Steve Garvey

[the 'stache]

Oh, come on, Ron Fairly on par with Steve Garvey is one of the most ridiculous things I've ever heard. Yes, their career advanced metrics are strikingly similar. Only because from age 32 on, Garvey's offensive performance fell off a cliff. From 1981 to 1986, the last six plus years of his career, his OPS + was 101. If 100 is league average, Garvey was a league average hitter. But from 1974 to 1980, his OPS + was 130. The thing is, Fairly was consistently average throughout his entire career, with a few clunkers thrown into the mix. But he had absolutely nowhere near the peak that Garvey had. Fairly never received a single MVP vote. Not one. Garvey was a league MVP, and had four other top ten finishes. Did he get those because he had great hair? No. He was one of the catalysts on one of the best teams in baseball. Maybe the old metrics have been shown to be inferior for judging players. But for the longest time, a .300 hitter with 200 hits, 20 + home runs, and 100 + RBI was considered a superstar. And that was Steve Garvey from '74 to '80. He averaged 161 games played a season; 88 runs scored, 201 hits, 32 doubles, 23 home runs, and a .311 average.

As has been mentioned, Garvey's career OPS takes a beating because he didn't walk. First basemen have historically been the guys to hit for power, and drive in runs. The table setters atop the lineup are the ones that get on base.

Look at Fairly's average production from the same ages-25 to 31, and compare the numbers to Garvey. Fairly, from '64 to '70, averaged 134 games played, 19 doubles, 11 home runs, 59 RBI, and hit .260.

On what planet are those two players equally valuable? Fairly is as good a player as Garvey because he sucked less later in his career? Give me a break.

Sometimes you have to inject a little common sense into statistical analysis. I'll take a guy that was a star performer at his peak over a first baseman that walked more.

[btcarfagno]

OPS+ seasons with more than 300 plate appearances in order highest to lowest:

Ron Fairly 146 142 142 131 131 124 124 120 120 119 115 115 114 88 84.
St. Garvey 138 134 133 130 130 125 124 122 115 110 109 109 101 91 91

Fairly looks better here but those two highest seasons for him were fairly low on plate appearances whereas with Garvey they were high on the plate appearances.

Still, again, very similar players.

One bunched up the seasons on great teams with great offensive teammates. The other spread out the very good seasons throughout his career mostly on expansion teams through no fault of his own.

Tom C

[btcarfagno]

Also not sure why you would choose the same age years to compare the two. What does that prove? Garvey was better during those ages? Absolutely. Do you have any idea what Fairly's OPS+ was for the seven year period from age 30 to age 36? 127.

Garvey had a seven year peak and not a whole lot else before and after.

Fairly was a roller coaster with partial seasons, a few clunkers, some outstanding years.

They took different paths to arrive at pretty much the same place.

Again, I rank Garvey higher for his post season accomplishments. But during the regular season, although they arrived there in very different ways, they are very similar players.

Tom C

[btcarfagno]

Norm Cash was a MUCH better player than Garvey. Like....laughably ridiculously better. Equal on defense at same position. FFFFAAAARRRRR better hitter than Garvey.

Norm Cash should not be a HOFer.

So.....

Tom C