High and Tight.: Deck the Hall

Deck the Hall

I know it's been said before and probably beaten to death, but it bears repeating.

	Games	R	H	2B	HR	RBI	BB	SO	BA	OBP	SLG	OPS
Player A	1783	1071	2304	414	207	1085	450	965	.318	.360	.477	.837
Player B	1785	1007	2153	442	222	1099	588	444	.307	.358	.471	.829

Awards:

Gold Gloves:

Player A: 6

Player B: 9

MVP:

Player A: 0. 1 2nd place finish.

Player B: 1. 1 2nd place finish.

League Leader:

Player A: BA (1), RBI (1), TB (2), Hits (4)

Player B: SLG (1), OPS (1), RBI (1), Doubles (3), Hits (2), TB (2), OPS+ (2),
XBH (2), RC (1)

So who is who? One was a first ballot hall of famer. The other has not come close
to induction. Both careers ended prematurely due to injury. The HOFer
has had some off field problems and brushes with the law; the other has
a squeaky-clean, media friendly image. They were contemporaries who
played their entire careers in the same league as each other, both
players only even donning one uniform.

If you're a long time baseball fan, you've probably guessed who is who a while ago:

Player A

Kirby Puckett

Player B

Don Mattingly

Why the discrepancy here? Why is one a sure fire first ballot guy and the other doesn't get any love? My only guess is "championships." Puckett played on two good Twins teams that won titles. Mattingly played on a bunch of horrible Yankee teams that he had to carry himself, and only made the post season once, in his final year.

If you voted for one, you should vote for the other. I'm not saying Puckett should or shouldn't have been inducted (first ballot though?). What I am saying is if he's in, Mattingly should join him.

posted by Mr. Faded Glory @ 10:06 AM 0 comments

0 Comments: