Where Have All the .400 Hitters Gone ?

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Posted By: Pennsylvania Ted

Sorry to disappoint you, GIL

But you aint gonna get my goat.

I projected a .377 BA for Ted because I knew someone would bite
at this "bait" and jump all over me. Well, you are the 1st, so
it worked. Let's consider these 3 Lefties with their lofty Bat-
ting Averages: Ty Cobb = .367, Joe Jackson = .356 (if I recall
right), and Ted Williams = .347

We know that Cobb hit to all fields; and, it is a fair assump-
tion that Shoeless Joe did too. Now, if they were, instead, as
"stubborn" as Ted and only pulled to RF most of their hits, do
you relly think they hit for those numbers ? Not in their life-
times, most likely anywhere from 10 - 20 points less.

OK, I will modify my imaginary .377 for Ted to a more realistic
.365 lifetime BA. Ted would have definitely added 15 - 20 hits
every season to his total if he was a tad more of a free swinger
and occasionally hit to leftfield. After all, those extra hits are
only a mere 10% of his season totals.

Regarding Gil Hodges.....I really, really do not understand why
he is not in the HOF.....The HOF Veterans committee for some
unknown, and unexplainable reasons, has shunned Gil. How could
a player with 7 consecutive 100+ RBI seasons be left out ?