OT: Hall of Fame - Edgar Martinez?

[rhettyeakley]

Edgar belongs.

The fact that there is even debate about the DH is ridiculous once we started to let Relief Pitchers into the HOF. A relief pitcher may only play in 40-50 games per season and may only pitch in 50-60 innings through that entire season. If that kind of "one-trick-pony" can get elected into the HOF so should a professional hitter.

[nat]

Similarity scores don't really mean anything. They were a fun toy Bill James came up with years ago, but they shouldn't be taken seriously. A better idea is to take a look at the players around him in WAR (and then we can talk about the DH penalty in the WAR formula and things like that).

Here you go:

73.
Miguel Cabrera 68.8

Tony Gwynn 68.8

75.
Al Simmons 68.7

76.
Ivan Rodriguez 68.4

77.
Carlton Fisk 68.3

Edgar Martinez 68.3

Eddie Murray 68.3

80.
Kenny Lofton 68.2

81.
Graig Nettles 68.0

82.
Fred Clarke 67.8

83.
Ryne Sandberg 67.5

84.
Ernie Banks 67.4

This is position-player only. 77th all-time, tied with Fisk and Murray. A few non-HOFers in this territory, but mostly guys who are in. There are interesting questions to ask about methodology, but by WAR Martinez looks like a comfortably second-tier Hall-of-Famer.

Curiously, Edgar does only a little bit better in oWAR (the offensive component of WAR). There he's 69th all-time, sandwiched between Rafael Palmeiro and Tony Gwynn.

[Econteachert205]

Here's my new way of determining a hof player. Do I want his rookie card?

Nope.

[kailes2872]

Originally Posted by Econteachert205

Here's my new way of determining a hof player. Do I want his rookie card?

Nope.

I like it!

I am going to start a Jerry Koosman campaign with the vet committee!!

[darwinbulldog]

Originally Posted by kailes2872

I like it!

I am going to start a Jerry Koosman campaign with the vet committee!!

I'll start:

1. He has more wins than Koufax.
2. He has more strikeouts than Koufax.

[Peter_Spaeth]

Originally Posted by Econteachert205

Here's my new way of determining a hof player. Do I want his rookie card?

Nope.

I still don't get Hoffman over a guy who was consistently one of the best pitchers in the game, namely Mussina.

[Peter_Spaeth]

Hoffman may be the best pitcher in the HOF with a .449 winning percentage.

[h2oya311]

I always liked Hoffman's minor league card showing him as a scrawny kid hoping to one day be a major league SS.

[bobbvc]

Baseball is a defensive game. It's the ONLY game where the defense controls the ball. Can't be a Hall of Famer when you don't play defense in a defensive game. In my opinion.