Is Jeff Kent a Hall of Famer?

I know a lot has changed with A-Rod when he played SS, and Garciaparra and Tejada, but I would say 2B is usually the position where you get the least amount of offense.

 

Bill Mazeroski is in the Hall of Fame. I think Jeff Kent was a better player than Bill Mazeroski.

PeeWee Reese and Phil Rizutto are in the Hall of Fame. I think Jeff Kent was a better player than either of those gentlemen.

The bar for middle infielders' induction into the HoF has been lowered by the inclusion of those folks. If they are "Hall worthy" then I would say Jeff Kent is "Hall worthy".

 

I hate comparing players from different eras. But if Sandberg, Alomar, Biggio and Kent (apologies if I forgot someone) are the four best second basemen of the last 25 years, I am fine with each of them making it to Cooperstown.

 

you forgot Morgan, who most consider the best of that group. but anyway Kent fits in that group.

 

I said last 25 years and since Morgan retired in 1984, he was exactly who I was thinking of when I came up with that number. Best second basemen since Morgan? And I would add Sweet Lou to that list, even though I know he'll never see Cooperstown.

 

ahh. yeah Sweet Lou was very good. starman posted the link about him being close in the baseball reference scores to Alomar. his batting avg was about 30 pts lower though and even though Whitaker was a very good fielder I'd say Alomar was better. i think Kent kind of has a few intangibles (maybe that's not the right word) working against him. he wasn't a great 2B and also wasn't a prototypical 2B of his era. Alomar was so slick and Biggio is the little scrappy hustle guy who everyone roots for. Kent was just real good but i guess didn't seem to stand out. i guess that's what it is, maybe some people who don't think he belongs can give some tangible reasons.

 

Biggio or Alomar? Because I guarantee you Biggio will make it in on the first ballot.

 

i had some good arguments 7-8 years ago when i had alomar and my buddy had biggio on fantasy. i guess partly because i'm stubborn but also i think it's true -- at the top of their games Alomar>Biggio. career-wise Biggio gets the edge. consistent longer and more of a leader. Alomar when he got to the Mets was a distraction at times. of course he also didn't hit like he did in Tor and Cleve either.

edit: guess i'm losing track of the years. 2002 was his first year with the Mets so it must've been 10-11 yrs ago.

 

Maybe he will, but "Craig Biggio, first-ballot hall of famer" just doesn't sound right to me.

 

doesn't he have 3000 hits?

 

Yes. And that shocks me.

 

I don't know why it would. He had a very consistent career.