keller was traded to Detroit in 1950 after hitting “just” .250 in 60 games but didn’t disappoint, hitting .314 in 50 games. After hitting .258 in 54 games Keller went back to New York but only had one at bat before retiring. Charlie Keller was a complete, five tool player for most of his career. He is certainly deserving of a spot in the Hall of Fame. 

LIFETIME STATISTICS

Games career: 1,170 season high: 152 in 1942

At Bats career: 3,790 season high: 544 in 1942

Hits career: 1,085 season high: 159 in 1942

Doubles career: 166 season high: 29 in 1946

Triples career: 72 season high: 15 in 1940

Home Runs career: 189 season high: 33 in 1941

Runs career: 725 season high: 106 in 1942

Runs Batted In career: 760 season high: 122 in 1941

Stolen Bases career: 45 season high: 14 in 1942

Walks career: 784 season high: 114 in 1942 led AL: 106 in 1940 and 1943

Strikeouts career: 499 season high: 101 in 1946 led AL: 101 in 1946

Batting Average career: .286 season high: .334 in 1939

On Base Percentage career: .410 season high: .447 in 1939

Slugging Percentage career: .518 season high: .580 in 1941

Total Bases career: 1,962 season high: 294 in 1941

Sacrifice Hits career: 20 season high: 11 in 1939

Fielding Percentage career: .980 season high: .994 in 1943 led AL LF: .985 in 1942, .993 in 1943

Double Plays career: 6 season high: 2 in 1940 and 1941 led AL LF: 2 in 1941

Putouts career: 2,235 season high: 338 in 1943 led AL LF: 325 in 1941, 310 in 1942, 286 in 1943, 290 in 1946

Assists career: 46 season high: 10 in 1942

DID YOU KNOW?

-brother of Hal Keller

-nicknamed “King Kong”

-was a five time all-star

-batted .306/.367/.611 with 18 runs scored, 22 hits, three doubles, two triples, five home runs, 18 RBI's, one stolen base, and seven walks in 19 career World Series games

-hit three home runs in one game on July 28, 1940

-hit three home runs each off of Hall of Famers Bob Feller and Ted Lyons, two each off of Hal Newhouser, Early Wynn, and Allie Reynolds, and one each off of Lefty Grove and Bob Lemon

-hit ten or more triples in a season four times and nine once

-owns a better career OPS (.928) than Hall of Fame teammates Bill Dickey (.868), Phil Rizzuto (.706), and Joe Gordon (.822)

-finished fifth in the 1941 AL MVP polls, 13th in 1943, 14th in 1942, 15th in 1946, and 22nd in 1939

-made over 300 putouts five times

-led the AL in homer percentage in 1943 (6.1)

-drove in over 100 runs in a season three times and over 80 six times

-scored over 100 runs three times, 98 once, 97 once, and over 80 six times

-led AL leftfielders in games in 1941, (137) 1942 (152), and 1943 (140)

-also played 144 games in rightfield and 164 as a pinch hitter

-ranks 34th in career on base percentage and 42nd in OPS

The Top 25 Active Position Players To One Day Make It To Cooperstown - Next Ten

 The Top 25 Active Position Players To One Day Make It To Cooperstown - Next Ten

Number 15: Francisco Lindor (shortstop, .285/.346/.488, 138 home runs, 411 RBI, .981 F%) 

Lindor is currently the best shortstop in all of baseball. He is a four time Gold Glove award winner and a fantastic hitter. The four time all-star is only 27 and has already strung together three straight seasons with over 40 doubles and 30 home runs. The problem is, he is still well short of 1,000 hits, and he batted only .258 in 2020, which may or may not mean that he is losing his tremendous skill. He does not yet have very good counting statistics and his OBP is well below the Hall of Fame average, but he is still a very good player and will probably find himself in Cooperstown someday. 

