Hank Aaron‘s career stat line

[roarfrom34]

Originally Posted by Wanaselja

He’s the only player in history with a career stat line of:

.300+ AVG (.305)
500+ HR (756)
2,000+ RBI (2,297)
2,000+ Runs (2,174)
3,000+ Hits (3,771)

I’ve followed baseball and baseball history closely my entire life and have never seen this stat before. Mays and Williams probably get there without their military service but it’s still remarkable.

I think Aaron is very underrated...

Most fans don't realize that if you subtracted his 755 career home runs, he would STILL have over 3,000 hits!

[mrmopar]

Pujols is damn close, but he will fall short on runs and his BA is 1 point below .300 now and likely will not rise above and may drop a point or two before he retires. Still, it shows how great of a player he was as well.

[Jim65]

If Babe Ruth hadn't spent his first few years as a pitcher, he easily makes that list.

[Wanaselja]

Originally Posted by Jim65

If Babe Ruth hadn't spent his first few years as a pitcher, he easily makes that list.

Good point.

[maniac_73]

Originally Posted by Jim65

If Babe Ruth hadn't spent his first few years as a pitcher, he easily makes that list.

He also didn't have to play against any black players

[71buc]

Originally Posted by maniac_73

He also didn't have to play against any black players

Nor did he play night games, face specialty pitchers, or travel coast to coast. Nonetheless, I have a sneaking suspicion that those factors would not have derailed his production.

[maniac_73]

Originally Posted by 71buc

Nor did he play night games, face specialty pitchers, or travel coast to coast. Nonetheless, I have a sneaking suspicion that those factors would not have derailed his production.

Definitely not doubting the Babes status as a Legend but I feel people underrate Hank and what he did in his career

[Jim65]

Originally Posted by maniac_73

Definitely not doubting the Babes status as a Legend but I feel people underrate Hank and what he did in his career

I think everyone considers Aaron an All-Time Great, who underrates him?

[71buc]

Originally Posted by maniac_73

Definitely not doubting the Babes status as a Legend but I feel people underrate Hank and what he did in his career

I believe that if a player like Aaron would have been allowed to compete during Ruths time he would have similarly dominated the game. Personally I would take Hank Aaron any hitter in the history of the game.

[ValKehl]

Originally Posted by maniac_73

He also didn't have to play against any black players

Or against any Latino players.

[Jason19th]

Originally Posted by ValKehl

Or against any Latino players.

Actually this isn’t really true. During the teens and twenties there were a number of Latin players - including Dolf Luque, Mike González, Armando Marsans, Rafael Almedia and a number of others. In addition Ruth lead a barnstorming trip to Cuba in 1920 and played against all of the Cuban Greats

[cardsagain74]

Originally Posted by Jim65

If Babe Ruth hadn't spent his first few years as a pitcher, he easily makes that list.

Supposedly that was the only reason that his hitting career wasn't possibly ruined (if he'd come up as a position player, teams in his first years would've likely tried to coach the big swing out of him). The norm in the dead ball era.

But by the time he'd been in the league a few years and had the, well, pitcher's chance to keep hitting the ball to the moon, I imagine no one wanted to mess with what he was doing by then.

[doug.goodman]

Originally Posted by mrmopar

Pujols is damn close, but he will fall short on runs and his BA is 1 point below .300 now and likely will not rise above and may drop a point or two before he retires. Still, it shows how great of a player he was as well.

Too bad that "damn close" doesn't count.

IF you allow the definition of "damn close" to include "not close at all" then I could have joined Aaron in his group which currently numbers one member.

And I would argue that Stan Musial is "damn closer" than Albert.

Originally Posted by Jim65

If Babe Ruth hadn't spent his first few years as a pitcher, he easily makes that list.

Yep... IF

I would have joined Mr. Aaron on that list of one, making us a great duo... IF



Doug "I coulda been a contender" Goodman

[One 'ol Cat]

First ballot Hall of Famer. Holder of significant records. Baseball Icon.
...and STILL underrated.

[Gr8Beldini]

Yeah! No-Neck has more career HRs than HoFer Ozzie Smith. More SB than HoFer Harmon Killebrew. Higher career batting average than HoFer Mike Schmidt. Struck out less than Babe Ruth. Higher career slugging percentage than HoFer Rabbit Maranville. He has a lower career ERA than Sandy Koufax!

[Jim65]

Originally Posted by Gr8Beldini

Yeah! No-Neck has more career HRs than HoFer Ozzie Smith. More SB than HoFer Harmon Killebrew. Higher career batting average than HoFer Mike Schmidt. Struck out less than Babe Ruth. Higher career slugging percentage than HoFer Rabbit Maranville. He has a lower career ERA than Sandy Koufax!

The worst is when people say "he has the highest/most __________ of anyone not in the HOF", unless they elect every single player into the HOF, there will always be someone with the highest/most not in.