01-09-2007, 07:16 AM
Well, not really. He's as easy a 1st-ballot choice as there's ever been. 400+ HR and, more importantly, 3100+ hits are automatic. But considering he played 21 seasons, including 16 1/2 consecutively, the numbers are really not that impressive.
1 30 HR season
4 100 RBI seasons
2 200 hit seasons
5 .300 seasons
He was a very good, consistent, durable player. No way he is a HOF'er though if he averages, say, 142 games played instead of 162.
That's not to take anything away from the streak. It is what it is and will never be done again. But Gehrig's worst year is better than Ripken's best. It's unfair to compare players from different eras - especially to Gehrig - but in this case it is very telling because the streak is 95% of why Ripken is a HOFer in the first place. Without the streak, he'd just be an infield version of Andre Dawson/Harold Baines/Dwight Evans/Dave Parker.
1 30 HR season
4 100 RBI seasons
2 200 hit seasons
5 .300 seasons
He was a very good, consistent, durable player. No way he is a HOF'er though if he averages, say, 142 games played instead of 162.
That's not to take anything away from the streak. It is what it is and will never be done again. But Gehrig's worst year is better than Ripken's best. It's unfair to compare players from different eras - especially to Gehrig - but in this case it is very telling because the streak is 95% of why Ripken is a HOFer in the first place. Without the streak, he'd just be an infield version of Andre Dawson/Harold Baines/Dwight Evans/Dave Parker.