Number 14: Elvis Andrus (shortstop, .274/.330/.372, 76 home runs, 636 RBI, .973 F%) 

Elvis Andrus is criminally underrated, and I am probably the only one advocating his case as one that could mean Cooperstown. He did have a poor 2020 season, which, at age 32, is not a good sign. Still, he is a fine defensive shortstop with over 300 career stolen bases and a bit of pop in his bat - he has 303 doubles and a 20 homer season to his credit. A three time league leader in sacrifice bunts, Andrus has been the best player on the Rangers for a very long time, and is traditionally hard to strike out. He compares favorably with several Hall of Fame shortstops who played in much easier times to be a productive hitter. 

Number 13: Anthony Rizzo (first baseman, .271/.372/.485, 229 home runs, 753 RBI, .995 F%) 

Rizzo is a fine hitter who can hit for very good power and draw a lot of walks. He has had a streak of four straight 30-homer seasons and hit 25 or more in the two following seasons. Rizzo is also a fine defensive first sacker with four Gold Gloves to his name. The biggest thing that prompted me to pick Rizzo was that he was a member of the 2016 Cubs, who won the World Series for the first time since 1908 and broke the longest championship drought in American sports history. He had a great regular season, a fine LCS, and batted .360 with three doubles, one home run, and five RBI’s during the Series. He is still one of the finest all around first basemen in the league and the 2016 Cubs were such a huge deal that I am confident in Rizzo’s Hall of Fame chances. 

Number 12: Freddie Freeman (first baseman, .295/.383/.509, 240 home runs, 858 RBI, .995 F%) 

The reigning NL MVP, Freeman is a great hitter with power and consistency. He is also a fine defender at first base. Freeman is a four time all-star who led the league in hits in 2018 and in doubles twice. A consummate five tool player, Freeman will have a hard time not making the Hall of Fame. 

Number 11: Mookie Betts (outfielder, .301/.373/.522, 155 home runs, 509 RBI, .989 F%) 

Betts is one of the best players in baseball today. At 28, he already has a MVP Award, two second place finishes, five Gold Gloves, four Silver Sluggers, one Batting Title, and two World Series rings. The problem is, he was on the Red Sox for the first six years of his career, and they have been accused of using pitch stealing devices, which made me uneasy about including him among this list in the first place. Betts may or may not be guilty, but he is the people’s favorite and is doing quite well with the Dodgers, so he will probably make the Hall of Fame someday. 

Number 10: Anthony Rendon (third baseman, .290/.372/.490, 145 home runs, 577 RBI, .974 F%) 

Rendon is the best third baseman in the league right now. He led the MLB in RBI’s in 2019 with 126 and is a two time league leader in doubles. He is already 30, but his contract doesn’t expire until 2027, so he will have plenty of time to solidify himself as a Hall of Famer in years to come. 

Number 9: DJ LeMahieu (second baseman, .305/.357/.430, 85 home runs, 478 RBI, .989 F%) 

LeMahieu is a three time all-star, a three time Gold Glover, a two time Silver Slugger, and a two time league batting champion. Quite simply, he’s the best second baseman in baseball. The main issue with his Hall of Fame case is that there is an unreasonable unfairness that comes with playing at Coors field, as LeMahieu did. He also has a lack in counting statistics, which hurts, especially considering that he is 32. If people remember how he was better at Yankee Stadium than at Coors, and how no second baseman in the league is comparable to him right now, he should have no problem making the Hall of Fame. 

Number 8: Dustin Pedroia (second baseman, .299/.365/.439, 140 home runs, 725 RBI, .991 F%) 

Pedroia is 37 and clearly going down. He has been bothered by injuries lately, and has last gotten more than 20 at bats in a season in 2017. Still, for a four time Gold Glove award winning second baseman, his batting skills were unparalleled in his prime. He was the AL Rookie of the Year in 2007, the MVP in 2008, and the league leader in runs scored in both 2008 and 2009. Since he started in the Major Leagues, he has amassed close to 2,000 hits and 400 doubles, so it looks like he should be a Hall of Famer without too much trouble. 

