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Sorry "Sammy," if it were up to me I'd say NO. Yeah, he hit a lot of home runs- but he is/was at best an average fielder, not a real clutch hitter, a joke on the basepaths, always had an extreme amount of strikeouts... Seems like to get into the hall you should have to do more than hit a bunch of dingers.

ElRon wrote:Sorry "Sammy," if it were up to me I'd say NO. Yeah, he hit a lot of home runs- but he is/was at best an average fielder, not a real clutch hitter, a joke on the basepaths, always had an extreme amount of strikeouts... Seems like to get into the hall you should have to do more than hit a bunch of dingers.

sosa was a great hitter for five seasons and real good for a couple more.

that is to say that for seven seasons, he was on average as good as edgar martinez was for twelve

of course, he also had the one mvp, and the incredible year in 2001

i agree sosa is borderline

but i think if he can squeeze out his last couple dozen homers to hit 600, he's in. 'roid scars and all.

tmidgett wrote: edgar martinez

There is no denying that Martinez was a great hitter, and a much more complete hitter than Sosa. There is also no denying that Martinez spent all but 4 at bats per game sitting on his ass. I would imagine this did wonders for his longevity and productivity at the plate.

tmidgett wrote:'roid scars and all.

If 'roids are taken into account, he shouldn't get in. But I don't know how they can be taken into account, considering the lack of direct evidence. So if Sosa retires in the top 5 all-time in home runs, which he will barring immediate catastrophe, I can't see how they can keep him out.
I hope he wears his Orioles hat on the bust.

ElRon wrote:Sorry "Sammy," if it were up to me I'd say NO. Yeah, he hit a lot of home runs- but he is/was at best an average fielder, not a real clutch hitter, a joke on the basepaths, always had an extreme amount of strikeouts... Seems like to get into the hall you should have to do more than hit a bunch of dingers.

Based on stats alone, would you have voted Harmon Killebrew in?

www.baseball-reference.com/k/killeha01.shtml

if sosa gets in do you think he’ll bring an interpreter for his acceptance speech? that was preposterously absurd that he brought an interpreter and acted as if he could hardly speak english during the steroid thing on capital hill. i would like to place a vote for his smashed boombox from his last day in the cubbies clubhouse to the hall of fame.

The Kid wrote:

tmidgett wrote: edgar martinez

There is no denying that Martinez was a great hitter, and a much more complete hitter than Sosa. There is also no denying that Martinez spent all but 4 at bats per game sitting on his ass. I would imagine this did wonders for his longevity and productivity at the plate.

and yet, somehow, other DHs aren't sitting on .300/.400/.500 for their careers

i'm not so sure about his DH status being super great for his career. he pulled a lot of hamstrings running--when he was laid up, that's why he was laid up. it might have helped him stay limber if he had played defense regularly. he was a pretty good third baseman when he first came up (though it was hard to watch him in the field those last few years).

anyway, the DH is a position. now that ed has retired, i can't say i like it much, but it is a position nonetheless.

tmidgett wrote:sosa was a great hitter for five seasons and real good for a couple more.

that is to say that for seven seasons, he was on average as good as edgar martinez was for twelve

of course, he also had the one mvp, and the incredible year in 2001

If he'd been shot in the head and killed after 2001, he'd already be in the HOF. I do not like him in any respect, but he was the dominant power hitter in the game for several seasons, and he hit a shitload of dingers over the course of his career -- this is very hard to do.

He was also famous. It's the hall of fame, remember. He's in.

Here in my country he's famous for playing with a corked batter.

Sammy was perhaps the most popular player in baseball until his fall from grace last season. Regardless, the Sosa / McGwire home run chase in 1998 assures his bid.

xo

Sammy, such a giant douche