Three names, Hall of Fame, yay or nay?

I'll also throw this out there then — with all the PED questions and such, are we looking at a 30 year period 1980-2010, where the only first baseman/hybrid DH that is Hall of Fame worthy is Eddie Murray, Albert Pujols?

 

Della, that is what some are suggesting which is ridiculous. Unless you can find any evidence of Thome using, I don't see how you can hold it against him.

 

My problem with Thome is that he was mostly a DH, and that he never did much other than hit HRs. Granted, it's going to be tough to keep him out because he has so many, but I don't think he's a first-ballot slam dunk.

 

If Thome gets to 600, he'll definitely go into the Hall. And 600 will become the new 500 for the voters, allowing them to more comfortably snub "one-tool" guys who fall short of the higher threshold. Of course, Thome might go in anyway.

Is Thome a significantly lesser player than Harmon Killebrew? Would Killebrew have wielded a glove so long if the DH rule had been around for him?

 

As does Thome. Those other four guys were also "one tool" guys by the earlier definition on this thread.

 

All three of the first basemen were far superior defensively to Thome.

 

No, maybe, yes. Jury still out on Helton and possibly Berkman if he has a few bang-on years with the Yankees.

 

Berkman's only a rental for the Yanks.

 

.404 career OBP.

Helton .424.

 

If Berkman gets in, Dwight Evans deserves a spot in Cooperstown as well.

 

Dwight Evans had a season-high OPS of .937.

In 12 seasons, compared to Evans' 19, Lance Berkman has had six seasons with a higher OPS than that and his career OPS is .958, .021 higher than Dwight Evans' best season.

Dwight Evans was named to three All-Star games in 19 seasons.

Berkman has been named to five All-Star games in 12 seasons and counting.

In the postseason, Berkman has a .992 OPS, and batted. 385 in the 2005 World Series. Evans has a .758 career postseason OPS.