Not in Hall of Fame News
Regular visitors of notinhalloffame.com know that we are slowly working on the…
Not in Hall of Fame News
Yes, we know that this is taking a while! As many of…
Not in Hall of Fame News
1994 SEMI-FINAL RESULTS: Thank you for your participation in the Pro Football…
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The National Baseball Hall of Fame has announced that Bill White will…
Not in Hall of Fame News
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From the Desk of the Chairman
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The Buck Stops Here
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The Buck Stops Here
Welcome to Season 6, Episode 16 of The Hall of Fame Show…
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Live Music Head
Project/Objectan interview with André Cholmondeleyby Live Music HeadOriginally published at timessquare.com on…
Mark Reynolds was arguably a one-tool player, as he had power, but not much else.
Playing 12 seasons with stays in Arizona, Baltimore, Cleveland, New York (AL), Milwaukee, St. Louis, Colorado, and Washington, Reynolds smacked 298 Home Runs and had 1,283 Hits, but batted only .236 and struck out a whopping 1,927 times, including leading his respective league four years in a row (2008-11). Reynolds was also a poor fielder and had a lifetime bWAR under 10.
Putting it bluntly, he will be fortunate to get on the ballot.
After multiple attempts to escape Cuba to play baseball in North America, Kendrys Morales was finally successful in late 2004. The Los Angeles Angels signed Morales, and the switch hitter would debut for the team in 2006, though it was not until 2009 where he proved his worth as a bona fide Major League Player in a 34 Home Run and 108 RBI year.
2009 would be his best year, as he would struggle with injuries afterward, most notably, breaking his leg when he celebrated a home run by jumping up to stomp on home plate. He missed the entirety of 2010 because of it, and it was the catalyst for the rest of his career. Morales still managed to belt 213 Home Runs, and he would also play with Seattle, Minnesota, Kansas City, Toronto, Oakland, and New York (AL). Notably, he had a very good year in 2015 with the Royals, helping them win the World Series while earning his only Silver Slugger and Edgar Martinez Award as the top Designated Hitter.
Jason Vargas can be best be described as a journeyman Starting Pitcher, completing his career with a .500 record (99-99) with stops in Florida, New York (NL), Seattle, Los Angeles (AL), Kansas City, and Philadelphia.
His best year was in 2017 when he was a surprise American League leader in Wins (18) as a Royal. Vargas also was an All-Star that year.
Ian Kinsler made his first appearance in the Majors with the Texas Rangers in 2006, and he quickly cemented himself as one of the better Second Basemen in the American League.
Over his career, Kinsler showed power and speed with four 20-plus HR seasons, blasting 257 in total with 1,999 career Hits. He nearly matched his HR tallies in Stolen Bases, swiping 243 bags, and was underappreciated defensively. Kinsler did win two Gold Gloves but could have won more, as the ones he did land were later in his career, and he had better defensive metrics in other years, namely with three 2-plus Defensive bWAR seasons.
Kinsler went to three All-Star Games with the Rangers and was traded to Detroit in 2014, where he continued to display the same skills. Again, he was an All-Star that year and remained vital for three years before he declined and finished off his career with Los Angeles (AL), Boston, and San Diego. Notably, he won his only World Series Ring in his brief run with the Red Sox in 2018.