Johnny Damon -HOF?

[bigtrain]

I like Johnny Damon as a player but never really thought of him as a Hall of Famer. Yet, at age 37 and with nearly 2700 hits, he is likely to crack the 3000 hit mark in a couple of years. He has averaged over 180 hits a year for 17 seasons, pretty impressive. I think of him as somewhat below HOF standards at this point but if he gets to 3000? What do you think?

[Mikehealer]

He throws like a girl.

[Kzoo]

Originally Posted by Mikehealer

He throws like a girl.

This is very true. Imagine if Damon had an arm like Vladimir Guerrero did back in his Montreal days. Yikes! That would have greatly improved his HOF chances. I just can't see him in the Hall with that weak of an arm, regardless of his other stats. HOF's should be all around great players, IMO.

Matt

[Jay Wolt]

Originally Posted by Kzoo

HOF's should be all around great players, IMO.

Matt

What about a David Ortiz DH type?

[packs]

Edgar Martinez is a HOFer in my opinion.

[Ladder7]

Originally Posted by Jay Wolt

What about a David Ortiz DH type?

No to Papi (PEDs) and especially Manny.

Back to Damon.

[novakjr]

Edgar is NOT a hall of famer, same for Ortiz...I understand the greatest DH argument, but ANYONE can DH. So you cannot compare a DH's numbers to other DH's, you must compare them to EVERY player at EVERY position to see how they stack up.. I'd rather see Larry Walker in WAY before Edgar...

[bcbgcbrcb]

I knew Johnny when he was at Class A Wilmington in 1993, he was a great person and autograph signer as well back then (not sure about his signing habits today). That being said, I don't really think he belongs in the Hall, he has been a very good player for a long time but not quite at that level IMHO.

[Cerberus]

A clear "no" to Johnny Damon, although I'm sure someone will come up with a player with comparable or lesser stat's, already admitted to the Hall, and argue that Damon should therefore be admitted.

I'm going to use this thread to vent on a subject that has bothered me for years: It's disappointing (to say the least), that what I consider to be relaxed admission standards, evolving over time, have caused the "Hall of Fame," to morph into the "Hall of the Very Good."

[GrayGhost]

Not a HOFer in my opinion. VERY good player, but thats it.

[bbcard1]

Johnny Damon is a fast Harold Baines. If he get 3000 he's in, if not he's not.

[ullmandds]

With the current state of the game...in the post PED era...with 3000 hits...Damon will be a shoe in!

[D. Bergin]

Originally Posted by Cerberus

A clear "no" to Johnny Damon, although I'm sure someone will come up with a player with comparable or lesser stat's, already admitted to the Hall, and argue that Damon should therefore be admitted.

I'm going to use this thread to vent on a subject that has bothered me for years: It's disappointing (to say the least), that what I consider to be relaxed admission standards, evolving over time, have caused the "Hall of Fame," to morph into the "Hall of the Very Good."

I've yet to see any evidence the standards have been "relaxed".

As a matter of fact, with the larger number of teams today....and a much larger pool of players to choose from, I think the standards have become much tougher.

[canjond]

McCarver is an idiot. Ok, now I feel better.

(This has nothing to do with Damon...sorry)

[MacDice]

Without a doubt he should be in his high schools hall of fame

[U240robert]

I don't think he gets 3,000 hits, therefore no Hall of fame.
I live in the Tampa area and there's talk he may be replaced/platoon
if so then he won't get 3,000 hits. He's getting old
and there really isn't a market for a guy that hits .260 with 5 home runs
unless he's great on defense and Damon isn't.

Ages ago the Hall of Fame committee's were pushing to get their buddies in. I think the Hall went through a period where a number of 'very good' players got in. I'm a Red Sox fan but I never really thought Doerr was a Hall of Famer, or Joe Gordon for that matter. But it was worse with players from the 20's and 30's as Hornsby was on the committee for awhile.

[Tabe]

Originally Posted by U240robert

Ages ago the Hall of Fame committee's were pushing to get their buddies in. I think the Hall went through a period where a number of 'very good' players got in. I'm a Red Sox fan but I never really thought Doerr was a Hall of Famer, or Joe Gordon for that matter. But it was worse with players from the 20's and 30's as Hornsby was on the committee for awhile.

Not sure about Doerr but Gordon's a HOF'er to me. Short career is the only real knock on him. Bill James makes a terrific case for him belonging.

Tabe

[novakjr]

Originally Posted by bigtrain

I like Johnny Damon as a player but never really thought of him as a Hall of Famer. Yet, at age 37 and with nearly 2700 hits, he is likely to crack the 3000 hit mark in a couple of years. He has averaged over 180 hits a year for 17 seasons, pretty impressive. I think of him as somewhat below HOF standards at this point but if he gets to 3000? What do you think?

I think Damon is VERY borderline. If he gets 3000, I think he gets in. I'm not sure he'll get there though. There were a few players that I thought at one point were locks for 3000, just never got there.. Baines and Dawson are the first two that come to mind.. There's a good chance that Damon may end up with a NL team as a 4th OF/1B/Pinch hitter, to be used as a DH for interleague play and for WS hopefuls. Kinda like Giambi has been used in Colo...

I'd say Damon is the modern Baines, with less power. He needs the milestone to get in.

[D. Bergin]

Not a guy you think of as a HOF'er, but if he gets to 3000, it might be hard to keep him out.

A really solid multi-purpose guy to have in your lineup. Steals bases and gets plenty of Extra-Base Hits for a guy who's not really a power hitter. Also a great team-mate for whoever he's played for.

Unfortunately he's been a liability in the outfield for quite some time.

He has declined quite a bit the last couple years. I might not be a given that he gets to 3000.

[SteveMitchell]

If you compare Johnny Damon with Vada Pinson, the similarities are interesting:


DAMON Category PINSON
2700 HITS 2757
1600 RUNS 1366
1100 RBI 1170
500 DOUBLES 485
100 TRIPLES 127
400 STEALS 305
.286 B.A. .286
.434 S.A. .442

Given that Vada Pinson may be one of the best modern era players not in the Hall of Fame and that he played his first 4 years under the shorter 154 game schedule, I think it likely Johnny Damon must make 3,000 hits in order to overcome the Pinson factor (whatever it is).

Both Damon and Pinson would make my Hall of Fame - but so would 100 to 200 others.