Will Jeff Bagwell make the HOF within a few years?

zendude · April 24, 2011 4:20AM

He was an outstanding player. Offense, defense, baserunning, leadership, he had it all. I say it's a no brainer, he's worthy. Do you think the voters are lumping him in with the steroid era big names? I hope not that would be totally unfair. He got around 40% of the vote this year whch is low but I believe he will gain votes in the coming years.

jdip9 · April 24, 2011 9:23AM

The guy was traded for Larry Anderson. I know the Sox front office has always made the shrewdest of moves, but I'm pretty sure if they thought there was even the slightest chance that they had a 450+ HR guy on their hands, they wouldn't have traded him for a middle reliever....just sayin'

jdip9 · April 24, 2011 9:24AM

whoops, my memory failed me...he "only" has 449 HRs in his career.

JoeBanzai · April 24, 2011 11:39AM

He certainly should get in. I don't remember any kind of rumors of drug use. His numbers are great, even had some good base stealing years to go along with lots of doubles and home runs. Looks like a complete player. Only minor complaint could be only 14 full seasons, but he didn't miss many games in those years.

Tabe · April 24, 2011 4:34PM

<< He certainly should get in. I don't remember any kind of rumors of drug use. >>

You must not have been paying attention

Bagwell has ALWAYS been under suspicion. He went from a guy who slugged .450 - .515 to a guy who slugged .750 - IN ONE YEAR. His entire body changed:

On the surface, he's probably got the numbers to get in. But he won't - because of the roids. If Bagwell gets in, then Palmeiro sure as hell should.

Tabe

Dialj · April 24, 2011 6:58PM

If he doesn't make it in 2012, I would say he chances will decrease. The classes of 2013-15 have some guaranteed HOFers. If the hall sticks to a limited number of inductees ... well you can do the math.

jdip9 · April 25, 2011 3:13AM

<<<If the hall sticks to a limited number of inductees >>>>

Unlike the NFL and NBA, they don't stick to a particular number...

Dialj · April 25, 2011 5:01AM

I agree that there is no number set in stone, but historically, the HOF has not had too many years with a large number of inductees (this doesn't include those selected by the Veteran Comm. Check the baseball HOF by class and you will see what I mean. With the players in the yrs 2013 through 2015, there are more than enough players with a better chance than Bagwell.

hammered · April 25, 2011 8:00AM

<< 
On the surface, he's probably got the numbers to get in. But he won't - because of the roids. If Bagwell gets in, then Palmeiro sure as hell should.

Tabe >>

"Because of the roids?" What roids?
Palmeiro tested positive, Bagwell never did.
I get a kick out of fat-as* voters thinking the only way to gain muscle weight is through PEDs.
I myself gained over 20 lbs of muscle between the ages of 22 and 24.
Virtually every athlete gains weight (often muscle weight) over the course of his career. A couple before-and-after photos (probably 7 years apart) proves nothing.
Bagwell was the best NL first baseman for over a decade, he is a HOFer.

zendude · April 25, 2011 8:28AM

<< 

<< 
On the surface, he's probably got the numbers to get in. But he won't - because of the roids. If Bagwell gets in, then Palmeiro sure as hell should.

Tabe >>

"Because of the roids?" What roids?
Palmeiro tested positive, Bagwell never did.
I get a kick out of fat-as* voters thinking the only way to gain muscle weight is through PEDs.
I myself gained over 20 lbs of muscle between the ages of 22 and 24.
Virtually every athlete gains weight (often muscle weight) over the course of his career. A couple before-and-after photos (probably 7 years apart) proves nothing.
Bagwell was the best NL first baseman for over a decade, he is a HOFer. >>

I totally agree. Bagwell lifted weights throughout his career and put on some muscle but he wasn't freakishly huge or anything. I'm about the same size (6 ft. 220lbs) as Bagwell was in his prime and I've been lifting weights since High School without PED's (I'm actually the same age as him as well). It can be done. Why are fans so eager to assume steroid use just because an athlete is into strength training? Give me proof! I also agree that a lot of the writers are non-athlete pencil neck geeks or fat tubs of goo and wouldn't know a barbell if they dropped it on their foot.

lanemyer85 · April 25, 2011 2:04PM

I totally agree. Bagwell lifted weights throughout his career and put on some muscle but he wasn't freakishly huge or anything. I'm about the same size (6 ft. 220lbs) as Bagwell was in his prime and I've been lifting weights since High School without PED's (I'm actually the same age as him as well). It can be done. Why are fans so eager to assume steroid use just because an athlete is into strength training?

