Yes. Even with the dearth of third baseman in the Hall. Look at his numbers compared to Brooks Robinson or Ron Santo who are are in HOF. He has 3000 hits.
The guy won league MVP twice.
You throw out that he wasn’t the best guy on his team many years. The argument for Ripken is that he is arguably the best shortstop to ever play the baseball. The only others in the conversation are a drug cheat and a guy who finished playing in 1917.
Why would it even be a question that the best guy to play the position isn’t inner circle hall of famer?
As far as Harper is concerned, even if he continues at current rate he likely won’t have Ripken’s numbers AND he’ll have been a RF/DH. It’s a completely different scenario.
No one was really arguing for Baines or Morris’ induction. They are fringe cases at best. Ripken isn’t even close to fringe.
I think you’re wrong about Ozzie Smith though. He was widely regarded as the best defensive SS ever by people that played with him and watched him. You don’t seem like a guy that is into advanced analytics. So how else do you measure defense other than the contemporary judgments of the guy?
Or do you actually think that defense isn’t important and performing it at a high level is noteworthy?
Not saying Ripken shouldn't be in the HOF just that he was a good player for 20 years and therefore his accumulated numbers were good but his year-to-year stats don't blow my skirt up. I guess I've said it enough times and don't need to any more.
As far as Baines and Morris the people who mentioned them were saying they were not HOF worthy which I agree.
As far as Ozzie he made the spectacular play but you're right that I look more towards conventual numbers. As I showed earlier his assists and fielding percentage didn't compare so favorably with even Ripken. I think he's the poster boy for hype over substance.
As far as Harper I believe if he continues at his current pace he will get into the HOF but his year-by-year averages are not what I'd want in a HOFer. Phillips, a former GM, doesn't even think he's one of the best in the game today.
As far as fielding counting if anybody says Brooks Robinson shouldn't be in the HOF that's fighting words. He's the best fielding third baseman I've ever seen. Which brings up Manny Machado. If he plays many years at third he might qualify for the HOF even if he finishes with pedestrian numbers.
