I still can't believe Craig Biggio isn't in the Hall of Fame. He had 3,000 hits. In his prime, he almost always led the league in Doubles. He made the All-Star team as a Catcher, and Second Baseman. He even played in the outfield towards the end of his career. If the Hall let Barry Larkin, Phil Rizzuto, Bill Mazeroski and Roberto Alomar in, players who played in larger-market cities, and who had similar stats (more so Larkin and Alomar than Rizzuto and Mazeroski), why couldn't Biggio get in on the first or second ballot? And while we're at it, why isn't Jack Morris, Alan Trammell, Lee Smith, Buck O'Neill, Jeff Bagwell, and Mike Piazza in?
Back to Biggio, in 1988, Topps left him off of their Traded set. Fleer and Score got him in, and those 2 cards are considered his rookie card. Here is a 1988 Topps Traded card of I hope to be a 2015 Hall of Fame member, Craig Biggio.
Bill Mazeroski and Phil Rizzuto? Similar stats? Biggio's stats blow theirs out of the water. Larkin is a Hall of Famer. Alomar is a so-so pick. Rizzuto doesn't belong. Maz is so-so due only to his defense.
ReplyDeleteBiggio is a no question Hall of Famer.
I should've done a little more research on Maz and Rizzuto but I figured Biggio was at least at their level, if not, higher. I totally agree with you about Maz getting in because of defense and Rizzuto shouldn't be in and Alomar being so-so. I guess you could make a case for Larkin with his '95 season and the 1990 World Series title and how he was a shortstop who hit for power before that became the norm. Thanks for checking out my blog and I appreciate the comments.
Delete