WHY I THINK TIM SALMON SHOULD BE IN COOPERSTOWN
By- Damien
Tim Salmon was one of the best all around players of his time and the greatest retired Angel in history. Salmon was a solid rightfielder and a great hitter who could hit for power and a high batting average. He started his MLB career in 1992, belting a pair of home runs in 23 games. He was the 1993 AL Rookie of the Year (the first Angel to win the award) after batting .283 with 31 home runs and 95 RBI’s. Salmon hit .287 and 23 home runs in 100 games in 1994 before having his second of five 30-homer seasons in 1995. His .330 batting average earned Salmon a Silver Slugger award that year, and was the third highest mark in the AL. After two more 30-homer seasons Salmon hit 26 with an even .300 average in 1998. He slumped to .266 in 98 games in 1999 but enjoyed another 30-homer year in 2000. After he struggled to only .227 and 17 homers in 2001, some people thought that Salmon’s promising career was over. They were wrong. As the AL Comeback Player of the Year, Salmon hit .286 with 22 homers in 2002 to lead the Angels to their first ever World Series title. He belted a pair of homers and a double in the ALDS, slumped in the ALCS, and batted .346 with a double and two longballs in the World Series. Salmon hit .275 with 19 homers in 2003 and batted .253 in 60 games in 2004. Injuries kept him inactive for the entire 2005 season but he came back in 2006 to knock nine more dingers in 76 games before retiring as the Angels’ all time leader in home runs, runs scored, and walks. Tim Salmon was a great hitter, a team player, a man who never played for top dollar, and a winning ballplayer. Players with those skills and qualities have always made the Hall of Fame, so how come not Tim Salmon?
LIFETIME STATISTICS
Games career: 1,672 season high: 158 in 2000
At Bats career: 5,934 season high: 582 in 2000
Hits career: 1,674 season high: 177 in 1995
Doubles career: 339 season high: 37 in 2002
Triples career: 24 season high: 4 in 1996 and 2003
Home Runs career: 299 season high: 34 in 1995 and 2000
Runs career: 986 season high: 111 in 1995
Runs Batted In career: 1,016 season high: 129 in 1997
Stolen Bases career: 48 season high: 9 in 1997 and 2001
Walks career: 970 season high: 104 in 2000
Strikeouts career: 1,360 season high: 142 in 1997
Batting Average career: .282 season high: .330 in 1995
On Base Percentage career: .385 season high: .429 in 1995
Slugging Percentage career: .498 season high: .594 in 1995
Total Bases career: 2,958 season high: 319 in 1995
Sacrifice Hits career: 0
Fielding Percentage career: .978 season high: .989 in 2001
Double Plays career: 23 season high: 5 in 1997 and 2001 led AL RF: 4 in 1994, 5 in 1997, 4 in 2000, 5 in 2001
Putouts career: 2,695 season high: 353 in 1997 led AL RF: 334 in 1993, 219 in 1994, 320 in 1995, 302 in 1996, 353 in 1997
Assists career: 100 season high: 15 in 1997 led AL RF: 15 in 1997
DID YOU KNOW?
-nicknamed “Mr. Angel”, “Kingfish”, and “Slammin’ Salmon”
-hit the most career homers by any player never to appear in an all-star game since the inaugural game in 1933
-played in the 2010 All-Star Legends and Celebrity Softball Game and won the game's MVP Award for hitting two home runs
-tied a record in 1994 for the most hits in three sequential games with 14 (wow!)
-was the first MLB player ever to get a hit off of Hall of Famer Mariano Rivera
-won the 2002 Hutch Award
-won five Player of the Week awards
-was the July 1997 AL Player of the Month
-led the AL in games in rightfield in 1995 and 1996
-hit over 30 doubles in a season five times and over 20 ten times
-had an OBP above .400 three times
-slugged over .500 eight times
-scored 90 or more runs five times
-had 95 or more RBI’s five times
-finished seventh in the AL MVP polls in both 1995 and 1997 and 14th in 1998
-coaxed 90 or more walks in a season six times
-also played four games in leftfied, one in centerfield, 358 as a designated hitter, 52 as a pinch hitter, and eight as a pinch runner
-among MLB rightfielders, he ranks 31st in career putouts
-was inducted into the Angels Hall of Fame in 2015
I think a big reason why Salmon hasn't received more hall of fame support is because I think a lot of people just kind of ignore the '90s and '00s because of the steroids and the big hitting enviroment. I guess they figure it's easier to dismiss them all in one big lump.
ReplyDeleteI think Salmon falls a bit short overall, though. 299 homers, for an outfielder, in a hitter's period, is not overwhelming. Short career.