Dave Parker: Stigma of drug use kept me out of the Hall of Fame

I could agree with that to a point. Stargell was a great hitter but Parker was the more complete player at his peak.

 

Stargell was a slugger. Parker was a player. Big difference. Both could hurt you but Parker could run, hit and throw. Stargell was a slightly above average fielder and a big-time clutch hitter.

 

Parker led the league in batting average, slugging, stole 20 bases, won a Gold Glove and had argueably the best outfield throwing arm.

If he played in New York, they would have been calling him Willie Mays for those few seasons. Stargell had light tower power, though. Parker never hit the moon-shots Chicken on the Hill did.

No way should Stargell have won the 1979 MVP, but he played on a winning team...

 

Mark McGwire prefers to look forward, knowing he won't have to give a Hall of Fame speech either.

 

I'd vote for Dave Parker before I'd ever vote for McGwire.

There's a big difference between drug use because you're stupid and drug use because you're cheating.

The only steroid era people (of those who have been linked to steroids) who I would vote for would be Bonds, A-Rod and Clemens, because all three were headed to Cooperstown long before they were using... Even then, it's not an easy vote.

 

<i>Ever</i> was? No. Stargell had some huge HR seasons while still posting a decent average, was a much underrated defensive LFer and had a strong, accurate arm that never got noticed much because Clemente was playing the other corner.

Stargell played seven seasons in Forbes Field, which was death for power hitters. Stargell had 1,158 fewer plate appearances and hit 136 more HRs than Parker. That was playing in a park that was tough for power for seven years and playing six years when the mound was higher.