Is Jeff Kent a HoFer?

Jeff Kent should finish his career in the top 50 all-time in both HR and RBI. That's quite an accomplishment for a second baseman. Coupled with the fact that he was also once league MVP - will that be enough to get him elected to Cooperstown?

 

He's got a Jim Rice problem with the primary electorate, no?

 

The Steroid Era skews the goalposts. I'll have to see the total body of work.

 

Beloved will not be one of the words used to describe him when he retires.

I asked the question because I really can't make up my mind about him. I mean is a 2nd baseman just a guy who wasn't good enough to play short? Does he get extra credit for being the best hitter at his position? As far as hitting - Kent has more total bases already than Wade Boggs (but fewer than Rice).

It will be interesting to see a jealous and petty Joe Morgan take swipes at Kent at any opportunity though.

Kent did not have one of the problems Rice ran into - that of falling off a cliff performance wise in a short span. That happened to Robbie Alomar who like Rice - I considered a sure HoF player when watching him play in his prime.

 

As a member of said electorate, I only covered Kent a few times, and he was perfectly civil. But I have never once thought of him as a Hall of Famer, only as a damn good player. That's not to say I couldn't be convinced by closer scrutiny of his career, but that's the hurdle he's got. The idea doesn't just leap at you, which is why it made a good thread for Chris to post.
On the other hand, he loathed Bonds, which will probably win him a few votes.

 

Michael - have you made up your mind on Alomar?

 

No, Chris, but he is in my "things to think about while stuck at the intersection of 93 and 128" file, which means I could be reaching a conclusion soon.

 

He had his best years with the Giants (during Bonds' peak steroid use), so that'll raise concerns, although Bonds and Kent seemed to hate each other, so who knows. He only has 2350 hits; with a couple of decent years (say he retires end of '09), maybe he's got 2600 or 2700. That still puts him in a gray area. Never been known for his defense, so he doesn't really compare to a Ryne Sandberg type (also certainly was never much of a team leader). And he only finished top 5 in the MVP voting once. I say he's more likely to be a Dave Parker or Dale Murphy type that hangs around the HOF ballot for a decade, but never gets in.

 

Barton has the right of it, I think.
But it's a closer call than I'd thought it was.

 

Barton - though I don't disagree with what you say there are two points I'd like to make:

1. Kent will have the benefit of the writers deciding on Alomar before Kent's turn comes up. Kent has Alomar beat in every major offensive category. I'd argue that Alomar was the better player but Kent will have the better offensive numbers.

2. Kent will also have the benefit of the writers deciding on Mike Piazza before Kent's turn comes up. Nobody would argue that Piazza was great defensive player. Piazza's merits will rest solely on being the best offensive catcher in history (Yogi Berra scoffs at that idea). If you vote for arguably the best offensive catcher - shouldn't you also cast a vote for the best offensive second baseman?

I think those two things could play a major effect on the mindset regarding Kent when the time comes for a vote.

It should also be noted that Chase Utley is a great player and a great person (from what I've read). If Utley has a great season(s) - the comparisons will be made to Kent's great 2000 season when he had 33 HR, 125 RBI, 114 runs while hitting .334. The comparisons between Utley and Kent will only help Kent.

 

Kent qualifies for the Hall of Pretty Good, but I don't see him in Cooperstown unless a huge percentage of the eligible voters are trying to send out a huge fuck-you to Bonds.

Chris ... Interesting that you bring Alomar into the conversation, because that's a valid comparison — one that the Blue Jays made in 1992 when they shipped Kent to Queens because he wasn't going to supplant Alomar at second base. Alomar has a dozen Gold Gloves (most of any 2B) and has also won the second-highest amount of Silver Sluggers at that spot (tied with Kent). Twelve-time All-Star, two Series rings, had that key homer against Eckersley in the 92 ALCS (game 4, top 9th, 2 RBI, ties the game, Jays win in 11). Injuries kept him from playing enough to get 3,000 hits; Kent's been healthier overall (remarkably so, in fact) but isn't as good an offensive player as Alomar and may not even match Alomar's career number there (2,724). Alomar has better BA, on-base and slugging percentages.

Kent has a bunch of home runs, but Alomar averaged more base hits per season and has five times as many stolen bases as Kent, who will probably never hit the 500-career-homer plateau that used to be a HoF lock.

I think Alomar's an obvious Hall of Fame candidate. Kent? Not so much.

 

2Much - I like OPS+ to compare players and Alomar finished at an OPS+ of 116 while Kent has a OPS+ of 124. Plus Kent does have an MVP award. I hate to come off like I'm making the case for Kent but if Alomar gets in - then Kent supporters will have a case to make.

BTW - if I had a vote Alomar would get it.