SAVAGE VIEWS – HALL OF FAMERS, OR NOT

There is always going to be a debate regarding the candidacy of certain players as to whether they are Hall of Fame worthy. We can all agree that players such as Aaron Judge and Juan Soto are on the fast track.  This article will look at the careers, thus far, of four good to very good players whose careers might make them worthy of consideration.

GIANCARLO STANTON

An interesting guy who has had some terrific seasons while having some rather awful years during his 15 years in MLB.  His lifetime BA is only .258, although he has hit 426 homers to date.  His WAR is 44.9 and he has driven in more than 100 runs on only three occasions.  He has always been a defensive liability. While it’s likely he will hit more than 500 homers before he calls it a day, I think his candidacy will fall short.

JD MARTINEZ

JD has had a nice career primarily as a DH during his 14 years. Has a lifetime BA of .284 with a .868 OPS.  Clearly he has been a productive player during his career. In my view a DH has to be extraordinary and sadly JD has not been. Another guy who falls short.

BRYCE HARPER

Bryce has been around for 13 years and is still only 31 years old. With a lifetime BA of .281 and a .910 OPS and a WAR of 50.1, Bryce has had a nice career. He was one of the most highly touted high school players when he was drafted by Washington. He is a solid all around player who currently anchors the middle of the Philly lineup.  He has hit 331 homers thus far and is likely to finish his career with well over 500 home runs. He is on track to be nominated for the Hall.

FRANCISCO LINDOR

For a long time, I did not think Lindor was in the conversation as a potential Hall of Famer.  However, over the past few seasons, he has put himself on track. He is a ten-year vet who seems to get better with age.  A lifetime BA of .274 with an OPS 0f .816 and a WAR of 48.7 suggests he is on the right path. On top of that, he is one of the best shortstops in the game. And he is only 30 years old. A few more seasons similar to the past three will make a lock to make the Hall.

GAMETIME

Time for me to sign off and get ready to watch the Mets vs Bosox.  Another interesting week ahead.

Ray

September 3, 2024