3000 hits

So I won't hijack the other thread. I was looking at the active leaders for hits. Is 3000 hits still an automatic for the HOF? There are two players that might make it and there is no way I would vote for either one. Vizquel will probably try to hang on to get 3000. Johnny Damon is the other and he doesn't even figure in who's the best OFs of his era, so how the hell can he be HOF worthy?

Looks like the only 3000 hit club members who are eligible but not in HOF are Pete Rose and Rafael Palmeiro - the reasons are well known.

Biggio has the 3000 and is eligible for HOF in 2013. Jeter's still going.

It will be interesting to see what happens with Vizquel/Damon. They are sort of like the Don Sutton/Phil Niekro of hitters.

Players are playing longer due to better physical training techniques so for that reason 3000 hits is no longer a means of automatic acceptance in my book. I prefer Visquel over Damon if I had to choose, though.

jbonie wrote:Players are playing longer due to better physical training techniques so for that reason 3000 hits is no longer a means of automatic acceptance in my book. I prefer Visquel over Damon if I had to choose, though.

Hi Jamie,

You may be right...but the evidence of it is not there quite yet. The 3000 hit club is still mighty exclusive with 28 members in history...and none that look grossly out of place...yet...

I do think that if Vizquel or Damon get there, either one would be out of place in that club.

I would not oppose Vizquel, just because he's been so defensively good for so long. I definitely don't think Damon belongs, though. A-Rod is probably also gonna make it to 3K. His 'roid use doesn't seem to have tarnished his image like it has Palmeiro's (probably because Palmeiro wagged his finger and now refuses to admit he used them), and when you combine the hits with his HR total, I don't see how he doesn't get in.

I'd love to see Chipper get there, but I don't think it'll happen. Regardless, I think he absolutely belongs in the Hall. The more interesting case to watch will be Ichiro. He might actually do it. He only needs 531 more, and he's on pace to reduce that to about 388 by the end of this season. He'll be 39 at that point. If he plays until he's 41 or 42 (and I don't see why he can't), he'll have a shot. Pretty amazing, considering he didn't play in the Majors until he was 27.

no please to vizquel and damon if they get 3k. can't say with conviction about older guys not deserving but i've seen vizquel/damon play from the start and with my eyeball test they are not hof-worthy.

Vizquel is definitely hall-worthy. Outstanding defensive shortstop. If Damon hits 3K, he may, eventually get in, especially because the other Red Sox that "broke the curse" will have their careers under scrutiny.

Ichiro will almost certainly make it, his durability, and consistency are remarkable. Not to mention 262 hits in one season, he's in. Definite first ballot Hall of Famer, regardless.

Bosox Blair wrote:It will be interesting to see what happens with Vizquel/Damon. They are sort of like the Don Sutton/Phil Niekro of hitters.

Big difference between Sutton/Neikro and these guys is that they actually lead the league in some major catagories and while neither won a Cy they were in the top 5 in voting on many occasions. Damon's best MVP vote got him 19th place. Vizquel is comparable. At least he was a stud defensively at SS for much of his career. Damon is just, meh. Not outstanding at anything. Only significant stat he led the league is was SB one year. His career totals in other stats are just so-so. No way he should get in.