May 29, 201214 yr I think he deserves the HOF. I'm not sure I agree with the greatest hitter of all time arguement. I guess it comes down to your criteria. For example, I grew up a huge Pete Rose fan and I don't think he is the greatest hitter of all time. I do think Rose is the greatest competitor to ever play baseball but as far as an all around hitter I would put several in front of my boyhood idol. Guys like Williams, Ruth, Aaron, and Mays all combined power with average. I would lump Suzuki with guys like Rose, Gwynn, and Boggs. Not bad company by the way.
May 30, 201214 yr I'm sure some old goats will not vote him first ballot and if so they should be flogged.
May 30, 201214 yr I disagree on the first ballot side of it. If his career continues to deteriorate going forward, I will be surprised if he gets in on first ballot. I do think he will get in with the high career AVG being the key as that puts him in the top 50 all time, although there are 10 HOF eligible hitters with higher career averages than Ichiro's who are NOT in the HOF. He should get in the HOF but it may take a similar voting path as what Larkin received before he gets in.
May 30, 201214 yr I'll take it a step further after looking closely at his #'s. A legit case can be made for him being the best pure hitter of all-time. It depends on how pure hitter is defined. Do you mean aimless and doubles kind of guys? If so, he is up there, if not above Gwynn, Rose, Carew, and Boggs. If you mean overall, then give me Williams, Musial, Pujols to name a couple who played after integration.
May 30, 201214 yr Author It depends on how pure hitter is defined. Do you mean aimless and doubles kind of guys? If so, he is up there, if not above Gwynn, Rose, Carew, and Boggs. If you mean overall, then give me Williams, Musial, Pujols to name a couple who played after integration. Aimless? Is that an auto-correct ?
May 30, 201214 yr Aimless? Is that an auto-correct ?Judging by the keyboard layout I'd say it auto-corrected a misspelling of "singles".
May 30, 201214 yr Ichiro's durability has been amazing as well. 157 games or more in 10 out of 11 season not counting this year obviously. He has played in 161 or more in 7 of those seasons.
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