[Tabe]

Originally Posted by perezfan

Numbers like this are great, and are fun to analyze. But the exercise doesn't really portray what these players did in clutch situations.... when the game was on the line, and it really mattered most.

Rod carew, for example, probably exhibits pretty favorable numbers (admittedly, I'm just guessing). But I can't ever recall that guy getting a clutch hit, when it truly mattered. Yes- tons of meaningless singles in blowouts and lopsided games. But watching the Angels play day in and day out, I just can't recall one situation where he really came through in a nail-biter. Plus, I don't believe he ever played for a pennant-winner (another key factor not captured by the metrics).

Didn't necessarily mean to pick on Carew... he was a great hitter. To me it's more about the player's contribution to the team when it truly mattered. And subsequently, the feelings that player elicited from us as fans. I know none of this makes Dunn a Hall-of-Famer... it probably knocks him down a peg or two lower, if anything

Just saying there's more to it than the numbers can convey.

Carew played on a couple division winners - the Twins in '69 and the Angels in '79. His career numbers for "late & close" situations are .310/.386/.399 - down overall from his regular career numbers. All of his other clutch numbers are pretty much the same as his overall career.