In MLB, discussing who deserves to be a Hall of Famer and who doesn’t can become a controversial exercise.
Everybody has different opinions, but passion often gets people carried away in these debates.
Still, there are guys who the vast majority of people look at them and say “this is a slam-dunk Hall of Famer”.
They might not have the totals, or the peak associated with a truly dominant offensive force, but they just have that X-factor needed for true greatness.
Former San Francisco Giants catcher Buster Posey is one of them.
ESPN analyst Buster Olney seems to agree with his Hall of Fame candidacy.
“Buster Posey is a Hall of Famer — Lifetime slash of .302/.372/.460, Rookie of the Year, MVP, 7 All-Star appearances as a catcher, at the heart of three championships. His induction will also help the case of Thurman Munson in the future,” he tweeted, and recently retweeted.
Buster Posey is a Hall of Famer — Lifetime slash of .302/.372/.460, Rookie of the Year, MVP, 7 All-Star appearances as a catcher, at the heart of three championships. His induction will also help the case of Thurman Munson in the future.
— Buster Olney (@Buster_ESPN) November 4, 2021
Posey was the heart and soul of the Giants’ team that won three World Series in a span of five years.
He is a true winner: he took home his first World Series in 2010 as a rookie.
He also retired with an excellent .302 average, 158 home runs, and 729 RBI.
If you wanted peak performance, you also have it: he accumulated 42.9 Wins Above Replacement (WAR) from 2012 to 2017, with a 10.1-WAR season in 2012 and MVP honors.
Perhaps he is a bit short in the totals, but he made a huge difference when active and that should be enough for enshrinement.
If he gets in, it should help Thurman Munson and Jorge Posada eventually getting elected.
Posey was a true star, perhaps one of the most underrated of his time.
It probably won’t be easy since his totals are not quite there for HOF standards, but he should eventually get in.
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