Johnny Damon -HOF?

[thetruthisoutthere]

In my opinion, if you have to "think" whether or not a player belongs in the Hall-Of-Fame then he doesn't.

Johnny Damon has been a very good player, but not a Hall-Of-Famer.

[boysblue]

Never really had a great season, but has had lots of solid-good seasons. At first blush I would say NO, but IF he gets those 3,000 hits then it is likely he will EVENTUALLY get in down the line sometime.

Not sure how many others have 3,000 hits along with 400 steals and 250 HR. Those are pretty fair career numbers. I like Johnny Damon and hope he does get in.

[bcbgcbrcb]

Nearly identical player to Craig Biggio except that Biggio played a more demanding defensive position and was better at it than Damon is as an outfielder. Not quite sure if I would put Biggio in either, less likely for Damon.

[Jay Wolt]

Damon's played long enough and has been healty throughout his entire career so the #'s are falling into place.
During Saturdays game of the week Damon hit a triple and McCarver pointed out that Damon & Babe Ruth are tied at 506 doubles each.
They also said that Damon and just 10 other players in MLB history have over 2500 hits, 200 Home Runs, 100 Triples & 500 Doubles.
But he needs the 3000 hits to be a Hall Of Famer.
Wonder what cap he will represent KC, Oak, Boston, NY, Detroit or Tampa?

[chaddurbin]

avg. career for someone smack in the middle of the steroid era...if he wasn't on anything maybe he should've. kinda similar to tim raines except slower and raines put up his #s in a more defensive era. but if he gets to 3k he'd get in...eventually.

(raines proponent)

[Peter_Spaeth]

Bill James LOVED Craig Biggio, in fact wrote in his book that he was better than Griffey Jr.

http://www.slate.com/id/2184797

[MVSNYC]

Originally Posted by Jay Wolt

Damon's played long enough and has been healty throughout his entire career so the #'s are falling into place.
During Saturdays game of the week Damon hit a triple and McCarver pointed out that Damon & Babe Ruth are tied at 506 doubles each.
They also said that Damon and just 10 other players in MLB history have over 2500 hits, 200 Home Runs, 100 Triples & 500 Doubles.
But he needs the 3000 hits to be a Hall Of Famer.
Wonder what cap he will represent KC, Oak, Boston, NY, Detroit or Tampa?

Hi Jay!

to tack on to what you mentioned above, McCarver also said during that broadcast, that if HE was tied with Ruth at 506 doubles, he'd do what he could to NOT get any more doubles (either pull up at a single or push for 3), so he could tell his grandkids that he was TIED with Babe Ruth...i thought that was such a ridiculous comment by McCarver. if anything, i'd rather tell my grandkids that i PASSED Babe Ruth in doubles. i laughed outloud when he said that, what a stupid comment.

[Frank A]

I think with 3000 he should be in. Whether he gets in or not he is one hell of a nice guy.

[iwantitiwinit]

Damon is an intriguing player/person. He leaves the Yankees who at the time thought he was virtually done and was asking for too much $. He also loses a boat load of his personal wealth in the 2008 market crash and as a result needs to really sell a team on his ability, which he somehow manages to do. The real question I guess is whether he can get to 3000 or not because if he does in my opinion he's in. I actually saw him play a few nights ago and he still has his legs. After this year I think he will have to play 3 more years to do it because I don't think he gets it in 2. I think he is going to end up with 2905. As a result I don't think he will get in.

[ctownboy]

If Damon played his entire career in Kansas City or started in KC and then went to Pittsburgh, Houston and finished in Seattle, NOBODY would think he was a Hall of Fame player even if he got to 3000 Hits.

However, since he played for BOTH the Red Sox and the Yankees (and was on the 2004 Sox team that finally won a World Series) he will be a shoe-in if he gets 3000 Hits.

ESPN will make sure of that....

[mr2686]

I think it's a little premature to talk about Damon for the HOF. It WILL take him 3 years to get 3000 if healthy, and a lot could happen. My opinion, if he gets it he's probably in, but I'm not sure anyone will want him after this year or maybe next as his productivity is declining.

