Jeff Bagwell and Fred McGriff - HoFers?

Provided Bagwell can avoid the 'roids cloud that hovers near him, he's a HOFer. His numbers were consistent from 1994-2003, he was one of the better defensive 1B in the game, but was overshadowed by Mark Grace most of his career. He was the anchor on four NL Central champs and a pair of wild card teams, though he didn't play as much on the '05 NL championship team. That he played with the same team for his entire MLB career will play well with the purists who vote. That's not taking into account his peak years were in the Astrodome, which probably cost him about 30-40 HRs. That, and the shoulder woes that eventually tapped him out, is the reason why he's not at 500 HRs.

 

I didn't check the numbers, but I doubt there was a day in his lifwe that Grace was a better player than Bagwell.

 

He's talking about defensively. And Grace was pretty much considered the best defensive first baseman of his era.

 

How does Larkin get in when Trammell doesn't even get close? Larkin had about 10 more HRs and his BA was 10 pts higher. Trammell had more Gold Gloves and more RBIs. Larkin had his 1 MVP season, and most people agree Trammell deserved the MVP in 1987 (Larkin's MVP year was something like .315, 15, 65 when Trammell's "MVP" season was .343, 28, 105). Also played his whole career for one team (not his hometown team, but you don't choose who drafts you), was an all-around good guy and definitely no steroid rumblings.

 

Yep. Him or J.T. Snow.

 

Just to chime in on Larkin and the hometown stuff...

He didn't go to Ohio State, right? Not to Ohio U or Xavier?

Didn't he wear blue and some shade of yellow in college?

 

http://blogs.chron.com/sportsjustice/archives/2006/02/bagwell_and_ste.html

 

I think if you added up all the individual votes Mini Ditka has received over the threads - then Mini Ditka is definitely a first ballot Hall of Famer

 

Yes, but it's common knowledge Mini Ditka was ineffective in bad weather, especially in hurricanes named after Ditka.