Joe Mauer announces retirement: HOF? Make Your Case:

[nolemmings]

Then you need to have your eyes tested. Three batting titles--are those stats basic enough for you? How many catchers in MLB history have won ANY batting titles? I believe the answer is 4. How many AL catchers did so who are not named Mauer? Zero.

[nolemmings]

A couple of my favorite Mauer highlights, and then one for fun.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hfeJMiuKbf4

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oBO2sQnIs9A

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hb_Z2kKYy3Y

[packs]

Originally Posted by nolemmings

Then you need to have your eyes tested. Three batting titles--are those stats basic enough for you? How many catchers in MLB history have won ANY batting titles? I believe the answer is 4. How many AL catchers did so who are not named Mauer? Zero.

Three batting titles are basic stats. Posada caught almost twice as many games and was an offensive machine for almost a decade. I don't think either are HOFers but I'd rather have Posada.

[nolemmings]

Deleted.

[sycks22]

Being a diehard Twins fan I can see it both ways. His first 7 years, first ballot HOFer, his last 9 were average at best. His averages for the last 9 years were .290 avg, 8 hr and 56 for 162 games and he was a first baseman, brutal stats. It's tough to make the playoffs when your 1st baseman has 7-10 hrs with 55 rbi and Verlander said it best "When Joe's up the worst thing that will happen to you is a single to left". I'm leaning towards a veterans committee induction.

[glynparson]

If you flip his career he probably gets in as it is it will be borderline in my opinion. Id vote for him but i am easy.

[Peter_Spaeth]

Hall of the Very Good, IMO. Posada had significantly more power. Mauer probably hurt by playing in relative obscurity, but he just doesn't move me.

[dgo71]

This is exactly the kind of debate I had imagined would take place the minute he announced his retirement. I think Chase Utley will spark the same kind of debate to a lesser degree. Personally Mauer does not scream Hall of Famer to me, but I can certainly see the case for his enshrinement being made. As someone else mentioned I think he would be more likely to get in through one of the era committees than the writers ballot but I certainly wouldn't be surprised if he goes in one day, and I wouldn't be up in staunch opposition either.

[gopherfan]

Originally Posted by glynparson

If you flip his career he probably gets in as it is it will be borderline in my opinion. Id vote for him but i am easy.

If you flip his career, all you get is the same arguments but the added PED questions. It has never been questioned f Joe took PED's, but if you flip the career, they would be everywhere.

I am a huge Mauer fan, and I would love to see him in the HOF. I think he is borderline. If he doesn't suffer from the concussions and stays at catcher, he is first ballot. As it stands, I am not sure. Think of what could have been if he had stayed injury free.