Number 7: Nolan Arenado (third baseman, .293/.349/.541, 235 home runs, 760 RBI, .972 F%) 

Arenado is only 29 ½, and has already won eight Gold Gloves and four Silver Sluggers. The five time all-star is a ferocious power hitter and a fantastic run producer (three homer titles and two RBI titles), but he will have to suffer through the Coors Field bias. At any rate, he is very popular and has a magnetic glove, so he will almost positively find himself in Cooperstown someday. 

Number 6: Yadier Molina (catcher, .281/.333/.404, 160 home runs, 932 RBI, .995 F%) 

Molina is a nine time all-star and a nine time Gold Glove award winner behind the plate. He owns a .403 lifetime caught stealing percentage and 66 pickoffs. In addition, he has won two World Series rings, putting up very good postseason hitting numbers. At the plate, Molina has had three .300 hitting seasons and won a Silver Slugger award in 2013. The 38 year old has over 2,000 career hits and two top four NL MVP Award finishes. Needless to say, Molina is a lock for Cooperstown.

WHY I THINK BUDDY MYER SHOULD BE IN COOPERSTOWN

 WHY I THINK BUDDY MYER SHOULD BE IN COOPERSTOWN 

By- Damien 

Buddy Myer was one of the best hitting second basemen in baseball history, even for his hard hitting era. He was not in the Hornsby-Collins-Lajoie class, but he did have a .303 lifetime batting average and won the AL batting title in 1935. Myer was also a fine fielder who won two fielding titles and set the AL record for double plays by a second baseman with 138, also in 1935. Buddy Myer started his career with the Washington Senators in 1925 as a talented 21 year old shortstop, but played in only four games. He was a regular by 1926 and batted .304 to mark his first of nine .300 seasons. He batted a mere .216 in his first 15 games with the Senators in 1927 and was traded in midseason to the Red Sox, where he finished out another highly productive season. After Myer batted .313 and led the AL in stolen bases in 1928, this time at third base, the Senators decided to get him back, which they gladly did. He hit .300 with 82 RBI’s in his first year back in the nation’s capital and .303 the following season. Myer played both second and third base that season, but was Washington’s second baseman for the rest of his career. Myer’s average dropped below .300 for a couple of seasons after that but the Senators kept their faith in him, and he rewarded them by putting together three more .300 years in a row, and in 1935 his play was simply breathtaking. He batted .349 that year and drove in a career best 100 runs despite only five homers. Unfortunately, in 1936, Myer was sidelined for most of the season and played in only 51 games, but he was a regular - and a very good one - again by 1937. Myer had his second best season in 1938, when he batted .336 and won his second fielding award. He was already 34 at the time, and unfortunately his great 1938 season was his last as a regular. He hung around as a part time player through 1941, and although he was aging and had lost his regular status, Myer continued to hit and field astonishingly well until he hung it up. Buddy Myer was a great hitter, a fine baserunner, and an amazing fielder. Any middle infielder who could hit as well as Myer could and backed up his bat with fantastic fielding is always a Hall of Famer to me and a lot of others. 

LIFETIME STATISTICS 

Games career: 1,923 season high: 151 in 1935 

At Bats career: 7,038 season high: 616 in 1935 

Hits career: 2,131 season high: 215 in 1935 

Doubles career: 353 season high: 38 in 1932 

Triples career: 130 season high: 16 in 1932 

Home Runs career: 38 season high: 6 in 1938 

Runs career: 1,174 season high: 120 in 1932 

Runs Batted In career: 848 season high: 100 in 1935 

Stolen Bases career: 157 season high: 30 in 1928 led AL: 30 in 1928 

Walks career: 965 season high: 102 in 1934 

Strikeouts career: 428 season high: 42 in 1931 

Batting Average career: .303 season high: .349 in 1935 led AL: .349 in 1935 

On Base Percentage career: .389 season high: .454 in 1938 

Slugging Percentage career: .406 season high: .468 in 1935 

Total Bases career: 2,858 season high: 288 in 1935 

Sacrifice Hits career: 151 season high: 26 in 1928 

Fielding Percentage career: .968 season high: .984 in 1931 led AL 2B: .984 in 1931, .982 in 1938 

Double Plays career: 1,134 season high: 138 in 1935 led AL 2B: 138 in 1935 led AL 3B: 35 in 1928 

Putouts career: 4,224 season high: 460 in 1935 led AL 2B: 460 in 1935 

Assists career: 5,152 season high: 473 in 1935 

DID YOU KNOW? 

