What NY Yankee should be in the HOF?

[D. Bergin]

Originally Posted by Al C.risafulli

Last I checked, there were 13 third basemen in the Hall of Fame, and Graig Nettles was a better player than several of them. Nettles played in an era when offensive stats were depressed in general, and he was one of the game's better offensive players. His defense was magnificent, and if his career hadn't overlapped Brooks Robinson's, he would have won far more than one Gold Glove.

Ultimately he gets a raw deal because his career doesn't include the kind of cheap stats that most HOF voters look for (high batting average, number of awards, etc), but statistically, he's one of the best players to ever play his position.

-Al

I think Buddy Bell had just as much to do with Nettles not winning more Gold Gloves, as Brooksie.

[D. Bergin]

As a Yankee fan, I'm not exactly outraged by anybody not in there. I grew up in my formative years with Donnie Baseball as my favorite Yankee also.

I think I'm a little more annoyed with how easily Kirby Puckett got in with identical stats, rather then miffed that Donnie is not in there.

Never had a problem with Maris or Munson not being in. They are legendary for their own reasons, but I don't think they need the HOF to qualify their careers.

Carl Mays as somebody mentioned already is probably the biggest head-scratcher to me, and he bounced around enough, a lot of fans don't necessarily count him as a "Yankee"...........plus we all know how unlikable he was.

[Runscott]

Originally Posted by D. Bergin

I think Buddy Bell had just as much to do with Nettles not winning more Gold Gloves, as Brooksie.

If kids didn't get very excited over pulling his card when he was playing, he's probably not HOF material (Nettles). But then again - Niekro got in.

Also, awards and a high batting average are sort of a good thing, although I'm not a huge Ichiro fan, as he didn't do much other than sell tickets.

[D. Bergin]

Originally Posted by Runscott

If kids didn't get very excited over pulling his card when he was playing, he's probably not HOF material (Nettles). But then again - Niekro got in.

Also, awards and a high batting average are sort of a good thing, although I'm not a huge Ichiro fan, as he didn't do much other than sell tickets.

I don't know. I remember getting really excited pulling Ron Kittle, Steve Sax and Dave Righetti cards back in the day.

If you would have asked me back in 1984, I would have told you I was sure that Kent Hrbek would be a sure-fire future Hall of Famer.

[Runscott]

Originally Posted by D. Bergin

I don't know. I remember getting really excited pulling Ron Kittle, Steve Sax and Dave Righetti cards back in the day.

If you would have asked me back in 1984, I would have told you I was sure that Kent Hrbek would be a sure-fire future Hall of Famer.

Man, you got excited easily. I can understand, as a kid, getting excited about the 'could haves' that didn't pan out; after all, they were great during the period when you were watching them. For me it was Frank Howard, Sam McDowell, Tony Conigliaro, Don Drysdale - great players when I was watching them.

What I can't understand is the guys getting into the HOF who never excited anyone - Phil Niekro, Don Sutton (for the most part). Sure, you wanted a card of these guys, but it wasn't going to bother you too much if you didn't get one. Guys like Mays, Maris, Aaron and Mantle - you HAD to have them.

[johnmh71]

How about Luis Tiant? He only pitched with the Yanks for a short time, but he does have better stats than 10 pitchers already in there. Catfish has almost identical stats.