Baseball Hall of Fame ballot released

That's never been true, whether it should be or not.

 

I'll say it again: Martinez is one of the best 50 offensive players in history. If he's not in, the idea of a HOF based on merit is a sham.

 

Still no such thing as the "Hall of Unquestionably Great."

The "No Hall of Very Good" argument is one of the silliest things in sports. Unless you want to argue fame instead of accomplishments, the name of the hall is irrelevant.

 

Oh, bullshit. Not even close, tho I'm sure you'll pull something sabermetric out of your hat to try to prove it.

 

22nd in career on-base percentage. I know "not making an out" is a ridiculous, out-there concept.

 

OK, so Vince Coleman belongs in the Hall of Fame because he's in the top 22 in steals. Gotcha.

 

Avoiding outs is the most important thing an offensive player can do.

If stealing were the most important thing an offensive player could do, then yes, Coleman should be in.

If you think total bases stolen and on-base percentage are comparable statistics, then you don't understand baseball on a level anywhere nearly high enough to have a valid opinion on who should be in the Hall of Fame. Let the big people talk.

 

On-base percentage as the sole determinant of HOF worthiness....stop it, yer killing me.

 

I said he should be in the Hall of Fame because he is one of the top 50 offensive players of all time. I didn't say career OBP was the sole determinant, but in Martinez's case, it's good enough that it elevates his offense to a level that should put him in.

Since you don't want to be bothered to understand big-people numbers, I gave you the simplest and most-important offensive number in the game. He's 22nd all-time in it. That comfortably places him in the top 50 offensive players of all time, and certainly makes your "not even close" remark to be silly at best.

But yeah, anyone who plays a full career and finishes in the top 25 all-time in on-base percentage should be in the Hall of Fame.

 

Let's put this in terms the fogeys and blowhards can understand:

Edgar Martinez was less likely to make an out at the plate than Stan Musial.

 

Martinez also had 3,759 fewer at-bats.