Keith Hernandez = HOF?

Question

Is Keith Hernandez worthy of a selection to the HOF in New York?

Keith won 11 consecutive Gold Glove Awards.. won an MVP.. and won 2 World Series Championships..with 1,000+ runs and 1,000 runs batted in.. while hitting .296

Answer 1

I have always thought that he should have been elected. I think that the HOF voters don't put enough emphasis on the defensive side of the game and to my eyes Hernandez was the best defensive first baseman that I've ever seen play and his ability to play great D should have put him over the top and into the HOF -unfortunatley it hasn't.

Answer 2

If he had the same offensive numbers and was as good a fielder at 2b, ss or c, he would get my vote. But defensive prowess at first base doesn't do enough to help a team to compensate for Hernandez's offensive numbers--which, while quite good, are not close to what HOF firstbasemen put up. The 11 Gold Gloves make him a much closer argument--without them, this wouldn't even be a reasonable conversation.

Answer 3

Yes. Here is a guy who had an outstanding career. Got the MVP and won in the Series and all the other things a guy is supposed to do to get in. Upbeat personality, no beating of the chest, and he has the stats.

Unfortunately for Keith Hernandez, he did not do well in the ballroom gown competition. The writers, that lot of gossipy and vindictive old women, thought he should have worn a bikini in the swimsuit competition, too. Since he was unable to please the writers, it doesn't matter what his career was like. Jim Rice didn't sing "Dat Ol' Man Riber" to their liking, Ron Santo failed in the dance competition, and Bert Blyleven served on the right and took away from the left. The only explanation I can figure.

Answer 4

I tend to ignore all stats and just look at the player. The problem is that when I grew up he was already over the hill. A Hall of Famer to me has to stand out and make an impact on the game, a guy like Rickey Henderson or if you do not have capabilties like Rickey then you need to stockpile some serious career stats like a Graig Biggio. So my answer would be no on Hernandez since I do not see him as an impact guy and I do not see the cumulative stats. Now I would be happy to be proven wrong.

Answer 5

He's one of those borderline players - it's hard to make a compelling argument that he should be in, but it's also hard to argue that he's worse than some of the folks already there.

Overall, I think he falls a bit shy of HOF material. He had the defense and strong average, but he didn't have the power and never hit any of the big "must-elect" milestones.

Answer 6

No. First basemen need to demonstrate offensive greatness, and Hernandez, good player, but never at that level.

The writers were never in his corner. Lasted nine years on the ballot, peaked at 10.8%, finally relegated in 2004 with a piddling 4.3% return.

http://web.baseballhalloffame.org/playerVoting.do?playerId=115826

Answer 7

Good player, not dominating and cocaine scandal in 1983 that got him traded from the Cardinals to the Mets (that's the biggie that will keep him out).

Answer 8

good player, not a HOfer

Answer 9

if he goes to the HOF then Pete Rose should be the next commissioner.