Quote:
Originally Posted by rats60
162 game averages
Jackson 106 R 216 H 37 2B 20 3B 7 HR 96 RBI 25 SB .356/.423/.517 OPS+170
WAR 7.6
Collins 104 R 190 H 25 2B 11 3B 3 HR 74 RBI 42 SB .333/.424/.429 OPS+142
WAR 7.1
Lajoie 98 R 212 H 43 2B 11 3B 5 HR 104 RBI 25 SB .338/.380/.466 OPS+150
WAR 7.0
It looks pretty clear that Jackson was better than Collins and Lajoie. With the introduction of livelier balls, Jackson would have benefited with his superior power. You can say what if he was injured, but he played in independent and semi-pro leagues into the 1930s. I don't know if he should be part of the 1936 class, but he would have definitely been elected no later than 1937 if not for the Black Sox.
|
The problem with comparing Jackson's 162 game averages with those of Lajoie and Collins is that Jackson was banned from the majors before he really started declining. Lajoie was a regular until he was 41 and Collins until he was 39; Jackson was 32 in 1920.
WAR/162 games thru age 32:
Jackson 7.6
Collins 8.0
Lajoie 8.3
Speaker 8.4
And both Collins and Lajoie aged unusually well. It's possible Jackson would have aged as well as them but by no means certain.