Posted By:
AnonymousMike
Kirby didn't have 2000 hits his first 10 seasons.... unless you are counting women he beat on.
He had 2304 hits in 12 years.... a HOF season???
He had 308 hits his last 2 years, that means he had 1996 hits the first 10. A bunch of hits, but not enough. If that is what it takes, let KP step back outside, and put Vada Pinson in, or Lave Cross. I'd like to see George Van Haltren in there, or Fred Lange.
If I could put one guy in, it would be Ed Reulbach. His connections with taking up for players in the Players' Association really hampered his playing opportunities at the end of his career. Otherwise, he'd have numbers that would demand his induction. How does it go... Every year Ed pitched his walks plus hits allowed totalled less than his innings pitched, something no HOF pitcher can claim. Pitched 2 shutouts in ML in one day. One of the best pitching performances in a WS game in the first 50 years of the WS. He should be in.
But I'd rather have the ability to pull a couple of dozen out.
A lot of folks liked Kirby, especially the press. His 1987 WS helped his Hall vote. A likeable guy. But not HOF material.
I used to work on acquiring HOF autographs, and have a bunch. But when that meant writing Kirby and Gary Carter (GARY CARTER, why not Ted Simmons before Gary [Ted has more hits than KP...]) that is when I backed off on it. I'd rather have Simmons' autograph than KP or GC.
Still, it is obvious you love your baseball, so keep Kirby on a pedestal.
Knowing a lot about baseball is like knowing a lot about whittling.
Baseball is a lot like church, many attend, few understand.
And I must be wrong about my feelings about the Hall, all of those smart baseball writers voted him in.