Edmonds: HOF?

As does every professional athlete in the world.

 

If there was a baseball Hall of Very Good, I would check it out.

Maybe there should be one. Kind of like the NIT is to the NCAA. Well, maybe the old 32 team NCAA.

 

No. Not even close. Exciting player. Not HOF.

But I do like him better than Jack Clark...

 

First off, not even in the HOF ballpark.

And second, if somebody mentions Jim Edmonds' name 35 years from now, I'll remember one hell of a center fielder and a career worth of highlight-reel catches.

 

Hate to bash the gold glove party here, but Edmonds and Kenny Lofton are exhibits 1 and 1a on how much of a farce the gold glove voting is. They made some spectacular plays, but I'd contend they often made catches look harder than they really were. That over the shoulder stuff? Overrated.

As to the original question, hmmm ... are there any outfielders in the HOF who don't have 2,000 hits? Maybe Edmonds gets enough votes to stay on the ballot two years, but one and done would not come as a surprise.

 

Hey, he could possibly come back for the Cubs, according to the Tribune, and maybe get 1,850 hits and 380 HRs and be inducted into the Hall-of-the-very-good on the first ballot.
http://chicagosports.chicagotribune.com/sports/baseball/cubs/cs-080511-greg-maddux-chicago-cubs,1,3434464.story

 

What about Ray Lankford? HOF?

 

I'm sitting this debate out, because I'm preparing for the "Tim Wakefield: HOF?" thread.

 

Yeah, the Cubs need ANOTHER center fielder who can't break .200. :

 

He wouldn't belong in the Hall of Fame if he bought himself a ticket.

 

Only if he buys a ticket.