Joe Mauer announces retirement: HOF? Make Your Case:

[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

[SetBuilder]

No way.

You can't really compare his stats to other catchers in the HOF when less than 50% of his career games were at catcher! He was a kind of hybrid C/1B/DH. To view him as a catcher, he had to play at least 75% or more of his career games at that position, IMO.

He only had one great season (2009). Bad postseason numbers. No WS titles. Barely cracked the 2,000 hit and .300 AVG milestones and had less than 150 HRs.

You want to see a real HOF catcher? Pudge Rodriguez. Now there's a catcher!

[KCRfan1]

Originally Posted by SetBuilder

No way.

You can't really compare his stats to other catchers in the HOF when less than 50% of his career games were at catcher! He was a kind of hybrid C/1B/DH. To view him as a catcher, he had to play at least 75% or more of his career games at that position, IMO.

He only had one great season (2009). Bad postseason numbers. No WS titles. Barely cracked the 2,000 hit and .300 AVG milestones and had less than 150 HRs.

You want to see a real HOF catcher? Pudge Rodriguez. Now there's a catcher!

60% of Mauer's games were in the role of catcher, as were his games played.

I'm not going to compare Mauer to Pudge, as it's an unfair comparison. That's like comparing Jim Rice to Ted Williams or any other great of the game at the same position.

In terms of COMPS, Mauer has a strong case for consideration to the HALL.

To poke the bear a bit, Molina has a HORRIBLE JAWS comp to other catchers all-time. He ranks like 25th or so, and not even close in that category. Basic numbers he stacks up, but the components of the JAWS ranks him very low.