Plus it's not like he had a handful of teammates who juiced up. Sure his good friend Caminiti roided up out of his head. Sure his pal Steve Finley had 47 HRs through his age 30 season and then 293 through age 42 <-pretty normal. Sure he was also a good friend and teammate of Biggio (78 HRs in his 20's, 232 HRs in his 30's/40's) and Luis Gonzalez (97 HRs in his 20's, 257 HRs in his 30's/40's) when their numbers should have been declining. It's sort of funny, there's a total spike in HR production for all these Astros guys post 1995 (strangely enough that was Caminiti's MVP year...weird). aside from Bagwell. He was pretty steady across his career until that shoulder injury. I'm not saying Bagwell did use, most likely he did. I disagree with you about his size though. He was pretty hulkish and he put on close to 40 pounds after leaving the Red Sox organization. 185 as a PawSock, 225 in his prime in HOU. That's a ton of bulk muscle for a guy clicking in at 6'0.

as for

Why are fans so eager to assume steroid use just because an athlete is into strength training?

simple, every great power hitter from his era aside from Thome, Griffey Jr, and F.Thomas has either already been pinched or has some semblance of suspicion surrounding them. So rightly or wrongly no one from that era has earned the benefit of the doubt.

zendude · April 25, 2011 2:22PM

My position on the whole steroid era is that unless there is hard evidence (failed drug test or an admission from the player) I will give them the benefit of the doubt. I guess it doesn't matter what I think anyway, I don't have a HOF vote.

greencrow · April 25, 2011 2:28PM

Jeff Bagwell and Frank Thomas were born on the same day. It would be cool if they entered the Hall on the same day.

PowderedH2O · April 25, 2011 2:28PM

Bagwell did get bigger. But, he is by no means alone. Harmon Killebrew got bigger. Hank Aaron was bigger. He was a stick when he came up. A lot of guys mature and get more muscular and heavier. When I was 21, I ate like a pig and could barely keep 160 lbs on my frame. Now, I smell food and I am lucky to keep myself under 215. It just happens. Bagwell might be clean. He might be dirty. I have no idea. Until there is some evidence, I've got to give him the benefit of the doubt.

digicat · April 25, 2011 4:59PM

<< The guy was traded for Larry Anderson. I know the Sox front office has always made the shrewdest of moves, but I'm pretty sure if they thought there was even the slightest chance that they had a 450+ HR guy on their hands, they wouldn't have traded him for a middle reliever....just sayin' >>

There were worse moves (or non-moves). In 1954, the Dodgers, under GM Branch Rickey, let Roberto Clemente be taken from them by the Pirates in the Rule 5 Draft because they didn't have room for him on their 40 man roster.

stown · April 29, 2011 5:20AM

<< 

<< 

<< 
On the surface, he's probably got the numbers to get in. But he won't - because of the roids. If Bagwell gets in, then Palmeiro sure as hell should.

Tabe >>

"Because of the roids?" What roids?
Palmeiro tested positive, Bagwell never did.
I get a kick out of fat-as* voters thinking the only way to gain muscle weight is through PEDs.
I myself gained over 20 lbs of muscle between the ages of 22 and 24.
Virtually every athlete gains weight (often muscle weight) over the course of his career. A couple before-and-after photos (probably 7 years apart) proves nothing.
Bagwell was the best NL first baseman for over a decade, he is a HOFer. >>

I totally agree. Bagwell lifted weights throughout his career and put on some muscle but he wasn't freakishly huge or anything. I'm about the same size (6 ft. 220lbs) as Bagwell was in his prime and I've been lifting weights since High School without PED's (I'm actually the same age as him as well). It can be done. Why are fans so eager to assume steroid use just because an athlete is into strength training? Give me proof! I also agree that a lot of the writers are non-athlete pencil neck geeks or fat tubs of goo and wouldn't know a barbell if they dropped it on their foot. >>

+1

Toro · April 29, 2011 12:41PM

<< I myself gained over 20 lbs of muscle between the ages of 22 and 24. >>

I agree, as you get closer to your prime years, you typically get stronger and bigger. Then it's downhill from there. The issue here are his teammates that used, his good friends, and the rest of the league. Sure, there isn't any evidence that he used but when it walks like a duck and quacks like a duck.....

ernie11 · May 3, 2011 7:02AM

Given what he accomplished in a career that was shortened a little by the shoulder thing, I would be surprised if he doesn't get in within the next 3 ballots.