HOF RC's in 1989 Upper Deck Set (+ extended)

Nathaniel1960 · July 9, 2009 4:29AM

Let me know what you think of my list:

Locks

C. Biggio
J. Smoltz
K. Griffey Jr.
O. Vizquel
R. Johnson

Possible

G. Sheffield

BTW, you can score a sealed set from this Craiglister for only $150. According to his listing, that's a $200 discount from MLB.com!!!

http://cleveland.craigslist.org/clt/1215158274.html

dontippet · July 9, 2009 4:35AM

I don't think Vizquel is a lock. He has been consistent for many years, but I don't know if he is HOF caliber. I'm rooting for him, just don't know if he'll make it.

onefasttalon · July 9, 2009 4:42AM

Always have liked that set!

I gotta believe Vizquel is Hall-worthy... but it may take a few years to get in.

MBMiller25 · July 9, 2009 4:45AM

I dont think Vizquel is a lock at all, in fact I tend to believe he will not go into the hall. The others (Smoltz, Biggio, Griffey Jr and Big Unit) are definates!

Ahzzy · July 9, 2009 5:00AM

I hope to see Omar get in but he didn't really hit any of the big milestones. I see him as an Ozzie-lite. Like the wizard, little 'o' has made some incredible defensive plays and won multiple gold gloves, but he doesn't have nearly as many AS selections and hasn't come close to winning an MVP in his 20+ yr career.

TomGshotput · July 9, 2009 7:32AM

There are really people out there who didn't vote for Trammell but will vote for Vizquel? Goodness

digicat · July 9, 2009 7:53AM

<< There are really people out there who didn't vote for Trammell but will vote for Vizquel? Goodness >>

11 Gold Gloves at a critical defensive position vs 4. I think the voters will end up voting for the hardware.

TomGshotput · July 9, 2009 7:57AM

<< I think the voters will end up voting for the hardware. >>

And I don't merely think they are idiots

matthewbschultz83 · July 9, 2009 8:00AM

Vizquel is a lock. Palmeiro is still a possibility. I think ultimately Palmeiro, Bonds, and McGwire make it in.

digicat · July 9, 2009 8:24AM

<< <>

And I don't merely think they are idiots >>

Idiots or not, they're the gatekeepers.

IchiroDeported · July 9, 2009 11:46AM

omar makes it, the best defensive SS in the past 20 years, and he wasnt Ozzie light, he as as good as Ozzie. and he still at age 41 is better defensively than 80% of the clowns playing the position today.

justmichael · July 9, 2009 11:51AM

While I think Vizquel is Hall worthy,I worry that the voters will not.His defense is very over looked when his career is brought up.
Mike

IchiroDeported · July 9, 2009 11:58AM

i have never had the impression that Omar's defense was overlooked lol. his offense, runs scored and stolen bases are probably overlooked, he batted 8th, 9th for many years in Cleveland, then moved to leadoff and 2nd in the order when Lofton left. he has nearly 2700 hits, 1400 runs scored and 400 Stolen bases. The gang on baseball tonight was talking about his HOF credentials the other night, every single one of them said he was HOF material.

CNote · July 9, 2009 12:13PM

I don't think little O or Biggio are locks

And, $150 for that set? Geez, I scored two on the ebay for $45/ea last year- the PSA 9 Jrs paid for the sets

corvette1340 · July 9, 2009 12:13PM

Griff, Smoltz, Johnson are first ballot.
Biggio and Vizquel will get in but maybe not first ballot.
Sheffield will most likely share the same fate as Mcgwire, Clemens, Sosa, Palmeiro, and Bonds - whatever that may ultimately be.

on a side note, I have a sealed case of High Numbers and 4 boxes of low numbers coming tomorrow.

dontippet · July 9, 2009 2:22PM

<< Griff, Smoltz, Johnson are first ballot.
Biggio and Vizquel will get in but maybe not first ballot.
Sheffield will most likely share the same fate as Mcgwire, Clemens, Sosa, Palmeiro, and Bonds - whatever that may ultimately be.

on a side note, I have a sealed case of High Numbers and 4 boxes of low numbers coming tomorrow. >>

I agree about Omar and Craig. I don't think Gary will have the same fate as McGwire, Clemens, Sosa, Palmeiro, and Bonds. Those guys are a notch above Sheffield. They may get in and not Sheffield.

mcadams · July 9, 2009 2:33PM

Ahzzy- "but he doesn't have nearly as many AS selections and hasn't come close to winning an MVP in his 20+ yr career."

If the voters cared about MVP's, then Dale Murphy would be in the Hall already. The HOF has been reduced to a statistical threshhold with "magic" numbers like 500 HR or 3000 Hits. Omar has fan appeal and once in a decade defense, but HOF doesn't give credit for that alone. Also, he's never been the best at his position in any year that he's played. Unfortunately, he's gonna need to keep pililng up the stats to have a shot. If he retired now, I'd say he never gets above 25%.

