10 Reasons Alex Rodriguez could be a Hall of Famer
On Friday, 8/12/2016 “A-Rod” will play his last game. Barring an unlikely return to MLB, he will go on the Hall of Fame ballot in 2021. The baseball writers’ association will grapple with perhaps the most complex case in history.
1. 10 years on the ballot: By 2015, many younger writer’s will reach the 10-year membership mark required to vote. Steroids are a common issue these days and younger voters may be apt to look past it.
2. Alex hit 696 home runs: He trails only Barry Bonds (762), Hank Aaron (755) and Babe Ruth (714).
3. A-Rod hit 30 home runs and 100 RBI in 13 straight seasons: From 1998-2010 which is the most in MLB history. Sports writers are looking for this type of consistency.
4. Alex ranks 25th all-time in games played: This type of both consistency and longevity are what gets you into the HOF.
5. His 118 WAR* (Wins Above Replacement) ranks 12th all time: He’s sandwiched between Ted Williams and Lou Gehrig. *WAR is a fantasy/sabermetrics statistic that measure a player’s stats vs a replacement player- the net being how many wins that player is responsible for over time. This includes defense and can be plus or minus.
6. In 2013 A-Rod hit his record career 24th grand slam: He broke the previous record of 23 all time by Lou Gehrig.
7. He has been named to 14 all-star teams: This includes 9 years in a row from 2000-2008.
8. Alex has 3114 career hits: This ranks him 20th all-time. He leads the MLB in hits with 213 in 1998.
9. A-Rod has won 3 MVP awards and 1 World Series ring: He also was instrumental in helping the Yankees win the World Series in 2009. Alex’s batting average was .365 and he hit 6 home runs with 18 RBIs (runs batted in) over 15 games played in the 2009 playoffs.
10. Alex ranks 3rd all-time in RBIs: With 2084 RBI in 2782 games played Arod twice led the major leagues. He hit 142 RBI in 2002 and 156 in 2007 respectively.
Although Alex has admitted steroid use and is an enigma, he still may sneak in there after all!