How about the BIG CAT ?

[lovethegame]

Gallaragas 162 game avg over 19 seasons is 29-102-288 with86 runs 32 doubles an obp of 347 and slg of 499
5 time all star, 2 golden gloves, 2 silver sluggers,a batting title, 7 top 10 mvp finishes and 2 rbi titles
For a five year span he was outrageous with monster numbers
lost a year of his prime to cancer and came back
Noone this side of Richie Allen and Rico Carty hit a harder ball

[hairmetalfreek]

People knock Murphy for not hitting 400 home runs. To me, Murphy is a HOFer long before Galarraga.

When I was a kid, I sorted my baseball cards into 4 sections: rookies, stars, commons, and HOFers (either current or future). Murphy was always in the HOF box, Galarraga was never even considered for it.

[John Shoemaker]

IMO both Murphy and Galarraga should be in the HOF.

[Fuzzy Bear]

Galarraga's not a HOFer. He had a fine career, but he was not a HOF-caliber first baseman.

His numbers are inflated by Coors Field, and that is only partially balanced out by his years in Montreal. He played so poorly in 1991 and 1992 that he became expansion fodder. Such a mid-career decline is not the mark of a HOFer, although Galarraga did reverse that somewhat in Colorado.

[west coast orange and black]

andres galarraga could well be voted president in his native venezuela, he is that beloved and popular.
but he will himself tell you that he is not hof material, right after telling you how to spell his name correctly.

[rsuriyop]

andres galarraga could well be voted president in his native venezuela, he is that beloved and popular.

That's probably because no one there actually likes Hugo Chávez.

[Los Bravos]

Galarraga's not a HOFer. He had a fine career, but he was not a HOF-caliber first baseman.

His numbers are inflated by Coors Field, and that is only partially balanced out by his years in Montreal. He played so poorly in 1991 and 1992 that he became expansion fodder. Such a mid-career decline is not the mark of a HOFer, although Galarraga did reverse that somewhat in Colorado.

1998: 44-122-.305-.595 Slugging and 157 OPS+

His resurgence has as much to do with getting Don Baylor to change his stance when they were both with the Cardinals as it does Coors Field.

I would really like to have seen his numbers if he hadn't got a late start to his career in Montreal (24 in his September callup in '85) and hadn't missed the full year in '99.

None of this even covers his stellar defense and leadership qualities.

He probably falls short, but he deserves serious consideration.

[Honus Wagner Rules]

Don't we already have one Big Cat in the HoF?

[jalbright]

Don't we already have one Big Cat in the HoF?

Yup. Johnny Mize--who's a lot better than Galarraga, though Andres was quite good. Andres could make the Hall of the Very Good--but I don't think he's a legit HOFer.

[Chadwick]

andres galarraga could well be voted president in his native venezuela, he is that beloved and popular.
but he will himself tell you that he is not hof material, right after telling you how to spell his name correctly.

[Los Bravos]

Hall of the Very Good

A term I would really like to see banned from these boards.

[KCGHOST]

He certainly had a fine career, but only had two stellar seasons outside of Coors Field. If we haven't elected Keith Hernandez how can we elect Galarrage??

[Bothrops Atrox]

This thread would certainly not qualify for the "Hall of Very Good Spelling."

[mtortolero]

That's probably because no one there actually likes Hugo Chávez.

No one is the exactly number of people who still likes our president.
Galarraga after his succesfull comeback from the cancer is one of the most beloved persons in Venezuela but I see more chances in Vizquel than in the Big Cat.

[willshad]

he seems pretty similiar to Gil Hodges, but with a much different career path. Hodges' career followed a normal bell curve.....slow improvement when young, peak at ages 28-32, then a steady decline..pretty much done at age 36. Gallaraga started strong, then had pretty much 4 lost years in what should have been his prime. Thern a career resurgence in Colarado, and his best seasons after age 35. I think this changes the perception of them. Andres is seen as kind of like Dave Parker..someone who could have been better if not for a few lost prime years, , and Hodges is someone who lived up to his potential fully. Whos ranked higher in peoples minds?