-is the great uncle of Bob Myrick 

-had a combined .430 OBP from 1934 through 1938 

-was a two time all-star (in 1935 and 1937) 

-finished fourth in the AL MVP Award voting in 1935, ninth in 1928, 15th in 1933, and 24th in 1938 

-batted a career .286 in two World Series (1925 and 1933) 

-hit homers off of Walter Johnson and Urban Shocker 

-led the AL in times on base (315) and in games at second base (151) in 1935 

-also played 13 games in the outfield, 125 as a pinch hitter, and five as a pinch runner 

-among MLB second basemen, ranks 35th in career double plays, 34th in putouts, and 48th in assists 

-his 460 putouts at second base in 1935 are the ninth most of all time

2021 Hall Of Fame Ballot Results

Nope. Nobody made it. 

Curt Schilling, 71.1% 

Barry Bonds, 61.8% 

Roger Clemens, 61.6% 

Scott Rolen, 52.9% 

Omar Vizquel, 49.1% 

Billy Wagner, 46.4% 

Todd Helton, 44.9% 

Gary Sheffield, 40.6% 

Andruw Jones, 33.9% 

Jeff Kent, 32.4% 

Manny Ramirez, 28.2% 

Sammy Sosa, 17.0% 

Andy Pettitte, 13.7% 

Mark Buehrle, 11.0% 

Torii Hunter, 9.5% 

Bobby Abreu, 8.7% 

Tim Hudson, 5.2% 

Aramis Ramirez, 1.0% 

LaTroy Hawkins, 0.5% 

Barry Zito, 0.2% 

Michael Cuddyer, Nick Swisher, A.J. Burnett, Dan Haren, Shane Victorino, all nothin' 

Talk about absurdity. Who would vote for Bonds but not Clemens, Sosa, or Manny Ramirez? You are a yes or a no on the steroid issue, and any yes'es who know a thing about the Hall of Fame would think that all of them are worthy. I am personally a strong no, and wouldn't have voted for any of them. It's all or nothing. Biggest disappointment: Aramis Ramirez at 1.0% . He was worthy, and got 1/75 of his due today. And LaTroy Hawkins? He got multiple votes, but had a 4.31 career ERA and 127 saves. What on Earth? 

WHY I THINK LON WARNEKE SHOULD BE IN COOPERSTOWN

 WHY I THINK LON WARNEKE SHOULD BE IN COOPERSTOWN 

By- Damien 

Lon Warneke pitched in the heaviest hitting era in the history of baseball, yet still had career statistics that would look good in the 1960’s and was one of the best pitchers ever at the time of his retirement. He was a five time all-star, one of the greatest fielding pitchers in baseball history, and the owner of both the meanest fastball and curveball in the game when he was at his peak. Lon Warneke started his career with the Cubs in 1930, but pitched in only one game, in relief. He won two games in 1931 and had one of the best seasons that any pitcher ever had in 1932. Warneke won a league leading 22 games, led the Majors with a 2.37 ERA, and finished second in the NL MVP Award voting. Warneke was even better in 1933, posting 18 wins and an ERA of just 2.00, and pitched in the first ever all-star game. He won 20 or more games in each of the next two seasons, but never again won 20 after that. However, Warneke averaged 16 victories per season through 1941, pitching for both the Cubs and the St. Louis Cardinals, but was allowed fewer innings in 1942. He split the season between the Cardinals and the Cubs, who had gotten him back, and in 181 innings, he went 11-11 with an impressive 2.73 ERA. By this time Warneke was no longer really a power pitcher, but he worked well on finesse, and allowed the fewest walks per nine innings in the NL that season. Warneke won four games with a 3.16 ERA in 1943 and entered the military, stating that he would be ready “to toss hand grenades at Hitler and Hirohito”, which cost him his 1944 season. He pitched 14 innings in 1945 before retiring. Lon Warneke was a fantastic pitcher and a war hero who essentially epitomized a baseball Hall of Famer for his entire career. 

