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Just asking' Can a case be made for Reggie Smith for the HOF?

KalineFanKalineFan Posts: 868
in PSA Set Registry Forum
I'm just asking because I just remember he had a pretty potent bat with the Sox in the 60's
and he seemed to hit very well in the clutch.

Tony
KalineFan

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    shagrotn77shagrotn77 Posts: 5,566 ✭✭✭✭
    Good ballplayer, but well short of HOF caliber.
    "My father would womanize, he would drink. He would make outrageous claims like he invented the question mark. Sometimes he would accuse chestnuts of being lazy. The sort of general malaise that only the genius possess and the insane lament. Our childhood was typical. Summers in Rangoon, luge lessons. In the spring we'd make meat helmets. When we were insolent we were placed in a burlap bag and beaten with reeds - pretty standard really."
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    GriffinsGriffins Posts: 6,076 ✭✭✭
    agreed. Some good years with the Sox and the Dodgers, but far from HOF.
    He's an incredible hitting coach for kids here in LA. Really patient and very giving, a great guy from all accounts.

    Always looking for Topps Salesman Samples, pre '51 unopened packs, E90-2, E91a, N690 Kalamazoo Bats, and T204 Square Frame Ramly's

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    bobsbbcardsbobsbbcards Posts: 3,254 ✭✭✭
    Similar batters (from baseball-reference.com):


    Fred Lynn (959)
    Shawn Green (945)
    Brian Giles (925)
    Bobby Bonilla (924)
    Ellis Burks (912)
    Raul Ibanez (907)
    Derrek Lee (906)
    Del Ennis (905)
    Paul O'Neill (904)
    Jermaine Dye (902)

    A lot of good players, but no HOFers.
    bobsbbcards PSA Registry Sets
    bobsbbcards SGC Registry Sets
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    SDSportsFanSDSportsFan Posts: 5,094 ✭✭✭✭✭
    I think I'd vote for Al Oliver before ever thinking about Reggie Smith.

    Steve
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    markj111markj111 Posts: 2,921 ✭✭✭


    << <i>I think I'd vote for Al Oliver before ever thinking about Reggie Smith.

    Steve >>



    Reggie Smith had an OPS+ of 137 for his career. Oliver exceeded that once. OTOH, Oliver's career was about 20% longer. Neither would be the worst player in the HOF. I prefer Smith.
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    cards651cards651 Posts: 665 ✭✭


    << <i>agreed. Some good years with the Sox and the Dodgers, but far from HOF.
    He's an incredible hitting coach for kids here in LA. Really patient and very giving, a great guy from all accounts. >>



    That's great to hear. We loved him as kids in Boston. But cannot imagine Reggie, Fred Lynn or Ellis Burks in HOF.
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    ejguruejguru Posts: 617 ✭✭✭
    I recall hearing this several years ago, and it always stuck. Reggie Smith NEVER played on a losing team--in his entire career. I think he played the most ML seasons without ever playing on a losing team. Always suspected it would be tough to match the Yankees stretch, so maybe it was post-war period, but the key was that he made every team he played for, better. Not a Hall of Famer, but certainly a very good player.
    "...life is but a dream."

    Used to working on HOF SS Baseballs--Now just '67 Sox Stickers and anything Boston related.
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    ejguruejguru Posts: 617 ✭✭✭
    Slight correction: He played 68 games/234 AB's for the 1979 Dodgers who were 79-83. Other than that, all of his teams had winning records.
    "...life is but a dream."

    Used to working on HOF SS Baseballs--Now just '67 Sox Stickers and anything Boston related.
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    cards651cards651 Posts: 665 ✭✭
    Some of that's luck of the draw. Early '70s Sox teams were pretty average and Yaz was the clear leader. While I wasn't in the clubhouse, George Scott seemed more of a team leader than Reggie Smith. If anything these Sox teams underachieved and while a 'winning' record is easy to calculate, many would not give any of these guys real credit for leading these teams anywhere. If anything, we scratch our heads and ask how they couldn't have done better.
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    StingrayStingray Posts: 8,843 ✭✭✭


    << <i>I think I'd vote for Al Oliver before ever thinking about Reggie Smith.

    Steve >>



    +1
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    DavidPuddyDavidPuddy Posts: 3,483 ✭✭✭
    As much as I think switch hitters in general should get a little leniency toward the HOF, I don't think he's HOF worthy. I do think injuries kept him from putting up better numbers.

