Do you think Dave Concepcion belongs in the HOF?

Question

Comparing his stats with other HOF shortstops, he should be eventually inducted, even by the Veterans Commitee.

Answer 1

Concepcion is just like Tony Perez.

If your best case for induction is that your numbers are better than all the other guys that aren't in, then you probably shouldn't be in.

I don't think he should get in, but then again I didn't think Perez should have gotten in either.

Because the pool of retired players that were really good, but not quite HOF material is constantly growing, letting some of them trickle in (which is what usually happens, just over the minimum required vote) effectively lowers the standards for players trying to get into the HOF in the future.

The same case can be made for Blyleven.

There will always be the one guy whose numbers are better than everyone else that is not in, and not as good as anybody that is in, and that should not make a case for that player's admission. (Just like if NCAA football had a playoff, there would always be the next team that didn't get in. Oh, wait, I have this great idea... you could have a play-in game so that next team has a chance too, oh, never mind).

Answer 2

I don't think I would vote for Concepcion, but his credentials are a lot better than many people think.

Batting average has little to do with whether a player belongs in the HOF or not. Quite a number of players in the HOF have averages lower than .267. Batting average is just one statistic and is far from being the most important statistic with which one can evaluate a hitter.

Concepcion made the all star team nine times. That's a pretty good total. If you can pretty much be considered the best at your position (or very close to it) for a decade, you're doing well.

He also won 5 gold gloves, also a good total, and might have won more had Ozzie Smith not come up when he did (or gone to the AL).

With 2,326 hits, I believe that Concepcion has more hits than any shortstop who is eligible for the HOF but not in.

The idea that the HOF is only for the best players ever never really was a reality, except maybe in the 1930s... the 1940s saw a tremendous number of ridiculous selections, as did the 1970s (Veterans and Old-Timers Commities were terrible in this department). If someone thinks that the HOF is only for the very best players ever, that person has no idea who is really in there. Tommy McCarthy? Harry Hooper? No reason these guys should have ever come close. And I could name 30 more, easily.

There are about 20 shortstops in the HOF. Bobby Wallace's career average was .268, so that should tell you something, since an earlier answer referred to Concepcion's batting average.

Other batting averages of HOF shortstops: Joe Tinker (.262) Ozzie Smith (.262) Rabbit Maranville (.258) Luis Aparicio (.262)

Rating the HOF SS's we get:

1. Honus Wagner
2. Arky Vaughn
3. Cal Ripken
4. Robin Yount
5. Ernie Banks
6. Ozzie Smith

I would say that the top 5, could be described as "All Time Greats". After that, the rest of the top dozen could be described as "Major Stars".

In actuality, Barry Larkin is probably the best shortstop who is not in the HOF. But he retired in 2004, so it will be a couple of years before he's eligible. After Larkin comes Alan Trammell

continuing with the HOF shortstops:

7. Joe Cronin
8. Pee Wee Reese
9. Luke Appling
10. Lou Boudreau
11. Luis Aparicio
12. George Davis
13. Phil Rizzuto
14. Hughie Jennings
15. Joe Sewell
16. Dave Bancroft
17. Joe Tinker
18. Monte Ward
19. Bobby Wallace
20. Rabbit Maranville

Concepcion would just about crack the top 15 in terms of HOF shortstops. There's a big drop off between George Davis (#12) and Phil Rizzuto (#13), but Rizzuto has to be given a little extra "credit" due to his serving in the army during WWII, thereby missing some prime seasons.

I don't think that Concepcion is the best shortstop who is eligible for the HOF but not in, so I would not vote for him at this point. However, the HOF would not be "cheapened" with Concepcion's selection. It's too late for that. The cheapening of the HOF began in the 1940s and reached its peak in the 1970s.

Answer 3

I do not wanna take anything away from him, he was a great player, but just not the dominant type that belongs in the Hall. I think he should be looked at as an all-star and a great player, but the Hallis reserved for only the very best. It would cheapen the honor to give it out to guys who were very good, and good guys, just because we like them.

Answer 4

He is among an infinite number of really good players who have or had no shot at the HOF.

Answer 5

His career batiing average of .267 is too low and the rest of his numbers are fair.

Answer 6

no!