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Awards = HOF? Part Eighteen: The Edgar Martinez Award

We here at Notinhalloffame.com thought it would be fun to take a look at the major awards in North American team sports and see how it translates into Hall of Fame potential.

Needless to say, different awards in different sports yield hall of fame potential.  In basketball, the team sport with the least amount of players on a roster, the dividend for greatness much higher.  In baseball, it is not as much as a great individual season does not have the same impact.

Our next award is the Edgar Martinez Award, which is awarded annually to the best Designated Hitter.  Keep in mind as we go through this, there have always been a bias towards DHs in the Hall, so much so that the man this award is named after does not appear to be Cooperstown bound.

So, in theory, there should be nobody who enters the Hall who won this award right?

Let’s take a look!



The following are the past players who have won the Edgar Martinez Award who are eligible for the Baseball Hall of Fame and have been enshrined.



Orlando Cepeda, Boston Red Sox (1973)

1973 Season:  159 Hits, 20 Home Runs, 86 Runs Batted In, .289/.350/.444 Slash Line.  Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1999.

Jim Rice, Boston Red Sox (1977)

1977 Season:  206 Hits, 39 Home Runs, 114 Runs Batted In, .320/.376/.593 Slash Line.  Home Run and Slugging Title.  All Star.  Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2009.

Dave Winfield, Toronto Blue Jays (1992)

1992 Season:  169 Hits, 26 Home Runs, 108 Runs Batted In, .290/.377/.491 Slash Line.  Silver Slugger, World Series Champion.  Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2001.

Paul Molitor, Toronto Blue Jays (1993)

1993 Season:  211 Hits, 22 Home Runs, 111 Runs Batted In, .332/.402/.509 Slash Line.  Hits Title. Silver Slugger.  World Series Champion and World Series MVP.  Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2001.

Paul Molitor, Minnesota Twins (1996)

1996 Season:  225 Hits, 9 Home Runs, 113 Runs Batted In, .341/.390/.468 Slash Line.  Hits Title.  Silver Slugger.  Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2001.



Notes:

Cepeda played 8.7% of his games at DH.  This was his final full time season in the Majors.

Rice played 25.4% of his games at DH. 

This was late in Winfield’s career.  He played 14.1% of his games at DH.

Molitor played 43.7% of his games at DH.



The following are the players who have won the Edgar Martinez Award who are eligible for the Baseball Hall of Fame and have not been selected:



Tommy Davis, Baltimore Orioles (1974)

1974 Season:  181 Hits, 11 Home Runs, 84 Runs Batted In, .289/.325/.377 Slash Line.  Davis was on the ballot for one year in 1982 and received 1.2% of the vote.  Unranked on Notinhalloffame.com.

Willie Horton, Detroit Tigers (1975)

1975 Season:  169 Hits, 25 Home Runs, 92 Runs Batted In, .275/.319/.421 Slash Line.  Horton was on the ballot for one year in 1986 and received 0.9% of the vote.  Unranked on Notinhalloffame.com.

Hal McRae, Kansas City Royals (1976)

1976 Season:  175 Hits, 8 Home Runs, 73 Runs Batted In, .332/.407/.461 Slash Line. McRae won the OPS and OBP Title this season.  All Star.  He was on the ballot for one year in 1993, but received no votes.  Unranked on Notinhalloffame.com.

Rusty Staub, Detroit Tigers (1978)

1978 Season:  175 Hits, 24 Home Runs, 121 Runs Batted In, .332/.407/.461 Slash Line.  Staub was on the ballot for seven years and finished as high as 7.9% in 1994.  Ranked #70 on Notinhalloffame.com.

Willie Horton, Seattle Mariners (1979) (2)

1979 Season:  180 Hits, 29 Home Runs, 106 Runs Batted In, .273/.347/.435 Slash Line.  Horton was on the ballot for one year in 1986 and received 0.9% of the vote.  Unranked on Notinhalloffame.com.

Hal McRae, Kansas City Royals (1980) (2)

1980 Season:  170 Hits, 14 Home Runs, 83 Runs Batted In, .297/.342/.483 Slash Line.  He was on the ballot for one year in 1993, but received no votes.  Unranked on Notinhalloffame.com.