[D. Bergin]

Originally Posted by ctownboy

If Damon played his entire career in Kansas City or started in KC and then went to Pittsburgh, Houston and finished in Seattle, NOBODY would think he was a Hall of Fame player even if he got to 3000 Hits.

However, since he played for BOTH the Red Sox and the Yankees (and was on the 2004 Sox team that finally won a World Series) he will be a shoe-in if he gets 3000 Hits.

ESPN will make sure of that....

Well, we'll see whether or not Damon gets in and Biggio doesn't to see if that opinion holds up.

As it is, I see no precedent in history that supports that argument.

What other 3000 hit guy (not connected to PED's/Gambling), has been denied entry to the Hall?........assuming Damon gets there, which is not a lock, as already stated.

[pclpads]

Originally Posted by MVSNYC

Hi Jay!

to tack on to what you mentioned above, McCarver also said during that broadcast, that if HE was tied with Ruth at 506 doubles, he'd do what he could to NOT get any more doubles (either pull up at a single or push for 3), so he could tell his grandkids that he was TIED with Babe Ruth...i thought that was such a ridiculous comment by McCarver. if anything, i'd rather tell my grandkids that i PASSED Babe Ruth in doubles. i laughed outloud when he said that, what a stupid comment.

Well, consider the source . . . If Timbo hadn't said it first, odds are his conjoined twin in the booth would have!

[ctownboy]

D.Bergin,

If you go to www.fangraphs.com and search Johnny Damon, you will find an article concerning Damon and the Hall of Fame. It was written on July 11, 2011.

The short and sweet of it is, based on WAR, Damon is NOT a Hall of Famer even if he gets to 3000 Hits.

Another article by a different writer points out that Damon hasn't even been the best player on his own teams even when he had a big year.

So, again, if Damon gets into the Hall of Fame it will be because he played for the Red Sox and Yankees whereas other players who had similar or better careers, based on WAR and other stats, don't get in.

David

[D. Bergin]

Originally Posted by ctownboy

D.Bergin,

If you go to www.fangraphs.com and search Johnny Damon, you will find an article concerning Damon and the Hall of Fame. It was written on July 11, 2011.

The short and sweet of it is, based on WAR, Damon is NOT a Hall of Famer even if he gets to 3000 Hits.

Another article by a different writer points out that Damon hasn't even been the best player on his own teams even when he had a big year.

So, again, if Damon gets into the Hall of Fame it will be because he played for the Red Sox and Yankees whereas other players who had similar or better careers, based on WAR and other stats, don't get in.

David

When have they ever put guys in the HOF based on "WAR"?

Am I wrong in saying there's probably tons of guys in there already who don't meet the criteria based on "WAR"?

I haven't read the article, but am I also right in saying he doesn't meet the statistical criteria based on "average".....which means there's a bottom half of players in the HOF, to create that average?

All I'm really saying is 3000 hits has always been a magic number for players without additional baggage (gambling/PED's), no matter which teams you played for.

Not saying I would vote for him.......but I wouldn't exactly be outraged.

Hell, I'd put guys who haven't even had a sniff at the HOF, like Lou Whitaker and Alan Trammell in, before I'd put Damon in...........but I hold no ill will towards players who are lucky enough to be enshrined, "borderline" or not.

It's just a number yeah, but those type of milestones do count for something, over-rated or not.

[tbob]

Originally Posted by thetruthisoutthere

In my opinion, if you have to "think" whether or not a player belongs in the Hall-Of-Fame then he doesn't.

Johnny Damon has been a very good player, but not a Hall-Of-Famer.

+1

[Peter_Spaeth]

By contrast look at the elite company Biggio keeps. No comparison to Damon, none at all.

1.Robin Yount (836) *
2.Joe Morgan (779) *
3.Paul Molitor (778) *
4.Roberto Alomar (773) *
5.Cal Ripken (761) *
6.Derek Jeter (756)
7.Brooks Robinson (739) *
8.Lou Whitaker (739)
9.George Brett (736) *
10.Ryne Sandberg (723) *