Dave Parker - HOF?

[SteveMitchell]

Well said, D. Bergin. Many outstanding players went on to coach, manage, broadcast, administrate, umpire and even (shudder) write Baseball, making them Hall of Fame worthy for a lifetime of service to the game. Buck O'Neill recently was elected and Lefty O'Doul has been long overlooked. With a free afternoon, dozens of others could be cited including another 2022 HOF man: Jim Kaat.

Originally Posted by D. Bergin

Yup. I think Rizzuto is a good example that your post career contributions to baseball, do have a say in whether you get elected or not.

He was a beloved announcer in New York for decades after his career was over.

Maybe he wasn't a HOF announcer, or a HOF player, but put them together, and maybe he equals a very worthy HOF'er.

Plenty will argue that's not how things are done. I'd argue they are...and Rizzuto and Joe Torre are just two examples of it. It's just not acknowledged.

Just so happened that Rizzuto got in as a player and Torre a manager...but we know, they both got in for more then that in combination.

Also, the MVP and 3 years of prime production lost to the military, don't hurt either.

[peterb69]

Do I think Dave Parker belongs in the Hall? - No
Do I think Dave Parker belongs in the hall based on other fringe players in? - Yes

What we need is an Elite HOF category of players who are in already. Maybe a fixed number and only way in is to bump someone out.

[shagrotn77]

Wow. 127 votes for yes. 127 for no. I guess you could say that we're split on this topic. I voted yes, but only because the voters have loosened their standards quite a bit over the last few years. Harold Baines getting in really messed everything up. I hate playing the if this guy's in, then that guy deserves to get in game. But it's kinda where we're out now. We can thank Jerry Reinsdorf for that.