LIFETIME STATISTICS 

Games Pitched career: 445 season high: 43 in 1934 

Starts career: 343 season high: 35 in 1934 

Complete Games career: 192 season high: 26 in 1933 led NL: 26 in 1933 

Shutouts career: 30 season high: 4 in 1932, 1933, 1936, 1938, and 1941 led NL: 4 in 1932 and 1936 

Games Finished career: 66 season high: 11 in 1935 

Wins career: 192 season high: 22 in 1932 and 1934 led NL: 22 in 1932 

Losses career: 121 season high: 13 in 1933, 1935, and 1936 

Winning Percentage career: .613 season high: .786 in 1932 led NL: .786 in 1932 

ERA career: 3.18 season low: 2.00 in 1933 led NL: 2.37 in 1932 

WHIP career: 1.245 season low: 1.123 in 1932 

Innings Pitched career: 2,782 ⅓ season high: 291 ⅓ in 1934 

Strikeouts career: 1,140 season high: 143 in 1934 

Strikeouts Per Nine Innings career: 3.7 season high: 4.4 in 1934 

Walks career: 739 season high: 82 in 1941 

Strikeouts Per Walk career: 1.54 season high: 2.40 in 1935 

Saves career: 14 season high: 4 in 1935 

Fielding Percentage career: .988 season high: 1.000 in 1933, 1934, 1939, 1940, 1941, and 1942 led NL P: 1.000 in 1933, 1934, 1939, 1940, 1941, and 1942 

Double Plays career: 31 season high: 7 in 1932 and 1933 

Putouts career: 126 season high: 15 in 1934, 1935, and 1936 

Assists career: 538 season high: 72 in 1933 

DID YOU KNOW? 

-nicknamed “The Arkansas Hummingbird” 

-umpired 1,055 games from 1949 through 1955, and was the leftfield umpire when Willie Mays made his famous catch in Game 1 of the 1954 World Series 

-among MLB players from Arkansas, he has the most career wins, starts, complete games, shutouts, and innings pitched 

-is the only person ever to have both played in and umpired a World Series and an all-star game 

-struck out two and allowed no earned runs during his final MLB game to earn a three inning save 

-pitched a no-hitter on August 30, 1941 

-pitched one-hitters in his first two starts of the 1934 season 

-had a nine game winning streak in 1932 

-struck out over 100 batters in a season for five straight years (1932-1936) 

-also finished 12th in the NL MVP Award voting in 1935, 13th in 1934, 16th in 1937, 20th in 1933, 27th in 1941, and 30th in 1938 

-went 2-0 with a 0.54 ERA and a shutout in the 1935 World Series 

-struck out seven Yankees in Game 2 of the 1932 World Series, including Babe Ruth 

-batted .324 in 1938 and .300 in 1933 

-set the MLB record for pitchers by handling 227 straight errorless chances 

-had a .553 career caught stealing percentage at pitcher 

-also played one game as a pinch hitter and 13 as a pinch runner 

-among MLB pitchers, ranks 45th in career fielding percentage, having made only eight career errors 

-was inducted into the Arkansas Sports Hall of Fame in 1961 and into the Reading Sports Hall of Fame in 2011

The Top 25 Active Position Players To One Day Make It To Cooperstown - First Ten

 The Top 25 Active Position Players To One Day Make It To Cooperstown - First Ten 

There are a lot of active position players who may very well end up in Cooperstown. Despite the heavy pitching advantage, I have noticed that many of the fielders and sluggers of today’s game compare favorably against those of other times. A good portion of the players on my active lists will burn out and not make the Hall of Fame (take a look at what happened to Tim Lincecum), but as of now, these players are on the right track to baseball immortality. Let’s look at the list. 

