C.C. Sabathia: Hall of Famer?

We haven't had a dedicated HOF thread in a while.

It is pretty evident that Sabathia is at the end of the road.

The totals are as follows:

212-127
3.69 ERA (117 ERA+)
2,921 2/3 IP
2,521 SO
1 Cy Young award
5 Cy Young top fives
Six-time All-Star
ALCS MVP
1 World Series title

 

Throw someone out before you include him. throw out a pitcher who began his career after 1925 before you include CC.

The last player in should never be in the bottom 1/3rd of all players admitted.

 

Not enough wins

 

Right now no but I disagree that Sabathia is done. A lot of people thought Clemens was done at the same age.

 

That is some superb trolling.

 

Yes. The end.

 

You are nucking futs. Clemens worked very hard and also had a little boost. CC, um, does not. Though he could still get a little boost, I suppose. Stick a fork in him. And a cookie.

 

I think Sabathia probably gets more criticism than deserved because he is a big dude. And by that I mean he looks fat. (Not to body shame him too much here, like that 6 who wrote that column about fat moms a few years ago.) But by JAWS, he's about 85th, and well behind guys like Kevin Brown, Luis Tiant, David Cone, Orel Hershiser, Johan Santana and even Mark Buehrle.

 

Sabathia's most similar thru age 33:

1.) Tom Glavine (HOF)
2.) Roger Clemens (would be a HOFer if he covered his tracks better)
3.) Dwight Gooden (would be a HOFer if he didn't snort his career away)
4.) Greg Maddux (HOF)
5.) Don Sutton (HOF)
6.) Steve Carlton (HOF)
7,) Jack Morris (would be a HOFer if HE DIDN'T PITCH TO THE SCORE)
8.) Tom Seaver (HOF)
9,) Mike Mussina (will be a HOFer)
10.) Frank Viola (career basically ended w/an injury at 34)

That's some pretty damn good company. By the time he is done, Sabathia is going to have more wins, IP and Ks than any of his contemporaries. Maybe he's not a Maddux or a Spahn, but if he's the most durable pitcher of his generation as well as one of the best handful (I think Halladay was better), he's a HOFer.

 

All of those guys that actually made the HOF were productive at 33 and after. At this rate, Sabathia's last good season came at 31, he was average at 32, and his arm fell off at 33. He's got six all-star appearances, one Cy Young and one World Series title, which are nice, but not incredible. To me, he's a fringe candidate who comes up a tiny bit short.

 

Was thinking the same thing. He's not good enough anymore, or in good enough condition, to pitch til he's 40.

 

So which current pitchers will get in?

Kershaw is a lock. Felix is close.

Greinke and Sale have the stuff, but need to string some 200-inning seasons together. Scherzer in that group, too.

Sabathia, Hudson, Colon, and Buehrle all Hall of Very Gooders, to be eventually joined by Cole Hamels.