Power Pros Forum

Mariano practically is in the hall of fame, he is without doubt a first-ballot entry. The part about being retired is simply a techniquality. By hall-of-fame I mean Hall-Of-Fame Quality. If a player just retired and is good enough to be a hall-of-famer, then he should definetly be on there. Pedro Martines, arguably one of the 5 best starters of all time, is at the end of his career and it might make sense to include a better version of him. A-Rod (despite his numbers this year) is till in his prime so I think theres more of an argument there but Mariano (who in some ways is still in his prime as he had one of his best seasons) is towards the end of his carrer as well. Also, Pete Rose isn't a hall-of-famer but should be so he could be on the team as well. He does have the most hits in history. He could be a second baseman or third baseman. I say throw him in with the third baseman vote. I've decided (grudgingly) to give up on A-Rod since everyone is so set against him being in there. While with Mariano I'm too stubborn (and there has been, I think, more agreement on him then disagreement while it is no where near the case with A-Rod), I can give up on A-Rod. So, I suggest Pete Rose and Mike Smidt for third base.

i say a-rod could be like a backup or AAA 3B, or even SS since he was one with the mariners early in his career. I think he is the youngest player to hit 500 homers (check me on that one), and will almost positively be guaranteed into the HoF

I vote Jimmy Foxx as the backup 3B.

my third baseman vote:

Starter: Mike Schmidt
Backup: Brooks Robinson
AAA: A-Rod / George Brett

Closers are so hard to put in the HOF because the statistic for saves is not exactly accurate. For example, if your team is winning 8-0 and you allow 7 runs and finish the game, you get a save. So, if you decide to put a closer in the HOF, make sure to look at his ERA before his saves. Sorry for the off-topic post.

it's only slightly off topic...
but that is a good point.

Rules clarification- If you are the one that creates the save opportunity then you don't get a save.

Has anyone mentioned Harmon Killebrew? What about Walter Johnson? Tris Speaker?

i was going to mention johnson, but i didn't know if someone had said it already.

I did.

Cownip you can add Hornsby to the 2B slot because I don't see anyone who disagrees with him.

But this is only 3 people, thats not a unanimous decision, its way too small of a sample. He is of coi course in the future vote. If we are going to do A-Rod, he is not in Triple A. I don't know what everyone has against A-Rod, but if you compare statistics (his so far, numbers like RBIs can't be compared because he has a long career ahead of him), he is far better the n Scmidt and will probably have the most homeruns in ever.
A-Rod Stats:
G AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI SB CS BB SO BA OBP SLG OPS TB SH SF IBB HBP GDP
2,042 7,860 1,605 2,404 428 26 553 1,606 283 67 980 1,641 .306 .389 .578 .967 4,543 16 79 79 141 189

Scmidt:

G AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI SB CS BB SO BA OBP SLG *OPS+ TB SH SF IBB HBP GDP
2404 8352 1506 2234 408 59 548 1595 174 92 1507 1883 .267 .380 .527 147 4404 16 108 201 79 156
A-Rod has already scored more runs (then Schmidt), hit 100 more hits, hits 20 more doubles, 5 more home runs, 11 more RBIs, over 100 more stolen bases, was caught stealing 30 less times, struck out less(that will change), has a batting average almost 40 points higher,has an OBP (on base percentage) that is about 10 points higher, has a slugging percentage that is 50 points higher, has an OBPS+ 800 points higher, has almost (1 less then this) 150 more total bases, same amount of sac hits (A-Rod will have more soon), and has been hit by pitch 40 more times.
Schmidt has hit a little more then one and a half as many triples, was walked 600 more times (1 and 2/3 times more then A-Rod), has 40 more sac flies.
I didn't include at bats or games because this obviously can't be compared.
So, you can see, A-Rod has bested him in almost every important area. He will beat him in sac flies and break the tie in sac hits at his rate as he is going to play for at least 9 years (He's under contract). Right now they are close in all these statistics, but by the end of A-Rod's career, he will be far and away in everything but most likely triples (in which he has a good chance at passing him, but it will be close) and walks (which Schmidt will probably have more of, but not by that much). Do you see my point?

Does he have a career? Injuries happen.

While anything is possible, I highley doubt it. You can say that about any single player, you can't really use that as an argument.

Ken Griffey Jr. injury plagued during his career and is an incredibly great player regardless.

While that is very much true (the same could be sayed for Mantle), this doesn't apply to A-Rod. You can't say that a player isn't better then another one just because an injury might come around and end his career. Well, actually, you can say that, it just wouldn't be very rational . Even if he played his whole career though, I'd still not put him in the top three center fielders. The Outfielders have generally been the best players in the game. Griffey is a fantastic player and a first-ballot hall-of-famer, but he isn't the best center fielder of all time.