Number 25: Giancarlo Stanton (rightfielder, .268/.359/.546, 312 home runs, 796 RBI, .980 F%)

Giancarlo Stanton has 312 career home runs going into his age 31 season, so it is not unrealistic to assume that he will reach 500, which would guarantee his enshrinement. He was the NL MVP in 2017 with a league leading 59 home runs and 132 RBI’s, and has hit 30 or more home runs in five of his seven full seasons. However, Stanton’s batting average is sketchy and his fielding is atrocious, not to mention the fact that he can’t stay healthy, so he pretty much has to hit 500 to ensure himself a Hall of Fame plaque. 

Number 24: Josh Donaldson (third baseman, .272/.369/.508, 225 home runs, 656 RBI, .958 F%) 

In an era of many great third basemen (Longoria, Arenado, Rendon, Machado, himself), Donaldson has proven that he is one of the best in the game. He was the AL MVP in 2015 and is a fine glove with excessive power. He had a late start to the game, playing his first full season at 27, and is 35 years old now. He has only 1,066 hits and a less than spectacular batting average, so he will be a longshot candidate at best. 

Number 23: Salvador Perez (catcher, .269/.300/.449, 152 home runs, 535 RBI, .995 F%) 

Perez is a fantastic defensive catcher (five Gold Gloves) with good power and a .333 average last season. He is still a top catcher at 30, still in his prime, but his 992 hits and 187 walks are - unimpressive. If he can dramatically improve his plate discipline and add the slightest bit of speed to his game, the Hall of Fame will likely be calling his name. 

Number 22: Bryce Harper (outfielder, .276/.387/.513, 232 home runs, 668 RBI, .983 F%) 

I know that a lot of you will be shocked to hear that the ever popular Harper is overpaid, overrated, a longshot Hall of Fame candidate. His power and patience are his best tools, and he does have some speed, but he is only a .276 lifetime hitter with an abundance of strikeouts and remarkable inconsistency. For example, he was the NL MVP in 2015, but batted .243 with 24 homers in 2016. He’s batted .257 over the last three seasons and is a below average fielder, but nevertheless is a great player with a legitimate shot at ultimate glory in Cooperstown. 

Number 21: Andrew McCutchen (outfielder, .285/.376/.478, 243 home runs, 853 RBI, .989 F%) 

“Cutch” is a fine player with all five tools that are looked upon as the key to success in baseball. He was the NL MVP in 2013, has won four Silver Sluggers, and led the league in hits and OBP each once. The problem is, he’s 34, and is rapidly losing his skills. McCutchen is still one of the better outfielders out there, but his lack of counting statistics is going to make it tough for him if he wants to make it to Cooperstown. 

Number 20: Andrelton Simmons (shortstop, .269/.317/.379, 67 home runs, 406 RBI, .981 F%) 

Yes, I am an Angels fan. Although Simmons has batting numbers that are not overwhelming, even for a shortstop, he is still a realistic Hall of Fame candidate. He is certainly one of the best defensive shortstops who I have ever seen (he has four Gold Glove awards) and is one of the “L.A. Guns”, along with future Hall of Famers Mike Trout, Anthony Rendon, and Albert Pujols. His slash line is hard to accept, even though this is an overwhelmingly heavy pitchers’ era, and he is 31 years old. Still, with a great season last year, he can still be considered a legitimate Hall of Fame possibility. 

Number 19: Evan Longoria (third baseman, .266/.334/.473, 304 home runs, 1,043 RBI, .966 F%) 

Longoria is a very good power hitter and one of the best gloves ever at third base. His batting and on base averages are not very impressive for a Hall of Fame candidate, but he saves so many hits on a daily basis that he was tenth in the 2011 AL MVP Award voting despite a .244 batting average. The 35 year old was the 2008 AL Rookie of the Year with the Rays, helping the club to its first pennant. He has, in my eyes, about a 50% shot at Cooperstown, so judge it as you will. 

