MLB: Which former players will get the Hall of Fame call?
Carlos Delgado (.298/.323/.521, 473 HR’s, 1,512 RBI)
Delgado is the Toronto Blue Jays’ franchise-leading offensive player. He leads them in almost every offensive category. Between 1996-2004, he averaged 36 homers, 114 RBI and a batting average of .286.
The Case for induction: Delgado’s 473 home runs ranked 31st all-time, ahead of Carl Yastrzemski. If he didn’t have hip problems that ultimately forced an early retirement (he was just 37 when he retired), he would have gotten more than the magic number of 500 homers. His 1,512 RBI are more than Mickey Mantle. He has a career .929 OPS, which ranks him 37th all-time, just ahead of Hank Aaron.
Delgado is one of only six players in MLB history to hit 30+ home runs in ten consecutive seasons. He never won the MVP award, but he did finish in the top ten in voting four times.
The case against induction: Delgado never was a leader in stats in any particular year. He was just a steady producer of stats. He went to just two All Star games as well.
Another thing that hurts Delgado is the era he played. He played during the Steroid Era, when PED’s was in full bloom and no one cared about it. The numbers produced in that era are considered inflated, and a player like Delgado, who was NEVER talked about or failed any drug test, will still be looked at suspiciously.
Decision: I believe Delgado is a Hall of Famer, but it will take a lot of time for him to get the recognition for a great career he deserves. To have the numbers he had WITHOUT the stain of PED’s is just remarkable considering the era he played in.
Next: Craig Biggio