Walker was much more than just someone who played well at home.

Andres Gallarraga does not get too much notice on this thread. He is a 5x allstar. Yes first baseman stats have a high bar but he was a 2x silver slugger.

6 x Top 10 MVP and 7 x Top 20 MVP career batting .288 and 399 homers is a good combo power and avg. No world series.. If he played for the Yankees and won a championship really I think hes only one all star season away from making the Hall. (Projected .290 435 homers 2500+ hits and championship) I am not sure how many 500 home run hitters that played first base had a career avg over .290

Here's an odd tidbit. During a Braves spring training game (2000?), I was having a catch with my nephew in the expansive grassy hill area beyond the outfield fence there when Andrés Galarraga cracked the hell out of one. I raced back and snagged the ball on a dead run. That was cool. Still recall the loud snap of my glove as I grabbed it. Yowza!! That guy was a strong mother effer!!

I think Galarraga was a good player but I don't think he's a HOFer if Carlos Delgado and Fred McGriff aren't.

Uh.... no.



JAWS
First Base (72nd):
31.5 career WAR / 26.3 7yr-peak WAR / 28.9 JAWS
Average HOF 1B (out of 20):
66.4 career WAR / 42.7 7yr-peak WAR / 54.6 JAWS

I agree Mcgriff is a better choice over Galarraga and i think he was just one average year away from the HOF...he would of topped 500 homers and a batting average over .280 and over 1600 RBIs and was top 20 in MVP 8 times.. also hit .300 in the postseason and won a championshop.

Delgado was 7 x top 20 MVP .280 lifetime and 473 homers..1500 rbis only in 10 postseason games... I still like Galarraga over Delgado.... but mcgriff over both

I guess you could argue that if Perez-Cepeda-Rice got in so should all of these guys with roughly similar careers, but I am fine with not admitting any of them as to me they are a definite one tier below.

If the strike shorten season of 94 never happened McGriff most likely would have gotten to 500 HRs. He had 34 in 113 games that year. He prob would have hit another 7 given him 500 for his career. Based on numbers he is a borderline HOF, but I feel like he was deserving. He was just overshadowed by many in that era. And he had a great nickname.