Darren Daulton

[Cowtipper]

At a glance, Darren Daulton doesn't seem anything like a Hall of Famer. He hit .245, he didn't reach 1,200 games played and he didn't even have 1,000 career hits. And yet...he was a three-time All-Star, finished in the top-10 in MVP voting twice, won a Silver Slugger and he received a little Hall of Fame support in 2003. I have to wonder if there was some Hall of Fame potential in Daulton's career.

The catcher spent 14 years in the big leagues and hit 137 home runs, eclipsing the 20 home run mark twice. He scored 511 runs (scoring at least 80 times twice), drove 588 runs in (two 100+ RBI seasons), slugged .427 and posted a 114 OPS+. In 1992 and 1993, he finished sixth and seventh in MVP voting respectively after averaging 26 home runs and 107 RBI a year.

In the postseason, Daulton generally performed well, hitting .281 with a .413 OBP, .516 slugging percentage, 18 hits, six doubles, three home runs and 10 RBI in 22 games. In the 1997 World Series, he hit .389 with seven runs scored, two doubles, one home run and two RBI.

He led the league in games at catcher three times, catcher putouts once, catcher assists once and number of runners caught stealing once. Offensively, he led the league in RBI in 1992.

Statistically, Daulton is similar to Mike MacFarlane, Gus Triandos, Miguel Olivo, Charles Johnson, Andy Seminick, Ernie Whitt, Ed Bailey, Tom Haller, JJ Hardy and Todd Hundley.

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

[pheasant]

I remember when Daulton went to the World Series in 1993. I thought, "Darren who?" He was a nobody until around 1992 when he really stepped up his production due to being healthy. Daulton was too slender to play catcher. For those rare seasons in which he was healthy, he was really good. He was a less durable and poor man's version of Mike Piazza. His arm was weak, but he was otherwise good defensively. And he hit well when healthy, but not as well as Piazza. I think IF he would have been as healthy as a Piazza, he would have made the Hall.

[Steven Gallanter]

I remember when Daulton went to the World Series in 1993. I thought, "Darren who?" He was a nobody until around 1992 when he really stepped up his production due to being healthy. Daulton was too slender to play catcher. For those rare seasons in which he was healthy, he was really good. He was a less durable and poor man's version of Mike Piazza. His arm was weak, but he was otherwise good defensively. And he hit well when healthy, but not as well as Piazza. I think IF he would have been as healthy as a Piazza, he would have made the Hall.

Darren Daulton was NOT slender. In fact he was on the cover of MUSCLE AND FITNESS with an article revealing his off-season conditioning regimen. Daulton's career would have more impressive numbers if he had been like B.J. Surhoff or Paul Konerko and played a position other than catcher.

[Cowtipper]

I remember when Daulton went to the World Series in 1993. I thought, "Darren who?" He was a nobody until around 1992 when he really stepped up his production due to being healthy. Daulton was too slender to play catcher. For those rare seasons in which he was healthy, he was really good. He was a less durable and poor man's version of Mike Piazza. His arm was weak, but he was otherwise good defensively. And he hit well when healthy, but not as well as Piazza. I think IF he would have been as healthy as a Piazza, he would have made the Hall.

It's surprising how much he blossomed. From 1985 to 1991, he was thoroughly 'meh', with 162-game averages of 14 home runs ans 58 RBI. He hit only .221 and slugged a meager .360 in that span.

Then from 1992 to 1997, he puts up 162-games averages of 25 home runs and 105 RBI a year, while hitting .265 with a 131 OPS+. That's two totally different players right there.

[chicagowhitesox1173]

Daulton was a strange guy, I remember watching a interview with him and he really struck me as a nutcase. I would have to guess he became better through Lenny Dykstras steroids. They seemed to be pretty close for awhile. I know they used to go drinking together alot.

[Los Bravos]

I would have to guess he became better through Lenny Dykstras steroids.

That seems very likely.

[chicagowhitesox1173]

I was reading about him and he gave a interview in 2009 and stated that he probably used more drugs than any player in the history of baseball. Although when asked about steroids he wouldn't give a yes or no answer. I think most would assume he did use em.

To be fair though he was the backup catcher to Ozzie Virgil and Lance Parrish and maybe when he became the regular catcher he thrived in that role. I do gotta give him credit for being one heck of a leader for those Phillies teams back then.

[Fuzzy Bear]

Daulton had HOF potential; he posted over .700 OWP three years straight. That's HOF level for a corner outfielder. His .621 career OWP would be a HOF total for a catcher who had a longer career. If Daulton was a consistent full-timer who had played 1,500 games at catcher, he'd be a HOFer with a .621 career OWP. His career was too short for the HOF, IMO, but he did have HOF potential.