Greg Luzinski, Chicago White Sox (1981)

1981 Season:  100 Hits, 21 Home Runs, 62 Runs Batted In, .265/.365/.476 Slash Line.  He was on the ballot for one year in 1990 and received 0.2% of the votes.  Unranked on Notinhalloffame.com.

Hal McRae, Kansas City Royals (1982) (3)

1982 Season:  189 Hits, 27 Home Runs, 133 Runs Batted In, .308/.369/.542 Slash Line.  McRae won the Doubles and RBI Title this season.  All Star.  He was on the ballot for one year in 1993, but received no votes.  Unranked on Notinhalloffame.com.

Greg Luzinski, Chicago White Sox (1983) (2)

1983 Season:  128 Hits, 32 Home Runs, 95 Runs Batted In, .255/.352/.502 Slash Line.  He was on the ballot for one year in 1990 and received 0.2% of the votes.  Unranked on Notinhalloffame.com.

Dave Kingman, Oakland Athletics (1984)

1984 Season:  147 Hits, 35 Home Runs, 118 Runs Batted In, .268/.321/.505 Slash Line.  He was on the ballot for one year in 1992 and received 0.7% of the votes.  Unranked on Notinhalloffame.com.

Don Baylor, New York Yankees (1985)

1985 Season:  110 Hits, 23 Home Runs, 91 Runs Batted In, .231/.330/.430 Slash Line.  Silver Slugger.  He was on the ballot for two years and finished with 2.6% both years.  Unranked on Notinhalloffame.com.

Don Baylor, Boston Red Sox (1986) (2)

1986 Season:  139 Hits, 31 Home Runs, 94 Runs Batted In, .238/.344/.439 Slash Line.  Silver Slugger.  He was on the ballot for two years and finished with 2.6% both years.  Unranked on Notinhalloffame.com.

Harold Baines, Chicago White Sox (1987)

1987 Season:  148 Hits, 20 Home Runs, 93 Runs Batted In, .293/.352/.479 Slash Line.  All Star.  He was on the ballot for five years and finished as high as 6.1% in 2010.  Ranked #40 at Notinhalloffame.com.

Harold Baines, Chicago White Sox (1988) (2)

1988 Season:  166 Hits, 13 Home Runs, 81 Runs Batted In, .277/.347/.411 Slash Line.  He was on the ballot for five years and finished as high as 6.1% in 2010.  Ranked #40 at Notinhalloffame.com.

Dave Parker, Oakland Athletics (1989)

1989 Season:  146 Hits, 22 Home Runs, 97 Runs Batted In, .264/.308/.432 Slash Line.  He was on the ballot for five years and finished as high as 6.1% in 2010.  Ranked #28 at Notinhalloffame.com.

Dave Parker, Milwaukee Brewers (1990)

1990 Season:  176 Hits, 21 Home Runs, 92 Runs Batted In, .289/.330/.451 Slash Line.  He was on the ballot for five years and finished as high as 6.1% in 2010.  All Star, Silver Slugger.  Ranked #28 at Notinhalloffame.com.

Chili Davis, Minnesota Twins (1991)

1991 Season:  148 Hits, 29 Home Runs, 93 Runs Batted In, .277/.385/.507 Slash Line.  He was on the ballot for one year in 2005 and finished with 0.6% of the vote.  World Series Champion.  Unranked at Notinhalloffame.com.

Edgar Martinez, Seattle Mariners (1995)

1995 Season:  182 Hits, 29 Home Runs, 113 Runs Batted In, .356/.479/.628 Slash Line.  He has been on the ballot for seven years and has finished as high as 43.4% in 2016.  Runs Scored Title, Doubles Title, Batting Title, On Base Percentage Title, OPS Title.  All Star, Silver Slugger.  Ranked #20 on Notinhalloffame.com.

Edgar Martinez, Seattle Mariners (1997) (2)

1997 Season:  179 Hits, 28 Home Runs, 108 Runs Batted In, .330/.456/.554 Slash Line.  He has been on the ballot for seven years and has finished as high as 43.4% in 2016.  Ranked #20 on Notinhalloffame.com.

