Joe Mauer announces retirement: HOF? Make Your Case:

[clydepepper]

Three Batting Titles, Three Gold Gloves, one MVP

is that enough?


http://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/2...innesota-twins

[barrysloate]

Great player, borderline HOFer. But winning three batting titles as a catcher is extraordinary.

[insidethewrapper]

You mean he didn't announce it at the beginning of the season so he could get all those gifts from every team and say goodbye in every city like Jeter, Rivera and Ortiz did ? I guess he has more class. He will be a Hall of Famer someday in my opinion.

[KCRfan1]

Like it or not, Mauer fits right in the HoF with other catchers who are already there in terms of WAR and JAWS.

[BearBailey]

It’s enough for me, he would get my vote. Passes the eyeball test and has enough WAR as a catcher.

[clydepepper]

I think Yadier Molina will also get in...as will Buster Posey.

Here's a general comparison of their stats, achievements and awards:

MAUER- 15y; 1858g (921 @ c); 6930abs; 2123h; 428dbs; 143hrs; 923rbi, .306/.388/.439; 33% CS; .995
MVP; 3-Time Batting Champ; 5-Time Silver Slugger; 3-Time Gold Glove; 6-Time All-Star

POSEY- 10y; 1144g (886 @ c); 4170abs; 1276h; 246dbs; 133hrs; 635rbi, .306/.375/.465; 33% CS; .993
ROY; MVP; 3-Time WS Champ; Batting Leader; Gold Glove; 6-Time All-Star; 4-Time Silver Slugger

MOLINA- 15y; 1876g (1836 @ c); 6551abs; 1850h; 355dbs; 146hrs; 859rbi; .282/.334/.406; 41% CS; .995
2-Time World Series Champ; 9-Time All-Star; 9-Time Gold Glove; Silver Slugger

[RedlegsFan]

It doesn’t even matter anymore. Just let everyone in. Or heck, draw names, and i’m sure there will be plenty of excuses to justify putting them into Cooperstown.

So yes, Mauer gets my vote.


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[the 'stache]

I think Mauer is deserving. Maybe not first ballot, though. I mean, he's not a closer.

Come on, the guy was the best pure hitter in baseball for eight years. Except for his injury-riddled 2011 when he hit .287, and a .293 season in 2007, he hit .300 every year between 2006 and 2013, hitting .328 for those 1,012 games. In those seasons, he hit .347, .328, .365, .327, .319, .324.

Again, this is a catcher doing this. And he wasn't a bad defender, winning three Gold Gloves. So he didn't hit a lot of home runs. You had a catcher, the premium position in baseball, the hardest one to produce offense at a high level, hitting .328 in his prime. Why is he not a Hall of Famer, yet Tony Gwynn, widely considered one of the best pure hitters of the modern era, if not the best, is? Gwynn hit .338. Didn't hit for power. Stole bases early, but that stopped when he hit 30.

Compare their career slash lines

Mauer .306 AVG/.388 OBP/.439 SLG/.827 OPS 124 OPS+
Gwynn .338 AVG/.388 OBP/.459 SLG/.847 OPS 132 OPS+

Gwynn's average for his career is much higher. Yet their on base percentage is identical.

Now, look at Mauer's prime.

'04-'13 .323 AVG/.405 OBP/.468 SLG/.873 OPS 135 OPS+

That's across 5,006 PAs. A catcher with 35% above league average OPS.

Why is there any question as to his worthiness?

[Peter_Spaeth]

What's a pure hitter anyhow? I would take Miggy and ARod over the same stretch 100 times out of 100. I have to think about who else.

[bnorth]

Originally Posted by the 'stache

I think Mauer is deserving. Maybe not first ballot, though. I mean, he's not a closer.

Come on, the guy was the best pure hitter in baseball for eight years. Except for his injury-riddled 2011 when he hit .287, and a .293 season in 2007, he hit .300 every year between 2006 and 2013, hitting .328 for those 1,012 games. In those seasons, he hit .347, .328, .365, .327, .319, .324.

Again, this is a catcher doing this. And he wasn't a bad defender, winning three Gold Gloves. So he didn't hit a lot of home runs. You had a catcher, the premium position in baseball, the hardest one to produce offense at a high level, hitting .328 in his prime. Why is he not a Hall of Famer, yet Tony Gwynn, widely considered one of the best pure hitters of the modern era, if not the best, is? Gwynn hit .338. Didn't hit for power. Stole bases early, but that stopped when he hit 30.

Compare their career slash lines

Mauer .306 AVG/.388 OBP/.439 SLG/.827 OPS 124 OPS+
Gwynn .338 AVG/.388 OBP/.459 SLG/.847 OPS 132 OPS+

Gwynn's average for his career is much higher. Yet their on base percentage is identical.

Now, look at Mauer's prime.

'04-'13 .323 AVG/.405 OBP/.468 SLG/.873 OPS 135 OPS+

That's across 5,006 PAs. A catcher with 35% above league average OPS.

Why is there any question as to his worthiness?

It is not really fare to compare Joe to Tony. Joe had his prime when he was young. Tony had his prime years from age 33 to 37 like normal players.

[Mark17]

The Tony to compare Mauer's stats to is Oliva. Both lifetime Twins, 15 year careers, batting titles, gold gloves, 5 times Sporting News All Stars, injuries. Mauer was a catcher, but Oliva hit for more power while often protecting Killebrew in the lineup.

Of the two I would take Oliva, the best pure hitter of his day. Not saying Oliva is therefore a HOFer, just saying, if one goes in, so should the other as they are about equally deserving or undeserving.

… Oliva Mauer
AB 6301 6930
R 870 1018
H 1917 2123
2B 329 428
3B 48 30
HR 220 143
RBI 947 923
AVG .304 .306
OBP .353 .388
SLG .476 .439

[Peter_Spaeth]

Originally Posted by bnorth

It is not really fare to compare Joe to Tony. Joe had his prime when he was young. Tony had his prime years from age 33 to 37 like normal players.

He got better as he studied more.

[bnorth]

Originally Posted by Peter_Spaeth

He got better as he studied more.

Mr Bonds must have studied a lot too.