Chick Hafey - HOF...Why?

[the 'stache]

Originally Posted by howard38

Jackie Robinson didn't need any surge of emotion to win the MVP in 1949. He was arguably the best player in the NL in 1949 w/his only competition coming from Stan Musial and Ralph Kiner (he beat them both in WAR) and his team won the pennant. That is the very definition of an MVP.

Kiner hit .310 with 54 home runs and 127 RBI. He also walked 117 times, had a .658 SLG, a 1.089 OPS, and an OPS + of 186. He led the NL in HR, RBI, walks, SLG, OPS, OPS +.

Robinson led the NL in batting at .342 and in stolen bases with 37. He only scored 6 more runs than Kiner.

Musial hit .338 with 36 home runs and 123 RBI. He led the NL with 207 hits, 41 doubles, 13 triples, a .438 OBP and 382 total bases. He scored 128 runs, more than Robinson.

Robinson was the best player in the National League? Not in my opinion.

The Dodgers had Campanella, Hodges, Snider and Furillo, and the Dodgers won the pennant. That's why Robinson won the MVP.

I challenge you to name a single player on the Pittsburgh Pirates in 1949 besides Kiner without looking. That's why he finished fourth in the MVP vote.

Same thing with the Cardinals. Name another player on the Cardinals in 1949. You might get a lucky guess. I will tell you this. After Musial's 36 home runs, the second highest home run total on the team was 13.

What's my point? Musial and Kiner carried their teams. Robinson didn't have to.