THROW THE RASCALS OUT REVERSE HOF VOTING

[OSJ]

People who say Ozzie Smith isn't a HOF never watched him play live.  Defense is half of the game and if you're the best defensive player of all time at your position that probably makes you a HOFer.  Plus he became a solid enough of an offensive player as his career went on. 

 

2460 hits, 1257 runs, 580 SB, 15 all star games, 13 time gold glove winner, even won a Silver Slugger in 1987.  76.5 WAR for a guy who for the first half of his career was primarily a defense first player.

 

Well, neither of us saw Honus Wagner play, but your points on Smith are excellent. You can cherry-pick certain stats to show him as less than great, but one really has to look at how he evolved as a player. No, he wasn't George Brett in the second half of his career, but he certainly was a complete player. The first half of his career he likely was the best defensive player at his position at least in the modern era, if not of all-time. His last few years he was an offensive threat as well. When you nail almost 2500 hits from a primarily defensive position, you've made a pretty compelling argument for induction.

[Kuetsar]

 

People who say Ozzie Smith isn't a HOF never watched him play live.  Defense is half of the game and if you're the best defensive player of all time at your position that probably makes you a HOFer.  Plus he became a solid enough of an offensive player as his career went on. 

 

2460 hits, 1257 runs, 580 SB, 15 all star games, 13 time gold glove winner, even won a Silver Slugger in 1987.  76.5 WAR for a guy who for the first half of his career was primarily a defense first player.

 

Well, neither of us saw Honus Wagner play, but your points on Smith are excellent. You can cherry-pick certain stats to show him as less than great, but one really has to look at how he evolved as a player. No, he wasn't George Brett in the second half of his career, but he certainly was a complete player. The first half of his career he likely was the best defensive player at his position at least in the modern era, if not of all-time. His last few years he was an offensive threat as well. When you nail almost 2500 hits from a primarily defensive position, you've made a pretty compelling argument for induction.

 

580 SB is pretty good too.