Number 18: Christian Yelich (outfielder, .296/.381/.488, 151 home runs, 522 RBI, .990 F%) 

Christian Yelich is a great hitter and a fine fielder, but he is very inconsistent. He batted only .205 last season, which is really going to hurt his Hall of Fame case. Yelich still is a two time batting champion and a 2018 MVP (he also should have won in 2019, in my opinion). He was pretty good his first five seasons, amazing in his next two, and poor in 2020. He is only 29 and has a very good batting eye, so he may very well turn it around and put up a Hall of Fame career. 

Number 17: Paul Goldschmidt (first baseman, .293/.392/.522, 249 home runs, 828 RBI, .996 F%) 

Goldschmidt is a great defensive first baseman, a six time all-star, and a productive power hitter. His rate stats are nice, and he can swipe a base when he wants to, but at 33 he has a lack of major counting statistics (1,395 hits, for example). He is a great player and still a top first baseman, but he has to reach at least 300 homers and grab many more hits if he wants to guarantee himself a plaque. However, he is one of the league’s best power hitters and is bearing the burden of a pitching era, so he may have a shot even if he falls short of 2,000 career hits. 

Number 16: Nick Markakis (outfielder, .288/.357/.423, 189 home runs, 1,046 RBI, .994 F%) 

Markakis is the epitome of a player who is solid but unspectacular. At 37, he is still going strong, and has won seven fielding titles in rightfield (he is the all time record holder in career fielding percentage at the post) and has hit over 500 career doubles. Markakis offers good staying power, good run production, and remarkable defense. Without the loss of over 100 games in 2020, it looked like he would almost positively garner his 3,000th hit, earning him an automatic induction, but if he doesn’t reach that milestone, he will be on the outside looking in. 

WHY I THINK CARLOS DELGADO SHOULD BE IN COOPERSTOWN

 WHY I THINK CARLOS DELGADO SHOULD BE IN COOPERSTOWN 

By- Damien 

Carlos Delgado was a great power hitting first baseman who hit 473 career regular season home runs, only 27 shy of the magical 500 that would have guaranteed his enshrinement. His all time MLB total is 477, as he also hit four in the 2006 postseason. Delgado was much more than just a great power hitter, however, as he had a career batting average of .280 and three seasons over .300, including one at .344. Originally a catcher, Carlos Delgado started his career with the Toronto Blue Jays in 1993, earning a World Series ring despite playing in only two games. Delgado hit nine home runs in 43 games in 1994 but wasn’t a regular or a real asset to his team until 1996, when he hit 25 home runs and drove in 92 runs. Delgado started a streak of ten straight 30 homer seasons in 1997 and established himself as one of the finest players in the league in 1998 with a .292 mark and 38 homers. He averaged 136 RBI’s across the next two seasons, including a career year in 2000 when he batted .344 with 99 extra-base hits. Delgado slumped a little in 2001 and 2002 but was the runner up for AL MVP Award honors in 2003, when he led the Majors with 145 RBI’s. The winner was Alex Rodriguez, who drove in 27 fewer runs and may have been on illegal drugs. He slipped in batting to .269 in 2004 and played in only 128 games, and despite his ever present power, the Blue Jays decided to grant him free agency. Delgado signed with the Marlins for the 2005 season and batted .301 with 33 home runs. He was traded again, this time to the Mets, for the 2006 season and hit 38 longballs at the age of 34. Delgado slumped again in 2007 but the Mets didn’t lose hope in him, and he rewarded the club with one last big season in 2008, his eleventh with at least 30 homers and his third with exactly 38. He batted .298 in 26 games in 2009 before being granted free agency again. He signed with the Red Sox in 2010 but didn’t appear in another game. Carlos Delgado was a fine hitter, a great slugger, and a fantastic run producer. His sub-5% vote tally on the 2015 Hall of Fame ballot was… controversial. He has definitely impressed me and tens of thousands of other fans and really should be in Cooperstown. 

