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26. Keith Hernandez

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26.  Keith Hernandez
  1. General
  2. Awards
  3. Career Stats
  • Born: October 20, 1953 in San Francisco, CA USA
  • Weight: 180 lbs.
  • Height: 6'0"
  • Bats: L
  • Throws: L
  • Debut: August 30, 1974
  • Final Game: July 24, 1990
  • Gold Glove - 1978
  • Gold Glove - 1979
  • Most Valuable Player - 1979
  • TSN All-Star - 1979
  • TSN Player of the Year - 1979
  • Gold Glove - 1980
  • Silver Slugger - 1980
  • TSN All-Star - 1980
  • Gold Glove - 1981
  • Gold Glove - 1982
  • Gold Glove - 1983
  • Gold Glove - 1984
  • Silver Slugger - 1984
  • TSN All-Star - 1984
  • Gold Glove - 1985
  • TSN All-Star - 1985
  • Gold Glove - 1986
  • TSN All-Star - 1986
  • Gold Glove - 1987
  • Gold Glove - 1988
  • MVP - 1979
  • MVP - 1980
  • MVP - 1981
  • MVP - 1982
  • MVP - 1983
  • MVP - 1984
  • MVP - 1985
  • MVP - 1986
 
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Just what would Keith Hernandez be most famous for?  Could it be for his eleven consecutive Gold Gloves?  How about his 1979 MVP?  The two World Series rings perhaps?  Maybe his tenacious play as a Met?  It could also be for his association with cocaine.  Likely, there are many who think of Keith Hernandez and remember that episode of Seinfeld instead.  Just as long as it isn’t for those terrible Just for Men commercials.

Although Keith Hernandez had a longer tenure with the Cardinals and won a World Series and MVP there, it can be easily argued that his best days were as a New York Met.  He embodied the party hard, play harder attitude, and quickly became the leader of his second franchise.  Hernandez did not just win Gold Gloves, he reinvented the position.  It was virtually impossible to bunt on him and his judgments on the field were rarely wrong.  Hernandez was not a power hitter, but a very good contact hitter and showed a high On Base Percentage when it wasn’t the vogue statistic to have.

What has hampered Hernandez’s Hall of Fame case was the allegations in St. Louis that he was not a hustler (mostly made by his manager, Whitey Herzog) and was a drug abuser.  The latter did prove to be true, though the former was also accurate it can only be imagined what numbers he would have put up.  Keith Hernandez likely left the ballot after nine years because of those issues but with the recent surge of sabremetrics, a look at Keith Hernandez should make him an interesting case for future consideration.

Should Keith Hernandez be in the Hall of Fame?

Definitely put him in! - 82.4%
Maybe, but others deserve it first. - 8.7%
Probably not, but it wouldn't be the end of the world. - 4.8%
No opinion. - 0.5%
No way! - 3.6%

The Bullet Points

  • Country of Origin: San Francisco, California, U.S.A.
  • Eligible In: Monday, 01 January 1996
  • Position: First Base
  • Played For: Cleveland Indians, New York Mets, St. Louis Cardinals
  • Major Accolades and Awards: World Series Rings (2) (St. Louis Cardinals, 1982 & New York Mets, 1986)
    MVP (1) (NL) (1979)
    All-Star (5) (1979, 1980, 1984, 1986 & 1987)
    Gold Glove (11) (NL) (1978, 1979, 1980, 1981, 1982, 1983, 1984, 1985, 1986, 1987 & 1988)
    Silver Slugger (2) (NL) (1980 & 1984)
    Highest Batting Average (1) (NL) (1979)
    Highest On Base Percentage (1) (NL) (1980)
    Most Runs Scored (2) (NL) (1979 & 1980)
    Most Doubles (1) (NL) (1979)
    Most Intentional Walks (1) (NL) (1982)
    Most Putouts (4) (NL) (1979, 1981, 1982 & 1983)
    Most Putouts by a First Baseman (4) (NL) (1978, 1981, 1982 & 1983)
    Most Assists by a First Baseman (5) (NL) (1976, 1979, 1984, 1985 & 1987)
    Most Double Plays Turned by a First Baseman (6) (NL) (1977, 1979, 1980, 1981, 1983 & 1984)
    Most Total Zone Runs by a First Baseman (8) (NL) (1976, 1979, 1980, 1981, 1982, 1983, 1984 & 1985)
    Highest Range Factor per Game by a First Baseman (4) (NL) (1979, 1981, 1982 & 1983)
    Highest Fielding Percentage by a First Baseman (2) (NL) (1985 & 1986)
  • Other Points of Note: Other Top Ten MVP Finishes: (Won the 1979 NL MVP)
    (NL: 1984, 2nd), (NL: 1985, 8th) & (NL: 1986, 4th)
    7 Top Ten Finishes (bWAR for Position Players)
    5 Top Ten Finishes (Offensive (bWAR)
    7 Top Ten Finishes (Batting Average)
    8 Top Ten Finishes (On Base Percentage)
    3 Top Ten Finishes (Slugging Percentage)
    5 Top Ten Finishes (OPS)
    6 Top Ten Finishes (OPS+)
    5 Top Ten Finishes (Runs Scored)
    4 Top Ten Finishes (Most Hits)
    8 Top Ten Finishes (Doubles)
    2 Top Ten Finishes (Triples)
    4 Top Ten Finishes (Runs Batted In)
    7 Top Ten Finishes (Walks)
    5 Top Ten Finishes (Singles)
    3 Top Ten Finishes (Extra Base Hits)
    1 Top Ten Finish (Power-Speed #)
    7 Top Ten Finishes (Win Probability Added)
    6 Top Ten Finishes (Championship Win Probability Added)
    2 Top Ten Finishes (Total Zone Runs)
  • Notable All Time Rankings: 1.   Total Zone Runs by a First Baseman: 120
    5.   Assists by a First Baseman: 1,682
    11. Double Plays Turned by a First Baseman: 1,654
    21. Putouts by a First Baseman: 17,909
    24. Putouts: 17,916
    39. Total Zone Runs: 117
    48. Fielding Percentage by a First Baseman: .994
    80. Win Probabilty Added: 38.6
    81. Intentional Walks: 130
    88. Range Factor per Game by a First Baseman: 9.73
    95. Walks: 1,070
    95. Championship Win Probability Added: 35.2
  • Vote Percentage Received for the Hall of Fame: 1996: 5.1
    1997: 9.5
    1998: 10.8
    1999: 6.8
    2000: 10.4
    2001: 8.0
    2002: 6.1
    2003: 6.0
    2004: 4.3
  • Should be Inducted As A: New York Met

Should Keith Hernandez be in the Hall of Fame?

Definitely put him in! - 82.4%
Maybe, but others deserve it first. - 8.7%
Probably not, but it wouldn't be the end of the world. - 4.8%
No opinion. - 0.5%
No way! - 3.6%

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