Bobby Bonilla

[Cowtipper]

Bobby Bonilla spent 16 years in the big leagues, hitting .279 with 287 home runs, 1,173 RBI, 1,084 runs, 2,010 hits, 3,401 total bases and a 124 OPS+. He was an All-Star six times, including four years in a row. He also finished second and third in MVP voting in 1990 and 1991, respectively.

Bonilla eclipsed the 20-home run mark seven times and the 30-dinger mark twice. He drove in 100 or more runs four times and thrice he scored at least 100 runs.

In 1989, he led the league in games played and in 1991, he led the league in doubles. He also led the league in sacrifice flies twice and in assists at third base once. On the all-time list, he ranks 34th in sacrifice flies and 67th in intentional walks.

Statistically, Bonilla is similar to Fred Lynn, Paul O'Neill, Reggie Smith, Del Ennis, Ken Boyer, George Hendrick, Brian Giles, Shawn Green, Robin Ventura and Ruben Sierra. Through age 32, he was most similar to Hall of Famer Tony Perez.

In 2007, he received two votes for the Hall of Fame. In the Progressive Hall of Fame, he received 3.57% of the vote.

The Baseball Page ranks him as the 41st best third baseman of all-time, ahead of Buddy Lewis, Doug DeCinces and Todd Zeile, but behind Carney Lansford, Tommy Leach and Lave Cross.

What do you think about Bobby Bonilla? Should he be in the Hall of Fame? Did he have Hall of Fame potential?

[mwiggins]

Easy no. Never appeared to have HoF potential either. Even in his best years, he never showed the kind of offensive ability that would be needed to fashion a HoF career given the positions he played and how poor he was at everything besides hitting.

[KCGHOST]

Not on my score card.

[Captain Cold Nose]

Bonilla was a good complement for Barry Bonds in Pittsburgh. At the top of his game, he was definitely a key cog for any team's pennant drive. But just a key cog, not a driving force. Not a HOF'er.

[BigRon]

I agree completely with others that Bonilla was not a HOFer, but I must say that, with the Pirates, he played very well offensively and appeared that he might have the potential to be even better. THat didn't pan out, but he had a lot going for him offensively. He hit the ball hard- got a LOT of extra base hits. He was, to my memory, pretty symmetrical as a switch hitter- that is, about equal both ways with similar power- unusual for a switch hitter. He'd take a walk, so his OBP was good.

Now, he would have had to continue to improve offensively to merit HOF talk, but early in his career he appeared that he at least HAD A CHANCE to keep on getting better. Didn't happen- part of it may have been conditioning, part of it attitude. But, when you saw him play with the Pirates, you knew that there was at least a chance that he might become really good- at least at the plate.

[ol' aches and pains]

20 years ago, Bobby Bonilla was the highest-paid player in baseball for a while, but he certainly wasn't the best player. I remember the Mets tried to put him at third base, and he nearly got killed.

[Fuzzy Bear]

I agree completely with others that Bonilla was not a HOFer, but I must say that, with the Pirates, he played very well offensively and appeared that he might have the potential to be even better. THat didn't pan out, but he had a lot going for him offensively. He hit the ball hard- got a LOT of extra base hits. He was, to my memory, pretty symmetrical as a switch hitter- that is, about equal both ways with similar power- unusual for a switch hitter. He'd take a walk, so his OBP was good.

Now, he would have had to continue to improve offensively to merit HOF talk, but early in his career he appeared that he at least HAD A CHANCE to keep on getting better. Didn't happen- part of it may have been conditioning, part of it attitude. But, when you saw him play with the Pirates, you knew that there was at least a chance that he might become really good- at least at the plate.

This is a great assessment of Bonilla's career. I would also say that had he been able to play 3B adequately, he'd have had a better career, but he was the NL's Butch Hobson, so he had to be moved. Bonilla had the bat to be a potential HOF third baseman had he been a better fielder, but he wasn't.

The move to RF really did Bonilla in as a potential HOFer. Although he was a big guy, he wasn't a slugger, and wasn't really going to have the kind of power numbers people thought he'd put up, but never did. The over-assessment of Bonilla was in the power department; he never hit 40 HRs in a season during the big HR years in baseball, and hit over 30 just twice. This isn't the path to Cooperstown for a corner outfielder, even a decent RF.