So I somehow ended up on McGriff's b-r page today and I'm sorta stunned that he's not a shoo-in Hall of Famer -- but not only that, but he peaked at 23.9% of the vote!
Yes, he never won an MVP, and the highest he ever placed was 4th, but consider: 493 HR and 2490 hits, along with a 134 OPS+ and he had a career .917 OPS in 50 playoff games. And I know he wasn't a very good defensive 1B....
But if the 1994 strike doesn't happen, does he get in? He was already at 34 homers through 113 games (the Braves had played 114 before the strike hit), which averages out to 48 homers over 162 gamkes, and he had 1.012 OPS at the time of the strike. Much of the fact that he finished poorly in MVP voting and All-Star Game appearances has less to do with him and more to do with the fact that there were guys playing 1st at the time like McGwire and other BALCO cases.
If the strike doesn't happen he likely gets over 500 homers and 2500 hits, he hits the golden benchmarks that get most players in -- there are 26 players with 500 or more home runs -- two are active (A-Rod & Pujols), eight are recently retired and are either sure-fire HOF (Griffey) or are tainted by steroids (Bonds, Thome, Sosa, McGwire, Palmeiro, Ramirez, Sheffield). McGriff would be the only one not touched by steroids. I'm not saying I support the idea that 500 homers is a golden ticket to Cooperstown, but it's one that the BBWAA seems to love.
Is it that he played for so many years and never hit even 40 (though his 1994 season sure looks like he would have)? Is it that he never appeared to be "elite" -- but was he not "elite" because of his contemporaries chemical help? He had 10 seasons with a 3+ WAR and 6 with 4.5+ WAR.
Yes, he never won an MVP, and the highest he ever placed was 4th, but consider: 493 HR and 2490 hits, along with a 134 OPS+ and he had a career .917 OPS in 50 playoff games. And I know he wasn't a very good defensive 1B....
But if the 1994 strike doesn't happen, does he get in? He was already at 34 homers through 113 games (the Braves had played 114 before the strike hit), which averages out to 48 homers over 162 gamkes, and he had 1.012 OPS at the time of the strike. Much of the fact that he finished poorly in MVP voting and All-Star Game appearances has less to do with him and more to do with the fact that there were guys playing 1st at the time like McGwire and other BALCO cases.
If the strike doesn't happen he likely gets over 500 homers and 2500 hits, he hits the golden benchmarks that get most players in -- there are 26 players with 500 or more home runs -- two are active (A-Rod & Pujols), eight are recently retired and are either sure-fire HOF (Griffey) or are tainted by steroids (Bonds, Thome, Sosa, McGwire, Palmeiro, Ramirez, Sheffield). McGriff would be the only one not touched by steroids. I'm not saying I support the idea that 500 homers is a golden ticket to Cooperstown, but it's one that the BBWAA seems to love.
Is it that he played for so many years and never hit even 40 (though his 1994 season sure looks like he would have)? Is it that he never appeared to be "elite" -- but was he not "elite" because of his contemporaries chemical help? He had 10 seasons with a 3+ WAR and 6 with 4.5+ WAR.