Edgar Martinez, Seattle Mariners (1998) (3)

1998 Season:  179 Hits, 29 Home Runs, 102 Runs Batted In, .322/.429/.565 Slash Line.  On Base Percentage Title.  He has been on the ballot for seven years and has finished as high as 43.4% in 2016.  Ranked #20 on Notinhalloffame.com.

Rafael Palmeiro, Texas Rangers (1999)

1999 Season:  183 Hits, 47 Home Runs, 148 Runs Batted In, .324/.420/.630 Slash Line.  All Star, Gold Glove (Seriously, that happened), Silver Slugger.  He was on the ballot for four years and has finished as high as 12.6% in 2012.  Ranked #23 on Notinhalloffame.com.

Edgar Martinez, Seattle Mariners (2000) (4)

2000 Season:  180 Hits, 37 Home Runs, 145 Runs Batted In, .324/.423/.579 Slash Line.  Runs Batted In Title.  All Star.  He has been on the ballot for seven years and has finished as high as 43.4% in 2016.  Ranked #20 on Notinhalloffame.com.

Edgar Martinez, Seattle Mariners (2001) (5)

2001 Season:  144 Hits, 23 Home Runs, 116 Runs Batted In, .306/.423/.543 Slash Line.  All Star, Silver Slugger.  He has been on the ballot for seven years and has finished as high as 43.4% in 2016.  Ranked #20 on Notinhalloffame.com.

Ellis Burks, Cleveland Indians (2002)

2002 Season:  156 Hits, 32 Home Runs, 91 Runs Batted In, .301/.362/.541 Slash Line.  He was on the ballot for one year and received 0.4% in 2010.  Unranked on Notinhalloffame.com.



Who amongst this group has a legitimate shot to be chosen in the future for the Baseball Hall of Fame?



Tommy Davis has two All Star appearances with the Los Angeles Dodgers in the early 1960’s.  In ’63, he won the RBI, Hits and Batting Title and finished 3rd in MVP voting.  His 2,121 Hits are good, but his career OBP of .329 isn’t.  Throw in a 20.1 bWAR, and his exclusion is warranted.  Davis played 22.6% of his career at DH.

Willie Horton was an All Star four times previously in Detroit and blasted 325 Home Runs.  Still, Horton has a horrible Defensive bWAR (-17.0) and his overall bWAR is 26.4, which in the modern era will be a hard sell for the Hall.  Horton played 37.1% of his career at DH.

Hal McRae was a three time All Star and is the first Edgar Martinez Award winner who was predominantly a Designated Hitter through his career as shown by his 68.4 % playing games at that position.  Is this why the first real career DH of note who was eligible for the Hall despite 2,091 Hits and a career OPS of .805 did not receive a single vote?  It probably was!

Staub’s 2,716 career Hits are impressive and six times he was considered an All Star.  He is ranked by us, but in the lower half of the 100.  We could see him getting a Veteran’s Committee nomination, but not much support if he gets there.  Staub played 16.1% of his games at DH.

“The Bull” Greg Luzinski was a fan favorite but a defensive nightmare with a career Defensive bWAR of 20.9..  Luzinski was a four time All Star with the Philadelphia Phillies and put up the offensive numbers to make those selections worthwhile, but his overall bWAR of 26.1 is not Hall of Fame worthy.  Luzinski played 28.1% of his games at DH.

Dave Kingman.  It was either a Home Run (442) or a Strikeout (1,816).  While that is a lot of Home Runs, it is also saddled with more K’s than H’s and a sub 20 bWAR.  Kingman played 22.4% of his games at DH.

Don Baylor was a former MVP and his conversion to Designated Hitter extended his career, but not his Hall of Fame chances.  Baylor might have a better shot as a Manager to get into the Hall, but that likely won’t happen either.  Baylor played 56.2% of his games at DH.

