Brian:
I don't disagree with you regarding the case for Maris' enshrinement. He had several good years as an up-and-comer, two outstanding MVP seasons, and another (1962) that wasn't bad either. That's not enough. If he hadn't broken his hand, had played three or four more years, and had put in one or two more top quality seasons, would he be at least an arguable HOF candidate? Sure. But he didn't. It's fine to give someone the benefit of the doubt, but this is much too speculative.
Maris' career reminds me in some ways of the late Al Rosen, who had a ten-year career with Cleveland, was a consistently very fine batter and third baseman, won an MVP and could have won another, and who was forced to retire very suddenly at 31 or 32 when he injured his hand quite badly, bad enough so that he felt there was no question that he couldn't play anymore. If he'd been able to play another four or five years, with only one or two more at the level he'd shown previously, he'd be a very strong candidate. But he didn't, and he's just short of inclining me to speculate. Rosen is my working example of a player who's just about as good a player that you can be without being a Hall of Famer.
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