2013 MLB Hall of Fame Screechfest

When Ichiro's name comes up, he will make it in great part because of the excitement factor. His career OPS+ is 113 and he has never had a season above 130, but he is a lock. Watching him beat out infield singles is a lot more exciting than watching a guy walk even though they have the same effect.

 

To a point, that's true. But I think there are other ways that a player can be "exciting" or "capture the fan's attention" that are more tangible.

Performing at a high level over a short time, as opposed to a lower level for a longer time.

Having some eye-popping tools. (100 mph fastball, hitting 500 foot homers, blazing speed).

Showing your personality on the field, so people see that you're having a good time entertaining them.

It also doesn't hurt to have some signature moments on the big stage.

Again, none of these are a primary criteria, but they can go into the mix if a player is on the fence.

 

He'll have 3,000 hits.

He'll have close to a .320 lifetime batting average.

He'll have 500 stolen bases.

He'll have an MVP.

He'll have 10 Gold Gloves.

He'll have 10 All-Star Game appearances.

But you cite ... infield singles?

 

Ted Williams didn't think so.

www.baseball-almanac.com/legendary/lited20.shtml

 

High peak. Measurable.

Results in high-level performance. Measurable.

Joe DiMaggio, cited as the epitome of being excite-y above, was stoic. Ichiro, another excite-y player according to the board, also stoic.

Tangible. It's one reason I'd vote for Curt Schilling.

 

Good for Ted Williams.

Also: Ted Williams was wrong.

Interesting that Ted Williams's authoritative "secret formula" has Mike Schmidt on the list, but not ... Ted Williams.

 

If he plays three more years, he'll get 3,000 hits. Will he play three more? He has 2,606 now.

If that happens, based on the body of work you're citing and the accumulation of stats that should reveal any "excitement" factor, he is scarcely different in stat totals from Craig Biggio (3,060 hits, higher OPS, same OBP, same OPS+, 414 SBs, four GGs, two MVP top-5 finishes to Ichiro's one). Higher BA but, again, same OBP.

Would you put Ichiro Suzuki and Craig Biggio on the same plane in your voting? And if not, why not?

I think Ichiro gets in with a much higher percentage than Biggio (who may or may not ever get in), and the excitement factor will be a large reason for it. Not the only reason but it's unquestionably a factor.

 

Sorry, Dick, I cited DiMaggio as player who "captures the imagination."

Which he demonstrably did.

 

Forty points higher.

 

Thank goodness he was signed by the Yankees then instead of a less excite-y team in flyover country, which doesn't count as much, eh?

 

Don't we agree that OBP (or at least OPS) is a better gauge than BA?

 

Sure

But same OBP and a 40 points difference in batting average =/= "the same."