June 24, 200917 yr That's my biggest problem with baseball and the HOF voting. You hear it every time someone reaches 500 homeruns. "500 homeruns equals a lock into the HOF" That is one of the more dumbfounding statements I've ever heard. Why should the total of one category be enough to get you into the HOF? 300 wins is more than just one category, it shows durability and effectiveness for the pitcher. 3000 hits shows good plate awareness, and discipline, and ability as a hitter. To me hitting 500 homeruns should not be cause for a "guarantee" into the HOF. Sosa is a prime example, as others have stated he was a very poor fielder, was like McGuire in hitting homeruns but also striking out a lot. He wasn't good for his entire 17 years in the major leagues, etc. I just don't agree with the whole perception of what 500 homeruns mean unless you take into account what they've done over the course of their entire career. I don't think any particular number should necessarily be the benchmark for a spot in the Hall of Fame, but I will make this point. A 500-homer guy has to be considered a high-quality player. If the rest of his game was lacking, he wouldn't have been around long enough to hit 500 homers.
June 24, 200917 yr I don't think any particular number should necessarily be the benchmark for a spot in the Hall of Fame, but I will make this point. A 500-homer guy has to be considered a high-quality player. If the rest of his game was lacking, he wouldn't have been around long enough to hit 500 homers. I think that could be the case for any player who hits 500 homeruns from here on out, but IMO during the steroid era a lot of homeruns were inflated and Sosa hit 500 easily but really didn't do much else, and he stuck it out for 17 seasons. I agree that 500 homeruns is an accomplishment but I feel that it overlooks other aspects of the player that should be taken into consideration when evaluating someone's HOF status.
June 24, 200917 yr I think it's all the guys or none for the Hall of Fame era. It's a privledge to go to the Hall so I think they should make the guys take a lie detector before they are considered. Don't want to take it.... don't get into the hall. My problem with not letting them in is that baseball knew the guys were using it. The pitchers were using it and the large majority of the HR hitters were using it. You either have to let them all in or find a way to test the guys you are letting in if you are against it. Nobody suprises me but a guy like Jeter would probably be willing to take the lie detector if he didn't take them.
June 25, 200917 yr If Ty Cobb is in the HOF, then I don't see why to leave out Rocket, Barry, Mark and Sosa... IMO Exactly, with all those home runs Ty Cobb hit in his career, i knew he hit the steroids up, and for that matter, Babe Ruth shouldn't be in the HOF either, because beer and hot dogs can be just as potent as steroids.
June 25, 200917 yr That's my biggest problem with baseball and the HOF voting. You hear it every time someone reaches 500 homeruns. "500 homeruns equals a lock into the HOF" That is one of the more dumbfounding statements I've ever heard. Why should the total of one category be enough to get you into the HOF? 300 wins is more than just one category, it shows durability and effectiveness for the pitcher. 3000 hits shows good plate awareness, and discipline, and ability as a hitter. To me hitting 500 homeruns should not be cause for a "guarantee" into the HOF. Sosa is a prime example, as others have stated he was a very poor fielder, was like McGuire in hitting homeruns but also striking out a lot. He wasn't good for his entire 17 years in the major leagues, etc. I just don't agree with the whole perception of what 500 homeruns mean unless you take into account what they've done over the course of their entire career. You're right, it's easy to get 500 homeruns:ohbrother:
June 25, 200917 yr You're right, it's easy to get 500 homeruns:ohbrother: While I do not think it easy to hit 500 HRs, it is certainly a lot more attainable when over half of one's career is devoted strictly to swinging for the fences like Sosa and McGwire.
June 25, 200917 yr While I do not think it easy to hit 500 HRs, it is certainly a lot more attainable when over half of one's career is devoted strictly to swinging for the fences like Sosa and McGwire.I think it's grossly unfair to McGwire to characterize his career that way.
June 25, 200917 yr You're right, it's easy to get 500 homeruns:ohbrother: Show me where I said it's easy to reach 500 homeruns?
June 25, 200917 yr I think it's grossly unfair to McGwire to characterize his career that way. It probably is. But I believe it is fair to say his last days in Oakland and his entire time in St. Louis was devoted strictly to the long ball.
June 25, 200917 yr It probably is. But I believe it is fair to say his last days in Oakland and his entire time in St. Louis was devoted strictly to the long ball. His batting average for a HR hitter was better than average.
June 25, 200917 yr Bonds - 762, .298 Aaron - 755, .305 Ruth - 714, .342 Mays - 660, .302 Junior - 619, .286 Sosa - 609, .273 Robinson - 586, .294 McGwire - 583, .263 Killebrew - 573, .256 Palmeiro - 569, .288 Jackson - 563, .262 Rodriguez - 562, .304 Thome - 553, .278 Schmidt - 548, .267 Mantle - 536, .298 Foxx - 534, .325 Manny - 533, .315 McCovey - 521, .270 F. Thomas - 521, .301 Williams - 521, .344 Banks - 512, .274 Mathews - 512, .271 Ott - 511, .304 Sheffield - 507, .292 Murray - 504, .287
June 25, 200917 yr The 500 HR hitters in order of lifetime batting average: Williams - 521, .344 Ruth - 714, .342 Foxx - 534, .325 Manny - 533, .315 Aaron - 755, .305 Rodriguez - 562, .304 Ott - 511, .304 Mays - 660, .302 F. Thomas - 521, .301 Bonds - 762, .298 Junior - 619, .286 Mantle - 536, .298 Robinson - 586, .294 Sheffield - 507, .292 Palmeiro - 569, .288 Murray - 504, .287 Thome - 553, .278 Banks - 512, .274 Sosa - 609, .273 Mathews - 512, .271 McCovey - 521, .270 Schmidt - 548, .267 McGwire - 583, .263 Jackson - 563, .262 Killebrew - 573, .256
June 25, 200917 yr I still don't believe he should get in the HOF. If you look at his stats, you can clearly see that early in the 90's he stole a lot of bases but right around 1998 he traded that in so he could be 60+ homeruns a season. Coincidence? I think not!
June 25, 200917 yr The 500 HR hitters in order of lifetime batting average: Williams - 521, .344 Ruth - 714, .342 Foxx - 534, .325 Manny - 533, .315 Aaron - 755, .305 Rodriguez - 562, .304 Ott - 511, .304 Mays - 660, .302 F. Thomas - 521, .301 Bonds - 762, .298 Junior - 619, .286 Mantle - 536, .298 Robinson - 586, .294 Sheffield - 507, .292 Palmeiro - 569, .288 Murray - 504, .287 Thome - 553, .278 Banks - 512, .274 Sosa - 609, .273 Mathews - 512, .271 McCovey - 521, .270 Schmidt - 548, .267 McGwire - 583, .263 Jackson - 563, .262 Killebrew - 573, .256 Good stuff Papa!
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