Donnie Baseball Whale - Reeled In!

[MattyC]

Great topic. Here's what I think:

If Puckett is in, Mattingly should be in. Puckett was great, but winning a WS should not be a prerequisite. That's a team function. Mattingly over Puckett if I'm making a team all day.

I long ago gave up any respect for the Hall because of the men who decide on entry. These "writers" make baffling decisions and the subjectivity and personal ax-grinding that inform their decisions really turns me off. To think several didn't vote for Maddux? That's a travesty. Or McGriff would be a lock with 7 more homers, but at 493 he's not worthy? They scream roids on Bagwell and Piazza, essentially convicting someone without proof? But look at a player like Molitor who reached new, almost anomalous heights late in his career, and post-1987. And I love molitor's game.

Just too many illogical calls on the sports writers' collective part, for me to revere any institution run on their taste and decisions.

[RobertGT]

Awesome card!

I grew up in North Jersey and Mattingly was and still is my favorite player. I never saw a sweeter left-handed swing - Taylor made for Yankee stadium. And of course there's the famous popcorn incident :
http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=OvSmfyRc3pM

[71buc]

Originally Posted by MattyC

Great topic. Here's what I think:

If Puckett is in, Mattingly should be in. Puckett was great, but winning a WS should not be a prerequisite. That's a team function. Mattingly over Puckett if I'm making a team all day.

You would build a team by picking Mattingly, a first baseman, over Puckett a centerfielder? Puckett was the best centerfielder of that generation. His average offensive numbers are very similar if not slightly better than those of Mattingly and he played a premium defensive position. I will admit a bias as I despise all things Yankee. (other than #2 & #42) Nonetheless, Mattingly over Puckett is crazy talk in my humble opinion.

That's a very cool card by the way.