We love Harold Baines, and if Edgar Martinez gets in, Baines should follow.  His career offense included 2,866 Hits, 384 Home Runs and 1,628 RBIs, which is incredible no matter how you slice it.  Baines played 58.0% of his games at DH.

Dave Parker, “The Cobra” lasted the entire fifteen year duration on the ballot and has earned the respect to probably get a Veteran’s Committee Nomination.  Parker is a former MVP with a decent bWAR of 39.9, but it will always be asked what could have happened if he did not sacrifice part of his career to cocaine.  Parker played 19.6% of his games at DH.

Chili Davis was a three time World Series winner with a bWAR near 40.  He had 2,380 Hits and 350 Home Runs, a great tally but not one that will get him a Hall of Fame slot.  Davis played 47.2% of his games at DH.

Edgar Martinez, the man who Major League Baseball named an award after has been facing an uphill battle to get into the Hall, no matter that he is largely one of the best DH’s ever.  Martinez played 68.7% of his games at DH.  That percentage might be what will always keep him out of Cooperstown, despite his career 3/4/5 Slash Line.     

Rafael Palmeiro has over 3,000 Hits and 500 Home Runs, placing him in rare company.  He also has a wagging finger in front of congress that trumped every other memory he made.  He will never get in.  Palmeiro played 15.2% of his games at DH.

Ellis Burks was a two time All Star with good hitting numbers 2,107 Hits and 352 Home Runs and a much better than you think 49.6 bWAR.  He isn’t a Hall of Famer, but deserved better than the 0.4% he got in the Hall of Fame Vote.  Burks played 15.4% of his games at DH.



Let’s update our tally shall we?



Award in Question

Percentage of recipients who have entered the HOF

Percentage of recipients by year who have entered the HOF.

NBA MVP

100%

100%

NHL Norris

90.5%

96.4%

NBA All Star Game MVP

89.5%

91.7%

NHL Lady Byng

63.8%

76.0%

NFL Super Bowl MVP

60.6%

64.9%

NBA Rookie of the Year

56.5%

56.5%

NHL Frank J. Selke Trophy

33.3%

36.7%

NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year

28.6%

28.6%

MLB Edgar Martinez Award

26.7%

17.2%

MLB (NL/AL) Silver Slugger (Designated Hitter)

25.0%

30.8%

MLB (NL/AL) Silver Slugger (Shortstop)

23.5%

52.6%

NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year

20.6%

20.6%

MLB (NL/AL) Silver Slugger (Catcher)

20.0%

22.5%

MLB (NL/AL) Silver Slugger (Pitcher)

18.2%

20.1%

MLB (NL/AL) Silver Slugger (Second Base)

16.7%

32.7%

MLB (NL/AL) Silver Slugger (Outfield)

15.7%

25.2%

MLB (NL/AL) Silver Slugger (Third Base)

13.6%

14.3%

MLB (NL/AL) Silver Slugger (First Base)

13.6%

13.3%

MLB (NL/AL) Rookie of the Year

13.3%

13.3%





The fact that this is not a zero

So who is up next?



The following are the players who have won the Edgar Martinez Award who have retired but have not met the mandatory years out of the game to qualify:



Aubrey Huff, Baltimore Orioles (2008)

2008 Season:  182 Hits, 32 Home Runs, 108 Runs Batted In, .304/.360/.552 Slash Line.  Silver Slugger.  Huff will be eligible for the Hall of Fame in 2018.   



Aubrey Huff’s career was solid, but that is about it.  Solid doesn’t get you inducted.



The following are the players who have won the Edgar Martinez Award who are still active.



David Ortiz, Boston Red Sox (2003)

2003 Season:  129 Hits, 31 Home Runs, 101 Runs Batted In, .288/.369/.592 Slash Line.  40 Years Old.  Currently with the Boston Red Sox.   

David Ortiz, Boston Red Sox (2004)

2004 Season:  175 Hits, 41 Home Runs, 139 Runs Batted In, .301/.380/.603 Slash Line.  All Star, Silver Slugger, World Series Champion.  40 Years Old.  Currently with the Boston Red Sox.   

