Eric Chavez?

[justice22]

obviously we know that chavez is one of the more elite 3b of our time, and possibly one of the best defenses. he is definately one of my favoite players. however, despite the fact that he may end up with nearly as many gold gloves as brooks robinson, i think voters will see that the gold glove isn't a good proof of a great player. in the past 2 years i believe he hasn't deserved it and his reputation was the only reason he earned it. idk, what do you people think?

[Naliamegod]

to early to tell

[Chadwick]

Chavez just isn't as great as some people are making him out to be. He's at the point now where he really needs to put up 3-5 Hall of Fame-type offensive seasons - starting now - if he's going to become a serious candidate some day. The gold gloves are nice, but he's way down the list right now. If I'm not mistaken, he has about 143 win shares. This is the time, however, where he needs to be putting up 30+ win share seasons or his "peak" won't be so impressive. While he's certainly won at least one gold glove on reputation, Chavez remains one of the best fielding third basemen in MLB. I'm just extremely skeptical of how someone from this era will be treated if they're not pounding out 30+ HR year after year.

[digglahhh]

Especially against other 3Bs who are doing it. Chipper, A-Rod is now a 3B.

If Rolen is healthy and gets back to work you are going to have a guy with a better glove and better power numbers.

Meanwhile you have Miguel Cabrera moving to third and David Wright's emergence. Considering a healthy Rolen, by the end of the decade it could very well be the case that Chavez will wind up the 6th best 3B of the 2000's.

[Chisox]

Especially against other 3Bs who are doing it. Chipper, A-Rod is now a 3B.

If Rolen is healthy and gets back to work you are going to have a guy with a better glove and better power numbers.

Meanwhile you have Miguel Cabrera moving to third and David Wright's emergence. Considering a healthy Rolen, by the end of the decade it could very well be the case that Chavez will wind up the 6th best 3B of the 2000's.

Don't forget Glaus, either. And Glaus led his league in HR in 2000.

[KCGHOST]

Chavez is a very good player, but if he has hopes of getting a plaque he really needs to step it up and soon.

[Honus Wagner Rules]

Chavez just isn't as great as some people are making him out to be. He's at the point now where he really needs to put up 3-5 Hall of Fame-type offensive seasons - starting now - if he's going to become a serious candidate some day. The gold gloves are nice, but he's way down the list right now. If I'm not mistaken, he has about 143 win shares. This is the time, however, where he needs to be putting up 30+ win share seasons or his "peak" won't be so impressive. While he's certainly won at least one gold glove on reputation, Chavez remains one of the best fielding third basemen in MLB. I'm just extremely skeptical of how someone from this era will be treated if they're not pounding out 30+ HR year after year.

You hit the nail on the head. Chavez is 28 years old now. Everyone has been waiting for him to bust out with some MVP type seasons. He needs to start having .320/.420/.600, 40 HR, 135 RBI type seasons. The question is, why hasn't he already done so?

[digglahhh]

Chavez is really not HOF material, IMO. He's a fine player, but remove him from the homer happy era and he's Graig Nettles with a league average BA. I'd take him on my team in a sec, but Cooperstown is higly unrealistic unless we are going to elect like 50 active players.

[dl4060]

It will be interesting to see what happens with him. He has been a very good player so far. Through age 25 he really looked outstanding, but he has not taken the great leap forward that one would like to see. If he keeps putting up numbers like this he will go down as a fine player, but not HOF matierial. If he can put together 6 or 7 years with an ops around .940, that would get him there. He has the introduction, he just needs to step it up.

[Pghfan987]

Eric Chavez

For those who watch him on a more regular basis than I do, how good is this guy? What do you think his chances are of making the hall? I know it is extremely early, but I am just wondering if you guys think he is on pace. If he continues hitting 30 homers and 100 RBIs for a while, and continues to be a great defensive force, will he be on the road to Cooperstown? Borderline? Not even close?

How would you compare his defense to A-Rod's and Rolen's? (Both players that I see a lot.) I suppose if Rolen does not make it, Chavez never will, but then again I always thought that Rolen was destined to be a lock.