Cokin75 · July 9, 2009 2:39PM

In my opinion, Omar Vizquel= a switch hitting Dave Conception with a little more longevity. I doubt that he gets in, but if he does it will take years. That said, both of them were seem too have an as good or better than resume than Aparicio (and possibly Ozzie Smith for that matter).

billwaltonsbeard · July 9, 2009 3:02PM

<< Let me know what you think of my list:

Locks

C. Biggio
J. Smoltz
K. Griffey Jr.
O. Vizquel
R. Johnson

Possible

G. Sheffield >>

Maybe just an oversight, but you left off Jerome Walton, Jim Abbott and Lance Blankenship

SidePocket · July 9, 2009 3:14PM

I think a Hall of Famer should actually be able to hit.

IchiroDeported · July 9, 2009 10:46PM

omar vizquel has a higher batting average than aparicio and ozzie smith.

CDsNuts · July 10, 2009 1:24AM

I can't think of one Hall of Famer that got in solely on defense. Ozzie was a special case- he was a team leader of a championship team that regularly went to the post season and one of the more recognizable faces in baseball during the 80s. He was a household name.

Please believe me when I say this- Omar Vizquel has absolutely zero shot of being voted into the Hall of Fame. How many 3 time all stars are in there right now? He'll get some votes, but nowhere near the amount needed to get in. I think he'll top off around 20% or so. If you think I'm lying, think about the following names and how people thought they'd get good HOF consideration when they retired: Saberhagen, Morris, Trammell, Mattingly, K. Hernandez, D. Stewart, Garvey, etc.... There was a time when all of those guys were considered either locks or strong candidates but none ever got even close. You think Vizquel gets in above those guys on fielding alone?

The others are all getting in except Sheffield who is absolutely hated by the press/writers and named in the steroid thing. It's going to take those guys a while to get in if they ever do, and Sheff is at the bottom of the list. Bonds, McGwire, Sosa and Palmeiro will all have to get in before Sheffield is even considered. Biggio might take 3 years or so. Another guy that will get a few votes will be Steve Finley, but only around 5% or so.

IchiroDeported · July 10, 2009 3:58AM

I think that Trammel should be in the HOF.

matthewbschultz83 · July 10, 2009 4:08AM

<< Maybe just an oversight, but you left off Jerome Walton, Jim Abbott and Lance Blankenship >>

Jim Abbot is already a HOF'er

Seriously, what about Barry Larkin? I think he's got a good chance to get in, one day.

corvette1340 · July 10, 2009 5:47AM

<< 

<< Maybe just an oversight, but you left off Jerome Walton, Jim Abbott and Lance Blankenship >>

Jim Abbot is already a HOF'er

Seriously, what about Barry Larkin? I think he's got a good chance to get in, one day. >>

Larkin was a rookie in '87, not '89.

matthewbschultz83 · July 10, 2009 5:54AM

Wow, I misread the entire article...I thought it was just guys who appeared in the 1989 Upper Deck set. I suffer from slight retardation....

I did know the Larkin RC was 1987. That being said, I still think he's in.

RoarIn84 · July 10, 2009 10:53AM

OT- as an obvious tiger fan, i would love to see Tram immortalized.... but overall, i don't think him or Whitaker had the numbers to quite reach that status. That said, there should be a bronze statue of them (turning a DP) somewhere in the Hall for being probably the best DP tandem the game has ever seen......

oh and, 1989UD, while being the nicest looking of the year and just slightly scarcer, is and always has been a waste of money. Fortunately for them, Griffey turned out better than Pafko! That should be a $20 card/$50 set at best......

CDsNuts · July 10, 2009 11:01AM

OT- as an obvious tiger fan, i would love to see Tram immortalized.... but overall, i don't think him or Whitaker had the numbers to quite reach that status. That said, there should be a bronze statue of them (turning a DP) somewhere in the Hall for being probably the best DP tandem the game has ever seen......

I've always thought they should go in as a tandem. You couldn't say one's name without the other and they bolstered the lineup of one of the most consistently contending teams of their era (along with Gibson). The fact that they haven't gotten much consideration is more evidence that HOF voters could give a crap less about fielding. Vizquel has no shot.

Lee

jackstraw · July 10, 2009 11:03AM

No Garvey,Trammell ,Murphy or Whitiker no Visquel.
Mattingly has a ton of hardware and he doesn't even sniff the hall ever!

matthewbschultz83 · July 10, 2009 11:16AM

Ozzie made it with 2460 hits and .262 average and awesome defense in 19 years. Vizquel has 2680 hits and is hitting .273 in 19 years (probably his last). Vizquel's defense was a shade less than Ozzie's, if not on par with it. Vizquel also has the most hits of any Venezuelan, more than Davey Concepcion (who should be in) and Aparicio (who's in). Five years after the day Vizquel retires, he's getting a phone call. He had a flare for the dramatic, spectacular play much in the same way Ozzie did. The voters will recognize him for that alone and elect him, plus his bat was better. Vizquel deserves to be in and will be in. If you don't think that, you are wrong. Vizquel is better than Ozzie.

HOF RC's in 1989 Upper Deck Set (+ extended)

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