Starting this week, I will be reviewing a different player that is in the Major League Baseball Hall of Fame that I think shouldn’t be there. Listen to what I have to say then post comments on whether you agree or disagree and I will respond. To start off, I will share my views on why the New York Mets catcher Gary Carter has lowered the Hall of Fame standard.Currently, I am not in a position to vote for which players reach baseball immortality; however, if I was this is what I would be looking for. First and foremost a player must have excelled in the basic statistical categories, batting average, home runs and runs batted in. Some people feel that awards such as all-star games and MVP’s count just as heavily, but that is not practical. In my mind, an athlete of any sport must be judged by their on field performance, not by awards they have won based on a voting system. With that said, here is why Gary Carter does not fit the Hall of Fame player mold.
First, lets take a look at Gary Carter’s numbers; he batted a sub par .262 during his eighteen-year career. Already from the basic statistic of batting average Gary Carter doesn’t even look like an all star, let alone a hall of famer. Next, he hit 324 home runs and drove in 1,225 runs. These are decent power numbers but nothing earth shattering. Just looking at his numbers, Gary looks like an above average catcher but nothing out of this world.
In my mind, this is where Carter got some his votes, the awards. Gary Carter appeared in eleven all-star games, won a world series in 1986 with the Mets, won three gold gloves and five silver slugger awards. On the topic of all-star games, the FANS vote players into this game; therefore FAN favorites get in regardless of how they are doing statistically that season. For example, Josh Hamilton got in this year with absolutely horrible numbers. Next, Carter won a World Series with everyone’s favorite ‘86 Mets. In my opinion, big deal, there are many average players who have won a World Series, that isn’t the be all, end all to becoming a Hall of Famer. Finally, Mr. Carter won five silver slugger awards. For those of you who do not know, this is an award given out to a player of each position in both the American and National Leagues, so based on that, there are eighteen players winning this so called, “important award” each year. If the award was so special why are they giving it out to eighteen players?
Now that you seen the statistics and awards Gary Carter has won, here is the main reason why I think he is in the Hall of Fame. It is the fact that he played for the New York Mets and everyone knows when you play in New York you get the media along with it. The media either loves you or hates you, and they loved Gary Carter. To get elected into the Hall of Fame you must be approved by the Baseball Writers Association of America, otherwise known as, the media. In general, players that are in good standing with the media have a better shot at getting in to the hall. Think about it, if Barry Bonds treated reporters with respect he would have at least a small shot of getting into the Hall of Fame. Since Gary Carter had the media on his side he also had the fact that he played in New York. For some reason, playing in the big apple gives you a leg up in any dealings.
All in all, what’s done is done, but having Gary Carter a member of the “elite” baseball club does not make sense. Major League Baseball is known as a game of numbers, not awards so in my mind if your numbers don’t stack up, you don’t belong in.
Daniel Weberman
NYchalktalk.com
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