Let's just go under the assumption that Chavez hits 30 homers and 100 RBIs until he is 34-35, then declines for a few years. I am just curious if he is on pace or not. I guess that I am only considering him if he wins a lot more gold gloves. Is he an all-time great defensively?

[Chisox]

I'm in the VAST minority here who thinks Rolen should make it.
IF, (big emphasis on if) Chavez does continue, I think he'll present a very interesting case.
Third base-men in the past 30 years, with those whose primary career post '90 in bold. Those who split time about evenly between the '80s and '90s are in italics.
George Brett
Mike Schmidt
Chipper Jones
Craig Nettles
Robin Ventura
Matt Williams
Scott Rolen
Wade Boggs
Darrell Evans
Ken Caminiti

I KNOW I'm missing someone and...
That doesn't figure in Paul Molitor (who I've got as a DH.) Just about any other time, and Chavez would be (if the HOF could ever get 3B right) a lock under your conditions. Not in this era.

[Rose4theHall]

I watch Chavez play about 140 times a year. Keep in mind he is still very young and is only now entering his peak years. I think the fact hes not a roider and will end up with 450+ HR will play into his hand, and is defense is simply spectacular, the best since Brooks Robinson. What wont play in his favor is Albert Pujols, Andruw Jones and Alex Rodriguez. Chavez has max 40 HR power and I cant see him going more than high 30s over the next 5-10 years. Its good, but when you have Albert overshadowing you in every offensive aspect it might sway some voters.

He slumped last year as the A's literally had no one at all hitting around him, causing pitchers to challenge him more (cuz whos scared of a rookie Dan Johnson anyway?), to his credit he got to 100 RBIs, but already this year with the additions of Frank Thomas and Milton Bradley he is starting out with what might be a career year offensively. His spike in strike outs last year was discerning but it seems he is trying to keep them down this year.

[DoubleX]

Chavez has starting out very young going for him, so he should pile on good counting numbers for a 3Bman, and he's got a great glove. Still, the Hall hasn't been too kind to 3Bman, and I don't expect Chavez (or Rolen) to make it, and I think Chipper Jones will struggle to get in.

[digglahhh]

I watch Chavez play about 140 times a year. Keep in mind he is still very young and is only now entering his peak years. I think the fact hes not a roider and will end up with 450+ HR will play into his hand, and is defense is simply spectacular, the best since Brooks Robinson. What wont play in his favor is Albert Pujols, Andruw Jones and Alex Rodriguez. Chavez has max 40 HR power and I cant see him going more than high 30s over the next 5-10 years. Its good, but when you have Albert overshadowing you in every offensive aspect it might sway some voters.

He slumped last year as the A's literally had no one at all hitting around him, causing pitchers to challenge him more (cuz whos scared of a rookie Dan Johnson anyway?), to his credit he got to 100 RBIs, but already this year with the additions of Frank Thomas and Milton Bradley he is starting out with what might be a career year offensively. His spike in strike outs last year was discerning but it seems he is trying to keep them down this year.

Scott Rolen says hi.

And I don't know if we can just say that some people are rodiers and others aren't. I'm not saying I suspect him, just that I don't think we can use the fact that somebody didn't fail as test as a de facto positive, nor can we speculate based on physical appearance.

For what its worth, I think Chavez has a better chance of eventually making it than I feel he deserves, if that makes any sense.

[DoubleX]

Scott Rolen says hi.

And I don't know if we can just say that some people are rodiers and others aren't. I'm not saying I suspect him, just that I don't think we can use the fact that somebody didn't fail as test as a de facto positive, nor can we speculate based on physical appearance.

For what its worth, I think Chavez has a better chance of eventually making it than I feel he deserves, if that makes any sense.

I agree about the steroids point. And while I don't suspect Chavez, I do believe that he is probably more suspect than other players because he plays in the Bay Area where Bonds, Velarde, Benard, Santiago, Giambi, Giambi, McGwire, and Canseco played, and there are rumors about Tejada too, not to mention BALCO being located there. It's suspiscion by association, it sucks, but that's the nature of the game now.