Should DH be Elected to HOF?

[zahavasdad]

Do you think DH's especially David Ortiz be elected to the hall of Fame?

If Oritiz was a 1B's, no question but since he doesnt play the field , does he belong there

If Ortiz isnt HOF material, could a DH ever be a HOFer?

[dl4060]

If a DH is good enough with his bat to warrant election, he belongs. I do not see an intelligent reason why DH's should be disqualified. If Frank Thomas had played his entire career as a DH he would still be a first ballot guy. Same with Mcgwire and Bonds, ignoring the obvious elephant in the room with those two.

[Westlake]

Even if Ortiz played 1B, I don't think he would be a HOFer yet. If he plays at the level he has been until he's about 36, then I'd view him as worthy.

This also has nothing to do with him being a DH or not. I just dont think he has played long enough at this high level to warrant induction.

[jjpm74]

If a DH manages to be an invaluable member of several World Series teams or puts up numbers along the lines of someone like Paul Molitor, I support them as HOFers. Borderline guys like Edgar Martinez who were very good with a bat but didn't field a position I don't support for the hall. If Ortiz continues to have the kind of impact he's had over the past several seasons, he belongs there. If he falls apart this year or next year, he doesn't.

[OleMissCub]

I believe I'm in a fringe minority here, but I just think a baseball player needs to play both sides of the game.

[KCGHOST]

Do we really care that guys like Manny Ramirez man a defensive position?? If a guy can really rake and does it long enough we will elect him to the HoF.

As for Ortiz he is not really very close to the HoF despite five monster seasons in Boston. His counting numbers are terrible. He needs another five seasons like he just had. I suppose there are those that will want to give him extra credit for his post-season play but I don't. You need teammates to get to the post-season and he had nothing to do with that. And his performance in the post-season has been basically what he has done in the regular season (which, of course, is awfully good).

[dl4060]

If a DH manages to be an invaluable member of several World Series teams.

Really should not be a factor in determining who goes to the hall as anything other than a tie-breaker.

[jjpm74]

Really should not be a factor in determining who goes to the hall as anything other than a tie-breaker.

A hypothetical here, but if someone were to win three World Series MVPs as a DH and played an integral role in getting that team to the World Series those years but had an otherwise very good career but fell a little short of the traditional HOF numbers, you don't think that person would deserve a look?

World Series play and being a big contributor on World Series teams are what got Kirby Puckett into the Hall of Fame where his comparable Don Mattingly's been left sitting on the bench to this point.

[zahavasdad]

I am NOT a Sox fan, but I doubt the Sox would have been 2 time World Series Champ without Ortiz and last year the only reason they were competitive was because of Ortiz.

I cannot deny Ortiz is currently one of the best players in Baseball especially in the clutch.

[Brian McKenna]

Refresh my memory - why did Mattingly retire at age 34?

[dgarza]

I believe I'm in a fringe minority here, but I just think a baseball player needs to play both sides of the game.

So much for AL pitchers...

[Honus Wagner Rules]

Do we really care that guys like Manny Ramirez man a defensive position?? If a guy can really rake and does it long enough we will elect him to the HoF.

As for Ortiz he is not really very close to the HoF despite five monster seasons in Boston. His counting numbers are terrible. He needs another five seasons like he just had. I suppose there are those that will want to give him extra credit for his post-season play but I don't. You need teammates to get to the post-season and he had nothing to do with that. And his performance in the post-season has been basically what he has done in the regular season (which, of course, is awfully good).

Ortiz has had two careers.

Twins seasons (455 G)
.266/.348/.461, 107 OPS+

Red Sox seasons (737 G)
.302/.402/.612, 156 OPS+

I guess it depends how he ages. From his appearance it doesn't seem that Ortiz takes physical conditioning very seriously.

[jjpm74]

Refresh my memory - why did Mattingly retire at age 34?

Debilitating back problems.

[Westlake]

I guess it depends how he ages. From his appearance it doesn't seem that Ortiz takes physical conditioning very seriously.

http://www.baseball-fever.com/showpost.php?p=1122609&postcount=27

[dgarza]

If a DH manages to be an invaluable member of several World Series teams or puts up numbers along the lines of someone like Paul Molitor, I support them as HOFers.

OK, so you support great DHs for the Hall, accepting that they are DHs, not fielders.

Borderline guys like Edgar Martinez who were very good with a bat but didn't field a position I don't support for the hall.

But that's the definition of a DH, a position you just said you could support. Now you are saying you can't support a DH, a player with a great bat and no glove. Martinez did not play quite as long as Molitor, but some of his numbers are similar to Molitor's, some may be even better.

If Ortiz continues to have the kind of impact he's had over the past several seasons, he belongs there. If he falls apart this year or next year, he doesn't.

So it all depends on making the World Series?