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The High Court |
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Deep Thinkers Only... |
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Outfield of Dreams, Part 2 |
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Who Will Hear the Hall’s Call?
The members of the High Court have studied the evidence and are ready to tell you which of these 9 outfielders will someday hear the Hall of Fame calling.
The Voting Ground Rules
1) Vote for as many as you consider Hall-worthy 2) Only current players were considered 3) The nominees must have at least 10 years of ML experience *Ichiro was placed on the ballot due to his years in Japanese pro baseball. 4) Tell us who will get there – not just your opinion on a player. 5) Majority will rule (2/3 vote gets a player in)
The Nominees
Ken Griffey, Jr., SEA-CIN Marquis Grissom, MON-ATL-CLE-MIL-LAD-SF Kenny Lofton, HOU-CLE-ATL-CHW-SF-PIT-CHC-NYY-PHI Manny Ramirez, CLE-BOS Gary Sheffield, MIL-SD-FLA-LAD-ATL-NYY Sammy Sosa, TEX-CHW-CHC-BAL Ichiro Suzuki, SEA Larry Walker, MON-COL-STL Bernie Williams, NYY
Career Statistical Comparisons (courtesy www.sports.yahoo.com)
Who’s In?/Who’s Out? Votes in parenthesis Note: Players were ranked in order of most deserving. The rankings were then assigned a point value 10-9-8-7-6-5-4-3-2-1.
Get The Plaque Ready
Ken Griffey, Jr. (30) – Despite numerous injuries in his 30’s, The Kid could have made it to the Hall based upon his Seattle numbers alone. Had he remained healthy, Barry Bonds would probably be chasing Griffey to see who would get to Aaron’s 755 first. Too bad that never materialized. Still a no-brainer for election.
Manny Ramirez (26) – Manny has just been Manny all of these years – and now that you look at his career, you see a Hall of Fame run producer. His offensive prowess ranks right up there with anyone who has swung a bat in the last 50 years. His defense on the other hand…let’s just say he won’t be appearing in Tom Emanski’s latest defensive skills video.
Gary Sheffield (24) – He is a lethal brandisher of the bat who has hit for a remarkably high average despite his violent hacks at the platter. The Sheff has often worn out his welcome in his various stops, but he has never failed to wear out pitching as well. Very consistent offensive performer who is still a feared slugger with the game on the line.
Sammy Sosa (22) – The shine has all but worn off of Sammy’s smile in the last couple of seasons, but you can’t overlook the glare of his numbers. Steroids or no, his terrorizing run through the N.L. from ’98 through ’03 is impressive. Each year, Sammy hit .279 or better with 40 or more HR and 100 or more RBI. The career stat pack will get him to the Hall unless he is found to be a juicer.
Larry Walker (14) – Funny thing is Walker was a better all-around player than Sosa ever was. A Gold Glove RF who could steal bases and hit for power and average, Walker was a legit 5-tool player regardless of where he played. Had injuries not been his constant companion, he would be a lock for Cooperstown. As it is, his wait may be longer than a Canadian winter.
Ichiro Suzuki (12) – Only in his 5th season in the states, Ichiro has amassed some incredible numbers during that time. He’ll only be 32 next season, so it seems possible that he might be able to double his current production if he plays another 6-7 seasons. If he reaches 2000 hits, 1000 runs, and maintain an average of .320 or better, he should make it to the Hall.
Bernie Williams (10) – Postseason numbers matter just enough for Bernie to slide into immortality for our panel. The sheer volume of postseason games and at-bats wouldn’t have been possible in previous generations, but within the framework of today’s game, he was better than most in the clutch. Career regular season numbers are solid, but not Hall-worthy on their own. Fair or unfair, the postseason production puts him in.
Give Him A Tour
Kenny Lofton (5) – Dominated the A.L. base paths with his speed and aggressiveness for the mid-90’s Indians, but turned into a baseball gypsy over the past decade. Along the way, he has posted very good statistics, but overall he comes up short.
Don’t Wait By The Phone
Marquis Grissom (0) – Though he put together a pretty solid resume, Grissom simply cannot match up with his contemporaries. Always a very good defender, and once a game-changing baserunner, Marquis’ overall numbers pale in comparison to the best outfielders of today.
Voting Results
Contact The Powdered Wig at powderedwig@thehighcourtofsports.com. |
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From the High Court Hall of Fame…
Outfield of Dreams, Part 1...Will Barry Bonds be a lock in High Court voting? Join The Powdered Wig as he takes you through the first half of The High Court’s outfield balloting.
Infield of Dreams...Join The Powdered Wig as he explores which stars of the infield (at 2B, SS, and 3B) can expect a plaque in Cooperstown.
First-Sack Sluggers...Bagwell? Palmeiro? Giambi? Join The Powdered Wig to see which veteran first basemen get a ticket to the Hall of Fame.
The Lion King...The Chief Justice presents the Hall of Fame case of Ted Simmons, one of the best hitting catchers in the history of the game.
Squatters Rights...The Powdered Wig examines the careers of catchers and designated hitters with a chance at Cooperstown. Find out who The High Court voted in. |
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If you thought Ichiro hadn’t been around long enough to be on the Hall track, consider this: The 2001 AL MVP, Ichiro broke George Sisler’s 84-year old mark for single-season hits in 2004 with 262. He also topped Bill Terry’s 72-year old record for most hits in a four-year period with 924. For good measure, Ichiro has two batting titles, and his four Gold Gloves are an indicator of his standing as the best defensive right fielder in the game. (mlb.com)
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Injuries have slowed his career in recent years, and there will be critics who point to numbers compiled in Coors Field. But make no mistake, this Canadian was one of the best all-around outfielders of the era. The ‘97 NL MVP, Walker won three batting titles and seven Gold Gloves. (mlb.com) |