    He did have 45 HR's in Japan to wrap up his career.

    image
    imageimageimageimage
    "The Sipe market is ridiculous right now"
    CDsNuts, 1/9/15
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    DakilloDakillo Posts: 158 ✭✭
    Neither would be the worst player in the HOF

    Not to hijack the thread, but is there a name(s) that commonly comes up in support of that statement? Purely curious.
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    hyperchipper09hyperchipper09 Posts: 1,440 ✭✭✭✭✭


    << <i>Neither would be the worst player in the HOF

    Not to hijack the thread, but is there a name(s) that commonly comes up in support of that statement? Purely curious. >>



    George "High Pockets" Kelly for worst HOF'er seems to be the one I've heard most often. Rick Ferrell another. As for Reggie, I'd say no to the HOF. But there were a couple of seasons with the Dodgers where he was the best player on that particular team, though Steve Garvey got the pub. Smith would make a Hall of Very Good image
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    JoeBanzaiJoeBanzai Posts: 11,225 ✭✭✭✭✭
    VERY underrated player!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

    His OPS+ numbers are better than a LOT of HOFers. Reggie's down side was he only had 8051 PA.

    The two guys that are in the hall that had lower OPS+ and similar times at the plate are Orlando Cepeda and our favorite guy to argue about Jim Rice, both of whom had more plate appearances.

    Most of the HOFers that had a lower OPS+ number than Reggie had 10,000 PA.

    He had a pretty darn good final year, anyone know why he retired after his one (very good) year with the Giants?
    2013,14 and 15 Certificate Award Winner Harmon Killebrew Master Set and Master Topps Set
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    DakilloDakillo Posts: 158 ✭✭
    George "High Pockets" Kelly and Rick Ferrell

    Thank you for that - I can't recall ever having a conversation about, or hearing of an obviously poor candidate. Some quick research shows that Kelly was shooed in by some friends on the Veteran's Committee, never having received more than 5 votes as a player. As far as Rick Ferrell, I think there is a viable case to be made for him being there legitimately.

    To compare to modern times, George Kelly's induction would be tantamount to seeing a player like Marquis Grissom or BJ Surhoff enter the Hall. I think we'd all scream "foul" as well.

    Reggie Smith was certainly a consistent force on the Red Sox and Dodgers for many years, but so long as we are going to make a case for those that should be in, let's start with Alan Trammell and Jack Morris.
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    hyperchipper09hyperchipper09 Posts: 1,440 ✭✭✭✭✭


    << <i>VERY underrated player!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

    His OPS+ numbers are better than a LOT of HOFers. Reggie's down side was he only had 8051 PA.

    The two guys that are in the hall that had lower OPS+ and similar times at the plate are Orlando Cepeda and our favorite guy to argue about Jim Rice, both of whom had more plate appearances.

    Most of the HOFers that had a lower OPS+ number than Reggie had 10,000 PA.

    He had a pretty darn good final year, anyone know why he retired after his one (very good) year with the Giants? >>



    Went to Japan for the 83 & 84 seasons. I don't recall the particulars at the time though.
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    markj111markj111 Posts: 2,921 ✭✭✭


    << <i>Neither would be the worst player in the HOF

    Not to hijack the thread, but is there a name(s) that commonly comes up in support of that statement? Purely curious. >>





    http://thecanonreview.blogspot.com/2010/12/worst-of-best-baseball-hall-of-fames.html
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    JoeBanzaiJoeBanzai Posts: 11,225 ✭✭✭✭✭


    << <i>

    << <i>VERY underrated player!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

    His OPS+ numbers are better than a LOT of HOFers. Reggie's down side was he only had 8051 PA.

    The two guys that are in the hall that had lower OPS+ and similar times at the plate are Orlando Cepeda and our favorite guy to argue about Jim Rice, both of whom had more plate appearances.

    Most of the HOFers that had a lower OPS+ number than Reggie had 10,000 PA.

    He had a pretty darn good final year, anyone know why he retired after his one (very good) year with the Giants? >>



    Went to Japan for the 83 & 84 seasons. I don't recall the particulars at the time though. >>



    If he went to Japan it was probably because they offered a better contract. Two more years in MLB gets him to 19 years of service and around 9,000 PA.

    I wonder if he then gets some support? Of course he would need those last two years to be productive.
    2013,14 and 15 Certificate Award Winner Harmon Killebrew Master Set and Master Topps Set
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    DavidPuddyDavidPuddy Posts: 3,483 ✭✭✭
    Here's some good info about his Japan years.

    Reggie Smith BR Bullpen page
    "The Sipe market is ridiculous right now"
    CDsNuts, 1/9/15
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    JoeBanzaiJoeBanzai Posts: 11,225 ✭✭✭✭✭
    More good information.

    Reggie Smith
    2013,14 and 15 Certificate Award Winner Harmon Killebrew Master Set and Master Topps Set
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    cards651cards651 Posts: 665 ✭✭
    Interesting but somewhat questionable. The Boston stuff is very generalized. For a guy that hates Boston, Bill Lee can often be found there. Biographys are always tricky. Taking Reggie S. over Reggie J.? I'll have to read Reggie J.'s bio and see if they agree.
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