David Ortiz, Boston Red Sox (2005)

2005 Season:  180 Hits, 47 Home Runs, 148 Runs Batted In, .300/.397/.604 Slash Line.  All Star, Silver Slugger, RBI Title.  40 Years Old.  Currently with the Boston Red Sox.   

David Ortiz, Boston Red Sox (2006)

2006 Season:  160 Hits, 54 Home Runs, 137 Runs Batted In, .287/.413/.636 Slash Line.  All Star, Silver Slugger, Home Run Title, RBI Title, Walks Title.  40 Years Old.  Currently with the Boston Red Sox.   

David Ortiz, Boston Red Sox (2007)

2007 Season:  182 Hits, 35 Home Runs, 117 Runs Batted In, .332/.445/.621 Slash Line.  All Star, Silver Slugger, Walks Title, On Base Percentage Title, World Series Champion.  40 Years Old.  Currently with the Boston Red Sox.   

Adam Lind, Toronto Blue Jays (2009)

2009 Season:  179 Hits, 35 Home Runs, 114 Runs Batted In, .305/.370/.562 Slash Line.  Silver Slugger.  32 Years Old.  Currently with the Seattle Mariners.

David Ortiz, Boston Red Sox (2011)

2011 Season:  162 Hits, 29 Home Runs, 96 Runs Batted In, .309/.398/.554 Slash Line.  All Star, Silver Slugger.  40 Years Old.  Currently with the Boston Red Sox.   

Billy Butler, Kansas City Royals (2012)

2012 Season:  192 Hits, 29 Home Runs, 107 Runs Batted In, .313/.373/.510 Slash Line.  All Star, Silver Slugger.  29 Years Old.  Currently with the Oakland Athletics.   

David Ortiz, Boston Red Sox (2013)

2013 Season:  160 Hits, 30 Home Runs, 103 Runs Batted In, .309/.395/.564 Slash Line.  All Star, Silver Slugger, Walks Title, On Base Percentage Title, World Series Champion, World Series MVP.  40 Years Old.  Currently with the Boston Red Sox.   

Victor Martinez, Boston Red Sox (2014)

2014 Season:  188 Hits, 32 Home Runs, 103 Runs Batted In, .335/.409/.564 Slash Line.  All Star, Silver Slugger, On Base Percentage Title, OPS Title.  37 Years Old.  Currently with the Detroit Tigers.   

Kendrys Morales, Kansas City Royals (2015)

2015 Season:  165 Hits, 22 Home Runs, 106 Runs Batted In, .290/.362/.485 Slash Line.  Silver Slugger, World Series Champion.  32 Years Old.  Currently with the Kansas City Royals.   



David Ortiz...wow.  So here is the question for Ortiz.  Right now you are either in two camps.  The first is Edgar Martinez is the best Designated Hitter of all time.  The second is that Ortiz is.  Personally, I feel Ortiz is, but what does that mean for Cooperstown?  I can’t wait to found out.  As of this writing (prior to the 2016 season), Ortiz has played 83.7 % of his games at DH.  If he were to get in to Cooperstown he would have the most games at DH by a VERY wide margin.

Adam Lind will not make the Hall of Fame.  Lind has played 35.9% of his games at DH.

Billy Butler will not make it either.  Butler has played 63.5% of his games at DH.

You would think with six All Stars, Victor Martinez is a Hall of Fame caliber player, but he really isn’t.  His bWAR stands right now at 32.5 shows his weaknesses but that career Slash Line (if it stays in this level) of .302/.367/.467 will get him a few votes.  Martinez has played 31.9% of his games at DH.

Kendrys Morales has a World Series Ring that he can put in his ear so that he can’t hear us tell him that he is not a Hall of Famer.  Morales has played 50.7% of his games at DH.



Beyond Ortiz, there is nobody active who has a shot though overall, so much for “Designated Hitters” never getting into Cooperstown…sort of.

So what will we look at next?

Going back to the world of hockey, it is the King Clancy Award, which is awarded annually to the NHL player who exemplifies leadership on and off the ice.

Look for that soon and as always we thank you for your support!
Last modified on Monday, 21 November 2016 18:31
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