LIFETIME STATISTICS 

Games career: 2,035 season high: 162 in 2000 and 2001 led AL: 162 in 2000 and 2001 

At Bats career: 7,283 season high: 598 in 2008 

Hits career: 2,038 season high: 196 in 2000 

Doubles career: 483 season high: 57 in 2000 led AL: 57 in 2000 

Triples career: 18 season high: 3 in 1997 and 2005 

Home Runs career: 473 season high: 44 in 1999 

Runs career: 1,241 season high: 117 in 2003 

Runs Batted In career: 1,512 season high: 145 in 2003 led AL: 145 in 2003 

Stolen Bases career: 14 season high: 4 in 2007 

Walks career: 1,109 season high: 123 in 2000 

Strikeouts career: 1,745 season high: 141 in 1999 

Batting Average career: .280 season high: .344 in 2000 

On Base Percentage career: .383 season high: .470 in 2000 

Slugging Percentage career: .546 season high: .664 in 2000 

Total Bases career: 3,976 season high: 378 in 2000 led AL: 378 in 2000 

Sacrifice Hits career: 0 

Fielding Percentage career: .992 season high: .996 in 2004 

Double Plays career: 1,496 season high: 166 in 2001 led AL 1B: 134 in 1999, 157 in 2000, 166 in 2001, 137 in 2003 

Putouts career: 15,236 season high: 1,518 in 2001 led AL 1B: 1,306 in 1999, 1,1,416 in 2000, 1,518 in 2001, 1,232 in 2002, 1,355 in 2003 

Assists career: 1,067 season high: 105 in 2008 

DID YOU KNOW? 

-became the 15th player to hit the single game record of four home runs in a game on September 25, 2003, and is the only player to hit four in four at bats 

-hit the most career home runs among Puerto Rican players 

-retired with the Blue Jays’ career records in fourteen different categories 

-had nine RBI’s in one game on July 27, 2008, which is the New York Mets record 

-went 5-for-5 with three RBI’s and the walkoff hit on August 21, 2008, marking the first game in which he went 5-for-5 since 1998 

-had a Mets record seven games with multiple home runs in 2008, and had 65 RBI’s in a 65 game stretch that year 

-was the first visiting player to hit three splash home runs at AT&T Park and the first to hit a homer into Pepsi Porch in Citi Field 

-had a career batting average of .368 when putting the ball in play 

-batted .351/.442/.757 with eleven RBI’s in ten games during the 2006 postseason 

-batted .500 with a double and an RBI in two all-star games (2000 and 2003) 

-won three Silver Slugger awards (in 1999, 2000, and 2003) 

-was the 2000 Major League Player of the Year and AL Hank Aaron Award winner 

-won the 2006 Roberto Clemente Award and nine career Player of the Week awards 

-also finished fourth in the 2000 AL MVP Award voting, 12th in 1999, and 21st in 1998 

-finished sixth in the 2005 NL MVP Award voting, ninth in 2008, and 12th in 2006 

-scored over 100 runs in five consecutive seasons (1999-2003) 

-had nine 100 RBI seasons and one with 99 

-led the AL in hit by pitch (15) in 2000, OPS (1.019) in 2003, and in times on base in both seasons 

-led the NL with ten sacrifice flies in 2006 

-also played 58 games in leftfield, 185 as a DH, 56 as a pinch hitter, and one as a pinch runner 

-ranks 34th in career home runs, 28th in slugging percentage, 38th in OPS (.929), 44th in extra base hits (974), 16th in hit by pitch (172), 25th in intentional walks (186) 26th in home run percentage (6.5), and 43rd in putouts 

-among MLB first baseman, ranks 41st in career games, 25th in double plays, 44th in putouts, and 43rd in assists 

-is a member of both the Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame and the Toronto Blue Jays Level of Excellence

three home run games